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Emergency Equipment Quiz

QUESTION

In USA and Canada employers are required by law to provide emergency equipment. In order, for emergency equipment to be effective there are three factors that must be in place in the workplace for this to occur. What are they’

ANSWER

Emergency Equipment must be:

  • Properly located
  • Properly maintained
  • Properly trained employees in use of appropriate emergency equipment.

WHY IS IT RIGHT

UNEXPECTED EMERGENCIES

Unexpected emergencies occur every day in many facilities, including laboratories, offices, plants, manufacturing, construction sites and residential buildings. If you don’t know what to do during an emergency the odds increase that you or others around you will be injured or killed.

  • Severe weather, such as heavy wind, flooding, tornados, or hurricanes
  • Utility outages
  • Fires
  • Explosions
  • Widespread infection
  • Hazardous materials
  • Earthquakes
  • Workplace violence
  • Terrorism

EMERGENCY EQUIPMENT

Your employees may need Personal Protective Equipment to evacuate during an emergency. Personal protective equipment must be based on the potential hazards in the workplace. Assess your workplace to determine potential hazards and the appropriate controls and protective equipment for those hazards. Personal Protective Equipment may include items such as the following:

  • Safety glasses, goggles, or face shields for eye protection;
  • Hard hats and safety shoes for head and foot protection;
  • Proper respirators;
  • Chemical suits, gloves, hoods, and boots for body protection from chemicals;
  • Special body protection for abnormal environmental conditions such as extreme temperatures; and
  • Any other special equipment or warning devices necessary for hazards unique to your worksite.

FIRST AID KIT

OSHA mandates first aid supplies must be on hand to supply medical assistance and checked and restocked every time something is used. Depending on the industry you work in, you may have to have custom items in your first aid kit.

  • Band-Aids in various sizes
  • Compression bandages
  • Gauze
  • Antiseptic/Antibacterial cream
  • Burn ointment
  • CPR breathing barrier
  • Disposable thermometers
  • Tweezers
  • Scissors
  • Splints
  • Instant cold packs and heating pads
  • Pain reliever (both aspirin and non-aspirin ibuprofen)
  • Tape
  • Butterfly bandages
  • Gloves ‘ both latex and silicone-based as some people have latex allergies

FIRE EXTINGUISHER

Clear out small, manageable fires with fire extinguishers. Make sure you have one on every office floor and that they are visible and easily accessible. It is important to place the fire extinguishers near places a fire could be started such as the break room. Make sure your office has the adequate type to put out fires related to your industry.

Having this equipment will help you prevent an injury and control the emergency if it presents itself. Making certain everyone in the office is informed of how to use all the equipment is important to ensure preparedness. Many organizations provide first aid training to their employees and other organizations specialize in training others in first aid.

PREVENTION

Emergency Equipment in modern, diverse, complicated industries and infrastructures take on many different forms.

Assuming all prudent, steps are taken to ensure Emergency Equipment is available, what is the next most important step’

Emergency Equipment must be:

  1. Properly located.
  2. Properly maintained.
  3. Staff properly trained in use.

Location of Emergency Equipment

A Hazard Identification process should be conducted to identify all locations where emergency equipment may be required.

This should include equipment such as:

  • Firefighting equipment
  • Drench showers and eye-baths where workers are at risk of being in contact with harmful substances (particularly corrosive substances such as acids).
  • Spill control equipment

Emergency equipment should be located in easily accessible areas and within a reasonable distance from the source of hazard.

Training

It is essential to train all personnel so that they are thoroughly familiar with the locations of all emergency equipment and the correct methods for using them.

It is also beneficial to ensure that all staff members are familiar with the use and locations of emergency equipment during the induction training process.

Maintenance

To ensure that all emergency equipment is in proper working order, regular inspections and maintenance and testing must be carried out. This will put your equipment in a state of readiness in the event of an emergency.

Enlist qualified personnel to carry out all inspections in accordance with controlled inspection check sheets.

Be sure to keep full records of inspections and testing of emergency equipment.

Minutes and seconds can seem like an eternity in an emergency situation. To prevent injuries and save lives, quick actions are needed.

