Eyewash Requirements for Battery Charging Stations
Employee safety is an important responsibility that extends beyond simply having the right equipment in place.
While battery-powered industrial trucks are becoming more prevalent due to longer run times, shorter recharging times, and dramatically reduced emissions, the trucks also carry significant hazards associated with their batteries. Those batteries contain sulfuric acid that is highly corrosive and splashable, give off hydrogen gas toward the end of the charging process, and contact with battery cells can burn unprotected skin. In order to ensure that batteries required by industrial trucks do not cause serious injury to employees, certain steps must be taken.
According to OSHA:
“At construction sites and in commercial manufacturing facilities where batteries (such as industrial truck batteries) are serviced and handled, proper plumbed eye wash and body drenching equipment shall be available immediately adjacent to the work station(s) and within the work area regardless of the personal protective equipment required and used.”
For Eye/Face Wash: placement must be immediately adjacent to the charging station.
- Flushing fluid must be positioned 33”--53” from the floor.
- Must be positioned at least 6” away from a wall or nearest obstruction.
- Plumbed units must deliver 3 GPM tepid flushing liquid for 15 mins.
- Self-contained units must deliver 3 GPM tepid flushing liquid for 15 mins.
- Heads and flushing liquid are required to be protected from airborne contaminants without causing additional motion by the user for removal.
- Must activate in one second or less.
- Must be a stay-open valve which leaves the user’s hands free.
- The valve must remain on until the user shuts it off.
For Drench Showers: placement must be immediately adjacent to the charging station.
- Head must be positioned 82”--96” from the floor.
- Spray pattern must be 20” in diameter at a height of 60” from the floor.
- Must deliver a flow rate of 20 GPM tepid water for a minimum of 15 minutes at 30 PSI.
- The center of the sprayhead must measure at a minimum of 16” from nearest obstruction. Must activate in one second or less.
- Must be a stay-open valve which leaves the user’s hands free.
- The valve must remain on until the user shuts it off.
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