Decontamination showers are used at the locations where there is a risk for people of being exposed to detrimental elements. In majority of the countries, pertaining to the safety laws, decontamination showers are a must to be installed at factories, or the work places where there is a risk for employees to be exposed to dangerous substances. Various factories, laboratories and workplaces that handle or deal with unsafe substances need installation of decontamination showers.

Different types of emergency services such as fire-fighting department also make use of decontamination showers. Such showers are different from the normal showers, largely in the size of showerhead. The width of the showerhead is nearly twenty inches. For such showers, there is a need of enough amount of water so that they can be operated, without any hurdle, for a minimum of fifteen minutes. Usually, clean or potable water is stored in a tank that supplies water to the decontamination shower. There is no valve for turning the shower on. You just need to activate the shower by pulling its lever, and the water will start to flow with a steady pressure. Such showers are made up of steel; hence, no bacteria can build up in them.

When a victim has been contaminated, he must walk briskly towards the decontamination shower, or should be assisted towards one. Before entering the shower, he must strip off all his clothes and enter the shower stall. When the shower is turned on, he must stay there for at least fifteen minutes.

The reason for the showerhead being twenty inches in diameter is to ensure that the head and body is completely doused, and the victim does not have to turn or maneuver his body to make it wet. Fifteen minutes is the minimum time that should be spent under the shower; this time has been determined by experts.

According to ANSI safety regulations, the temperature of the water has to be ‘tepid’. Water for such purposes is not supposed to be too cold or too hot. This water has to be dirt free and potable. After taking the shower and being decontaminated, the victim should be given clean clothes to wear, after which he should be sent to a hospice for medical help.

Our extensive emergency services utilize moveable decontamination showers to wash the chemicals off the victims. These shower stalls are, most of the times, planted in a transitory shelter, like in a tent. In several work places, it is compulsory to take decontamination shower after the employees enter the place where there is possibility of contamination. Decontamination showers are regularly checked just to ensure that they are functioning suitably, and the water that is being supplied is germ-free.

Decontamination showers are used where the body is contaminated by coming in contact with a harmful substance. Acids and harmful chemicals that can be spilt, and can cause contamination, need to be cleansed from the body immediately.

These showers must be easily reachable, and it should not take any more than ten seconds to reach the shower. Most contemporary decontamination showers are controlled by the sensors that turn on immediately when a person stands under them.

Louise Jones is a safety consultant. You can buy variety of Safety showers and Emergency Eye Bath at his recommended website at http://www.hughes-north-america.com.