Last update: 10/08/2023
In order to guarantee the safety of employees, emergency showers must be maintained regularly and carefully.
Winters in Belgium and the Netherlands can be extremely cold.
With an emergency shower, it is vital that the employee can be processed in the appropriate way as rapidly as possible. Frost, however, can lead to components becoming damaged or breaking.
Maintaining and testing emergency showers
A broken or defective emergency shower poses a huge safety risk. The manufacturer states in the manual how often the installation should be tested, although a monthly test is advised. You can conduct these tests yourself. It is also important to carry out regular maintenance, particularly after frost.
Effective maintenance of an emergency shower reduces the risk of wear and tear to the components and helps to ensure they will not be damaged by freezing weather. Ineffective maintenance could lead to components freezing or, indeed, an incorrectly installed emergency shower. If you maintain your emergency shower, it should last many years.
As well as regular maintenance, it is also important to carry out maintenance during extreme weather conditions (e.g. frost, gales, etc.).
Frost-free emergency showers
To prevent an emergency shower becoming defective due to freezing weather, Vandeputte supplies frost-free emergency showers. These emergency showers are resistant to cold and will not be damaged by frosty conditions.
There are two ways to make emergency showers frost-free:
- Electrical tracing: heating cables, that are insulated, are placed around the pipes and ensure they stay frost-free.
- Underground water connection: the water is connected at a frost-proof depth of approximately 1 metre.
Find out more about frost-free emergency showers here
Heated emergency showers
In order to increase the effectiveness and comfort for the victim, you are advised to install a heated emergency shower. The water for a heated shower is heated to a temperature of between 15° and 37°C.
As well as individual emergency showers that provide warm water, there are also installations whereby a tank of warm water is installed above the shower. These are easy to install and offer a simple solution to providing warm water.
Rinsing with cold water is not only unpleasant, it also means that the washing process may be cut shorter than it should. After 15 minutes of showering in cold water, there may even be a risk of hypothermia. An emergency shower with warm water should not, therefore, be seen as a luxury.
New Standard EN 15154– 5
The latest new standard for industrial emergency showers, standard EN 15154 - 5, recommends the installation of a heated one.
Despite not being compulsory, the Netherlands is very much monitoring and enforcing emergency shower systems and heated water. There have already been cases of companies being convicted for having unheated emergency showers.
Make an appointment for heated emergency showers
Vandeputte offers an all-in approach to emergency showers. We will support you in interpreting risk-analyses and offer advice about the effective installation of emergency showers or eye-wash points.
Maintenance and repair of your PPE and technical products / maintenance-sensitive products
The correct functioning of PPE and technical products is crucial for the safety of your employees. Therefore, our experienced technicians provide comprehensive maintenance and repair of your maintenance-sensitive products to prolong their lifespan and prevent possible breakdowns.
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