Published May 2008
Vacuum with Care
By Scottie Dayton (page 16)
WJTA offers a hands-on course on working safely with industrial vacuum equipment.
When a piece of coal was sucked up and lodged in an industrial vacuum’s hose, a worker chased after it, sticking his arm into the hose without first turning off the power. The resulting injuries required ongoing medical care and reduced his ability to work.
In another story circulating through the industry, a vacuum hose snagged the sleeve of an operator’s rain gear as he cleaned a tank. He tried to free his stuck fingers with his other hand, which was sucked into the hose. Every blood vessel in the worker’s arm was ruptured.
Incidents like these need not happen, and their prevention is the reason behind the Safe Operation of Industrial Vacuum Equipment seminar at the Houston (Texas) Marriott Westchase Hotel on June 5. Sponsored by the WaterJet Technol-ogy Association (WJTA), the practical classroom and hands-on training is aimed at vacuum equipment owners, operators, contractors, and in-plant personnel who contract for the service.
“We teach attendees how to get the most out of their industrial vacuum equipment by maximizing safety and enhancing production,” says Gary Toothe, training manager for Thompson Industrial Services LLC in Sumter, S.C. Toothe’s track, “Getting the Most Out of Your Air Mover,” covers:
• Setting up the job
• Maximizing productive time on the jobsite
• Problems with mixing materials
• Suction injuries
• Loading the truck
• Safety issues
• Vacuum equipment attachments
• Troubleshooting
• Case histories — lessons for all of us
Philip Stein from Fayetteville, Texas, worked with Guzzler/Vactor to develop formal training for industrial vacuum equipment. His specialized science lab presentation, “Understanding Vacuum and How Industrial Vacuum Loaders Work,” addresses:
• Liquid vacuum tankers and industrial vacuum loaders
• How pressure works and how to measure pressure
• How to gauge hose diameter and length and why that is important
• Thick and viscous materials and why you need to know the difference
• Air mover configuration
• Special operations
• When things can go wrong
• Major safety concerns
“Electrical Safety Issues” is the domain of Ravel Ammerman, a lecturer in the Division of Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. He also is the joint project manager for the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and the National Fire Protection Association Arc Flash Collaborative Research and Testing Project, which strives to understand the arc flash phenomenon. His track deals with static electricity, grounding/bonding, and variable hazards including high voltage electricity, overhead power lines, and trailing cables.
Nothing beats working with vacuum trucks to reinforce knowledge learned in the classroom. Attendees will see how to perform bonding/ grounding, set up attachments, clean the trenches, chute, and silencer, check for air restrictions, operate the vacuum, stop the vacuum, and more.
The $260 WJTA member/$350 nonmember fee includes handouts, Recommended Practices for the Use of Industrial Vacuum Equipment. Attendees will earn a certificate of completion. To register, call 314/ 241-1445 or visit www.wjta.org. To reserve a room and receive the meeting rate of $159 single or double occupancy, register by May 17 by calling the Marriott at 800/452-5110 or direct 713/978-7400.
