Power washing injuries. We all have been admiring the work we get from pressure washing.
Our lawns, swimming pools, yards, roofs, etc. have been kept tidy and cleaned with great efficiency with the pressure washing methods, and everything it has done to keep it convenient for us is regarded.
But the dangers that come along are spooky. You know, there have been many serious injuries reported from the people who have been playing around with it without prior experience or knowledge of using pressure washers.
Underestimating the dangers that get really hard to deal with, people recklessly use power washers without basic knowledge about pressure washers. That leads them to serious injuries caused by a power washer.
Including serious fatal injuries caused by negligence, keeping in mind the primary safety measures that are important to follow during pressure washing.
Power washing injuries
A pressure washer is a tool that sends out water from an enclosed space with incredible velocity and high pressure.
The power washer or the pressure washers come in 2 major types. One of which works on electric principles, and the other works with gas.
Electric pressure washer
The electric pressure washers have to tendency to emit water with 1000 pounds per sq. inch pressure, which is a lot of pressure. It can be over 1000 or above as well.
Gas pressure washer
While that gas pressure washer has the ability to emit 2000-4000 and above pounds per square inch, the pressure of water.
You might be able to imagine the damages that will come to you if you get in contact with such pressure. That’s why they are called pressure washing injuries.
Dangerous! But why is a pressure washer used?
Well! It’s not the pressure washer that is at fault, of course. It’s just that the tool, pressure washers, they get are a bit tricky to handle.
Pressure washers have been extraordinarily helpful by working as an efficient tool used for cleaning.
Even the most minor gaps with unnoticeable dust particles can be removed easily with high pressure.
A high-pressure washer with high water pressure is used to clean areas like garden tiles, pool areas, and your driveways.
Some other uses of pressure washers include
- Washing parking lots
- Cleaning windows
- Removing waste from gutters
- Cleaning drains
- Cleaning chimneys
- Washing driveways
- Clearing the BBQ grills
- Pool cleaning
- Some maintenance activities related to cleaning
And many more unmentioned uses of this powerful tool are being taken benefit of in our lives but if used correctly.
It’s better if you just give the pressure washer to a person more experienced with this tool to do your job or at least have some basic knowledge about using the pressure washer properly.
Pressure washer injury includes!
You know what they say, “With great power comes great responsibility,” but when it comes to a pressure washer, and you forget your responsibility, you’ve got to pay the price, a big one.
The pressure washer injury has been a big reason for several severe health cases and accidents.
You might not believe it, but even water with high pressure can cause serious injury. The human body and its skin both are vulnerable to physical stress and pressure.
When high water pressure is exerted on the body, this will apply pressure on the skin. Now either there will be muscle abrasions or skin will burst open.
We all know that when one problem appears, others come rolling down, right on you.
High-pressure washer injuries also include accidental injuries like slipping, falling, and breaking bones, abrasions, eye injuries which in worst cases lead to blindness due to carelessness, and damaged fingers, especially the index finger, which also leads to electric shock.
This electric shock is sometimes fatal, and many people have encountered this accident.
Another injury that is very common caused by using a pressure washer includes high-pressure injection injury.
High-pressure injection injuries
A high-pressure injection injury is caused due to sudden injection of water or any other fluid with high pressure.
The water from the pressure washer tool comes in such incredible velocity and pressure that it causes injection injuries to the skin, which can be the breaking of skin and can strip out blood from your muscles and bones.
The risk gets higher when the pressure washers are used with a combination of chemicals. The chemicals worsen the pressure washer injury as they poison the wounds, and this situation leads to amputation due to vast tissue damage.
Pressure washing is a dangerous task as the pressure wash not only poses a threat to the skin burst but also has the probability of leading the patient to death.
High-pressure injection injuries are prevalently caused due to the pressure washer. I know they are rare in other accidental injuries but very common in a pressure washer injury.
The body parts that are affected by high-pressure injection injuries are permanent. That specific damaged part turns stiff, and the patients suffer pain, and muscle damage may also occur, which takes a lifetime to recover.
