Canadian Occupational Safety

June/July 2016 19 alleviate this problem is electrical plug-in stations that are equipped with an immersion heater. Also on the market today are stations with fl uid that won't freeze in lower temperatures or specially designed electric blankets that can cover the stations to keep them within the ANSI required range. The use of portable stations can also be challenging for contractors when a crew is coming in to do a very short-term job, Jones says. In homebuilding, for example, a trades- person may be coming in to do an hour-long job where there is a risk of debris or chemical in the eye. "It's a lot of work to bring a portable eyewash station in for that short duration of time… It is a challenge when you've got a guy turning up in a truck to do a two-hour job to make sure that that eyewash station is available for him," he says. "But contractors generally do that." Manufacturing employers can also benefi t from portable stations — for example, electric forklifts run on large lead-acid batteries that need to be charged often. During charging, these batteries, which con- tain sulphuric acid, can be extremely hazardous. Charging generates hydrogen gas that can create an explosive atmosphere around the battery. Exploding batteries cause serious eye injuries. Even with proper personal protective equipment (PPE), workers may get sulphuric acid in the eyes. In this case, they need to start fl ushing immediately. Where lack of space prevents the installation of a plumbed station, a self-contained unit can provide the initial emergency fl ushing. Commercial vehicle drivers are also often exposed to eye hazards. Owen Duffy, professor of truck and coach mechanics at Centennial College in Toronto, says many transport vehicles, such as cement and fuel trucks, fuel loaders and wood-chippers, contain chemicals and other materials that can get into the eyes. However, he believes it is unlikely truck companies will move to adopt self-contained units any time soon. "These kinds of stations — with pressurized contain- ers that will fl ood and fl ush the eye — would probably be impractical in a vehicle. They're large, bulky and they're defi nitely quite a bit of money: you're talking about $400 or $500 worth of equipment." More practical is the use of bottle stations, Duffy says. Yet, most truck companies do not equip vehi- cles with them either. "Portable bottles can be used in trucks but, as yet, they haven't been largely adopted, in this country anyway. It is something that — according to OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration in the United States) guidelines — trucks should have. If workers are offl oading chemicals or fuel, those type of things, it should be available to them," he says. Vincent says some companies are working on 15-minute units for use in vehicles. The main dif- fi culty is environmental conditions. On a summer day, a van can get up to about 71 C, well above the ANSI standard limit. Similarly, cold winter days could freeze the liquid. "With our current units, you can put them in a van and transport them to a site. But you wouldn't want to keep them in there, unless it was environ- mentally controlled." While one of the most common places for plumbed stations are industrial sites, especially chemical plants, self-contained stations can play an important safety role there, too, says Claudio Dente, president of Dentec Safety Specialists in Newmarket, Ont. Because they must be located near the plumbing, built-in stations are often located on the perimeter of a building. Where an industrial or warehouse facility is particularly large, it can be a good idea to place a self-contained unit closer to hazards on the plant fl oor. "That's another thing companies can do to safeguard workers: place the tank in the middle of the plant. That way they can administer the individual proper water fl ow right at the point of contact," says Dente. To keep self-contained eyewash units working effectively, ANSI advises companies to fl ush the lines and test units by activating them weekly. It also recommends an annual inspection of the facility to assess work space modifi cations and new hazards and also to identify units needing repair or replacement. Stations containing sealed cartridges, which often have a shelf life of 24 months, require little maintenance. However, they should be inspected weekly to ensure the station is func- tional. After use, the station should be cleaned and a new cartridge installed. Workers who may be exposed to hazardous or corrosive materials must know where the self-contained eyewash stations are located and how to use them properly. That includes understanding the importance of keeping injured eyes in the fl uid for at least 15 minutes and holding the eyelids open and rolling the eyes to ensure water fl ows on all surfaces and in the folds around the eyes. Despite the regulations requiring compa- nies to provide emergency eyewash wherever there is a potential for eye injury, many don't, Dente says. Installing plumbed stations is expensive and may be challenging, too, depending on a facility's layout. "So, the gravity-fed unit is really a good solution for someone who doesn't have access to water or doesn't want to spend the money in plumbing. You can use it anywhere; it's very por- table. And it's easy to operate," he says. "Usually, the most concerning area of contact with something hazardous, like a chemical, is the eye. And you have milliseconds to protect it. You get it on the skin: It could hurt and it could leave a terrible mark. But you lose an eye… you only have two." Linda Johnson is a freelance writer based in Toronto. She can be reached at lindajohnson@sympatico.ca. Self-contained eyewash fi xtures – ANSI requirements • Eyewash unit delivers a minimum of 0.4 gallons per minute for 15 minutes. • Valve mechanism opens in 1 second or less; it stays open until manually closed. • Supply with fl ushing fl uid, ("potable water, preserved water, preserved buffered saline solution or other medically acceptable solution…") • Locate 10 seconds or 55 feet from contaminants or hazardous materials. Locate on same plane as the hazard, free of obstructions. • Use a fl ow metre to test fl ow rate; use a test gauge to test fl ow pattern. • Frigid conditions require the installation of freeze protection equipment. Source: ANSI Z358.1-2014 Quick Compliance Guide, Bradley Corporation Are you looking to reach occupational health and safety professionals across the country? Get your listing in the Health and Safety section of HR Vendors Guide online. 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