High-Pressure Lines and Compressed Gas & Air Equipment Hazards - Prevention Measures

The general recommendations to minimize workplace hazards that we discussed earlier in this course establish a foundation to prevent accidents caused by high-pressure lines and compressed gas and air equipment hazards. Process-specific preventative measures should also be implemented to minimize these hazards, such as the measures in the following examples:

• Monitoring of all lines and hoses to ensure that connections are secure and in good condition.
• Monitoring of well pressures and blowout preventers BOPs). Blowout preventers are valves, or similar devices, that seal a well during a blowout to prevent uncontrolled releases of oil or gas from the well.
• Installation of hose restraint safety devices on high-pressure lines, such as cable hose chokers or whip-checks. These devices are short lengths of cable that are slipped onto the connection end of a hose and secured to the equipment into which the hose connects. During a blowout, the choker or whip-check limits how far the pipe flies, thus reducing the risk of struck-by hazards.
• Use of hose covers or shields to protect transfer or suction lines that contain high-pressure or flammable materials.
• Installation of air monitoring devices and gas detectors in the work environment.
• Inclusion of personal gas detectors with personal protective equipment.

The foregoing examples provide a sampling of the possible prevention methods associated with high-pressure lines and compressed gas and equipment hazards. Employers and workers must become informed about the process-specific hazards that exist on their work sites.

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