How to Prevent Injury from Tools Used by Sewer Cleaning Operators

As this conference is focused upon Wastewater and Water operator professional development, continuing education and technology transfer, we would like to provide the operators with some practical safety information to bring renewed emphasis to three wastewater related tools that have caused major injuries to workers over the past several years. They are as follows: a. The use and installation of pneumatic plugs; b. The use of high-pressure nozzles; c. The use of high-pressure hose systems and their repair. We are especially interested in discussing the potential hazards of the use of pneumatic plugs. Most workers lack the understanding of the combined pressures created within a plug when it is fully inflated. For example: a 30-inch plug inflated to its maximum rated pressure could contain over one-half million pounds of force, which equals the number of square inches within the plug multiplied by its inflation rating. The average operator has not been trained concerning the forces that could be contained within the plugs that are on the shelf and used only when needed. We will emphasize the inherent dangers associated with these three tools through multimedia and instruction. Proper use and precautions that must be exercised during the use of these tools will be demonstrated and possible injuries that could occur will be explained. Past experiences of other municipal workers using these tools that have narrowly escaped injury and those who were actually injured will be shared.