TRAINING – MORE PREVENTION

Specific Categories of Emergency Procedures and Equipment Require Training

  • Alarms, cautions, and warnings;
  • Fire and smoke, including the location of smoke detectors, gas masks, extinguishing equipment, and fire suppression ports, as well as the means for suppressing a fire, e.g., the dump command for purging the atmosphere of an isolated module;
  • First aid, e.g., a crew health care system, including methods for cardiopulmonary resuscitation, the stabilized stretcher, intravenous injection doses, etc. (see medical emergencies);
  • Potable water collecting and sanitizing equipment, shelter, fire, radio, beacons, etc.;
  • Environmental protection against wet or dry, and cold or hot environments such as sea, snow, or desert, including typical garments to be used for each purpose; and
  • Protection against wildlife or signalization.

WHY IS EVERYTHING ELSE WRONG

Six critical steps to take to help and assist injured workers and those trying to help them come with the following recommendations:

Training

If workers cannot quickly find and operate the nearest emergency equipment, a simple injury can become severe or, even worse, deadly. For example, if not properly trained on emergency protocol, a worker with a serious eye contamination may run to the restroom to rinse out the affected eye. Unfortunately, in the time it could take to reach the nearest restroom, it may be too late and the result could be permanent eye damage. Also, the flow of water from standard restroom fixtures is insufficient to adequately wash contaminants from the injured worker.

This unfortunate scenario is avoidable. First, have a solid emergency response plan in place. Clearly define the different types of hazards on the jobsite and indicate the actions to be taken in the event of an emergency. Next, all employees must be trained on what constitutes an emergency and whether a drench shower or eyewash unit is most appropriate for a particular situation. Most importantly, each person should have an opportunity to test the equipment so he or she feels comfortable activating it.

Accessibility

To ensure equipment is used in an emergency, it must be located near potential hazards. The ANSI Z358.1-2004 emergency standard requires emergency equipment be placed within 10 seconds reach of any hazard. As a guideline for placement, an average person can cover about 55 feet in 10 seconds.

To minimize injuries, remove all clutter or obstacles between the hazard and emergency equipment. In addition, fixtures should be on the same level as the hazard. Remember, physically disabled or injured workers cannot go up or down stairs to reach a fixture. For hazards involving a strong caustic or acid, the drench shower or eyewash should be placed immediately adjacent to the hazard.

In remote locations without plumbed emergency equipment, such as construction sites, portable units should be supplied. Gravity-fed eyewashes are a good solution.

Visibility

Location is important, but the unit must also be placed in a well-lighted area and have a visible sign for quick identification. Although no specific color is designated for emergency drench showers or eyewashes in either ANSI Z358.1-2004 or the ANSI Z535.1-2002 American National Standard for Safety Color Code, choose a bright yellow color easily found in an emergency. Yellow is the most visible color and is the first color the human eye notices, research suggests.

Functionality

For optimal performance during an eye emergency, eyewash units must flush contaminants without exposing the infected eye to dust or other contaminants. One of the easiest ways to be sure equipment is in good working order is to conduct the ANSI required weekly and annual testing procedures. Routine testing provides an opportunity to inspect units for corrosion and remove any debris that could pose a problem.

Eyewash dust covers are beneficial for industrial applications where contaminants fill the air. In some cases, dust covers can be retrofitted to current equipment. The dust cover swings back and out of the way when the push handle is activated.

Bottled eyewashes are a common oversight when it comes to emergency preparedness. Even if a bottle is sealed, the solution may not be sterile if it’s past the manufacturer’s expiration date. Keep the tops of bottles clean and ready for use.

Privacy

Privacy can be a major factor for a worker choosing not to use an emergency drench shower in an emergency. To be effective, users must disrobe completely to flush contaminants from their skin. In a mixed-gender environment, it is easy to understand why this would be a concern.

Installing privacy curtains around drench showers or combination shower and eyewash units is an easy and effective way to address the privacy issue. High-visibility yellow vinyl laminate privacy curtains that are chemical and mildew resistant are good for industrial applications. A durable stainless-steel curtain rail and mounting brackets can provide strong, corrosion-resistant support.

Alarms

To ensure emergency equipment is not only used’ but used properly in the event of an emergency to assist users in summoning help from others. An alarm system can be triggered as soon as an emergency fixture is activated. Injured persons can continue flushing without the added worry of calling for help. An added benefit of an alarm system is that it deters vandals from tampering with the emergency equipment.