GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT

GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment

Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment

ANSI Z358.1
Compliance
Checklist
GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

ANSI Z358.1-1998 Compliance Checklist

Introduction ANSI Z358.1
The selection of emergency eye wash and shower equip- The OSHA regulation regarding emergency equipment is
ment is often a complicated process. In addition to address- quite vague, in that it does not define what constitutes “suit-
ing design and engineering issues, specifiers must be aware able facilities” for drenching the eyes or body. In order to
of regulatory requirements and compliance standards. A provide additional guidance to employers, the American
common reference point when specifying emergency equip- National Standards Institute (ANSI) has promulgated a
ment is ANSI Z358.1, “Emergency Eye Wash and Shower voluntary standard covering emergency eye wash and
Equipment.” This standard is a widely accepted guideline for shower equipment. This standard—ANSI Z358.1—is
the proper selection, installation and maintenance of intended to serve as a guideline for the proper design,
emergency equipment. performance, installation, use and maintenance of
emergency equipment.
To assist specifiers in understanding the provisions of this
standard, Guardian Equipment has prepared this ANSI ANSI Z358.1 was originally adopted in 1981. It was rewritten
Compliance Checklist. In this Checklist, we have summa- in 1990 and again in 1998. This Compliance Checklist sum-
rized and graphically presented the provisions of the stan- marizes and graphically presents the provisions of the 1998
dard. This Checklist can serve as a starting point for design- version of the standard.
ing emergency eye wash and shower systems.
General Considerations
Legal Requirements ANSI Z358.1-1998 contains provisions regarding the design,
The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 was enact- performance, installation, use and maintenance of various
ed to assure that workers are provided with “safe and health- types of emergency equipment (showers, eye washes,
ful working conditions.” Under this law, the Occupational drench hoses, etc.). In addition to these provisions, there are
Safety and Heath Administration (OSHA) was created and some general considerations which apply to all emergency
authorized to adopt safety standards and regulations to fulfill equipment. These considerations may not necessarily be
the mandate of improving worker safety. part of the standard, but we believe that they should be
addressed when considering emergency equipment. These
OSHA has adopted several regulations which refer to the use
include the following:
of emergency eye wash and shower equipment. The primary
regulation is contained in 29 CFR 1910.151, which requires First Aid Devices
that...
Emergency eye wash and shower units are designed to
“...where the eyes or body of any person may be deliver water to rinse contaminants from a user’s eyes, face
exposed to injurious corrosive materials, suitable facil- or body. As such, they are a form of first aid equipment to be
ities for quick drenching or flushing of the eyes and used in the event of an accident. However, they are not a
body shall be provided within the work area for imme- substitute for primary protective devices (including eye and
diate emergency use.” face protection and protective clothing) or for safe proce-
dures for handling hazardous materials.

Emergency Response
Simply installing emergency equipment is not a sufficient
means of assuring worker safety. Employees must be trained
in the location of emergency equipment and in its proper use.
Emergency equipment must be regularly maintained (includ-
ing weekly activation of the equipment) to assure that it is in

