If you already have facilities like Keltech Emergency Shower & Eyewash Stations onsite, then you’ll want to check out the Keltech electric tankless water heaters. Smaller and faster than traditional water heaters, they instantly deliver warm water at the perfect temperature—every time.
ANSI Temperature Standards
“ANSI requires that the temp of water coming out of emergency eyewash or shower systems must be 60°-100° F,” said Doug Luckhardt, Regional Sales Manager for the Industrial Division of Bradley Corporation, which owns Keltech Incorporated. “Those emergency systems must also be located within 10 seconds—or 55 feet—from the hazard.”
More: See a video on Bradley’s Halo Eye/Facewash
Risk of Hypothermia
Luckhardt added that city water comes out of the ground as cold as 45°F—too cold to meet the ANSI requirements. At this temperature, workers who used the emergency facilities can actually suffer from hypothermia if they are exposed to the cold water for too long.
“With an emergency shower, you don’t have the luxury of waiting 10 minutes for the water to heat up,” Luckhardt said. “For years, this presented a huge problem in the industry with no real solution, except buying a large and expensive recirculation boiler system. These tankless water heaters solve that problem and prevent the hypothermia issue.”
Steady, Warm Temperature
Keltech’s tankless water heaters can also keep the temperature steady throughout the shower, with a variance of only +/- 1°. The water is heated to the correct level and stays that way, no matter how much (or how little) water is used.
“The system will keep the water temperature steadily warm throughout the eye wash or shower, even if you’re using both at the same time,” Luckhardt said, adding that using both simultaneously requires a waterflow of 25 gal/minute. “Other units may start out at 70°, but the quickly drop off to 50° as the tank runs out of hot water.”
More: Learn more about Keltech
Only Pay for It When You Use It
The best part? The tankless water heaters also save money, compared to traditional boiler systems.
“The great thing about the Keltech system is that you only pay to heat the water when you need it,” Luckhardt said. “So you’re not constantly heating the water to be ready for an emergency. Under certain situations, they can even pay for themselves in 1 year—because you only pay for it when you use it.”
OSHA Enforcement
Luckhardt adds that right now, OSHA is actively enforcing emergency eyewash and shower compliance.
“You hope that you’ll never need to use the safety equipment. That’s the best-case scenario,” Luckhardt said. “But if you do need it, it must work correctly—otherwise you risk serious injury, hypothermia, or ultimately, a lawsuit.”
More: Stuff Happens. Bradley Helps.
Ideal for Food and Manufacturing
The tankless water heating units can also be used for other hot water applications, such as production lines or manufacturing.
“If you need to heat water to 150° in a chemical or food manufacturing plant, then this is the ideal unit,” Luckhardt said. “You can instantly heat the water in a small space, without needing a large tank or boiler around.”
About Keltech
Keltech was founded in 1987 by Ken Lutz, an engineer. Today, Keltech makes over 80 products and is a proven leader in tankless technology. Beginning in 2013, they are now a subsidiary of Bradley Corporation.
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