At Premier Pro Wash & Seal, we take every precaution to ensure the safety of you, your staff or family, the technician, and your property. Using safe practices and taking extra steps to prevent accidents is all a part of an average day for us. As pressure wash equipment experts, we take our job seriously. And as people, we take your life seriously. If you worry about the risks that pressure washing poses, you should. It’s a dangerous piece of equipment that injures thousands of people every year. Before you pull the trigger of a spray gun, it’s important to read these safety tips for pressure washing.
Safety Tip #1: Never point the gun at people or animals
A pressure washing nozzle propels water at an incredible force. If you hit a living thing, it will severely harm them. Striking an object with the jet will send it flying at top speeds too. And unless you don’t like your windows, don’t direct the stream at them either.
The CDC warns that injuries caused by a direct hit from a pressure washer need to be treated immediately by medical professionals. No exceptions!
If you do not have a trained doctor attend to the wounds, it could lead to disabilities, amputation, or death. Being struck in the head can cause internal bleeding on the brain. A chest injury can cause cardiac arrest. Seek emergency medical help immediately.
Even small wounds that seem superficial are more like bullet wounds. These injection wounds run through multiple layers of tissue and lead to deep-space infection and compartment syndrome.
Safety Tip #2: Avoid electrocution
In the cartoons, when water and electricity mix, the character lights up in a bolt of lightning. They might lose some hair, but they shake it off. In real life, it doesn’t look that exciting, and it can lead to death.
If you are working with an electric power washer, take these steps to avoid electrocution:
- Wear rubber-soled shoes.
- Make sure the outlet is grounded.
- Test the outlet or circuit breaker.
- Use extension cords specifically rated for wet conditions and keep the connection dry.
- Be sure the grounding prong on the plug is intact and never remove it to fit a 2 prong outlet.
- If your pressure washer trips the circuit breaker, stop using it immediately and get it fixed by a qualified repair service.
Safety Tip #3: Never let children use pressure washing equipment
It may seem fun, but a pressure washer machine is dangerous and should be kept away from kids. Do not let children play nearby when a Premier Pro Wash and Seal technician or other adult is using a pressure washer. The risk of injury is too great, and children’s bodies are fragile.
Keep children indoors or a safe distance away when a pressure washer is being used and teach them not to play with the machine.
Safety Tip #4: Stay outdoors
If you are using a gas-powered pressure washer, never use it in an enclosed space. Gas-powered machines will produce large amounts of poisonous carbon monoxide. When carbon monoxide is in the air, it replaces oxygen. As you breathe, it enters your bloodstream. Headache, dizziness, and nausea are the first signs something is wrong; tissue damage and death can result.
Always provide plenty of ventilation wherever you work and stay away from intake vents. The last thing you want to do is expose yourself to dangerous levels of carbon monoxide or pump it into your home or business.
Safety Tip #5: Wear the right gear to protect yourself
Protecting your body should be a priority. Even the pros can trip, and one small slip can cause severe injury.
Eye/Face Protection
You should always wear safety goggles. Upgrade to a full face shield if you are using anything over 2000psi. At 4000psi, you can lose your eye physically so don’t skip this important piece of gear!
Heavy Duty Gloves
If you are using hot water, you need your hands protected from that intense heat. Oven or BBQ mitts won’t cut it. They need to be waterproof too or the boiling hot water will seep right in and cook you.
Safety Boots
Wear safety boots and not just any safety boot. You need one with metatarsal guards. According to OSHA, a 3000psi pressure washer jet stream cut straight through one poor soul’s boot because he didn’t wear the right ones. Ouch!
Pressure and Soft Wash Services in the Greater Tampa Bay Area
Now, with these safety tips, you are better prepared to tackle your pressure washing, but we hope you reconsider and leave the dangerous jobs to the professionals.
If you need expert contractors to complete your exterior home and business washing projects, contact Premier Pro Wash & Seal. You can count on us to make your property look beautiful again!