Abstract:
This invention relates to an apparatus for testing a safety shower that is self-contained and provides a safe, efficient and convenient method for carrying out safety shower testing.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     This invention relates to a self-contained apparatus for testing a safety shower and a method for testing a safety shower using this apparatus.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     Safety showers are used to provide first aid treatment in research laboratories, industrial plants and other environments. When a person may be exposed to injurious corrosive, toxic or flammable material, it is mandatory to provide suitable facilities within the work area for quick drenching of the body (OSHA 1910.151). A person exposed to such a material is quickly positioned under a safety shower and the shower activated to provide a heavy steady stream of water to wash away the corrosive, toxic or flammable material. Contaminated clothing is removed as quickly as possible while showering.  
         [0003]     It is clearly very important to always have the safety shower in proper working condition in order to be prepared for any emergency. As a result, safety showers are typically tested on some regular basis, e.g., daily or weekly, to insure that there is adequate flow of clean water. A typical test lasts a minimum of 15 seconds. The safety shower is typically tested while a bucket is held under the showerhead to catch the water. Alternatively, a chute may be used to catch the water and direct it into the floor drain that is usually placed under a safety shower. In either case, it is likely that the floor or the persons conducting the test will be splashed with water either during the test or in removing the bucket or chute following the test. A wet floor provides a safety hazard that must be addressed.  
         [0004]     An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus to greatly facilitate the testing of a safety shower.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     This invention provides an apparatus for testing a safety shower, comprising: 
        a) a container capable of holding water and of sufficient size to contain the water released from a safety shower during the testing of the safety shower;     b) a vertical rigid extensible pole attached to the container;     c) an annulus of a rigid material attached to the upper end of the pole, wherein the diameter of the annulus is greater than the diameter of the showerhead of the safety shower to be tested so that the showerhead readily passes through the annulus; and     d) an elongated flexible tubular chute of a waterproof material, wherein the upper end of the chute is attached to the annulus and the lower end of the chute is positioned within the container.        
 
         [0010]     Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means to move the apparatus from one location to another. This means can be comprised of casters or wheels attached to the container or in the form of a dolly that supports the container. The dolly is preferably attached to the container. Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means to remove the water from the container. This means can be comprised of an electrically-powered water pump and a sufficient length of waterproof tubing to enable the water to be pumped from the container to a sink or drain. Preferably, the electrically-powered water pump is a submersible pump.  
         [0011]     The apparatus of the invention is self-contained and provides a safe, efficient and convenient method for carrying out safety shower testing.  
         [0012]     A method for testing a safety shower using a preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention that further comprises means to move the apparatus from one location to another and means to remove the water from the container comprises: 
        a) positioning the apparatus under the safety shower to be tested;     b) adjusting the extensible pole so that the bottom of the showerhead of the safety shower is encompassed by the chute;     c) activating the safety shower and allowing the water to flow from the safety shower for the designated time period of the test;     d) de-activating the safety shower upon completion of the designated time period of the test and lowering the extensible pole so that the showerhead of the safety shower is no longer encompassed by the chute;     e) moving the apparatus containing the water from the safety shower to a sink or a drain;     f) activating the means to remove water from the container and continuing until the water is removed from the container; and     g) de-activating the means to remove water from the container.       
 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]      FIG. 1  is a schematic of one embodiment of the safety shower testing apparatus. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0021]     The present invention provides an apparatus for carrying out safety shower testing. The invention may be described and understood by considering the schematic of one embodiment of the safety shower testing apparatus as shown in  FIG. 1 . The apparatus is comprised of a container  1  capable of holding water and of sufficient size to contain the water released from the safety shower during the testing of the safety shower. The shape of this container is not critical. It can be in the form of a bucket or drum. The container must be made of a material that provides containment of water. Plastic is a preferable material from the point of view of expense and weight. However, a metal, ceramic or wood container can also be used. The required minimum size of the container can be estimated by knowing the flow rate from the safety shower to be tested and the time period of the test. To avoid splashing of water out of the container either during the test or while the container is being moved to a sink or drain, it is advisable to make the size of the container at least 1.5 times that of the required minimum size. If the apparatus is to be used in a location with several safety showers, it is especially convenient to test the several showers sequentially without emptying the container and therefore necessary to make the container sufficiently large so as to hold the water released during the tests of all the several safety showers and to still provide an allowance for a fill level above which the container is not filled with water. In these instances, a container, e.g., a plastic drum, with a capacity of 30 gallons or more is especially useful.  
