Hydraulic systems pose serious safety risks such as high pressure fluid injection, burns, and explosions. Fluid injected into the skin at high pressures can cause severe injuries requiring multiple surgeries, lengthy hospitalization, and long-term pain. Proper personal protective equipment and following safety procedures such as relieving pressure and inspecting equipment before maintenance are essential to prevent accidents and injuries from hydraulic systems.

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Industrial Hydraulic Safety

2. Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Hydraulic systems store fluid under very high
pressure – typically, at 2,000 pounds per square
inch…
Hazards:
 stored energy
• flailing hydraulic hose, ejected components
• maintenance conducted without releasing pressure
• maintenance conducted after incorrectly releasing pressure
 temperature
 ignition
 injection

3. Skin will scald at 120°F
Two to three minutes at that temperature will
result in a 2nd degree burn.
The average operating temperature of a
hydraulic system of 140°F
will cause a 2nd degree burn in
½ to 1 second.
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Industrial Hydraulic Safety

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
• Oil adheres to the skin and the
longer the contact, the deeper the 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.
Employee was burned when a hydraulic hose,
neglected during maintenance, burst and spewed
hydraulic oil, at normal operating temperature,
over his entire body.

5. Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Fire and Explosion Risks
of Hydraulic Fluid
• High flash point: 300-600°F
• Under pressure, atomised spray of droplets
may travel a considerable distance from the
break
• Ignites readily by heat source
• Resulting fire is torch-like with very high heat
release rate
• Mist in confined area can explode violently

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Never use hands or fingers
to find leaks.
Fluid under high pressure can be
injected into the skin causing
extreme injury, serious infection
– gangrene –
and amputation

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Fluid Injection wound and the extent of
surgery needed to treat it

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Always inspect equipment before
each use.
Also have a periodic maintenance
plan in place for extensive inspection
and replacement of parts at end of
their service life.

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Hydraulic Fluid Injection Case
•Pipe being pressure-tested on drilling rig at
6,000 psi
•As operator reached inside an enclosure box
to operate pressure relief valve, hand brushed
against pipe to valve, just as the pipe split.
•Fine jet of oil made a ¼-inch cut in hand, with
½-inch circle of lifted skin around it.
•Felt like being punched in the palm.
•No pain

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
• Rushed to hospital
• Pain increasing
• In surgery 5 hours after incident, began
removing oil
• After surgery, morphine ineffective for pain
relief
• With local anaesthetic to hand, undid stitches
and searched for more oil
• Second surgery on day three
Hydraulic Fluid Injection Case

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
• Skin turned black on little finger
• Carpal tunnel opened to relieve pressure
• Massive swelling crushing nerves
• Cut away side of hand “eaten” by oil
• Third surgery on day five
• More flesh cut away and grafts begun
• Drugs for pain finally working
Hydraulic Fluid Injection Case

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
• 14 days in hospital
• Weekly physiotherapy
• 3 months later, fourth surgery to release little
finger that had curled into palm
• 9 months later, fifth surgery
• Off work for six months
• 3 skin grafts with scarring to thigh and arm
Hydraulic Fluid Injection Case

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Hydraulic Fluid Injection After Recovery

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Inspect Hydraulic Equipment
Defective Hydraulic Hoses
Hydraulic hoses should be inspected daily
Industrial Hydraulic Safety

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Always Relieve Hydraulic Pressure
Before Performing Maintenance

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Hydraulic Hose Whip
Industrial Hydraulic Safety

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Industrial Accident – High Pressure Line Whip Cut
Industrial Hydraulic Safety

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
• Avoid prolonged breathing of its vapor, mist, and fumes.
• Avoid prolonged or repeated skin contact.
• Use chemical-resistant gloves, splash goggles and a
chemical-resistant apron
• Wash off affected skin, eyes, and protective clothing
immediately. Remove contaminated clothing, and launder
before reuse.
• After contact with hydraulic oil always cleanse skin with a
waterless hand cleanser, and then wash with soap and
water.
Working with Hydraulic Oils

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Working with Hydraulic Systems
• Never begin work on a hydraulic system until fully
trained.
• Carefully review the manuals on equipment before
beginning work and ask questions about anything you do
not fully understand.
• Review all Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) for all
chemicals used.
• Use all required personal protective equipment.
– Safety goggles "and" face shield
– Protective apron
– Protective gloves
– Hard hat
– Steel toes leather shoes

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Working with Hydraulic Systems
• Always relieve pressure before performing any
maintenance on a hydraulic system
• Use extreme caution when disconnecting hydraulic lines.
• Clean up spills immediately. Hydraulic fluid can cause
slips, falls and resulting injuries.
• Do not work under equipment / apparatus being
supported by hydraulics.
– Stops, safety pins, etc, must be in place before repairs begin.

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Industrial Hydraulic Safety
Summary
• The risks of work with hydraulic systems are not
only of high-pressure puncture accidents, but of
fire, lacerations, severe burns, crushing and
death.
• These risks apply to maintenance workers,
forklift and other hydraulic equipment,
millwrights, and welders, etc.
• Anyone whose work entails the operation of
machines – whether they be milling machines
or bulldozers – that use hydraulic pressure
systems.