2 © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. gesafety.com

GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

working order and inspected annually for compliance with Water Temperature
the standard. Most importantly, employers should develop a The 1998 version of the standard states that the water tem-
response plan to be used in the event that an accident does perature delivered by emergency equipment should be
occur. The focus of the response plan should be to provide “tepid” (i.e. moderately warm or lukewarm). However, where
assistance to the injured worker as quickly as possible. We it is possible that a chemical reaction might be accelerated
offer a variety of alarm systems which may be installed in by warm water, a medical professional should be consulted
conjunction with our emergency equipment. They serve to to determine what the optimum water temperature would be.
alert personnel and summon assistance if an eye wash or
shower is activated. WE RECOMMEND INSTALLING AN The delivery of tepid water to emergency equipment may
ALARM UNIT WITH ANY EMERGENCY EYE WASH OR raise complicated engineering issues. At a minimum, it gen-
SHOWER UNIT. erally involves providing both hot and cold water to the unit,
and then installing a blending valve to mix the water to the
Location of Emergency Equipment desired temperature. Guardian offers a variety of tempering
In general, the ANSI standard requires that emergency equip- units to blend and temper water. Please contact our office for
ment be installed within 10 seconds walking time from the further information.
location of a hazard. The equipment must be installed on the
Disposal of Water
same level as the hazard (i.e. accessing the equipment
should not require going up or down stairs or ramps). The The standard does not include any provisions regarding the
path of travel from the hazard to the equipment should be disposal of waste water. However, designers must give con-
free of obstructions and as straight as possible. sideration to where waste water will go. In particular, care
must be taken that waste water not create a hazard (i.e. by
However, there are certain circumstances where these creating a pool in which someone might slip) or freeze.
guidelines may not be adequate. For example, where work-
ers are handling particularly strong acids, caustics or other Generally, Guardian eye wash, eye/face wash and safety sta-
materials where the consequences of a spill would be very tion units are designed with waste connections for connec-
serious, emergency equipment should be installed immedi- tion to drain piping. WE RECOMMEND THAT EMERGENCY
ately adjacent to the hazard. EYE WASH AND SHOWER UNITS BE CONNECTED TO DRAIN
PIPING. FOR EMERGENCY SHOWERS, FLOOR DRAINS
Laboratory environments may also require special consider- SHOULD BE PROVIDED. However, after an emergency eye
ation. It is common in many laboratory buildings to install wash or shower has been used, the waste water may con-
emergency equipment in a corridor or hallway outside of the tain hazardous materials which cannot be introduced into a
lab room. This may satisfy the provisions of the standard but sanitary sewer. It may then be necessary to connect the
still not provide workers with immediate access to emer- drain piping to the building’s acid waste disposal system or
gency equipment. In these cases, we recommend installing to a neutralizing tank.
combination eye wash/drench hose units at lab sinks (see
page 7). These units are highly accessible and versatile.
They provide immediate protection for the eyes, face or body
when a spill involves a relatively small amount of hazardous
material.

gesafety.com © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. 3

GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

Emergency Showers
This checklist is a summary of the provisions of ANSI All Guardian emergency showers (except units with self-closing
Z358.1-1998 relating to emergency showers. Please refer to valves) are third-party certified to meet or exceed the require-
the standard for a complete listing of these provisions. ments of ANSI Z358.1-1998.

“Hands-free” stay-open
valve activates in one
second or less.
Shower head shall be (Section 4.2)
between 82" (208.3 cm)
and 96" (243.8 cm) Water supply shall be
from floor surface. sufficient to supply flow
(Section 4.1) rate and pattern for 15
minutes.
(Sections 4.1, 4.6.4)
Shower must provide
20 gallons (75.7 liters)
Easily located, accessible
of water per minute.
20" actuator no higher than
(Section 4.1)
69" (173.3 cm) above
floor. (Section 4.3)

At 60" (152.4 cm) above

82-96"
floor surface, the water
pattern must be at least
20" (50.8 cm) in diameter. 60"
(Section 4.1)
69" maximum
Center of the water pattern
shall be at least 16"
(40.6 cm) from any
obstructions.
(Section 4.1)
Identification
Identify shower location
with highly visible sign.
Area around shower shall
be well lighted.
(Section 4.6.2)

Location Water Temperature Training Maintenance/Inspection

Install shower within 10 Water delivered by shower Instruct all employees in the Test shower at least weekly.
seconds of hazard and with shall be tepid (lukewarm). location and proper use of (Section 4.7.2) Inspect annu-
unobstructed travel path. (Section 4.6.6) emergency showers. ally for compliance with stan-
(Section 4.6.1) (Section 4.7.3) dard. (Section 4.7.4)

ETL Listed 101496

Units have been tested
4 © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. gesafety.com to and comply with
ANSI Z358.1-1998
GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

Eye/Face Washes
This checklist is a summary of the provisions of ANSI All Guardian eye/face wash units (except units with self-closing
Z358.1-1998 relating to emergency eye/face washes. Please valves) are third-party certified to meet or exceed the require-
refer to the standard for a complete listing of these provisions. ments of ANSI Z358.1-1998.

Controlled, low velocity Protect outlet heads from

flow completely rinses airborne contaminants.
eyes and face and is not (Section 5.1.3)
injurious to user.
(Section 7.1.1)

Valve actuator shall be

large enough to be easily
located and operated
by the user. (Section 7.2)
Unit must be capable of
delivering 3.0 gallons
(11.4 liters) of water per
minute for 15 minutes. “Hands-free” stay-open
(Section 7.1.4) valve activates in one
second or less.
(Section 7.2)

Connect unit to
Outlet heads shall be 33–45" uninterruptible water
positioned between supply with at least
33" (83.8 cm) and 45" 30 PSI flow pressure.
(114.3 cm) from the floor (Section 7.4.2)
and at least 6" (15.3 cm)
from the wall or nearest Identification
obstruction. (Section 7.4.1) Identify eye/face wash
with highly visible sign.
Area around eye/face
wash shall be well lighted.
(Section 7.4.5)

