WorldWide Drilling Resource

Northern Plains Chapter of the ISEE President: Billy Obermire Tel: 307-689-0050 www.bitwconference.org Black Hills Chapter of the ISEE President: Doug Hoy www.bitwconference.org 23 WorldWide Drilling Resource ® JULY 2015 Hydraulic Training by J. Eric Freimuth Hydraulic Training Associates Understanding the Need for Hydraulic Safety in the Workplace Part 2 Physical contact with hydraulic fluid or certain hydraulic components at normal operating temperatures can cause seri- ous burns. The actual heated hydraulic fluid on your skin will usually cause more severe burns than contact with the hy- draulic components because the hot fluid will remain on your skin until it cools or it is removed from the skin surface. This will increase the length of thermal contact and the degree of burn received. Hydraulic fluids can reach extreme hot or cold temperatures. First Degree Burns - affect the outer layer of the skin. Second Degree Burns - affect the first and second layer of the skin. Third Degree Burns - affect all lay- ers of the skin and are the most seri- ous burn injuries. Frostbite - can affect all layers of the skin and is due to the partial freezing of the body tissue. The average hydraulic system oper- ates at 140ºF (60ºC). In some cases com- ponent failure can take temperatures as high as 400ºF (204ºC). It only takes ½ to 1 second of sustained heat to receive a 2nd degree burn. Oil is inclined to ad- here to a person’s skin, the longer the contact, the deeper the burn. A person’s skin will scald at 120ºF (48ºC). If the heat is sustained for approximately 2-3 min- utes, you will receive a 2nd degree burn. Burn injuries are the worst type of injury from a rehabilitation point of view. The rule of thumb is: one day in hospital for each 1% of body area burned. When skin freezes, or frostbite occurs, it can also damage the skin and underlying tissue. Hydraulic fluids will also reach extremely low temperatures. Contact with hydraulic fluid that has been sitting in equipment exposed to extremely low temperatures will freeze the skin and underlying tissue. Decompression of nitrogen gas dur- ing accumulator charging and venting will generate extreme low temperatures to the interconnections and can potential- ly cause frostbite. Every day in North America, a ma- chine operator or technician slips and falls as a result of a leaking hydraulic system, hydraulic fluids are very slippery. It is up to us to make sure all our technicians and mechanics are aware of the dangers daily around hydraulic systems. Have this discussion as part of your daily Safety briefings. Eric Eric Freimuth may be contacted via e-mail at michele@ worldwidedrillingresource.com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