Did you ever grab the air hose to clean off your workbench? Did you feel a little embarrassed when you were engulfed in a cloud of choking dust? Lots of us have, including me – when I was a kid.

That’s when the older guys started telling me stories about the dangers of compressed air. While I had no reason to doubt their yarns, there wasn’t a lot of solid evidence to confirm them, either. Like equating flames with heat and, subsequently, to your burnt fingers.

So before you see how far you can go before getting burned, here are a couple of reliable stories to whet your appetite.

These come from Harry Lewellyn, writing for Ecological 4-Wheeling Adventures. “The explosive force of compressed air is incomprehensible to most of us,” he writes. “I recently learned of a ‘spare/tank’ in a four-wheel-drive vehicle that exploded. The driver was using his over-inflated spare tire as a reserve if another tire went flat.” Bad idea.

“The internally stored, over-inflated spare exploded. It not only broke out all of the windows but bent out the top of all four doors and deformed the roof of the vehicle. A shoe-sized piece of rubber came forward and broke out the windshield. Fortunately, no one was hurt.”

In another account, Lewellyn says a 4×8 wheelbarrow tire with a 32-psi rating was aired up with an unregulated hose connected to high output compressor. The tire ended up inflated to 100 psi. “The rim split in half and decapitated the operator,” he says.

Tales of the Macabre

Now, here are a few gritty tales with no name attached; thus, there’s no way to confirm their validity. “Air compressed at just 12 psi can force an eye from its socket,” says one.

Think that sounds gruesome? Read on. “Compressed air accidentally blown into the mouth can rupture the lungs, stomach or intestines.”

The unknown writer even goes so far as to say that compressed air hitting a small wound on a worker’s hand can force air under the skin and cause shooting pain from the fingers to the shoulder. “Air can also enter the bloodstream, and death is possible if it makes its way into blood vessels in the brain.” Once again, there’s just enough “truth” here to get our attention.

Regardless of the validity of those last few cases, we all know that compressed air can cause injuries, most often by the flying particles propelled by the force of the air. OSHA’s regulation to wear safety glasses or goggles with side protection is a good one.

Hearing damage can be another concern when working with compressed air. Returning once more to our anonymous writer, we learn that air pressurized at 40 psi or greater can rupture an eardrum if it passes four inches or closer to the ear. “Studies show,” he or she writes, “that the sound of air forced through pressurized lines can reach 120 to 130 decibels – well above OSHA’s permissible exposure level of 90 decibels.”

Finally, the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety says this about compressed air entering the body through a break in the skin. “An air bubble in the bloodstream is a dangerous medical condition, which can cause coma or death, depending on its size, duration and location. Unfortunately, horseplay has been a cause of some serious workplace accidents because workers were unaware of the hazards of compressed air.”

Good reading, absolutely. Frightening, absolutely. But let’s turn now to the safe and sane world of compressed air facts and learn how to work with it safely every day.

Compressed Air Reality

Keeping things in perspective, Kaeser Compressors makes it a point to let us know that when compressed air leaves the nozzle at 110 psi we must be aware of not only its force, but also its great value in helping us complete our work safely.

Compressed air is a versatile – and powerful – energy source. All of us in the tire business rely heavily on this valuable medium to run our air tools, fill tires and perform a variety of day-to-day tasks. Without it, our work would literally come to a grinding halt. The answer rests in understanding how to work with compressed air and having a healthy respect for its power.

The number-one misuse of compressed air is using it to clean up your work area. Since most compressors deliver air between 110 psi and 175 psi, it’s almost natural to grab the hose for a quick, casual cleanup of the work area. But, this is just plain asking for trouble.

“Even the smallest piece of debris can be dangerous. Metal shavings, plastic chips or even dirt and dust traveling through air at high velocities can be dangerous. Eye injuries, skin abrasions and infections are common results. Even death can occur,” says Kaeser.

Warn your employees that using compressed air to clean themselves or their workshop area is to be avoided. Never point compressed air streams at yourself or other people for any reason. Drive that point home, and you’ve nearly licked the problem.

Now that we know more about the emission, or exit end, of a compressed air system, what can we do at the core, or head end, of the compressor? What about routine maintenance?

Maintenance Safety/Training

While the life cycle of an air compressor typically exceeds 10 years, proper maintenance is crucial to maintaining safe performance as well as energy efficiency. All compressed air systems require some sort of routine maintenance. But, before any service or maintenance begins, remember to shut off the electricity at the service disconnect. Always follow approved lock-out/tag-out procedures for safety and to protect the equipment.

When performing maintenance on or working with any piece of equipment, consider personal safety to be your primary responsibility. The equipment’s well being is secondary. Never attempt to repair or troubleshoot any piece of equipment in a manner that could jeopardize health or safety. Remember to follow all OSHA regulations for electrical and pneumatic power when servicing your air compressor. “For your own safety, always think before you act,” says Kaeser.

Compressed air equipment maintenance must always be performed by a well-trained, qualified technician. If maintenance is handled by one of your employees, check with the compressor manufacturer for a list of local, end-user training sessions. Many will provide on-site, unit-specific training geared toward a shop’s individual needs.