For almost two decades, one standard quietly shaped how Australian workplaces protect people from chemical exposure. That standard has just been rewritten.
AS 4775:2026 – Emergency Shower, Eyewash and Eye/Face Wash Equipment and Drench Hoses was published on 5 June 2026, replacing AS 4775‑2007. It’s now built directly into the WaterMark Certification Scheme (WMCS), sitting under the Tapware category’s Emergency Washing Equipment product type.
If your site stores or handles hazardous chemicals – or you manufacture, supply, install, or specify this equipment – this isn’t background noise. It’s a change to the rules you’re already working under.
Where Gentec stands
Gentec is already certified. Our ECOSAFE Emergency Safety Showers & Eyewash range holds WaterMark certification to the new AS 4775:2026 standard, making Gentec the first in Australia to achieve it for this product category. The range is certified Lead Free under WaterMark Licence WM 74767, issued by our Conformity Assessment Body, ApprovalMark. Customers specifying or installing ECOSAFE products can do so with confidence that they meet the current requirements, with no further action needed.
What’s new in AS 4775:2026
AS 4775 specifies minimum requirements for the supply, installation, performance and use of emergency washing equipment used when workers are exposed to hazardous chemicals or other substances. It covers emergency showers, eyewashes, eye/face washes, combination units and drench hoses.
The revised standard adds guidance across eight key areas, aimed at improving accessibility, safety, performance, and installation:
- Accessibility for people with disabilities
- Simultaneous operation of multiple functions
- Alarm systems tied to activation and use
- Privacy screens where users may need to remove contaminated clothing
- Wastewater disposal management
- Flushing fluid temperature requirements
- Unobstructed access and clear pathways of travel
- Consolidated conformity assessment requirements (materials, design, manufacturing, installation) in Appendix A.
Why This Matters Now
This is more than a terminology update. Existing products certified against AS 4775-2007 may need to be reviewed against AS 4775:2026, subject to the applicable WaterMark transition arrangements and the requirements of the CAB. This review will determine whether any additional testing, technical documentation or other evidence is required to maintain certification.
Changes to the AS 4775 standard do not apply to existing installations, it is only applicable to installations undertaken after publication.
Over the next four posts, we’ll break down what this means depending on where you sit:
- Facility & Safety Managers: Is your existing installation still WaterMark compliant, and what should you check first?
- Manufacturers, Suppliers & Installers: A practical gap-analysis checklist against the new requirements.
- Specifiers & Designers: What the accessibility, alarm and privacy changes actually require in practice.
- Plant & Facility Engineers: The flushing fluid temperature and wastewater detail that’s easy to miss and expensive to get wrong.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is AS 4775:2026?
The revised edition of AS 4775, the Australian Standard for emergency shower, eyewash and eye/face wash equipment and drench hoses. Published 5 June 2026, it replaces AS 4775‑2007. Gentec complies with the standard AS 4775:2026.
Is AS 4775:2026 mandatory?
It applies wherever AS 4775 compliance was already required under WHS obligations or site conditions, and it’s now built into the WaterMark Certification Scheme for relevant tapware products.
Does my existing safety shower need to be replaced?
Not necessarily. Not necessarily. Existing products certified against AS 4775-2007 need to be reviewed against AS 4775:2026, subject to the applicable WaterMark transition requirements, gap analysis and the requirements of the CAB. This standard does not apply to existing installations. It is only applicable to installations undertaken after publication of this standard.
Who does AS 4775:2026 affect?
Facility and safety managers with installed equipment, and manufacturers, suppliers and installers who certify or supply emergency washing equipment.
Next in this series: Is your existing installation still WaterMark compliant, and what should you check first?
