Eemax's safety-shower and eyewash electric tankless line is the most specialized application in the brand's catalog — units engineered specifically for ANSI Z358.1 compliance for emergency safety showers and eyewash stations in industrial, laboratory, and chemical-processing facilities. These are not general-purpose water heaters; they exist solely to provide tempered water for emergency decontamination.
ANSI Z358.1 requirements
The standard mandates: tepid water (60–100°F) for at least 15 minutes of continuous flow at 20 GPM minimum (combined shower + eyewash flow). Failure to meet this can disqualify safety equipment from regulatory compliance — OSHA inspections, insurance audits, and incident liability all reference the standard.
Why dedicated safety-shower tankless makes sense
Three reasons facilities install dedicated tankless for safety showers rather than tying into central hot water:
- Available water flow: safety showers + eyewash combined demand 20+ GPM. Most central hot water systems can't deliver this flow rate continuously.
- Tepid not hot: chemical decontamination requires 60–100°F, not the 120°F+ typical of central systems. A dedicated tempered system meets the spec without complex mixing valves.
- Reliability isolation: if central hot water fails, the safety shower must still function. Independent tankless eliminates the single-point-of-failure risk.
Eemax safety-shower models
The product range supports flow rates from 20 GPM (single safety shower + eyewash) to 60+ GPM (multiple shower stations). kW ratings span 18 kW to 108 kW depending on temperature rise and flow. The larger units are three-phase commercial electrical service requirements.
Installation requirements
Three-phase 208V or 480V service for larger units. Dedicated water supply with no other fixtures sharing the line (avoids pressure drops during emergency activation). Tempered water mixing not required — the unit produces tepid water directly. Mounting near the safety shower fixtures to minimize delay between activation and tempered water arrival.
Compliance documentation
Eemax provides ANSI Z358.1 compliance documentation for each model. Maintain this in your safety equipment records. OSHA inspections and insurance audits routinely request this documentation; missing it can flag the installation as non-compliant even if functionally correct.
Annual testing requirements
ANSI Z358.1 requires weekly activation tests (verify flow without measuring temperature) and annual full-flow tests (measure temperature stays in 60–100°F range for 15 continuous minutes at design flow). Eemax safety-shower units are designed for this duty cycle — repeated full-flow activation without damage.
Service and warranty
Safety-shower units carry 3-year warranty with Rheem-backed service. Given the safety-critical nature of the application, most facilities contract with a service company for biannual inspections including: element resistance testing, flow rate verification, temperature compliance documentation, and visual inspection of all components. Service contract cost is justified by the regulatory liability avoidance.