Say this
- Never use compressed air to clean your clothes or skin. Air can enter the blood through a scratch or your ears, and even a small amount can kill (CCOHS compressed air guidance).
- Never point an air gun at anyone. Horseplay with compressed air has caused serious injuries.
- Use a vacuum or a brush to clean where you can. Blowing dust around just moves it into your lungs.
- If you must blow down a machine, use a low-pressure safety nozzle and wear safety glasses. Put up a screen so chips do not hit others.
- Check hoses and couplings before use. Fit whip checks or safety clips on connections so a hose cannot lash out.
- Shut off and bleed the air before you disconnect a hose or change a tool.
- Wear hearing protection when you use air guns for long periods. They are loud.
Ask the crew
- Why must you never clean your clothes with compressed air?
- What do you do before disconnecting an air hose?
- What PPE do you need to blow down a machine?
- What is a whip check for?
Show them
- A low-pressure safety nozzle next to a standard one.
- Whip checks and safety clips on a hose connection.
- Where the air isolation valve is for each work area.
Sign-off
| Name | Company | Signature |
|---|---|---|
Sources
- Compressed air: hazards and safe use for cleaning, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety.
This is practical guidance, not legal advice. Laws and codes of practice change; always check the current official text and your site's own procedures.
