WAC 296-307-03930   Make sure emergency washing facilities are functional and readily accessible.  

     You must:

     • Provide an emergency shower:

     – When there is potential for major portions of an employee's body to contact corrosives, strong irritants, or toxic chemicals

     – That delivers water to cascade over the user's entire body at a minimum rate of 20 gallons (75 liters) per minute for fifteen minutes or more.

     • Provide an emergency eyewash:

     – When there is potential for an employee's eyes to be exposed to corrosives, strong irritants, or toxic chemicals

     – That irrigates and flushes both eyes simultaneously while the user holds their eyes open

     – With an on-off valve that activates in one second or less and remains on without user assistance until intentionally turned off

     – That delivers at least 0.4 gallons (1.5 liters) of water per minute for fifteen minutes or more.

Note:	Chemicals that require emergency washing facilities:
	• You can determine whether chemicals in your workplace require emergency washing facilities by looking at the material safety data sheet (MSDS) or similar documents. The MSDS contains information about first-aid requirements and emergency flushing of skin or eyes
	• For chemicals developed in the workplace, the following resources provide information about first-aid requirements:
	– NIOSH Pocket Guide to Chemical Hazards
	.*DHHS (NIOSH) Publication No. 97-140
	.*http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/npg/ggdstart.html
	– Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances and Physical Agents American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH).

     You must:

     • Make sure emergency washing facilities:

     – Are located so that it takes no more than ten seconds to reach

     – Are kept free of obstacles blocking their use

     – Function correctly

     – Provide the quality and quantity of water that is satisfactory for emergency washing purposes.

Note:	• If water in emergency washing facilities is allowed to freeze, they will not function correctly. Precautions need to be taken to prevent this from happening
	• The travel distance to an emergency washing facility should be no more than fifty feet (15.25 meters)
	• For further information on the design, installation, and maintenance of emergency washing facilities, see American National Standards Institute (ANSI) publication Z358.1 - 1998, Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment. Emergency washing facilities that are designed to meet ANSI Z358.1 - 1998 also meet the requirements of this standard. The ANSI standard can be obtained from the American National Standards Institute, 1430 Broadway, New York, New York 10018.
Reference:	• Training in the location and use of your emergency washing facilities is required under the employer chemical hazard communication rule, WAC 296-307-550, and the accident prevention program rule, WAC 296-307-030.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 49.17.010, 49.17.040, 49.17.050, and 49.17.060. 03-10-068, § 296-307-03930, filed 5/6/03, effective 8/1/03.]