From: David Roberts <droberts**At_Symbol_Here**DEPAUW.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Shower/Eyewash Station Audible and Visible Alarms
Date: Tue, 25 Oct 2016 09:25:48 -0400
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU>
Message-ID: 044CDE54-B1F2-4EF0-9E2B-E447BE7F9A94**At_Symbol_Here**depauw.edu
In-Reply-To <1109037139E1524980CF9CBEB2476618010AD281BC**At_Symbol_Here**UMF-EX10EMB1.umflint.edu>


My 0.02 here (which may actually not even be worth that much ;)

I have not heard of this, and in fact it sounds industrial and expensive to me. I would have to check to see if that is the standard for my state, and if it is you may in fact have to do it, but I would hope that you would not have to go that high tech for such things. On one side it sounds great, but typically Universities do not have the infrastructure to support what building costs allow them to install. Make sure your University has the funds to maintain such systems. Do they require special techs to service them, how often is service required, etc‰?|

With that, when you test them is there a way to bypass the alarm system (and will you have access to that)? You don‰??t want to alert the world when you are doing tests (though it may be a nice form of documentation that you in fact did something there).

If possible, I‰??d keep it simple. I feel that‰??s the best way in the long run. We installed these complex hood systems (to go with a nice ERU system) - but unfortunately they do require maintenance, and our University is not willing to call in a guy when a hood goes out (they want us to accumulate these things to make the call more worthwhile). I understand that concept, but it makes operations a bit more complex than normal.

Good luck with this.

Dave


> On Oct 24, 2016, at 5:14 PM, Wilhelm, Monique wrote:
>
> Hi Brandon,
>
> It was not a requirement during my renovation that just ended. This is the first that I am hearing of such systems.
>
> Monique Wilhelm
> Laboratory Manager
> Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry
> University of Michigan ‰?? Flint
>
> From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety [mailto:DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU] On Behalf Of Chance, Brandon
> Sent: Monday, October 24, 2016 4:40 PM
> To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU
> Subject: [DCHAS-L] Shower/Eyewash Station Audible and Visible Alarms
>
> DCHASers,
>
> During a recent lab renovation, the contractor presented to us wall mounted shower/eyewash stations that have both an audible alarm and visible strobe when activated. The unit also has the ability to communicate back tot he BMS system upon activation. While this all sounds fine and dandy, it has raised a few questions on my end.
>
> 1. Is this a new standard being used for installations? I definitely see some practical purposes for this in order to alert others that an emergency has occurred, but I have not come across this before.
> 2. This raises some design dilemmas on our end.
> A. We are installing these as flush mounted systems, so the units strobe and audible alarms would be above the drop ceiling (or we would have to relocate the alarm indicators).
> B. For obvious reasons, the contractor was originally spec-ing out installation on walls without electrical just for cost and ease of plumbing. If alarms are necessary, power must be ran to the units, thus increasing scope and cost.
>
> In general, I was just curious as to what kind of new installs other universities were currently putting in place.
>
>
> Regards,
>
> Brandon S. Chance, M.S., CCHO
> Associate Director of Environmental Health and Safety
> Office of Risk Management
> Southern Methodist University
> PO Box 750231 | Dallas, TX 75275-0231
> T) 214.768.2430 | M) 469-978-8664
> bchance**At_Symbol_Here**smu.edu
>
> "‰?| our job in safety is to make the task happen, SAFELY; not to interfere with the work‰?|‰?? Neal Langerman
>
>
> --- This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety. For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary atsecretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org
> --- This e-mail is from DCHAS-L, the e-mail list of the ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety. For more information about the list, contact the Divisional secretary at secretary**At_Symbol_Here**dchas.org

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