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Previous by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Ventilation calculator for chemical spills? Date: Thursday, October 22, 2015 3:48:27 AM Author: Boitumelo Kgarebe <bkgarebe**At_Symbol_Here**GMAIL.COM> |
Next by Date: Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Ventilation calculator for chemical spills? Date: Thu, 22 Oct 2015 14:10:31 +0000 Author: "Stewart, James H." |
Hi Boitumelo Kgarebe!
Unless things have changed recently, there is nothing in the way of a national standard prohibiting this "no drain" setup for a safety shower in the US either. I have seen such safety showers
all over in the US. Since much plumbing is covered by local codes here, it may be that
many localities require drains for such units, many H&S people who can influence their own building specifications also probably opt for drains as well.
Why is this? Many bad things can happen with a no-drain system, including damage to the floor and also to the floor beneath if there is one. There have even been discussions before among
CHAS colleagues about people who have spilled acid on themselves NOT using a shower because of fear they will disrupt others and damage the building. We work a lot with architects and lab supervisors here because of the many safety containment products we
make, and my personal position would be to always use a drain with such a unit. Training on how these units work and how to use them are also critical!
So much for the self-evident.
Very Truly Yours,
Dr. Bob Haugen
Director of Product and Technology Development
Flow Sciences Inc.
2025 Mercantile Drive
Leland, NC 28451
Phone 910 332 4878
From: DCHAS-L Discussion List [mailto:dchas-l**At_Symbol_Here**med.cornell.edu]
On Behalf Of Boitumelo Kgarebe
Sent: Thursday, October 22, 2015 3:48 AM
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Ventilation calculator for chemical spills?
Colleagues,
Can anyone pls assist me urgently. I head an Occupational Health Analytical Laboratory facility in Johannesburg. We are about to take over a newly renovated organic chemistry lab. An emergency shower has been installed, but with no drainage.
We are being told that that is the norm in South Africa.
Apparently, the General Safety Regulations framed under the OHS Act, Regulation 3 (9) states that "Where an employee at a workplace is exposed or can be exposed
to a potential hazard of injury to or absorption through the skin as a result of sudden contact with a large amount of toxic, corrosive, high risk or similar hazardous substance, the employer concerned shall make sure that there is a fast-reacting deluge-shower
with clean water or a similar facility in the immediate vicinity of the workplace of such employee and that the employee is trained in the use thereof." There is no definition of large amount and again no reference to drainage to sewer (or otherwise).
I disagree since this would mean that in the event (hopefully rare) of an accident, an employee will wash off the contaminant and still "stand" in the contaminated water. How are your emergency showers configured?
Regards
Boitumelo Kgarebe
National Institute for Occupational Health
Johannesburg, South Africa
On Tue, Oct 20, 2015 at 8:50 PM, Secretary, ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org> wrote:
From: Mary.Biersack**At_Symbol_Here**westpharma.com
Hello,
I am looking for a good industrial hygiene resource for calculating the evaporation rates of a spilled chemical and the amount of ventilation required to keep the chemical spill below the specific chemicals OSHA PEL (ppm). Does anyone know of any good computer
software programs or calculators?
Thanks,
Mary
Mary Biersack
Lab Safety and Chemical Hygiene Specialist
West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc.
P: +1 610-594-3278
530 Herman O. West Drive | Exton, PA 19341 | United States
mary.biersack**At_Symbol_Here**westpharma.com
Find West on Twitter and LinkedIn.
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