Leading hose
and hydraulic pipe suppliers The Hosemaster respond to the serious nature
surrounding accidents involving fluids at high pressure and the true dangers
that can occur.
Following
the recent story published by the HSE, where a time served maintenance fitter
accidentally died after he sustained a hydraulic injection injury whilst
tensioning a piling rig track, the call for greater awareness is high on the
agenda of safety bodies including the Health & Safety Executive and product
suppliers alike. Targeting hydraulic engineers, maintenance and service
personnel and safety representatives in construction, engineering and quarrying
and tunnelling, where exposure to high pressure fluids is faced on a daily
basis, safety alerts hold a significant importance.
In order to
gain the biggest exposure towards the high risk potential of working in such
environments, the aim of these alerts is to clearly show what can happen to
even experienced workers, in this one case from the 23rd of
September 2014, when a grease nipple became detached from the track mechanism
and allowed the release of grease under high pressure. The fitter was injected
with the grease that broke through the outer layer of the skin and resulted in his
untimely death. In cases where even the slightest amount of fluid enters the
body, the resulting damage can be phenomenal, as has been shown in photographs
from the Fluid Power Safety Institute based in Salt Lake City, USA. Just a
pinprick entry hole is enough to cause excessive damage as the fluid begins to
kill tissue and extensive surgery is required to treat the accident.
With the HSE
advising that primarily greater awareness of items such as missing or damaged
nipples, wear and tear to hydraulic hoses and in general, either a lack of maintenance
or hazard perception in the workplace, it is clear to see the grave dangers,
especially as gangrene and more serious complications can easily arise from
accidental injection of possibly toxic or dangerous chemicals.
Hose and
fitting specialist The Hosemaster respond regularly to news and alerts within
their industry. A company spokesperson believes that increased awareness of
such dangers should be practiced to prevent accidents occurring:
“The HSE
offers sound and important advice on the correct action required when either
having to replace or carry out maintenance on pressurised systems. Maintenance
personnel need to be properly aware and check the security and integrity of
pipework adaptors, grease nipples and any flexible hydraulic hoses used in such
cases. If injury occurs, all personnel should understand the severity of any
breach of the skin and act accordingly, quickly and efficiently.”
The
Hosemaster are a company who remain dedicated to providing a vast range of
parts and supplies to industries across Britain, ensuring the very best spare
and replacement hoses and connectors are easily located when you need to
replace or carry out maintenance to hydraulic equipment or that which operates
under pressure. Their website can be located at www.thehosemaster.co.uk.