Check out Safety Emporium for your N95, N99, and face shield needs.
Date: Thu, 13 May 2010 12:42:04 -0500
Reply-To: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
Sender: DCHAS-L Discussion List <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**LIST.UVM.EDU>
From: Patrick A Ceas <ceas**At_Symbol_Here**STOLAF.EDU>
Subject: Re: Connecting eyewash/safety show to a BAS
In-Reply-To: <89907EA1DCFB7548A431C13A270F9DD50A5B2134**At_Symbol_Here**prk-exch-01.vcp.local>
Paul et al.,
We installed such a system in our new building, complete with remote alarm
(it goes to our Physical Plant, where someone is stationed 24/7). This
system also includes a hall horn & strobe dedicated to each eyewash/shower
-- each dedicated horn&strobe is located at the hall entrance that is
closest to each eyewash/shower, so we have these things lining the halls
(these are plenty loud -- if a unit is activated during normal work hours
the entire floor can here it). The system divides the building by floor and
wings (east & west wing), so the alarm notifies our Physical Plant (and
Public Safety) that an eyewash/shower has been activated on (for example)
floor 3 East. From there it is very easy for Public Safety to find the
activated unit.
We test/flush our units regularly (eyewashes weekly, showers monthly), and
we test them during the same time frame each week (i.e., in the evening), so
we do not run into issues of false alarms (before each testing event we call
the Physical Plant to let them know that testing is about to begin). We do
not let individuals work alone in labs (we are an undergraduate college, but
there is research & course prep on weekends & evenings), but even so,
everyone was committed from the beginning that our new building would be
built around safety, so the alarm system was included/budgeted from day
one.
IMHO it is not overkill at all, but is exactly what all lab buildings
(academic/industry) should have. IF something was to go terribly wrong we
all know that there can be a delay in calling 911 while the coworkers are
busy assisting the injured person, but with the BAS our Public Safety has
already been notified. We like that. And with this 24/7 system we've
greatly reduced the potential water damage done, should a vandal ever get
into a lab and pull the shower lever (of course our students would never do
such a thing!). Now, a broken pipe under a sink that runs all night and
ruins the secretary's work room on the floor below -- well, we don't quite
yet have a solution/alarm for solving those kinds of water issues!!
Pat
***
Dr. Patrick Ceas
Chemical Hygiene Officer
St. Olaf College
Northfield, MN 55057
507-786-3560
On Wed, May 12, 2010 at 10:06 PM, Paul Dover wrote:
> Dear all,
>
> Do any of you have experience about having your eye washers &/or safety
> showers connected to a Building Automation System (BAS)? I can understand
> the benefit in a remote location, where a response team can be alerted if
> this equipment is activated, but it seems overkill in a University lab.
>
> Can I get some opinions please?
>
>
>
> Thanks, Paul
>
>
>
> ____________________________________________
>
> Paul Dover
> Resources Manager
> Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Action
> Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
> Monash University (Parkville Campus)
> 381 Royal Parade, Parkville
> Victoria, 3052. Australia
>
> Phone: +61 3 9903 9551
> Fax: +61 3 9903 9143
>
> Email: Paul.Dover**At_Symbol_Here**pharm.monash.edu.au
> Web: http://www.pharm.monash.edu.au
>
Paul et al.,
We installed such a system in our new building, comple
te with remote alarm (it goes to our Physical Plant, where someone is stati
oned 24/7).=A0 This system also includes a hall horn & strobe dedicated
to each eyewash/shower -- each dedicated horn&strobe is located at the
hall entrance that is closest to each eyewash/shower, so we have these thi
ngs lining the halls (these are plenty loud -- if a unit is activated durin
g normal work hours the entire floor can
here it).=A0 The system divides the building by floor and wings (east &
west wing), so the alarm notifies our Physical Plant (and Public Safety) t
hat an eyewash/shower has been activated on (for example) floor 3 East.=A0
From there it is very easy for Public Safety to find the activated unit.
We test/flush our units regularly (eyewashes weekly, showers monthly),
and we test them during the same time frame each week (i.e., in the evening
), so we do not run into issues of false alarms (before each testing event
we call the Physical Plant to let them know that testing is about to begin)
.=A0 We do not let individuals work alone in labs (we are an undergraduate
college, but there is research & course prep on weekends & evenings
), but even so, everyone was committed from the beginning that our new buil
ding would be built around safety, so the alarm system was included/budgete
d from day one.=A0
IMHO it is not overkill at all, but is exactly what all lab buildings (
academic/industry) should have.=A0 IF something was to go terribly wrong we
all know that there can be a
delay in calling 911 while the coworkers are busy assisting the injured
person, but with the BAS our Public Safety has already been notified.=A0
We like that.=A0 And with this 24/7 system we've greatly reduced the po
tential water damage done, should a vandal ever get into a lab and pull the
shower lever (of course our students would never do such a thing!).=A0 Now
, a broken pipe under a sink that runs all night and ruins the secretary
9;s work room on the floor below -- well, we don't quite yet have a sol
ution/alarm for solving those kinds of water issues!!
Pat
***
Dr. Patrick Ceas
Chemical Hygiene Officer
St. O
laf College
Northfield, MN 55057
507-786-3560
On Wed, May 12, 2010 at 10:06 PM, Paul Dover
<Paul.Dover**At_Symbol_Here**pharm.monash.edu.au> wrote:
Dear all,
Do any of you have experience about having your eye
washers &/or
safety showers connected to a Building Automation System (BAS)? I can
understand the benefit in a remote location, where a response team can be
alerted if this equipment is activated, but it seems overkill in a Universi
ty
lab.
Can I get some opinions please?
=A0
Thanks, Paul
=A0
__________________________________
__________
Paul Dover
Resources Manager
Medicinal Chemistry and Drug Action
Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences
Monash University (Parkville Campus)
381 Royal Parade, Parkville
Victoria, 3052. Australia
Phone: +61 3 9903 9551
Fax:=A0=A0 +61 3 9903 9143
Email:
Paul.Dover**At_Symbol_Here**pharm.monash.edu.au
Web:=A0=A0 http://www.pharm.monash.edu.au
<
/p>
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