All Valve Industries Develops Australia’s First Watermark Certified Mixing Valve Solution For Emergency Shower and Eye Wash Equipment
Since the publication of AS4775 – 2007: Emergency eyewash and shower equipment, the challenge of how to supply “tepid” water to these critical first emergency response products using Watermark certified mixing valves had not been resolved. Until now!
All Valve Industries through collaboration with key industry stakeholders has responded by developing an innovative Watermarked solution in the Caleffi EMS120 – Emergency Mixing Valve System.
The issue of tepid water delivery to these emergency fixtures is one that has been largely misinterpreted and rarely applied in practice as you investigate the emergency shower landscape in Australia. Essentially the stated tepid water temperature range of 16°C – 38°C referenced in AS4775, is intended to deliver flushing fluid at a temperature conducive to encouraging an injured party to complete the full 15-minute flush during an emergency whether this occurs at an emergency shower or eye or eye/face wash unit. |
Once this is understood and the parameters of the workplace environment such as the geographic location of the site, the location of the emergency equipment within the facility and the types of hazardous materials to which a person may be exposed are included in the risk assessment, the application of tepid water then begins to make sense!
Often it is mistakenly thought that cold water will be sufficient for emergency eye wash and shower applications, however an uncontrolled water supply temperature delivers uncertainty and can result in users simply being unable to complete the recommended 15 minute flushing procedure where the water is too cold or too hot. At temperatures below 15°C prolonged exposure increases the hypothermia risk to the user and uncontrolled temperatures above 38°C (ideal bathing temperature), could lead to chemical interaction with eyes and skin and also increases the risk of scalding as well as potential exposure to Legionella.
All Valve Industries Caleffi EMS120 Emergency Mixing Valve System delivers the following key high performance features:
- Watermark certified Mixing Valves to AS4032.2
- 20°C- 38°C controlled temperature range;
- + / – 3°C accuracy of flushing fluid;
- 12 l/min – 120 l/min mixed water flow rate range;
- 76 l/min cold water bypass capacity;
- Thermal shut off in the event of cold water failure;
One crucial design element for the Caleffi EMS120 assembly is the inclusion of a cold water bypass. As first response emergency equipment must remain functional in the event of an emergency, the cold water bypass becomes a critical to allow cold water only to flow at a rate suitable to support the continued use of an emergency shower or eye or eye/face wash in the event of hot water failure. A standard TMV does not incorporate such a feature and will shut down in the event of either hot or cold water supply failure making them totally unsuitable for critical infrastructure installations such as those described here.
The combination of All Valve Industries’ Watermark certified Caleffi EMS120 Emergency Mixing System, as well as AS4775 and AS4020 certified and compliant emergency shower and eye/face wash technology, allows you to specify and install Australia’s first compliant and most innovative emergency response package knowing that they have been researched, designed and engineered to be safe, reliable and fit for purpose with the needs of your industry.
