Compressed Air Safety

Compressed air is used in a multitude of applications in industry — pneumatic tools and equipment, pumps, valves, tires, robotic arms, conveyors, packaging machines, some welding operations, metal cutting, surface preparation, breathing air, natural gas extraction, ventilation systems, pipeline inspection, aeration, agitation, and more. You may think because “it’s just air”, that compressed air is harmless. It’s actually the opposite.

Why Do Safety Policies Tell You to Never Use Compressed Air to Blow Down Your Clothes?

Never use air to clean your clothes, never blow compressed air on yourself, and never blow compressed air at someone else. When compressed air hits your skin, the air can be forced into your tissues through the skin and cause an air bubble in your blood stream. This air bubble can be fatal if it reaches the very small blood vessels of your heart, lungs or brain. Your clothes are not strong enough to protect you. Air blown in your mouth at only 5 psi can rupture your esophagus or lungs.

PPE

• Always wear eye protection when using compressed air. Besides the fact that it only takes 12 psi to blow your eye out of its socket, flying particles can damage your eyes. Wear safety glasses with side shields or a face shield.
• Air compressors, impact tools and other compressed air equipment can be loud and damaging to your hearing. Wear ear protection while using.
• Gloves and safety boots are preferred.

Hoses

• Make sure your hoses are rated to meet the maximum operating pressure of the equipment.
• Keep hoses off the floor/ground where they can trip someone or become damaged by moving equipment, doors or dropped items. If they’re on a self-retracting reel, keep them reeled when not in use. If you don’t have a reel, keep them coiled (without kinks) and hang it over a broad support—not a hook or nail.
• Keep sharp objects away at a distance so they won’t rub on the hose. Don’t wedge hoses in corners or hang them around machines.
• If a hose gets stuck, don’t pull/yank on it until it becomes free. Go to the point where it’s stuck and guide it.
• Inspect hoses on a regular basis for weak points, cuts, frayed covers and other damage. Replace when needed. Weak points of the hose may swell up like a balloon and burst or thrash about dangerously. Before using, make sure connections are properly sealed and there isn’t damage to fittings or the hose itself.
• If a hose bursts and starts to thrash, get out of the way of it and shut off the air supply at its source.

Other

• OSHA’s limit for compressed gasses is 30 psi. Nozzles with relief holes on the tip are often used as a way to comply with the standard and to prevent over pressure if the nozzle were to become dead ended. Never remove the tip off the nozzle or use damaged nozzles where the tip isn’t maintaining the proper opening. This is one of the main inspection items we find regarding compressed air in audits.
• Never used a compressed-air tool or piece of equipment without the proper training, knowledge of the limitations of the equipment, and where the air supply shutoff is located. Air shutoffs should be located as near as possible to the point of operation.
• Besides the hoses, inspect other components of your compressed air systems on a regular basis. This may include air receiver tanks, distribution lines, pressure regulation devices and compressors.
• Only use qualified personnel to conduct maintenance on compressed air devices.
• When conducting maintenance, ensure lockout/tagout procedures are used.
• Unless a pneumatic tool has a quick disconnect plug, before it’s disconnected turn off the air supply and bleed the tool of air