What's the difference of Emergency Shower Requirements between different country
China Economic Daily February 27, 2023
As the basic industry for the development of the national economy, industrial enterprises have accelerated the pace of resumption of work and production. This is also clearly reflected in the category of procurement needs, and professional materials related to production have become the core of procurement. In the first week of construction, the purchase of various instruments and meters used in process monitoring and safety control scenarios increased by 4.4 times year-on-year.
—— "Press the fast-forward button for resumption of work and production"
Among the many safety protection products, the eyewash is particularly attractive.
With the promulgation of the Chinese national standard GB/T 38144.1-2019 and GB/T 38144.2-2019 eye and face protection emergency spray and eyewash equipment at the end of 2019, China's domestic eyewash industry bid farewell to the era of relying on foreign standards to define products. At the same time, more and more domestic manufacturers adjust and provide relative eyewash equipment and products in accordance with national standards.
- Chinese national standard -
At the same time as the national standard was promulgated, local landmarks, industry standards and specifications were also released one after another. The standardization degree of the entire industry has also risen to a higher level, and the performance requirements among enterprises tend to meet the requirements of the national standard.
What is the difference between domestic standards and international standards for eyewash parameters? Let's talk about the similarities and differences of domestic and foreign eyewash standards by comparing the Chinese national standard GB/T38144, the American national standard ANSI/ISEAZ358.1-2014 and the European standard EN15154.
01. Eyewash Station Flow Requirements
First of all, the European standard has more requirements for some flushing fluid and valve details. For example, the requirements for valve opening in the European standard EN15154-1/-2 are:
The manually operated valve needs to be opened within 1 second, the valve can be rotated max90° or moved max200mm, the operating force max100N or the max torque 7Nm;
Relative to the national standard, it is only required that it can be fully opened within 1S and remain open; no detailed regulations are made on the rotation angle and force. This is mainly because the valve standards used in the domestic industry are uniform, so no detailed regulations have been made in this regard.
This difference in detail is reflected in some places throughout the standard.
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Analysis Project
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Chinese national standard
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American National Standard
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European standard
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Materials
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Do not pollute the flushing fluid, and the valve should be corrosion-resistant
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Shall be constructed of materials that will not corrode in the presence of flushing fluids
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Shall not affect water quality or pollute water supply
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Flushing Fluid
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Conforms to national standards on drinking water distribution and transportation
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Drinking water, eye wash, buffered saline solution, etc.
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Drinking water or water of similar quality, saline solution, eye wash, etc.
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Control Valve
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Fully open within 1S and should always be kept open
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Fully open within 1S and keep open
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Fully open within 1S, not automatically closed
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Flow Pressure
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≥0.2Mpa
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210.4kPa
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According to the manufacturer's specified flow
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Water Temperature Requirements
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16~38ºC
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16~38ºC
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15~37ºC
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02. Classification of emergency eyewash system
The European standard divides the entire emergency eyewash system into four parts:
BSEN15154-1-2006(2014) Emergency safety sprinklers - Part 1：
Drench hose
BSEN15154-2-2006 Emergency safety sprinklers - Part 2
Desktop faucet emergency eyewash station
BSEN15154-3-2009 Emergency safety sprinklers - Part 3
Safety shower with eyewash
BSEN15154-4-2009 Emergency safety sprinklers - Part 4
Pedestal mounted eye/face wash station
The classification of the national standard is more in line with the conventional names and classifications in our industry: compound eye wash, eye/face wash, etc. There are no corresponding requirements and instructions in the European standard. The differences reflected in the standards for different classifications are as follows:
Eye/face wash
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Analysis Project
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Chinese national standard
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American National Standard
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European standard
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Flow Rate Requirements
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Flush eyes at a low flow rate without causing damage to eyes
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Flush eyes at a low flow rate without causing damage to eyes
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The velocity of the water should be low enough not to injure the user
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Personal Defense
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Designed and installed in such a way that it does not cause harm to the user
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Designed and installed in such a way that it does not cause harm to the user
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Height of Nozzle from Standing Plane
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838~1143mm
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83.8~134.6cm
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1000±200mm
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Nozzle to Wall/Obstacle Distance
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≥153mm
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≥15.3cm
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≥150mm
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Water Temperature Requirements
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≥1.5L/min
≥15min
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≥1.5L/min
≥15min
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≥6L/min
≥15min
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Spray Pattern/Spray Height
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≥100mm
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≥10.16cm
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100mm~300mm
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Combination Unit
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Analysis Project
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Chinese National standard
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American National Standard
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European Standard
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Structure and Composition
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Control valve, eye wash basin, suction nozzle, sprinkler head, valve driver
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General Requirements
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All components should be able to be used at the same time, and when used alone, they should meet the requirements of emergency showers, eye washers, and eye washers/face washers
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The components of the compound eyewash should be operated independently and simultaneously in accordance with the requirements of 7.1 and 8.2
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Control Valve
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Respectively meet the requirements of emergency sprinklers, eye washers, and eye/face washers
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Each valve shall comply with the applicable requirements of Sections 4, 5, 6 and 8.2.2, depending on which components listed in Section 7.1 are included
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03 Product identification and description
In addition, the national standard also has requirements for product identification and product description, which are more detailed and clearer than the relevant requirements in the European standard.
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Chinese national standard
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American standard
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European standard
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It should contain at least the following content: product name, model, trademark (if any), product implementation standards, date of manufacture, manufacturer name, address, and the identification required by national customs laws and regulations
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1. EN15154-1/-2:
Shows minimum and maximum flow pressure and maximum static pressure requirements, showing manufacturer's name and model/strip number.
