When exposed to running water for an extended period, such as when irrigating injured eyes or standing under an emergency drench shower, human tissue will quickly cool or warm, moving toward the temperature of the water dispensed by the equipment. Beyond being uncomfortable for an accident victim, which can in itself result in premature cessation of the drench or irrigation protocol, we run the risk of either inducing hypothermia or scalding. And, the threshold for encountering those consequences is much lower than you might suspect. Avoiding premature cessation of treatment and/or creating secondary injuries, due to exposure to flushing fluid that is too hot or too cold is the principal reason for the American National Standards Institute’s (ANSI) Z358.1 tempered water guideline. The Standard, as currently defined, prescribes water that is between 60^oF and less than 100^oF for the entire 15 minutes drench or irrigation period, regardless of any outside circumstances, including water supply issues arising from simultaneous use of multiple showers and/or eyewashes.

Typical Tempered Water Applications

There are many unique applications and environments where tempered water solutions meet the need for supplying emergency relief. The main challenge with providing a tempered solution is in the supply and delivery of the water. In many cases, the sheer size and adverse environment of the facility does not lend itself well to providing a common shower facility. Many facilities are spread out over a considerable area with a reas that require human interaction but do not have a structure built that can provide a protected shower and/or eye/face wash station. These facilities exist in widely varying climates from the extreme cold of the far northern and southern hemispheres to the hot and arid climates nearer to the equator. One of the most common applications is in fuel and/or chemical refi neries where there are many functions spread out over vast amounts of acreage that require human control but also present the potential for an accident that could require the need for an immediate drench shower or eye/face wash. Refi neries exist virtually all around the world in widely diverse environments. A self-contained Enclosed Emergency Environment™ (E3) booth that can provide a controlled temperature for both its internal environment as well as the water used to flush the exposed victim is not only an excellent solution, but a necessity. These “Plug-and-Play” booths can be easily located and installed throughout the facility to provide immediate emergency relief in the event of an accident. Another common application is in large manufacturing facilities or laboratories where again, there may not be well controlled external ambient temperatures or where the water supply temperature is well outside the comfort zone of most people. Due to the sheer size of these facilities, providing built-in emergency shower and/or eye/face wash stations can be prohibitive. Deploying self-contained tempered water emergency enclosures that only require a water source and electrical power or steam are an excellent solution to those logistical challenges. Schools, especially those with large campuses with many laboratories are an excellent candidate for tempered water solutions.

Again, there are many, many applications that require the need for tempered water solutions, both in standard as well as harsh environments. The bottom line is to provide immediate, effective, comfortable and most importantly, safe relief in the event of exposure to harmful substances.

For example, a refinery may need to install 15 emergency shower/eye wash stations and water tanks within its production area. Due to insufficient water supply in these areas, a self-contained water safety system is necessary to ensure immediate availability at all times. To meet safety standards, the system must support simultaneous use of at least two eye wash stations, providing a minimum flow rate of 1.5 liters per minute for the eye wash stations and 20 gallons per minute for the showers, without mutual flow interference. The system should sustain a continuous 15-minute rinse cycle. Tepid water is an additional essential requirement to protect injured individuals from secondary harm caused by frostbite or scalding.