Occupational safety is paramount at Safety Marking LLC., particularly when working with pressurized equipment such as tanks and hoses. Three major potential health and safety hazards related to pressurized lines and vessels include injection wounds, blunt-force impact injuries (pressurized release), and burns (heated materials). According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), personal protective equipment (PPE) is worn by workers to protect them from dangers in the workplace that may cause serious injury or illness such as “chemical,… physical,…mechanical or other workplace hazards.”
Examples of PPE include hard hats, safety glasses, face shields, earplugs, fall arrest systems, safety-toe boots, and respirators. The main safety concern when working with pressure is the unexpected release of the pressure, or pressurized material. Ask anyone whose ever over-filled a bicycle tire how startling pressure release can be. Increased volume and heat only increase the danger exponentially by adding burn to injection or blunt-force impact.
For example, when opening any thermal cavity, you must take ‘high-risk’ precautions and wear the appropriate gear. James Crocker, President and Founder of Hog Technologies, recently recounted a personal incident involving the replacement of a ball valve on a thermoplastic system. According to Mr. Crocker, although the necessary safety steps were taken to isolate the valve and eliminate pressure, hot material was ejected from the valve by the remaining residual pressure when the device was opened. Mr. Crocker was not critically injured; however, he was burned. In response to the incident, Hog Technologies has since developed a series of measures to further enhance standard PPE requirements by implementing their unique Pressurized Vessel Breach procedure (PVB) which further accounts for potential harm to personnel from pressurized systems. Learn more about Mr. Crocker’s safety lesson and how it changed work at HOG Technologies
Mark Kelly of Easton CT, Safety Marking Inc.’s Founder and President, understands how important the role of health and safety is, particularly in the pavement marking industry. Serving as President for almost fifty years, Mark Kelly believes in being highly prepared for unexpected situations that may arise on the road and in the workplace.
Originally published on: globenewswire.com | Article Link