Self Contained Range

In Australia, tank showers are not compliant, but that doesn’t mean they aren’t useful. Tank showers are the best option for you if there is no feasible way to get to a plumbed safety shower from your workplace. When a worker is affected, they can use a tank shower or portable shower before they get access to a permanent shower. 

This can be a daunting task. As tank showers are designed for both portability and ease of access, they need to be close enough to a hazard so that an injured worker can reach it in 10 seconds, but also able to be moved to suit where you go. If you’re daunted by the task of where your tank shower should go, contact Spill Station for a workplace audit, where risks are identified and the appropriate safety equipment is employed. 

There are many issues that come with tank showers that users should be aware of. 

Harsh climates: in some industries such as the oil and gas fields or in chemical facilities, a tank shower should be close to the hazards such as oil or chemicals. But these sites operate in extreme conditions such as the intense Middle Eastern heat to the freezing snow of the Arctic region. This temperature extreme will make it hard to supply tepid water to the tank for safe flushing. 

Large areas: many industrial facilities extend over vast areas, and sometimes this is not indoors. Portable water lines are a must, but if they are run over a distance, they can cause low water pressure. This low water pressure can cause issues for safety showers, and without insulated piping, the water may not remain tepid. 

Area expansions: often production facilities will undergo growth which means modifications must be made to keep up with production needs. Every time this happens, central utility systems undergo stress, and this means you may run out of water if not correctly planned. Ensure that safety showers always have enough water to remain compliant.

You have to make sure the emergency shower is completely operational if there is an emergency. This means that you have to test the shower weekly. This weekly activation makes sure the unit is working correctly, there is no sediment build-up in the water and nothing is broken.

In addition to the above, you may consider having your tank shower audited once a year so that it works well internally also.

 Portable eyewash stations are a flexible and cost-effective solution that benefits many different work settings. These eyewash stations are first aid units that can be used in areas where there is a lack of water. Unlike plumbed units, portable eyewash stations do not require a large water tank or on-demand water system to provide lukewarm water, which is expensive and impractical in many applications. In portable eyewash stations, the water is always at room temperature. Also, if multiple eyewash stations are needed in a facility, it is much more cost-effective to use multiple portable units rather than installing multiple permanent stations.

There is no rule on how many eyewash stations you need, but in general, wherever you work with chemicals, there should be an eyewash station within 10 seconds and at all levels of chemical use. Emergency eyewash points must also be accessible and marked with clearly visible signs. If you need help deciding where the eyewash stations should be, Spill Station offers audits to help you identify potential risks. 

It is recommended to use either distilled water or saline in the eye wash. Although the risk of contamination with distilled water is low, the pH balance of distilled water means that excessive use can cause eye damage.

It is recommended regularly maintain your eyewash station on a weekly basis. This will ensure that even during an emergency, you’re guaranteed to keep your valued employees safe. If you have had to recently use a unit, a new saline solution needs to be installed as soon as possible. 

Both are great solutions for safety, especially in workplaces that handle hazards. But whether you need a portable or permanent eyewash station depends on your work. If you work on a permanent or fixed site and have a lot of manpower, you should definitely consider buying a plumbing fixture.  

For those who work in temporary locations or as subcontractors in various locations, you may find that a portable eyewash system meets your needs.