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Location
Safety showers and eyewashes should be accessible within
10 seconds travel time and no greater than 50 feet from areas
where hazardous materials are used. Locate them closer if
your lab is using concentrated acids or bases or large quantities
of hazardous materials. The Safety Program recommends installing
safety showers near a doorway or in an aisle away from lab
hoods and electrical equipment. Once a week, check that there
is nothing blocking access to the safety shower or eyewash.
If the equipment is blocked, it will be difficult if not
impossible to use during an emergency.
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To Install
Contact the Safety Program if you would like an assessment
of your proposed location. Contact your Zone Repair and Maintenance
Team to request an estimate and schedule the work.
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To Test
Safety Showers are tested twice a year by Facilities. The
test date is recorded on the tag. Facilities will notify the
EHS Office if a shower is blocked and cannot be tested. The
EHS Office will work with the lab EHS Rep and the EHS Coordinator
to resolve issues of blocked showers.
Each laboratory is responsible for checking eyewashes weekly.
This will flush out any micro-organisms that might grow in
the stagnant water. If your eyewash is connected to running water,
assign a lab member to run water through the eyewash for one minute
once a week.
For eyewash solutions in bottles, wall units, etc, replace
the solution before the expiration date.
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To Repair
Use the Facilities web page for repair requests https://web.mit.edu/facilities/forms_secure/repair-form.shtml or
call F-IXIT (3-4948) if safety equipment needs to be repaired.
Include the number on the blue preventive maintenance tag and the
location (Bldg-room number). Eyewashes will not have a blue number
tag so include the room number and the brand/ model. The Zone will
explain the repair procedure. Note that if the lab installed the
equipment, Facilities may not have the parts to repair it.
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Regulatory Requirements
For more information, refer to the ANSI standard Z358.1
available from the Barker Engineering Library or EHS Office.
(It is not available on-line.) Mass. Board of Fire Prevention
Regulations 527 CMR section 10.02, also available through
the EHS Office, contains additional requirements for safety
showers and eyewashes.
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