Safety showers

The Speakman Lifesaver SE-220 is the drench shower I’d specify first. It scores 10.0 because Speakman publishes everything an installer or safety officer will be asked for: certification, flow, pressure limits, parts and warranty.

It’s a vertical supply unit: the pipe comes down from above to a 1 in. NPT female, chrome-plated brass stay-open ball valve, then an 8 in. high-performance shower head with integral flow control. A yellow aluminum triangular pull rod opens it, and Speakman says the valve keeps running until the rod is pushed back to off.

Flow is spelled out. Speakman’s spec sheet gives 20 gpm at 30 psi, and its manual’s flow chart shows 21 gpm at 30 psi and 22 gpm at 40 psi. The unit needs an uninterrupted potable supply with at least 30 psi flowing and no more than 80 psi static.

Speakman lists it as ANSI Z358.1 IAPMO certified, and its manual says all units meet ANSI Z358.1 and OSHA rules. A universal emergency sign comes with it.

The maintenance side is the best of the four. Speakman ships a testing record tag (91-0635) for weekly activation dates and initials, and lists replacement parts: the SE-911 stay-open valve, SE-810 8 in. head and RPG47-0046 pull rod.

Options cover the common site needs: a scald protection valve (SPV), freeze protection valve (FPV), self-closing valve with chain and ring (SCSV), stainless steel parts and an extra-long pull rod for ADA use.

Speakman gives a 3-year limited warranty, commercial and consumer, and lists the country of origin as China. The SE-220-SS version uses stainless steel throughout.

Speakman’s install note is short and important: connect it to an uninterrupted source of potable water, using pipe sealant on the 1 in. joint, because non-potable water can contaminate the person being rinsed.

The Speakman SE-227 also scores 10.0. It’s the SE-220’s twin for a wall supply: the same 8 in. head with internal 20 gpm flow control, the same 1 in. stay-open ball valve and the same yellow triangular pull rod, mounted on a horizontal arm.

Speakman’s instructions list the arm as 1 in. IPS galvanized steel pipe and the shipping weight as 8.98 lb. The drawing gives the reach and drop so you can set the head height before you cut the supply.

Everything about water supply matches the SE-220: an uninterrupted potable source, at least 30 psi flowing and 80 psi static at most, with flow of 21 gpm at 30 psi and 22 gpm at 40 psi.

It’s ANSI/ISEA Z358.1 certified, per Speakman, and Speakman says it meets OSHA compliance. The same parts list applies: SE-911 valve, SE-810 head, RPG47-0046 pull rod.

Height is the thing to plan. ANSI Z358.1 puts the water column between 82 and 96 in. above the floor and the pull handle no higher than 69 in., per Guardian’s checklist of the standard. On a wall arm, set the supply so both fit.

Clearance matters too: the center of the spray must be at least 16 in. from any obstruction. A horizontal arm moves the head out from the wall, which helps.

Speakman sells the same options as on the SE-220, including a scald protection valve and stainless versions (SE-227-SS), with the same 3-year limited warranty.

Hang the testing tag on it and pull it weekly; Speakman’s manual repeats ANSI’s weekly activation rule to flush the line and confirm it works. The listing names it a shower for dangerous worksites, and the stainless SE-227-SS swaps in the SE-911-SS valve, SE-820 head and RPG47-0044 rod.

The Guardian G1643 scores 7.0. It’s a solid horizontal drench shower from Guardian Equipment of Chicago, with a bigger head than the Speakman units, but less published paperwork.

Guardian’s spec sheet gives a 10 in. orange ABS shower head with 20 gpm flow control (stainless head on the G1643SSH), a 1 in. IPS chrome-plated brass stay-open ball valve made in the US with PTFE seals, a stainless actuating arm and a 29 in. stainless pull rod.

The arm is a 1 in. IPS galvanized nipple with an orange ABS elbow, and the supply is a 1 in. NPT female inlet. An ANSI-compliant sign comes with it.

Guardian says its showers are tested to and comply with ANSI Z358.1-2014 and the Uniform Plumbing Code, and that all Guardian emergency showers are third-party certified to the standard.

The options list is useful: a G6040 thermostatic mixing valve for tepid water, safety green or yellow heads, all-chrome construction, a flashing light and horn alarm (AP280-200) and a modesty curtain (AP250-015).

Guardian’s terms of sale give a 2-year warranty against defects in workmanship or material.

It scores lower because Guardian publishes no supply pressure range, install manual or parts list for it, and because the Amazon listing’s brand field reads Guardian Fall Protection, a different company name. The listing text matches Guardian Equipment’s spec sheet, so I count it as the genuine G1643 and take half a point off the listing match.

Set it to the same ANSI heights as any drench shower: water column 82 to 96 in. above the floor and the pull handle within 69 in.. Guardian’s drawing shows the arm, head and 29 in. pull rod dimensions to ±1/4 in., and the listing says the unit is made in the United States.

The Guardian G1635 scores 7.0. It’s the vertical-supply version of the G1643: the same 10 in. head with 20 gpm flow control, the same US-made 1 in. chrome brass stay-open ball valve with PTFE seals, and the same stainless arm and 29 in. pull rod.

Guardian’s sheet lists a 1 in. NPT female inlet, an ANSI-compliant sign, and the G1635SSH with a stainless head. The drawing gives the drop below the supply and the pull rod length.

The options match the G1643: G6040 thermostatic mixing valve, colored heads and the AP280-200 flashing light and horn alarm.

Guardian states that its showers are tested to and comply with ANSI Z358.1-2014 and the UPC, and are third-party certified.

Guardian’s 2-year warranty covers defects in workmanship or material; labor and transport aren’t covered, per its terms.

The same gaps cost it points: no published pressure range, manual or parts list, and a listing brand field that reads Guardian Fall Protection while the text matches Guardian Equipment’s sheet.

Between the two vertical units, the Speakman SE-220 is the better-documented buy; the Guardian G1635 is the pick if you want the 10 in. head or Guardian’s alarm package.

Whichever you fit, plan the drain. Guardian recommends connecting emergency showers to drain piping or providing floor drains, and notes the water may carry hazardous material.

One listing note: the Amazon title calls it a brass emergency shower. Guardian’s sheet lists an orange ABS head on the G1635 and a brass valve, so the brass is in the valve, not the head. A stainless head is the G1635SSH.

If you add an enclosure, Guardian’s checklist of the standard asks for at least 34 in. across inside. The AP280-200 alarm uses a flow switch to light a lamp and sound a horn whenever the shower runs, which helps where someone may be working alone.