Location Water Temperature Training Maintenance/Inspection

Install eye/face wash unit with- Water delivered by eye/face Instruct all employees in the Test eye/face wash at least
in 10 seconds of hazard and wash shall be tepid (lukewarm). location and proper use of weekly. (Section 7.5.2)
with unobstructed travel path. (Section 7.4.6) eye/face washes. Inspect annually for compli-
(Section 7.4.4) (Section 7.5.3) ance with standard.
(Section 7.5.4)

ETL Listed 101496

Units have been tested
to and comply with gesafety.com © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. 5
ANSI Z358.1-1998
GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

Eye Washes
This checklist is a summary of the provisions of ANSI All Guardian eye wash units (except units with self-closing
Z358.1-1998 relating to emergency eye washes. Please refer to valves) are third-party certified to meet or exceed the require-
the standard for a complete listing of these provisions. ments of ANSI Z358.1-1998.

Use Guardian test gauge

to test water flow.

Protect outlet heads from

Controlled, low velocity airborne contaminants.
flow rinses both eyes and (Section 5.1.3)
is not injurious to user.
(Section 5.1.1) Valve actuator shall be
large enough to be easily
located and operated
by user. (Section 5.2)
Unit must be capable of
delivering 0.4 gallons
(1.5 liters) of water per “Hands-free” stay-open
minute for 15 minutes. valve activates in one
(Section 5.1.5) second or less.
(Section 5.2)

33–45" Connect unit to

Outlet heads shall be uninterruptible water
positioned between supply with at least
33" (83.8 cm) and 45" 30 PSI flow pressure.
(114.3 cm) from the floor (Section 5.4.2)
and at least 6" (15.3 cm)
from the wall or nearest
obstruction. (Section 5.4.1) Identification
Identify eye wash with
highly visible sign. Area
around eye wash shall be
well lighted.
(Section 5.4.5)

Location Water Temperature Training Maintenance/Inspection

Install eye wash unit within 10 Water delivered by eye wash Instruct all employees in the Test eye wash at least weekly.
seconds of hazard and with shall be tepid (lukewarm). location and proper use of eye (Section 5.5.2) Inspect
unobstructed travel path. (Section 5.4.6) washes. (Section 5.5.3) annually for compliance with
(Section 5.4.4) standard. (Section 5.5.4)

ETL Listed 101496

Units have been tested
6 © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. gesafety.com to and comply with
ANSI Z358.1-1998
GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

Eye Wash/Drench Hose Units

ANSI Standard Z358.1-1998 states that drench hose units may These units are particularly useful in areas such as laboratories
supplement, but may not be used in place of, dedicated eye wash where workers are handling small quantities of injurious materials.
units. Guardian offers a series of units which meet the require- However, if a spill does occur, it can affect any part of the worker’s
ments for both an eye wash and a drench hose. These dual eyes, face or body. Eye wash/drench hose units offer a degree of
purpose units can be used to combine an eye wash and a drench versatility not found with other types of emergency equipment.
hose into a single versatile, economic unit. This checklist summarizes the provisions of ANSI Z358.1-1998 for
To use the unit as a fixed eye wash, simply leave the unit in the both eye washes and drench hoses. Please refer to the standard
holder. The dual spray heads will deliver water to both eyes simul- for a complete listing of these provisions.
taneously. To function as a drench hose, remove the unit from the All Guardian eye wash/drench hose units are third-party certi-
holder and rinse any part of the eyes, face or body. fied to meet or exceed the requirements of ANSI Z358.1-1998.

Outlet heads shall be posi- Protect outlet heads from

tioned between 33" (83.8 airborne contaminants.
cm) and 45" (114.3 cm) (Section 5.1.3)
from the floor and at least
6" (15.3 cm) from the wall Unit must deliver at least
or nearest obstruction. 3.0 gallons (11.4 liters) of
(Section 5.4.1) water per minute for 15
minutes.
Controlled, low velocity (Sections 5.1.5 and 8.1)
flow rinses both eyes and Valve shall go from “off”
is not injurious to user. to “on” in one second or
(Sections 5.1.1 and 8.1) less and remain activated
until intentionally shut off.
Valve actuator shall be
(Sections 5.2 and 8.2)
easily located and
operated by the user.
(Sections 5.2 and 8.2) Connect unit to
uninterruptible water
supply with at least 30
PSI flow pressure.
(Section 5.4.2)
Identification
Identify eye wash/drench
hose unit with highly visi-
ble sign. Area around unit
shall be well lighted.
(Sections 5.4 and 8.4)

