Safety shower compliance means ensuring your workers have the best protection available. You may or may not be aware of all the OSHA safety shower requirements – and a particular one that is currently unique to the state of Washington. Read on then to learn about the dirty little secret the state of Washington requires for all safety showers and one you most likely aren’t aware of and which could result in non-compliance and potential fines.
OSHA Requirement for Washington State
Among ANSI Z358.1 (2014) standards for safety shower/eyewashes, OSHA safety shower requirements include a technical condition – any electrical component is to be installed at a facility in the state of Washington. What this means is, all safety shower units need certifying by an OSHA-approved NTRL (Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratories) under the legal requirements in 29 CFR 190.7.
Some frequent questions from OSHA’s website regarding this requirement include:
- What is a Nationally Recognized Testing Laboratory?
- What does it mean when OSHA recognizes an NTRL?
- What NTRL requirements does OSHA have?
- What process does OSHA follow for recognizing an NTRL?
- How can I know whether a product requires NTRL certification?
- How can I tell if a product’s been certified and therefore be acceptable to OSHA?
- Does OSHA prefer one NTRL over another NTRL?
- Is there a specific “NTRL” mark or designation I should look for?
If you installed a safety shower in Washington and didn’t or don’t know about this requirement, you’re in good company as most businesses most likely didn’t or don’t know about it either. Once you’ve been certified, your safety shower receives a mark that states it’s NTRL tested and approved.
What Happens if I’m in Non-Compliance for my OSHA Safety Shower?
Ensuring your workers remain safe and protected should be your number one goal, so if you’re not in OSHA safety shower compliance and end up audited, you can suffer hefty fines and other consequences. If your shower doesn’t meet these requirements, or you’re no longer in compliance due to changes made to the product, OSHA requires that you:
• Replace it with a properly approved product
• Approve it by an NTRL recognized for testing your type of product
• Reinspect and reapprove it by an NTRL – if it was properly approved but the user changed it
Failure to makes these changes could result in legal action, so it’s important to ensure you’re fully compliant.
Contact ATS ShieldSafe™
Our mission at ATS ShieldSafe includes compliance, protection, and innovation for workers in the workplace. Call us at 800.747.9953 and our safety experts will answer any questions or concerns you have. All our safety showers are fully compliant, so if you’re in the market for one, please get in touch. We look forward to hearing from you!
