Safety Precautions to Take When Using an Industrial Pressure Washer
With a pump’s efficacy being rated by performance curves, size, and various conditions of the job, putting the wrong type of pump on your industrial pressure washer will end up costing you money and wasting time. It could also end up in life-threatening injuries. To better understand the correlation between a pump’s size and your safety when operating an industrial pressure washer, we at Bestline Manufacturing would like to emphasise the importance of selecting the right sized pump for an application and have also listed a few precautionary measures to adhere to.
Selecting the Right Sized Pump for an Industrial Pressure Washer
An industrial pressure washer is a powerful machine with pumps that operate up to 5000 PSI (pounds per square inch), resulting in quick and effective cleaning. The function of the pump is to move water and any chemical solutions under pressure to a nozzle. Selecting a pump that is oversized or undersized for the intended application, just to save a few rands or cut corners, can have catastrophic consequences.
In commercial and industrial settings, an industrial pressure washer can rate anywhere between 3000 PSI and 6900 PSI. Choosing the type of pump for an industrial pressure washer based solely on pressure won’t necessarily produce the desired effect. Other determining factors such as the flow rates, inlet conditions, temperatures, and cyclic abilities of the operating pump have to be considered.
Avoiding Potential Hazards
When operating an industrial pressure washer, potential hazards can be avoided if the correct sized pump for an application has been selected. For example, a medium-duty pressure washer operates between 2000 and 2900 PSI. Should you oversize your pump (say up to 4000 PSI as you want the job to get done faster), it will not only leave you with a pump that grossly underperforms but the potential deadly force produced by the pump could also easily lead to serious injury. Awareness of the possible risks and how to avoid them when operating an industrial pressure washer will greatly reduce any unexpected disasters.
Most Common Industrial Pressure Washer Pitfalls
Wearing appropriate attire whilst operating your industrial pressure washer could mitigate physical harm:
- Safety goggles must be worn at all times and for pressure washers running above 2000 PSI, full face shields should be worn at all times.
- To protect your hands and feet, wear heavy-duty waterproof gloves and rubber-soled boots.
- If used in environments where falling objects might be a risk, donning a hard hat is a necessity.
- Coveralls and heavy duty raincoats are effective barriers against possible flying debris.
When using your industrial pressure washer, keep the power cord and any extension connections as far away as possible from the item being washed and any run-off. Always be aware of those around you before operating a pressure washer and never point the washer at anyone or attempt to move or push objects with the spray. The seriousness of injuries from an industrial pressure washer is greatly underestimated and the potential for harm can even start with washers operating from 100 PSI.
Superior Quality, Durability and Reliability
As the sole distributor of Cat Pumps in South Africa, we at Bestline Manufacturing can accommodate several applications that require high-pressure pumps. Whether an industrial pressure washer is run intermittently or continuously, a quality pump is vital to the system’s performance. Contact us to find out more about how the various pressure pumps, direct-drive, and large-frame, low-flow Cat Pumps can be beneficial to your specific application.