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Thursday, March 3, 2016

Importance Of Portable Decontamination Shower

By Jennifer Long


Circumstances can occur that call for cleaning of a human body to get rid of contamination from radioactive substances, toxic chemicals and infection causing agents. These materials affect the health of a person and can be detrimental to the safety of a property. To achieve the cleaning, portable decontamination shower are used.

Exposure to the harmful chemicals can occur due to a number of reasons. Some might be accidental, intentional or an occupational hazard. Use of nuclear materials by terrorists exposes casualties to radioactive agents. In spite of workers being given personal protection equipments, situations can arise where they get exposed to the chemical. Persons exposed to areas of life threatening contagious diseases need to be cleaned out before they are managed at hospitals.

Some industries require all personnel working for them to undergo routine decontamination. However, an accident can occur that may cause them to need more decon showers. The United State department of Labor requires industries to have emergency means of disinfecting personnel in addition to routine procedures. During chemical accidents, the wash out is done on the site of the accident before the casualties are transported.

These showers have large heads unlike the ones used at homes. The large size ensures that the whole body is covered during the wash out for maximum removal of the chemicals. They have steel bodies to avoid build up of bacteria and other infectious agents. There must be sufficient water that is clean for the device to work efficiently. The device must be able to heat water according to the American National Standards Institute.

Modern devices have sensors that activate the system once a person steps in cleaning zone. The unit should be able to accommodate the ambulant and non ambulant victims in a favorable way. To ensure comfort of the victim, the environment should be well heated. The unit should be set up such that there is good air flow to avoid contamination of air from evaporating chemicals. The flow rate of water must be high.

There are many companies that manufactures decon equipments. The market has a variety to offer for the portable units. They vary according to the number of people that they can accommodate at a go, size, compatibility and ease of setting the unit up. The collapsible ones are easy to transport and store since most parts can be folded in.

These units are always put up close to the scene of the incident. At least it should take a casualty ten seconds to reach the unit. Upon arrival, they shed off any clothes or valuables they have. Next they get to the clean zone where the actual decontamination takes place. The persons spend about fifteen minutes in the water. Then they are provided with clean clothes and referred for medical checkup.

The equipment should be set in a safe place. Care should be taken to prevent more trauma experience on the victim. The sooner the action is taken after an accident, the better the outcome.




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