Emergency Shower Requirements

Emergency showers and eye wash stations are safety precautions that are found in a variety of locations and industries. When emergency washing stations and showers are required, they must follow rules established by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Exposure

• An emergency shower and/or eye wash station must be installed in any industry or building where a person's eyes or body may be exposed to corrosive or injurious materials, such as in a laboratory.

Industries

• Regulations set forth by OSHA require specific industries or activities to install emergnecy showers and eye-wash stations. These industries include any operation that handles, transports or stores hazardous materials. For these companies, no matter what their size, an emergency shower has to be present and accessible.

Water Source

• An emergency shower has to have a permanent connection to a potable water source. This could mean that the emergency shower is tied into the main water pipe for a building so that water comes on demand, or it could mean that the emergency shower has a pull cord that opens a water reservoir. Each shower will also need to be tested at least semi-annually. Reservoir-type emergency showers must have the water changed periodically to ensure that it's still potable.