Location Water Temperature Training Maintenance/Inspection

Install eye wash/drench hose Water delivered by eye Instruct all employees in the Test eye wash/drench hose units at least
unit within 10 seconds of wash/drench hose units location and proper use of weekly. (Sections 5.5.2 and 8.5.2)
hazard and with unobstructed shall be tepid (lukewarm). eye wash/drench hose units. Inspect annually for compliance with
travel path. (Section 5.4.4) (Sections 5.4.6 and 8.4.4) (Sections 5.5.3 and 8.5.3) standard. (Sections 5.5.4 and 8.5.4)

ETL Listed 101496

Units have been tested
to and comply with gesafety.com © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. 7
ANSI Z358.1-1998
GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

Drench Hose Units

ANSI Compliance Checklist
Under ANSI Z358.1-1998, hand held drench hose units support in areas such as laboratories where they can be installed close to
emergency eye wash and shower stations, but cannot replace where accidents might occur.
them. In other words, drench hoses are intended solely as supple- This checklist summarizes the provisions of ANSI Z358.1-1998
mental units providing additional protection to workers. Drench relating to drench hoses. Please refer to the standard for a com-
hoses are useful in cases where the user is in a prone position or plete listing of these provisions.
to reach areas of the face and body inaccessible to the fixed
stream of a shower or eye wash unit. They are also advantageous All Guardian drench hose units are third-party certified to meet
or exceed the requirements of ANSI Z358.1-1998.

Drench hose unit supple-

ments shower and eye
wash units installed
in vicinity. (Section 8.1)
Valve shall go from
“off” to “on” in one
second or less.
(Section 8.2)
Controlled, low velocity
flow is not injurious
to user. (Section 8.1) Unit must deliver at least
3.0 gallons (11.4 liters) of
water per minute.
Valve actuator shall be (Section 8.1)
easily located and
operated by the user.
Connect unit to
(Section 8.2)
uninterruptible water
supply with at least
30 PSI flow pressure.
(Section 8.3)

Identification
Identify drench hose unit
with highly visible sign.
Area around drench hose
shall be well lighted.
(Section 8.4.3)

Location Water Temperature Training Maintenance/Inspection

Install drench hose unit in area Water delivered by drench Instruct all employees in the Test drench hoses at least
free of debris or obstructions. hose shall be tepid location and proper use of weekly. (Section 8.5.2)
(Section 8.4.3) (lukewarm). (Section 8.4.4) drench hoses. Inspect annually for compli-
(Section 5.5.3) ance with standard.
(Section 8.5.4)

ETL Listed 101496

Units have been tested
8 © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. gesafety.com to and comply with
ANSI Z358.1-1998
GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

Safety Stations
ANSI Compliance Checklist
This checklist is a summary of the provisions of ANSI Z358.1- All Guardian safety stations (except units with self-closing
1998 relating to eye or eye/face wash and shower combination valves) are third-party certified to meet or exceed the require-
stations. Please refer to the standard for a complete listing of these ments of ANSI Z358.1-1998.
provisions.

“Hands-free” stay-open valve

Shower must provide at least 20 activates in one second or less.
gallons (75.7 liters) of water per (Section 4.2)
minute. (Section 4.1)

Easily located, accessible

Shower head must be actuator must be no higher than
between 82" (208.3 cm) and 69" (173.3 cm) above floor.
96" (248.3 cm) above floor (Section 4.3)
surface. (Section 4.1)
Outlet heads shall be positioned
between 33" (83.8 cm) and 45"
At 60" (152.4 cm)above floor (114.3 cm) from the floor.
surface, the water pattern must (Section 5.4)
be at least 20" (50.8 cm) in
diameter. (Section 4.1)
Eye wash valve actuator shall be
Protect outlet heads from easily located and operated by
airborne contaminants. user. (Section 5.2)
(Section 5.1.3)

Eye wash must deliver at least “Hands-free” stay-open valve

0.4 gallons (1.5 liters) of water activates in one second or less.
per minute. (Section 5.1.5) (Section 5.2)
Eye/face wash must deliver at
least 3.0 gallons (11.4 liters) of
water per minute. (Section 7.1.4) Identification
Identify safety station with highly
visible sign. Area around safety
station shall be well lighted.
(Section 9.4.1)

