Exposure to harmful substances

In Saskatchewan, the Occupational Health and Safety Regulations, 2020 require:

• Shower facilities in the workplace where workers’ skin is regularly exposed to harmful or offensive substances (see regulation 6-11).
• Emergency showers where workers could be quickly injured after substantial skin contamination by corrosive or other harmful substances (see regulation 21-11).
• Eyewashes where workers’ eyes could be quickly injured by corrosive or other harmful substances (see regulation 21-12).

Some workplaces may require both regular and emergency shower facilities.

Shower facilities

Working conditions may result in workers’ skin being routinely exposed to substances to an extent that is harmful or offensive. In these situations, employers are required to provide suitable and adequate shower facilities. A shower is intended to prevent harmful effects that can occur after repeated exposures (cumulative or chronic effects) to certain substances or to wash off offensive substances.

Employers must allow sufficient time during normal working hours for workers to use these facilities. The facilities must include suitable and clean change facilities.

Emergency showers and eyewashes

Accidents and other unanticipated events may expose workers to corrosive or other harmful substances that can injure exposed skin or eyes after a single exposure. Often the injury occurs immediately or within a short time (such as chemical burns). Some substances can be rapidly absorbed and have toxic effects within a short time (such as quick-acting poisons).

Where these effects can occur after a worker or worker’s clothing is substantially contaminated by corrosive or other harmful substances, the employer must provide and maintain “an approved and readily accessible means of bathing or showering the worker with lukewarm water.”

Where eye injury can occur from exposure to corrosive or other harmful substances, the employer must provide “approved equipment to flush the eyes of the worker with lukewarm water or another appropriate liquid.”

General requirements

• The employer, in consultation with the occupational health committee, the worker occupational health and safety representative, or the workers, should examine the need for an emergency shower and/or eyewash based on this guideline.
• Emergency showers and eyewashes that meet the performance specifications described in this guideline are acceptable as “approved” emergency showers and eyewashes. Eyewash/shower combination units can be used as long as the shower and eyewash components both meet the corresponding performance specifications.
• The shower and eyewash units must be readily accessible and must effectively and promptly remove the harmful substance.
• Audible alarms or blinking lights may be used to indicate when emergency equipment is in use. Alarms that can immediately alert other workers are particularly important where workers may require the use of emergency showers and eyewashes in remote or isolated areas.
• Employers must ensure that all plumbed in units are flushed weekly and must ensure their proper operation and drainage. Self-contained units must be visually inspected weekly to see if the flushing fluid needs replacing.
• The employer must provide instruction to workers on how to properly use emergency showers and eyewashes.
• Plumbed in and self-contained units shall be protected from freezing and must be inspected annually to assure conformation to the ANSI/ISEA Z358.1-2014 Emergency Eyewash and Shower Equipment standard.

Workplaces with the following activities will likely require an emergency shower and/or eyewash: