Shower/Eyewash Annual Inspection

Purchasing and installing safety showers and eyewashes is only one small step in the overall safety process. You should also have clear procedures for maintaining your eyewash and safety shower too. 

When you think about it, the safety of your workers near hazards is vital, especially when you consider the use cases for safety showers and eyewash stations, whether combined or separate. By regularly maintaining these safety facilities, you can make sure the systems are always ready to go in the event of a workplace accident happening. You also have to make sure that the safety measures in your workplace are always ready to be used, as this is what makes you compliant in the eyes of the Australian Law. 

Eyewash Station & Safety Shower Maintenance Importance

Regular maintenance and inspection of your eyewash station and safety shower is important because of the following: 

• Bacterial growth can happen when water has been sitting stagnant for too long without use. Regularly flushing the eyewash or safety showers reduces contamination in the water over time. 
• When plumbing is exposed to things like humidity, heat and salt air, metal parts can corrode over time, and this can compromise water flow, a visual inspection can prevent this. 
• Debris in the safety shower or eyewash station’s valves can cause blockages. Checking the system often will stop dirt build up or at least give you enough time to clean the system before an accident occurs.
• Leaks can happen in plumbing or seals, which makes it hard for the water flow to be strong enough to flush the eyes or skin. Checking of leaks will help prevent costly water bills or repairs. 
• By regularly testing nozzles you can make sure everything works as intended in the event of an emergency. 
• Regular cleaning needs to be done to make sure that there’s no debris or corrosion in the unit, but also needs to be done between use of the system. 
• Check the water pressure to make sure it’s enough to maintain a safe flushing amount for the required amount of time. 

Safety Shower Testing Requirements

When you go to check your safety shower for safe use, there are some things to keep in mind, the following are found in the Australian Standard AS4775, and are a legal requirement in Australia. 

• Safety showers that are plumbed must be activated weekly. 
• When activating the system, you must use it for long enough to remove sediment build up.
• Testing should also be for a period long enough to make sure the flushing fluid is ready and the equipment operational. 

Eyewash Inspection Requirements

Due to the eyes being such a sensitive part of the body, the inspection and maintenance measures vary, and you must do the following. 

• The equipment must deliver a controlled flow to both eyes simultaneously. 
• The flow must not present a danger to the user and be 1.5L/min for a minimum of 15 minutes. 
• You should connect a flowmeter to the unit to check the water flow levels.
• You should attach the unit to the right flushing fluid supply of at least 1.5L/min at 210 kPa. 
• Once you open the valve, it should remain open without automatically closing. 
• Make sure both eyes get the same amount of flushing flow without too much varying. 

How Often Does Everything Need to Be Tested? 

This can be very hard to keep on top of, but in general the shower/eyewash inspections need to be tested at the following intervals. 

Weekly: Both the safety shower and eyewash systems, combined or otherwise, need to test to make sure all parts are functioning properly, and that water flow isn’t impacted by debris or corrosion. 

Annually: Check both the flow of the water and the temperature as well as the components around the system to make sure nothing is leaking or broken. 

Also, in addition to this annual and weekly testing, you also have to make sure that you have proper records detailing the maintenance and inspections of eyewash stations and safety showers. 

Training Your Staff Matters

Anyone in your workplace who may be exposed to hazards need to be correctly trained so they can help themselves and their co-workers in the event of an industry. 

Usually this training includes things such as: 

• Knowing which materials can cause them injury and taking steps to prevent this. 
• Locations of the safety showers and eyewash stations in the area.
• How to use the units in question.
• Flushing times for each injury, such as 15 minutes for an irritant and 30-60 minutes for an acid or base. 
• The full procedure for an emergency, including removing clothing and jewellery and the like. 
• How to use the unit on themselves without any aid. 
• How not to misuse the equipment, such as not using the safety shower to wash themselves in a non-emergency. 

Need Professional Help?

Annual inspections are vital for making sure the eyewash and emergency showers are ready to go in the event of an emergency, and to remain compliant with the Australian Standards, but on top of this, training your workers to correctly use the safety equipment on themselves and others Is also important. 

With this in mind, Spill Station provides help with maintenance of eyewash stations and safety showers and can conduct your annual maintenance tests on your behalf. With expert technicians, you can rest assured in the knowledge that your workplace is as compliant and safe as can be. 

In addition to this, Spill Station also offers training to workplace staff to help keep the workers as educated as possible as to how the safety equipment is used, and how to maintain it for weekly testing, as well as how to help themselves and a friend in the event of an emergency. 

When you work with us at Spill Station, you can help make your workplace much safer overall, there’s no need to be daunted by remaining compliant, the paperwork and best practice, we can handle it for you, letting you return to normal operating, but safer.