Compressed Air: Always “Air” on the Side of Caution

Compressed air is an amazing tool. It enables race car pit crews to change four tires in less than 20 seconds. And framing a home using a pneumatic nail gun instead of a hammer can be completed about four times as quickly.

However, the same awesome power that enables people to perform tasks in a fraction of the time can seriously endanger workers who aren’t aware of the potential hazards. Here are some examples:

• Compressed air was being used to flush ice from a frozen slurry pipe and a plant worker with 23 years’ experience was standing at one end, trying to break accumulated ice. The pipeline suddenly broke free in a violent movement and the worker was struck and killed.
• A 53-year-old worker directing pressure tests using compressed air was reading a pressure gauge while standing next to an elbow, when the elbow suddenly exploded. The worker was struck by several pieces of it and died.
• Two workers were using compressed air to pressure test newly installed PVC piping. As the maximum test pressure level was being approached, a temporary metal cap weighing about 155 pounds (70 kilograms) exploded from the pipe end. One of the workers died and the other was injured.