A few general guidelines to assist you in keeping safe while working in any drain using our equipment
General
• Never enter deep manholes, without some form of assisted breathing apparatus. Use scuba systems or a blower system to pump fresh air into the manhole. Also use gas testing equipment to ensure that no poison gasses are present and that sufficient oxygen is present for safe breathing.
• Always wear safety glasses, gloves and protective clothing or gear.
• Employees should be fully trained in the use of all tools.
• Sewer effluent may contain germs and poisons. It is important to wash with antiseptic soap after exposure to minimize the risks of infections.
• Methane gas is commonly found in sewers and is explosive. Beware of open flames near the fumes.
Hand Tools
General Safety Precautions
• Be careful of sharp points when using tools.
• Make sure that your rotating tools are held properly when rotating, this will prevent them from spinning back and hurting you.
• Examine each tool for damage before use.
• Overloading the rods will cause them to break and when this happens the remaining rods will whip about which can lead to serious injury.
• Spring rods may also break because of metal fatigue, if rods begin to break under normal use then the whole set needs to be replaced.
• Spring rods may also break from hydrogen embrittlement caused by exposure to hydrochloric acid. Avoid exposing spring rods to hydrochloric acid.
• The Rod Rotating Wheel and also the rotating ratchet need to be used by 2 people in case one person may slip there is an extra pair of hands to hold it.
• Never try to use a tool for any task other than what it was designed to do. For instance, the Tommy bar has to be used for turning short lengths of rods.
• Never put your fingers under the manhole cover when lifting it. If the cover is too heavy then use 2 manhole cover lifters and 2 people can lift together.
• Steel rods need to be regularly inspected for signs of corroding and cleaned if necessary. They also need to be oiled to protect against rust.
• Keep the exposed section of rod as short as possible to reduce the danger of the rods whipping should they break.
• The rod hitch tool puts a lot of strain on the rods. If they break you may be at risk from the exposed section of rods whipping. Stand well clear of the rods when drawing them out of the line under tension.
Machinery
• Never operate machinery when fatigued or too tired, most especially when under the influence of alcohol or medication.
• Don’t refill the petrol tank while the device is running or when the engine is still hot.
• Never work on any machinery while it is in motion.
• Never attempt to perform adjustments on moving machinery.
• Always switch off the engine when the machine is not in use.
• Regularly check the oil and fuel levels, and if low they must be topped up.
• Beware of a hot exhaust.
• Ensure that any people present, keep a safe distance away from machinery when in operation.
• Regular servicing of machines will reduce the risk of breakdown and failures.
• Always ensure the machines are serviced by appropriately qualified people.
• Do not use in a confined space, exhaust fumes from internal combustion engines are toxic.
• Always ensure adequate ventilation when operating petrol or diesel powered machines.
• Always use a portable earth leakage in conjunction with electrically powered machinery.