Posts Tagged ‘Eye Baths’

40 years experience and exports to over 65 countries

Monday, August 17th, 2009

Hughes Safety Showers (originally J D Hughes Fabrications Limited) was founded in July 1950 by John D. Hughes M.B.E. a qualified mechanical engineer and father of the present Managing Director Tony Hughes.

Activities included the fabrication of pipe work and pressure vessels along with the erection of pipelines and structural steelwork for the chemical and petrochemical industries.

Whilst working on various sites where chemicals were being manufactured, the company’s employees became aware of an absence of effective Emergency Shower and Eyebath facilities.

The company began designing and developing a range of Emergency Safety Showers and Eyebaths long before any of the current HSE/COSHH requirements or recommendations.

picFactory(2)

Hard at work on the Hughes Safety Shower factory floor

With the steady increase in demand for such equipment, J D Hughes Fabrications Limited was incorporated in September 1968 specifically to manufacture Emergency Shower and Eyebath Equipment. The company soon became the market leader and for the past forty years has been the largest specialist manufacturer of this type of equipment throughout Europe.

Since taking control of the company in the late seventies, Tony, also a qualified mechanical engineer, has brought his own personal touch and engineering expertise to the company and its products. Under his direction all products have been the subject of continual design and development from both functional and aesthetic aspects.

“Hughes Safety Showers supply all the major companies requiring Emergency Showers and Eyebaths throughout the U.K. as well as exporting to international clients and distributors in most countries worldwide. The global network of distributors and appointed agents ensures that customers can work locally with people who understand their requirements.”

Tony Hughes, Managing Director

The company celebrated its 40th Anniversary in September 2008 and will continue to strive for excellence within the field of Health & Safety.

Celebrating Hughes Safety Showers 40th anniversary

Celebrating 40 years of Hughes Safety Showers

You can read more on the history of Hughes Safety Showers here and view photos from the company’s 40th Anniversary celebrations.

Posted by admin at 9:58am August 17th, 2009

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Raising Awareness To Prevent Legionella

Thursday, August 6th, 2009

As well as the latest on new Hughes Safety Showers products & events, we will be offering articles on various Safety standards that impact our company and services.

Understanding the dangers of contracting Legionella

Understanding certain facts about Legionella is essential when selecting and furthermore maintaining emergency safety showers and eyebath/facewash units. Hughes equipment is designed to minimise the risk of Legionella.

Marketing Manager Mike Hall tests one our Eyebaths

Marketing Manager Mike Hall tests one our Eyebaths

“Employers are legally responsible for the health and safety of their employees and have a duty of care to the wider community,” says Tony Hughes, Managing Director of Hughes Safety Showers.

“The penalties for failure can be severe; the consequences can be disastrous and yet the solution is surprisingly simple.”

By understanding certain facts and the features you will be better informed to choose the right equipment.

 

FACTS – on Legionella
• Legionnaires’ disease is a type of pneumonia.
• It occurs more frequently in men than women and usually affects middle-aged or elderly people.
• The bacterium which causes legionnaires’ disease is Legionella pneumophila.
• It mainly lives in water and thrives between 20ºC and 45ºC
• People catch the disease by inhaling small droplets of water suspended in the air that contain the Legionella bacterium.
• Water storage facilities and equipment that uses water are at particular risk.
• Emergency showers and eyebath/facewash equipment should be designed to minimise this risk.
• Good maintenance is essential to avoid Legionella.

 

FEATURES – of Hughes products to combat Legionella
• pipes can be flushed effectively
• there are no ‘dead legs’ to trap water
• rust sludge cannot build up
• pipe work is galvanised both internally and externally
• nozzles can be easily removed and cleaned

 

ADVICE – to help reduce the risk of Legionella
• Keep the temperature of static water outside the 20ºC to 45ºC range
• Fit thermostats to heated water tanks to keep water below 20ºC
• Insulate tanks and pipe work to control the temperature and avoid variations
• Fit temperature gauges for an early indication of potential problems
• Only use a portable water supply
• Flush the system every week to reduce the risk of Legionella contamination and confirm that the system is operating correctly
• Dose standing water with chlorine to kill the Legionella bacteria
• Clean shower nozzles regularly
• Replace eyebath diffusers and clean the eyebath filter every six months

Posted by admin at 3:18pm August 6th, 2009

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Hughes Atomizer – the next generation

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Development of the Hughes Atomizer continues, breaking new ground and exploring new opportunities. The latest version can be used to clean and disinfect the inside of gastight or watertight protective suits. The Atomizer is already used to decontaminate equipment, vehicles and buildings. Now protective suits join the list.

The hand-held spray gun delivers a fine damping mist

The hand-held spray gun delivers a fine damping mist

In this latest model, the hand-held spray gun is inserted and locked into a Hughes Safety Showers supplied flange fitted into the zip opening of the suit. The light damping spray produced by the Atomizer gun is ideal for treating the internal surfaces and avoids the excessive wetting associated with other cleaning methods. Depending on the type of suit, there is an option to inflate it before introducing the disinfectant.

We have also developed a simple rack to support suits during cleaning.  An optional drying system is available in which hot air is piped into the suit for 5-10 minutes to dry the inside.

According to our Atomizer specialist Andy Whitehead, it’s often customers who drive the developments forward by suggesting new applications. So, if you’ve any ideas, you know who to talk to.

Compact and trolley mounted, the atomizer unit is exceptionally mobile

Compact and trolley mounted, the Atomizer unit is exceptionally mobile

Posted by admin at 4:20pm July 22nd, 2009

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Knowledge sharing – all part of the process

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

What do you do when you want to be more than simply a supplier of equipment – in our case emergency showers and eyebath/facewash equipment?

Well, to begin with you can expand the relationship with your customers. Give them support and advice, over and above the product itself. What about legislation and industry standards? Essential if you are going to make the right choices when buying emergency safety showers and eyebath/facewash equipment. Then there’s the practical considerations and the technical issues associated with different types of showers and eyebaths. Staff training is also vitally important.

Our Business Development Manager, Garry O’Hara, is putting his 30+ years industrial experience to good use and helping customers to take advantage of the knowledge and experience we have acquired at Hughes over the past 40 years.

As a result, several water utility companies have already started talking to us about the effects and likely requirements of the new European Standard. It’s the sort of information that could have a direct affect on the type of equipment they install. One has invited Garry to deliver a presentation to specialist staff as part of its Continuing Professional Development programme.

Some companies just want to ‘move boxes’ but we want to do more. We’re obviously in the business of selling safety equipment but we also want to build long term relationships. And, above all, that means building confidence, helping customers to make the right decisions, even if, on occasions, it means they don’t buy from us. Ultimately it’s all about customer satisfaction.

Our continued success, even during the recession, proves that good customer relations are essential. We’re sure plenty of you share our philosophy and are equally successful. It’s just that we never hear from you. Too busy was the cry. Well, perhaps now is the time to speak up and set an example.

Posted by admin at 4:20pm July 22nd, 2009

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Hughes Safety Showers announce Distributor of the Year

Wednesday, July 22nd, 2009

Hughes Safety Showers is proud to accounce it’s Distributor of the Year for 2008 as Flowtronix in the UAE. It marks a 10-year partnership for Hughes with the Abu Dhabi based company.

During this time, Flowtronix has played an important role in helping us develop our showers and eyebath business in the Middle East. One of their most recent successes was a contract to supply tank showers for the Jebel Ali Sewerage Treatment Project being built for the Dubai Municipality.

Congratulations to everyone at Flowtronix for their well deserved accolade.

Posted by admin at 12:18pm July 22nd, 2009

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