Injury Illness Prevention Plan - Flipbook - Page 52
prevents accidental un-monitored spray of the hydro-powered water. Also, the minimum
total length of a hydro-blasting gun shall be 66” from the shoulder pad to the nozzle.
Due to the intense amount of pressure the water is under during hydro-blasting, it is
possible to suffer damage due to penetration of skin; appropriate PPE is a necessity. Eye
protection, waterproof body protection, head protection with transparent face shield,
waterproof foot protection with steel toe caps, hand protection, and hearing protection
are all necessary. If any exposed, unarmored part of the body is hit with a blast from the
hydro-blast injury could occur.
Because injury is possible in and around the hydro-blasting site, it is important to erect
barricades and signage to prevent non-affiliated vendors and improperly protected
workers from entering the hydro-blasting site. When hydro-blasting, the site must not
have any surfaces that are manually held up to be blasted and conducted on a stable work
surface (does not include ladders, step stools, benches, etc.); this puts teammates directly
in harm’s way, regardless of them wearing PPE or not. The only teammates put at risk
should have to do with the operation of the hydro-blasting system; a minimum of two
teammates is needed as a pump operator and nozzle operator must both be present.
Risks should never be taken when it is possible to provide controls that prevent teammate
exposure. If the barricade is violated, if equipment malfunctions, if repairs are needed, or
if any circumstance should arise that is not optimal for hydro-blasting the system must be
depressurized at once and shut down until the situation is remedied.
One way a vendor must mitigate risk is through the use of properly sized accessories to
any hydro-blasting gun. Chief among these is a properly sized anti-reversal device. This
stinger assembly shall be used throughout the task and prevents the nozzle from turning
around inside a pipe or large tube. The combined length of the hose connection, stinger,
and nozzle shall be a minimum of 1.5 times the diameter of the pipe being cleaned unless
the pipe being cleaned has a “T”, then the combined length shall be 3 times the diameter
of the largest pipe. Another necessary accessory is a moleing device or lance. These
require a minimum 2 feet end identification when a pipe flange is available. If no flange
or other mans to secure anti-reversal device is used, then the hose/lance shall require a
2 feet end ID marking and a 4 feet end identification marking of a different color or
different pattern. These devices are all components of the hydro-blasting system, and the
system in totality shall not be operated above the lowest working pressure of any of these
components. Doing so would greatly increase the risk of a malfunction, which is
unacceptable.
13.17 IMPALEMENT PROTECTION
On jobsites one of the most dangerous hazards is fall hazards, which are significantly more
dangerous in unsafe environments. One such environment is in an area where there are
protruding materials, particularly rebar from trenches or walls that is not properly
Revised: October 2023
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