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Board Procedure #NP420.0 Emergency Wash Stations

This procedure outlines the expectations of York Region District School Board staff, students, school council members and other individuals who are given access to Board facilities regarding the use of emergency wash stations in order to ensure personal safety.

 

1. Definitions

 

1.1 Annual Testing

Annual testing of emergency wash stations means inspecting emergency wash station to ensure good operating condition, a minimum flow-rate of 1.5 litres per minute, and a maximum water temperature within 27 and 35 degrees Celsius.

 

1.2 Emergency Wash Station

An emergency wash station includes, but is not limited to, deluge showers, eyewash bowls, and portable wash units or handheld units which conform to the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) 358.1 standard.

 

1.3 Eyewash Bottle

An eyewash bottle contains saline solution and is located within wall mounted stations throughout the building. These bottles are used as a first response to flushing one’s eyes while en route to the nearest emergency wash station.

 

1.4 Check of Emergency Wash Stations and Eyewash Bottles

A check is done on a pre-determined frequency to ensure access to the emergency wash station is clear of any obstacles or hazards, clean and free from contaminants. This includes activating the emergency wash station long enough to verify that flushing fluid is available and the station operates correctly. It also includes monitoring the shelf life of the buffered saline solution in portable eyewash bottles and replacing the solution when it has expired and/or when the tamper proof seal is broken or missing.

 

2. Responsibilities

 

2.1 The Director of Education shall:

1. allocate staff and resources to support the Emergency Wash Stations procedure.

 

2.2 Plant Services shall:

1. develop and maintain a Board-design specification which meets or exceeds the minimum requirements of the latest ANSI 358.1 Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment standard;

2. install all emergency wash stations and ensure they meet the Board’s specification;

3. perform all maintenance on emergency wash stations;

4. ensure all repair requests to emergency wash stations are responded to in a timely fashion;

5. identify work locations that require an emergency wash station, in cooperation with Curriculum and Instructional Services and Human Resource Services – Health and Safety;

6. perform and document a weekly check of all emergency wash stations and eyewash bottles within caretaking, mechanical, chiller and boiler rooms and in educational and instructional areas;

7. maintain a signed record of the check of emergency wash stations and eyewash bottles in a folder mounted near each eyewash unit;

8. perform and document the annual testing of all emergency wash stations within the Board;

9. ensure that instructions on how to use emergency wash stations and their locations are given to all new Plant Services staff; and

10. purchase all replacement eyewash bottles for caretaking, mechanical, chiller, and boiler rooms.

 

2.3 Curriculum and Instructional Services shall:

1. based on teaching objectives, methods and materials, identify all educational or instructional programs that require an emergency wash station.

 

2.4 Human Resource Services – Health and Safety shall:

1. work with Plant Services and Curriculum and Instructional Services to identify emergency wash station requirements;

2. consult, review and update the Emergency Wash Stations procedure and supporting documents as required; and

3. assist in the implementation of this procedure in Board facilities.

 

2.5 Superintendents, Principals and Managers shall:

1. ensure this procedure is communicated to their staff upon hiring and every year thereafter.

 

2.6 Principals shall:

1. ensure that instructions on how to use emergency wash stations and their locations are given to all staff;

2. ensure the routine inspection and annual testing of wash stations within teaching spaces has been completed;

3. ensure all required maintenance is reported to Plant Services;

4. purchase all replacement eyewash bottles for educational or instructional areas;

5. review this procedure with all staff on an annual basis;. and

6. ensure that occasional teachers or teachers covering art, science, and technology classes are aware of the appropriate safety procedures necessary to oversee the class.

 

2.7 Teachers shall:

1. perform and document the check of emergency wash stations and eyewash bottles within their educational or instructional areas immediately prior to doing any activity where there is a risk of eye injury due to contact with chemicals or biological, such as, but not limited to, a lab or lesson/class;

2. maintain a signed record of the check of emergency wash stations and eyewash bottles in a folder mounted near the eyewash unit;

3. include information about appropriate safety procedures associated with activities where there is a risk of eye injury due to contact with chemicals or biological in their daybooks;

4. immediately report any damage or required maintenance of emergency wash stations to the principal; and

5. ensure that no work or experiments are conducted if the emergency wash stations are not operational.

 

2.8 All emergency wash station users shall:

1. familiarize themselves with this procedure and abide by its expectations and restrictions;

2. familiarize themselves with the correct way to use emergency wash stations;

3. be aware of the nearest emergency wash station whenever in one of the Board’s facilities; and

4. not damage, vandalize, encumber access to or otherwise make inoperable emergency wash stations.

 

3. Related Standards and Regulations

Ontario Occupational Health and Safety Ac

t Ontario Building Code

American National Standard for Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment - ANSI 358.1

 

4. Department

Human Resource Services

Plant Services

 

5. Procedure History

Approved April 2007

Revised January 2008

Revised September 2012

Working Document January 2016

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