Safety showers.

[curie]

Re safety showers and eyewashes - how many of you check them, both for operation and flow rate? Do you get someone in to check them/do maintenance? In my previous life safety showers and eyewashes were checked for operation on a weekly basis as part of rostered safety checks. I've taken to checking our safety showers and eyewashes (now we have them) every month for operation. Last month I tested them for operation the pressure was so poor it would not blow the covers off the eyewashes in 2 locations (One lab, and the prep room!)and i found out that you can wait months and months for maintenance in this place, but put in a safety report and things get done.

I wouldn't have a clue how to check an eyewash for flow rate. Any suggestions?

[fibreweb]

Don't you need a very low pressure with the eye wash as other wise it could cause damage to the eyes?

I am slack and have no regular schedule of checking the eyewash and safety showers apart from the end of year clean up and check on just about everything.

[curie]

They do need to be at a lower pressure than the shower so the eyes are not damaged, but if they can't blow the dust covers off it's too low.
I did find this link (hope it works) that says what the pressures should be and that the flow should be tested by a plumber every year and noted on the compliance tag. I can't find any compliance tag on ours so maybe it's something I should bring up?

http://www.google.com.au/url?sa=t&rct=j ... 6q3V-LzYAw

[dime]

I seem to remember that we were supposed to check the safety shower every month. Doubt that it was a written instruction though. I mean, what is not going to happen - the water won't come out? I think a check once a year will suffice.

[curie]

I seem to remember that we were supposed to check the safety shower every month. Doubt that it was a written instruction though. I mean, what is not going to happen - the water won't come out? .

Well, yeah that's pretty much what happened.