2. EN15154-3:
Should be labeled and marked in accordance with EN1041 and EN980, clearly and permanently marking the information
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The product manual shall at least include the following contents: product name, model and specification, installation and usage method
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EN15154-1/-2:
Information on installation, operation and maintenance of emergency safety sprinklers and the method and frequency of routine testing shall be provided.
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04 How to Choose an Emergency Safety Shower or Eyewash
In the guideline of GB/T38144-2, the Chinese national standard explains the principle of selection, and it is a good suggestion for consumers to select the type according to the place of use and the use environment, which is not mentioned in the European standard and the American standard. selection.
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Analysis Project
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Chinese National standard
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American National Standard
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European Standard
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Version
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2019
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2014
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2006
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Applicable Range
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Emergency shower and eyewash equipment
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Emergency eyewash and shower facilities
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Suitable for directing the use of emergency showers, eyewash stations and eye/face washing equipment
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Basic principles of selection
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Selection according to the place of use and the environment of use
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Fixed water supply system: fixed emergency shower and eyewash equipment
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Restricted by environment or water source: self-contained emergency equipment
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Higher Hazard Areas: Emergency showers and face washing equipment, properly equipped with personal flushing devices
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05 Installation Instructions
Both the American Standard and the Chinese National Standard have very clear instructions for installation, including the location of the installation.
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Chinese National standard
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American National Standard
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European Standard
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It should be installed in the area that the operator can reach within 10 seconds (average 15 meters)
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Installed within a reach of no more than 10 seconds (average 16.8 meters)
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Cabinets that allow sufficient headroom to install eyewash stations at counters or faucets
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Cabinets that allow sufficient headroom to install eyewash stations at counters or faucets
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Should be placed in close proximity to hazards, taking into account possible splash hazards of flushing fluid or other hazards when the equipment is in use
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Employees who may be exposed to hazardous materials should be instructed on the location and proper use of emergency showers
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It should be considered that users can enter the equipment from three directions for operation (emergency spray room is not applicable)
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Installed where warning signs are highly visible and conspicuous, with good lighting conditions
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Installed where warning signs are highly visible and conspicuous, with good lighting conditions
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The valve should remain open after opening
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Remains open after the valve is opened
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Once opened, it cannot be closed automatically
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Chinese National standard
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American National Standard
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European Standard
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The nozzle should be installed within the height range of 2080 mm to 2440 mm from the standing surface of the user. The distance between the center of the nozzle and any obstacle should be at least 410 mm
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The nozzle should be installed at a distance of 208.3 cm to 243.8 cm from the surface on which the user stands. The distance between the center of the sprinkler head and any obstacle is at least 40.6 cm.
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The distance from the nozzle to the ground is 838mm~1143mm, and the distance from the wall or the nearest obstacle is at least 153mm
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The distance from the highest point of water spray to the ground is 83.8cm~134.6cm, and the distance from the center of the nozzle to the wall or the nearest obstacle is at least 15.3cm
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The water supply pipeline should not affect the normal use of emergency shower and eyewash equipment
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Installation procedures should be consistent with proper plumbing practices and proper sizing of supply piping to meet flow requirements.
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Washing liquid temperature 16 ℃ ~ 38 ℃
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16℃～38℃
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15℃～37℃
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Flow pressure: Standard 30psi, over 80psi should be careful.
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Manufacturer specifies flow pressure
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Alarm device: can be installed
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Alarm device: can be installed
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Notes: The descriptions of water pressure and flow in the three standards are inconsistent. The American standard requires a flow of 30PSI as the standard, and you need to be careful if it exceeds 80PSI; the European standard does not require it, and the water pressure is provided by the manufacturer; while the national standard does not do so illustrate. According to the actual domestic use, it is difficult to ensure the uniformity of the water pressure and flow requirements. Different regions and different installation conditions will lead to great differences in the water pressure and flow on site. Therefore, the national standard also takes into account the actual use. do request.
06 Personnel training and precautions
In addition, there are relevant instructions for personnel training and safety requirements, which are more in line with our actual national conditions than foreign standards.
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Chinese National standard
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American National Standard
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European Standard
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Equipment maintenance personnel conduct operation training according to the specified operation, inspection and instruction manual
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The manufacturer shall provide operating, inspection and maintenance instructions. Maintenance and inspection personnel should have easy access to instructions
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All employees who may come into contact with potentially hazardous materials shall be trained in the use of emergency showers, eyewash stations, and eye/face washing equipment. Know the exact location of the equipment and be able to record details on the flush log.
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For employees who may be exposed to hazardous substances, the most important thing is to ensure that they know the location and correct use of emergency shower and eyewash equipment
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First aid training should be conducted every six months
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No mention of first aid training
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The training situation of employees should be recorded and filed
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Record filing not mentioned
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In terms of parameter setting for eyewash, there are not many differences among the various standards, because the setting of these parameters is based on the requirements of personnel safety and ease of use.
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Chinese National standard
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American National Standard
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European Standard
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Emergency spray and eyewash equipment cannot replace personal protective equipment. It is very necessary for operators to wear personal protective equipment to protect against the splash of solid and liquid harmful substances
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Emergency eyewash stations and showers are not a substitute for proper primary protective equipment. As a defense against flying solid particles and splashing hazardous liquids, workers should wear personal protective equipment as needed.
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It is recommended to collect and treat the waste water after emergency spraying and eyewashing equipment is used, so as to avoid direct discharge to the work site and cause pollution to emergency spraying and eyewashing equipment
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Consideration should be given to proper disposal of waste rinse fluid from operating emergency eyewash stations and sprinkler equipment.
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Chinese national standard
Through the above description and comparison, we can also see that the national standard has fully considered the actual domestic use conditions and national conditions at the beginning of the design, so it has a better explanation and guiding role in actual operation and implementation. It is our Great help and guidance from practitioners.
