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Safety shower in lab - mandatory?

Can anyone tell me if a safety shower is required by law in a metal finishing laboratory? I know an eyewash is mandated, but I'm not sure about a shower.

Thank you,

Victor Waldman
- Naugatuck, Connecticut
2002

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First of three simultaneous responses --

I'm not sure about the law, but these showers are very simple to install and I'd suggest you install one as protection against a lawsuit. If anyone is ever chemically burned, you'll find it difficult to defend that you didn't have a safety shower.

I am cavalier about this "lawsuit" stuff because, when an operator let go of the hose on a drum pump to fool around with the on-off switch, I was doused with concentrated sulfuric acid and I was fortunate enough to not have been seriously hurt. The reason was there was a REAL bathroom with shower less than a hundred feet away so everyone knew instantly just exactly what to do -- whereas had there been one of these never-used toy showers available I might have been in serious trouble as people fooled around with it :-)

There is no substitute for a REAL bathroom with shower in close proximity to operators, but I suppose an eyewash station and safety shower is better than nothing. That incident is also a reason why I am personally strongly in favor of work rules that state that operating a drum pump is a two-person job; people take their hands off the hose all the time, and in the interest of safety it is imperative that we admit it.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

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Second of three simultaneous responses --

The OSHA standard for laboratories is 29 CFR 1910.1450. It is not very long or complicated, so you should read it. It is available online at http://www.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/cfrassemble.cgi?title=200129

Jon Barrows, MSF, EHSSC
GOAD Company

Independence, Missouri

2003

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Third of three simultaneous responses -- 2003

Eyewash and shower equipment is generally covered by ANSI standard Z358.1-1998. OSHA refers to this when it comes to emergency wash equipment. The OSHA legalese can be found in 29 CFR 1910.151. It's kind of vague, though, saying that the employer must provide a method to drench the employee in a quick manner.

I'd suggest checking out these references to determine if you need a shower. You might also want to contact your local or state OSHA-type office. They may have more stringent requirements than federal OSHA.

Of course, I think it's always good to have a shower in a lab. You can always get one of those combination face/shower units. If someone's going to get splashed in the eyes, chances are they're also going to get splashed in the head, chest, legs, etc.

This ain't legal advice, and I'm not a lawyer, so use it at your own risk.

Christian M. Restifo
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

For both safety and legal reasons I recommend that both shower and eye wash be located in any AREA where chemical compounds are used. It has been my experience that OSHA inspectors interpret the regs in a variety of ways the most stringent being as I am stating. By area they would mean the lab. They have also meant it to be up on the catwalk, not down near the load station on an automatic, etc. I sympathise with Ted and the basis for his explanation since I have been in the same situation and was thankful that I did not have to go far to a free standing shower which another worker shoved me under!

Gene Packman
process supplier - Great Neck, New York
2003