         [0022]     The apparatus further comprises a vertical rigid extensible pole  2  attached to the container. Attached to the upper end of the pole is an annulus  3  of a rigid material. The apparatus further comprises an elongated flexible tubular chute  4  of a waterproof material with the upper end of the chute attached to the annulus and the lower end of the chute positioned within the container. The purpose of the extensible pole  2  is to provide a support for the annulus to which the chute is attached and to provide means to raise and lower the chute. The extensible pole can be a simple two piece pole with one tube contained within a second and the inner tube able to be moved to and fixed into various positions much like a painter&#39;s extension pole. The pole can be one that is moveable and adjustable by hand or one that is electrically powered. The pole must be made of a rigid material and of sufficient strength to support the chute with the water from the safety shower running through it.  
         [0023]     The annulus  3  is attached to the upper end of the extensible pole by a clamp or bracket  5  as shown in  FIG. 1 . The annulus must be of sufficient strength to support the chute with the water from the safety shower running through it. The diameter of the annulus is greater than the diameter of the showerhead of the safety shower to be tested so that, as the extensible pole is extended upward, the showerhead readily passes through the annulus. This is necessary so that the showerhead is encompassed by the chute attached to the annulus and the water from the safety shower is thereby confined within the chute. In practice the chute may be wrapped around the annulus to provide a more secure and waterproof attachment and in this instance the annulus would not be visible. The chute  4  is elongated, flexible and tubular and any waterproof material that will satisfy these criteria can be used to form the chute. The chute must be sufficiently long so that the lower end of the chute can be positioned within the container when the upper end of the chute has been raised to encompass the showerhead.  
         [0024]     Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means to move the apparatus from one location to another. This means can be comprised of casters or wheels directly attached to the container. Alternatively, the means to move the apparatus from one location to another can be in the form of a dolly, i.e., a platform on a roller or wheels or casters used for transporting an object. The dolly supports the container and preferably is attached to the container. Such a dolly  6  with casters  7  is indicated in the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0025]     Preferably, the apparatus further comprises means to remove the water from the container. This means can be comprised of an electrically-powered water pump and a sufficient length of waterproof tubing to enable the water to be pumped from the container to a sink or drain. Preferably, the electrically-powered water pump is a submersible pump. Alternatively, this means is comprised of a valve at the bottom of said container to enable said water to emptied into a drain. In this instance a length of waterproof tubing can be attached to the valve to facilitate directing the water into the drain.  
         [0026]     The preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention comprises both means to move the apparatus from one location to another and means to remove the water from the container. The first step in the method for testing a safety shower using this preferred embodiment of the apparatus of the invention is the positioning of the apparatus under the safety shower to be tested. The extensible pole is then adjusted so that the bottom of the showerhead of the safety shower is encompassed by the chute. The safety shower is activated the safety shower and the water is allowed to flow from the safety shower for the designated time period of the test. Upon completion of the designated time period of the test, the safety shower is de-activated and the extensible pole is lowered so that the showerhead of the safety shower is no longer encompassed by the chute. If another safety shower in the vicinity is to be tested, the apparatus containing the water is then moved from the safety shower already tested to the next safety shower to be tested and the above steps repeated. When testing is completed, the apparatus is moved to a sink or a drain so that the water can be emptied from the container. The means to remove water from the container is activated and continued until the water is removed from the container. When the means to remove water from the container is comprised of an electrically-powered water pump and a sufficient length of waterproof tubing to enable the water to be pumped from the container to the sink or drain, the activation step would comprise holding the output end of the waterproof tubing in the sink or over the drain and then activating the electrically-powered water pump. When the water has been removed, the means to remove water from the container is de-activated.