01 Feb High-Pressure Injection Equipment
High-Pressure Injection Equipment
High-pressure equipment is commonly used in construction, maintenance, automotive, industrial, and cleaning operations. Examples include airless paint sprayers, grease guns, hydraulic systems, diesel fuel systems, pressure washers, and grouting equipment.
These systems can operate at extremely high pressures. A small leak or high-pressure stream can penetrate the skin and inject fluid deep into body tissue. The resulting wound may appear minor but can cause severe tissue damage, infection, loss of circulation, amputation, or death.
Examples of High-Pressure Equipment
Equipment capable of causing injection injuries includes:
- Airless paint sprayers
- Grease guns
- Diesel fuel injection systems
- Hydraulic systems and hoses
- High-pressure water cleaners and pressure washers
- Concrete and grout pumps
- Industrial cleaning equipment
- High-pressure lubrication systems
Operating pressures vary significantly by equipment. Never assume a system is safe based solely on its pressure rating or the size of a leak.
High-Pressure Injection Hazards
Injection injuries most commonly occur to the hands and fingers when an employee attempts to locate a leak, clear a nozzle, or handle damaged equipment.
High-pressure fluids may include:
- Hydraulic fluid
- Grease
- Paint and coatings
- Fuel
- Water
- Solvents or cleaning chemicals
- Concrete or grout materials
A high-pressure stream may penetrate gloves and other protective clothing. Never use your hand or any part of your body to check for a pressurized leak.
Use an appropriate inspection method recommended by the equipment manufacturer.
Safe Work Practices
Employees operating or maintaining high-pressure equipment should:
- Be trained and authorized to use the specific equipment.
- Follow the manufacturer’s operating and maintenance instructions.
- Inspect hoses, fittings, couplings, nozzles, guards, and connections before use.
- Remove damaged, worn, leaking, or defective equipment from service.
- Verify that hoses, fittings, and components are rated for the system’s operating pressure.
- Keep hoses protected from sharp edges, crushing, excessive heat, abrasion, and vehicle traffic.
- Never kink, crush, or excessively bend high-pressure hoses.
- Never point a spray gun, nozzle, grease gun, or other pressurized device toward yourself or another person.
- Never place your hand or finger over a nozzle or fitting.
- Never attempt to stop or locate a leak with your hand.
- Never attempt to clear a clogged nozzle while the system is pressurized.
- Keep guards and nozzle-tip protective devices installed when provided.
- Wear appropriate eye, face, hand, foot, and body protection based on the equipment and material being handled.
- Keep unauthorized personnel away from the operating area.
Before Maintenance or Clearing a Blockage
Pressure can remain trapped in a system even after the equipment has been turned off.
Before inspecting, cleaning, adjusting, disconnecting, repairing, or clearing high-pressure equipment:
- Shut down the equipment.
- Isolate the equipment from its energy source.
- Follow applicable lockout/tagout procedures.
- Relieve or bleed all stored pressure according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Verify that pressure has been relieved before disconnecting hoses, fittings, nozzles, or other components.
- Never loosen a connection to relieve pressure unless specifically permitted by the manufacturer’s procedure.
High-Pressure Injection Injuries
A high-pressure injection injury is a medical emergency. The entry wound may look like a small puncture, pinprick, or cut even when extensive internal damage has occurred.
If an injection injury occurs:
- Stop work and obtain emergency medical treatment immediately.
- Do not delay treatment because the wound appears minor or is initially painless.
- Tell medical personnel that the injury involved high-pressure fluid injection.
- Identify the substance that was injected and provide its Safety Data Sheet (SDS), when applicable.
- Do not attempt to squeeze, massage, cut, or otherwise treat the wound yourself.
- Do not apply a tight compression dressing or tourniquet unless directed by qualified emergency medical personnel.
Prompt evaluation by medical professionals familiar with high-pressure injection injuries is critical. Surgical treatment may be necessary depending on the location, pressure, and material injected.
Remember
A tiny high-pressure leak can cause a devastating injury. Never use your hands to find a leak, never point pressurized equipment toward anyone, and always shut down and relieve stored pressure before servicing the system.