In June of this year, an insulation plant in Phenix City, Alabama was fined $27,500 by OSHA solely for not having a sufficient place, such as a wash station or shower, to flush fluids from the body in an emergency. In this case, the plant had been cited previously, which resulted in the large fines they received.
Unfortunately, this case is not unique. OSHA fines are detrimental but can be avoided by staying proactive with emergency response best practices. So why aren’t more companies following the ANSI guidelines and avoiding these potentially large fines? Feedback has told us that equipment can be expensive or difficult to replace.
Recently, Haws® launched the AXION Advantage a retrofit system designed to upgrade existing units to an ANSI compliant solution. The cost-efficient system can fit on many competitive emergency eyewash or shower units with technology that improves your emergency response option.
Upgrading old equipment in your facility is easy, simply remove the existing head, select one of the supplied connectors, and attach the new (compliant) AXION Advantage head. Included in the system is a complete ANSI testing kit to help walk you through the final steps of compliance. Small steps to avoid big fines.
Here are some helpful ANSI Z358.1 facts on requirements for your emergency equipment:
- Emergency wash unit must be accessible within 10 seconds
- Unit must be free of obstructions and also on the same level as the hazard
- Be identifiable through highly visible signage
- Deliver tepid fluid for a full 15 minutes
