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Previous by Date: Subject: Re: safety shower location Date: Wed, 30 Nov 2005 14:39:53 -0500 Author: Jay Young |
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>I'd fire my architect for incompetence (i.e., not knowing the "code") if >he or she put safety showers and eye washes in a hall way space. >Jay Young >Why should anyone have to "navigate" by themselves during such an >emergency? Did they make the decision to work alone? Where they >allowed to be in a hazardous area totally alone? What does prudent >practice suggest? I have my answers to these questions. What are >yours? > W. H. "Jack" Breazeale I'm going to be a lone voice in the wilderness of this discussion and insist there are safety showers in the hall. Put them in the labs if there is space and the intended use will require it, absolutely, but put them in the hall as well. The reason is this - if that lab goes up in a conflagration you aren't going to want to stick around. I have PERSONALLY witnessed such an incident - three coworkers hit by an explosion of concentrated acid waste and flaming organic waste that were accidentally mixed. A 12-foot double hood going up in flames so fierce that smoke rolled back down every hood on the entire floor. We used the shower in the hallway to extinguish the worker who was still on fire. I am *damn* happy there was a shower in the hallway and that we didn't have to worry about finding an open laboratory nearby to get to one. As it was, she ended up in the Mass General burn ward and received skin grafts; I can't imagine what we would have done if that shower hadn't been there - drop stop and roll her with our bare hands or try making it to the next lab with a shower...neither would have been as effective. Fire blankets are nowhere near as effective as showers, plus we still needed a shower to rinse the victims. This is not, alas, the only such incident I've personally witnessed - see this one, too: http://www.ilpi.com/safety/explosion.html There is no way you could have treated someone in there if it had been required (the lab does have showers in it; it's a large teaching lab and there should be showers in it). If there was no shower in the hall, the next nearest showers would be found in adjacent teaching or research labs, many of which are unoccupied and locked depending on the time of day. Jack, your points are well taken, but we know that folks in academia work alone quite a bit, or are momentarily alone from time to time (bathroom breaks, lunch time, went to the stockroom etc.). We can all agree that is a Bad Thing, but it *will* happen. I'd say that to NOT plan accordingly and blame the victim is both morally and legally irresponsible. (additional lab horror stories omitted - man, do I have a lot of them!) Regards, Dr. Rob Toreki -- ===================================================== Safety Emporium - Lab & Safety Supplies featuring brand names you know and trust. Visit us at http://www.SafetyEmporium.com esales**At_Symbol_Here**safetyemporium.com or toll-free: (866) 326-5412 Fax: (859) 523-0606, 4905 Waynes Blvd, Lexington, KY 40513-1469
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