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Safety Showers

Need help? Need help? What risks are you taking - Know the safety shower regs Easy to Use Low-Cost Protection - UK Safety Showers

Safety showers are an emergency system for removing contaminants from the body and skin. They are usually placed in an accessible location so that users can rapidly operate the device, and often include eye and face wash fountains designed specifically to remove dangerous substances from those areas. Usually the first method to remove hazardous liquids, they can easily prevent any further damage or injury from occurring due to contamination.

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Choosing Emergency Showers


Under the Health and Safety at Work Act it is the responsibility of an employer to take precautions which may have been identified in a risk assessment. If potential skin contamination is a risk then it is prudent to have emergency washing facilities. Studies show that the most beneficial first aid action that can be taken when contamination occurs is flushing with a direct water stream. As contamination can be worsened the longer an individual is exposed to the hazardous material, having an easily accessible and usable safety shower is a vital part of many workplaces, especially where hazardous chemicals are involved.

Safety showers are not used for flushing eyes because the high water pressure could cause damage. Fountains and Eye Baths are available separately but can also be part of the safety shower unit itself. Where space is limited, or the nature of the hazard dictates, multiple separate safety shower units may be preferable. Combined eye wash and safety showers such as Hughes emergency combination showers however will cover multiple hazards at once. The shower and eye/face wash components are both operated easily and quickly. A pull handle operates the shower function, while the eye/face wash is started by a lid that is connected to the water valve. The shower part offers stable and strong flow pressure, while the eye/face wash has a weaker flow pressure – perfect for delicate eye and face areas. Durable and long lasting, there is a choice of either stainless steel or galvanised mild steel materials.

Emergency safety showers can be floor standing, or where space is restricted, mounted on walls or ceiling. Our wall-mounted emergency shower is an ideal solution where space is limited. It is easy to install and use and complies to ANSI Z358.

Available Shower Accessories

Most emergency safety showers and eye wash units can be supplied with a wide range of optional fittings to make it easier to use or alert/inform co-workers and first aiders to the location of the emergency equipment. There is a range of signs to identify safety showers in our emergency signs section. There is also a choice of devices to activate the showers in different ways such as the foot control panel which allows for hands free operation in case of hand injury. Additionally an overhead light can be installed for visibility where there is no external lighting source.

Emergency Showers In Cold Climates

In sub-zero environments there is a need ensure the water in emergency showers does not freeze, and protecting casualties from thermal shock or hypothermia in such harsh conditions during and after showering is also important. One solution is to use a temperature controlled shower, such as our heated combination showers.

Safety Shower UK Regulations


When it comes to safety showers, UK health and safety guidelines and regulations should be followed. The Health and Safety (First-Aid) Regulations cover burns and scalds at work, stipulating that First Aid at Work (FAW) courses should include training to administer first aid to a casualty with various injuries, including burns, scalds and eye injuries. Guidelines state that all burns and scalds should be flushed with plenty of clean, cool water, and that in the case of chemical burns, affected areas need to be flushed with clean, cool water for a period of 10 to 15 minutes. Obviously, an emergency shower is the most suitable, convenient and effective way to achieve this, which is why they should be installed wherever chemical burns are a potential risk.

FAQ


How should emergency safety showers be used?

All of our showers come with clear instructions. While contaminated clothing should be removed when possible, clothing sticking to damaged skin should not be disturbed. After the emergency shower has been used to treat a chemical burn, any exposed or damaged skin should be dressed with a suitable sterile dressing, and the injured person should be taken to hospital for further treatment.

What training do employees need regarding safety showers?

Employees working with hazardous chemicals should undergo suitable training. It is essential that they understand the risks involved, use the correct safety equipment, and take all sensible preventative measures to avoid contact with hazardous materials. They should also know the procedure for dealing with chemical burns, where emergency safety showers are located, and how to operate them.

When it comes to general first aid training, Appendix 3 of the HSE First Aid At Work Health and Safety Regulations gives details of the number of employees that need to have first aid training (based on the total number of employees). This will depend on the level of hazard in your workplace, as identified in risk assessments.

How important are emergency shower facilities?

It is vital to protect employees from chemical burns in the workplace, and treat them effectively if they do occur. Even if your staff are well trained and proper procedures are followed, emergency safety showers should still be installed. Remember that UK health and safety legislation is heavily enforced, with hefty fines in place, and paying out compensation claims is also likely to be necessary, if it is identified that any injuries could have been prevented or reduced.

Where should safety showers be located?

Emergency safety showers should be installed in an obvious location, close to hazardous work areas, and with clear access routes to them, kept free of any obstacles. They can be floor standing, or mounted on walls or the ceiling if necessary. You will also want to mark the emergency shower area with clear safety shower signs to draw attention to them.

What are the best safety showers for my business?


This will depend on your business and the type of hazards that your employees work with, but here are a few of our most popular safety signs and related products:

  • Hughes Emergency Combination Showers – Hughes Safety Showers are some of the best and most popular on the market, and this model comes as either a safety shower with eyebath or safety shower with body spray and eyebath.

  • Hughes Safety Showers – This model is a free-standing, unheated safety shower, and is more affordable than many others. Supplied as separate modules for easy assembly and installation.

  • Safety Shower Awareness Sign and Poster Kits – Include either a double-sided corridor, hanging or 3D sign, plus ‘Safety Shower This Way’ floor sign, and two posters with instructions for how to deal with hazardous substance spillage or burns.

  • Wall Mounted Emergency Safety Showers – Extremely simple to use, space-saving, wall-mounted safety shower, at a very reasonable price. Simple to install, in a choice of galvanised or stainless steel construction.

  • Hughes Safety Shower Accessories – A range of shower attachments to customise your emergency safety showers to your needs. Spray attachment can act as a handheld eye, face and body shower, and the treadle is designed to work as an alternative means of operating the emergency eye/face wash fountain.


Here at Seton, we have a wide range of emergency safety showers, for your employees’ safety and protection. If you have any questions, or are in any doubt about which safety equipment you might need for your workplace, please feel free to call us and ask our friendly experts for advice.