Hose Parting During Pneumatic Testing Safety Talk
Pneumatic hose testing takes place to ensure the integrity of hoses. Increments of pressure are sent through hoses to test their psi rating. During the pressurization process, hoses can fail or part, leading to potential incident and injury.
This safety talk identifies common causes of hose parting and discusses general safe work practices that can be followed to ensure employee safety in the event of a failure.
Common Reasons for Hoses to Part
- Hoses can be over-pressurized.
- Connection points between fittings and hoses can be compromised.
- Outer sleeves of hoses can be worn and damaged.
- Failure to protect hoses from sharp edges can lead to splitting and tears.
General Safe Work Practices
Below are some of the more common safety practices to follow. Always practice what you learned from formal safety training sessions, and be sure to follow all of the manufacturer’s instructions for the specific equipment being used.
- Hoses must be stamped with a visible pressure rating to avoid over-pressurizing.
- Hose fittings should be inspected for wear to avoid breaking between fitting necks and hose bodies.
- Fittings should be removed from service if they contained cracked or worn threads.
- A competent person should ensure fittings are securely fastened to hoses to avoid breakaway.
- Hoses should be free of cracks and deformities, which can compromise their ability to withstand test pressures.
- Hoses should be secured to avoid movement in the event of parting.
- Hoses should be rerouted or wrapped in protective material to avoid contact with potentially sharp edges.
- Dead ends of hoses should be fastened to a stationary device during pneumatic testing to eliminate jumping.
- Employees should maintain a safe distance from hoses during testing and don the proper PPE to avoid contact with parting hoses.
Summary
Pneumatic hose testing can be a dangerous job task due to the potential to part or break of components while under increased pressure. Taking measures to identify the potential causes of parting and utilizing proper work practices to avoid hose failure can assist in completing pneumatic testing without experiencing incident or injury.
Discussion points:
- What are other hazards that can be present when testing?
- What are other best practices that should be followed?
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