Part 1:
Welcome to Dawood’s inaugural “#ThinkSafetyFirst” Toolbox Talk, as part of our mission to communicate safety best practices through our new ongoing blog platform. Read on!
I recently delivered a toolbox talk to Dawood employees on the hazards of compressed air. As anticipated, I heard stories about one colleague’s high school woodshop teacher telling them never to dust themselves off with an air hose, and another who got dust particles in his eyes after cleaning off his workbench. I was surprised by the employees who were unaware of these hazards. I wondered how many times they worked with compressed air without knowing the hazards, and how many more employees were uninformed and did not voice concern.
Understand The Risks
- Compressed air is not meant to cool yourself off. Under high enough pressure, air can break through the skin, vascular system, muscles, and even bones. If air enters veins, an aeroembolism—an air bubble in the blood stream causing blood clots—could develop and lead to sudden death if impacting the heart or lungs.
Preventive action: Do not point a compressed air stream at yourself or anyone else.
- When compressed air is used to clean clothing or work surfaces it also can cause eye injuries or respiratory issues. If these small, solid particles become airborne, they could land in an employee’s eye or be inhaled.
Preventive action: Wear ANSI Z87.1-rated eye protection and consider respiratory protection.
Tune-in next week for a continued compressed air risk analysis and preventive measures to stay safe.