Location Water Temperature Training Maintenance/Inspection

Install safety station within 10 Water delivered by safety Instruct all employees in the Test safety station at least
seconds of hazard and with station shall be tepid location and proper use of weekly. (Section 9.5.2)
unobstructed travel path. (lukewarm). (Section 9.4.5) safety station. Inspect annually for compli-
(Section 9.4.1) (Section 9.5.3) ance with standard.
(Section 9.5.4)

ETL Listed 101496

Units have been tested
to and comply with gesafety.com © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. 9
ANSI Z358.1-1998
GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

Barrier-Free Equipment
The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that employers Guardian offers an array of eye wash and shower units designed
provide accessible workplaces for all employees. These work- for barrier-free applications. These units meet the provisions of
places may therefore require emergency eye wash and shower ANSI Z358.1-1998 for emergency equipment and the provisions
equipment which is specially constructed to provide access to of ANSI A117.1-1992 for accessibility. The provisions of ANSI
handicapped persons. Z358.1-1998 are summarized on pages 2-9. The additional
Barrier-free emergency equipment must comply with the require- provisions of ANSI A117.1-1992 for accessibility are shown
ments of ANSI 117.1-1992 (“Accessible and Usable Buildings and below. Please refer to these standards for a complete description
Facilities”). These requirements include dimensions for minimum of these provisions.
knee clearance, maximum height and reach, and minimum dis-
tance from obstructions.

80”
MINIMUM
CLEAR HEADROOM

48”

19” MINIMUM
FROM WALL OR
OBSTRUCTION 30”

48” CLEAR FLOOR SPACE

MAXIMUM REQUIREMENTS
HEIGHT FOR
FORWARD REACH

36”
MAXIMUM 27”
SPRAY HEAD MINIMUM KNEE
CLEARANCE CLEARANCE

ETL Listed 101496

Units have been tested
10 © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. gesafety.com to and comply with
ANSI Z358.1-1998
GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT 660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684

Guardian Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment:

Engineered for today’s industrial environments
Today’s safe workplaces demand advanced emergency performance and superior durability.
eye wash and shower equipment. Guardian Equipment All Guardian eye wash, eye/face wash and safety
is proud to offer the most complete selection of station units utilize the unique GS-Plus and FS-Plus
emergency equipment designed for industrial applica- spray heads. These spray heads represent a truly
tions. These products are characterized by enhanced important innovation in eye wash technology.

GS-Plus and FS-Plus spray heads 100 PSI. The flow is consistent,
deliver water in a soft, wide spray rather regardless of line pressure. Since
than a solid, narrow stream. The user each head contains an individual
receives more water over a wider area flow control, the flow is evenly bal-
anced between the heads.
than with any other type of outlet head.
In an emergency, contaminants are • Filtered Water. Each spray head
rinsed away quickly, gently and com- contains an internal filter to remove
particles and debris from the water
pletely.
flow. During rinsing, the user’s eyes
These heads incorporate a variety of and face are protected against any
unique and important features: foreign matter which may be in the
water or the plumbing lines.
• “Flip Top” Dust Cover. Each outlet
head is protected against dust and • Durability. The body and spray
dirt by a “flip top” cover. Water flow cover are molded from tough
swings the cover off the head. The impact- and corrosion-resistant
cover is permanently attached to the spray head by a stain- Polypropylene. The dust cover is molded nylon. They will
less steel pin; the cover cannot be removed or lost. The cover stand up to even the harshest laboratory environments.
nests into the top of the outlet head, assuring that the cover
• Ease of Maintenance. Water often contains dissolved miner-
always stays on the head when the unit is not in use. An
als and foreign matter which over time can clog up any outlet
optional stainless steel cover is also available.
head. The GS-Plus and FS-Plus spray heads are designed so
• Consistent, Balanced Flow. An engineered flow control locat- that all working components are contained in the head itself.
ed inside the spray head is calibrated to deliver 1.8 (GS-Plus) All components are readily accessible for cleaning and main-
or 3.2 (FS-Plus) gallons per minute, at pressures from 20 to tenance. The unit itself should never need disassembly.

ETL Listed 101496

Units have been tested
to and comply with gesafety.com © 1999 / Guardian Equipment Co. 11
ANSI Z358.1-1998
GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment

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GUARDIAN EQUIPMENT
Emergency Eye Wash and Shower Equipment

660 North Union Street Phone: (312) 733-2626

Chicago, Illinois 60610 Fax: (312) 733-4684
gesafety.com [email protected]