New PITS with Internal Charging, Do They Still Need Eye Wash Stations and PPE?
Back in the old days I remember “fondly” arguing with production and logistics employees and managers about the requirement to wear PPE, having large eye wash stations or safety showers near charging stations, and required large hoists to lift heavy batteries into charger stations. It was a constant battle to get people to follow the requirements! I hated battery charging areas!!
Then technology changed. Now the charging of batteries on most newer PITs is performed by just plugging then into a charger, Newer PITs allow the operator to just back up near a charger and do nothing else but plug it in! The battery remains inside the PIT. Usually covered up by the “hood” with only the sides of the battery exposed. And sometime not at all or just a little bit.
Last week I was performing a Baseline Safety Audit at a customer. During the visit I saw these two-liter eye wash bottles. I asked if that was all the type of eye wash stations they had. I was given the answer, “Yes, this is what out last safety consultant told us to get!” I shake my head, as I think to myself, “No way could a safety pro make that as their total recommendation!” I took a picture and wrote, “15-minute eye wash!” on my notes.
However, the chances of a caustic blow up exposing employees to serious eye injury must be next to non-existent on the new way to charge batteries. Would not this negate the need for an eye wash station? What is your opinion on eyewash stations and PPE now with this modern charging technology?
Comments (2)
Unless they're refilling batteries on older, unsealed batteries (which many places don't do or use anymore), then an emerency eyewash/shower would not be required at a PIT charging station. Most newer batteries are sealed and essentially maintenance-free other than the charging, so there is no exposure to the sulfuric acid unless it was a catastrophic explosion (which is extremely unlikely). However, there are still places out there that have to add DI water to their batteries frequently in older batteries that WOULD be covered by this requirement and, therefore, require an emergency eyewash station within 10 seconds/55 feet, the appropriate PPE, etc.
OSHA has an old interpretation (which has been archived now) that specified this, but it stated that it wasn't required unless you remove the caps of the battery for any reason. An excerpt is below, as well as the link.
"Battery charging areas are not specifically mentioned in CFR 1910.151(c) but are considered to be covered if the battery caps are removed and if electrolyte acid is added, removed, or spilled. If the battery is simply undergoing charge, it is not necessary to have quick drenching or flushing facilities for the eyes or skin."
https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/standardinterpretations/1976-08-16#
:~:text=If%20the%20battery%20is%20simply,way%20with%20%22neutralize%22%20solution.