Treatment suggested
Go to the nearest hospital straight to the emergency room in case of pressure washer injuries, as this is a case of medical attention, and get your treatment started quickly, as suggested by the doctors!
If the damages are significant, get an x-ray by which you will learn the extent of damage of the injury caused and the presence of subcutaneous air.
If necessary, you might need surgeries included in your treatment.
Due to the risk of infection by HPI, broad-spectrum antibiotics are prescribed by the doctor and surgeons according to the extent of damage that has happened due to the pressure washer injuries.
Moreover, if you feel that there isn’t much injury, you can get a tetanus shot or injection from a nearby hospital.
Also, regular antibiotics can be prescribed by doctors.
Other risks included
Pressure washer injuries not only include these minor injuries but also will have other consequences.
There have been several other risks and accidents associated with just a pressure washer being used carelessly.
Blindness
Due to the pressure washer, one side accident turned out is blindness and other serious eye injuries.
This can be a little bit difficult to understand, but it has occurred to several people that’s why it is considered dangerous.
While using a pressure washer, if the high-pressure water goes directly into your eyes, you increase the high risk of eye injuries.
Not only this, but small particles or objects flying around due to high-pressure water can also reach your eyes and damage them. The worst-case scenario is blindness.
Small pieces of glass, sand, rocks, and sharp objects like nails can damage your eyes and other chemicals like baking soda; detergents can also cause harm.
On a serious note, don’t try having a water fight with that dangerous tool of yours.
Safety measures are
The first thing to do is to equip yourself with personal protective equipment, which is quite necessary for your own safety.
The protective clothing will prevent the risk of accidents following pressure washing. You will also have to maintain the high pressure of the water.
The safety tips also include wearing safety glasses to prevent your eyes from any kind of potential damage.
Electric Shock: A Worst case
While working with the pressure washer, you should be highly vigilant about the wiring around you. Any bare electric wiring is going intact with water and skadoosh! You won’t be able to see your ashes!
No! I’m serious about this. If you get in contact with the electrical wires and the water is turned on, severe damage will occur.
There are chances of you being badly injured, and this can even lead to death.
Water is an excellent conductor of electricity, so it won’t take time to spread the current, and once it gets to your body, you will get an electric shock.
The running water will supply the current to your body constantly, and the blood flow will be stopped. Multiple organs can be damaged, and if the contact is prolonged, there are chances of expiration.
Safety measures are!
Wear your safety gear, including the steel-toe boots, as they are the anti-current conductor. Also, wearing gloves that are made of rubber will help significantly because rubber is a poor conductor of electricity. Wear ear protection as well
Also, adjust the nozzle of the pressure washer so that it starts by giving water with relatively less pressure. Try to start spraying water from wide angles.
If these safety tips are followed, you can potentially save your life! I guarantee that.
CO(Carbon Monoxide) Poison
Using the gas pressure washer, we have to be careful about the carbon monoxide release. While working, the gas pressure washers use carbon monoxide to operate.
In case of any leaks, the carbon monoxide will spread in your environment and pollute the air, which will lead to suffocation and breathlessness.
Prolonged exposure to this poisonous gas can lead to death!
Safety measures are
Don’t use the gas pressure washers in enclosed spaces; prefer open spots for cleaning purposes.
Wear masks and safety gear, including glasses. Also, make sure there are no leaks in the pipes or the pressure washer before using.
Conclusion
The thing is, no tool is bad or wrong. It’s just we don’t know how to use it properly. The pressure washers are no doubt a unique and super convenient tool we have been using for years now to clean places hard for us!
But, with very little knowledge about this tool, many people have suffered several injuries, many of which have been proven fatal.
Starting from your garden hose to the car wash, pressure washers are used vastly, and it is crucial for people to have knowledge about the dangers associated with these.
It will be better to follow the preventive or safety measures and, before use, read the user manual properly and acquire the necessary equipment for use.
All these tips are essential to follow and are for your own safety; if you love your life, be careful while using this tool. And if you can’t do it yourself, get help from someone professional to handle this tool.
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