Hazard Alert: High Pressure Air Hose Burst
A driller was severely injured when a burst hose propelled a large piece of equipment at him. This hazard alert is important as it illustrates just how powerful a burst air hose can be.
This hazard alert is part of our Technical Series on Compressor and Air Hose Safety. Click here for an outline of the entire Compressor and Air Hose Safety Series. Other hazard alerts can be viewed here.
A high-pressure air hose burst on a surface exploration drill rig while the driller was attempting to clear a blockage in the hose. The burst hose propelled the sample collection cyclone towards the driller who was operating the drill rig. The cyclone struck the driller with force. The driller sustained severe bruising to his body and back and could have been seriously injured or killed.
Read more about the causes of this incident and the recommendations for prevention in this report compiled by Mineral Resources, New South Wales.