Date: Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:44:18 -0500
Reply-To: Neil Edwards <Neil.Edwards**At_Symbol_Here**LIU.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Neil Edwards <Neil.Edwards**At_Symbol_Here**LIU.EDU>
Subject: Re: Safety Shower/eyewash question
Comments: cc: "TSANG, JENNY U"
In-Reply-To: A<68579A47B8E85748A81BDABDACD1DD931D7EBC**At_Symbol_Here**NWG-EXMB-A-016.ad.cbp.dhs.gov>

To Jenny Tsang, re eyewash/showers: I do not believe there are regulations requiring drains. Our facility has them; I know others that do not. Nevertheless, I believe it is much better to have them. Adding a drain system obviously costs more money. It also has the potential to create an environmental problem, i.e., that of hazardous material going into the drain, and possibly ending up in the water supply or the soil, unless your drains go to an on-site water treatment facility. That being said, however, the lack of drains tends to reduce the frequency of testing the showers (since cleanup can be very inconvenient). Even worse, if a situation arises in which there is an emergency requiring use of the shower, the resulting flood of water can spread the contamination all around the lab, and create a serious slip-and-fall hazard for the victim and others. If there was broken glassware involved in the incident, there could then be even greater injury. Neil Edwards Laboratory Manager Department of Chemistry Long Island University - C. W. Post Campus 516-299-2017 voice 516-299-3944 fax nedwards**At_Symbol_Here**liu.edu

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