General
All operators & maintenance personnel should read this section carefully before operating
or maintaining this equipment. These safety instructions are not meant to represent an
all-inclusive list of instances which could occur when operating this equipment. For, as
with any piece of construction equipment, serious injury can occur if proper safety
procedures are not diligently followed. All safety & warning labels posted on the machine
must be followed as well as the safety program instituted by your company. There is no
substitute for sound judgement in the operation & maintenance of this equipment. In
cases where operating personnel have insufficient knowledge or understanding of the
English language, proper translated training must be completed before use of this
equipment can take place. This manual must be kept with the machine at all times so as
to allow the operator easy access to its vital information. The united states department of
labor’s occupational safety & health administration (OSHA) provides statutory
requirements, standards, & regulations relating to the use of portable tools on
construction sites. These statutory requirements, standards, & regulations are posted on
the osha website at www.osha.gov. The operator & maintenance personnel should
understand & follow these statutory requirements, standards, & regulations.
Work Site Assessment & Inspection
Before starting blasting operations, a site assessment must be performed. During the
site assessment verify the following:
1. Work area is flat, clean, & dry, free of debris, frost-free, & has no flammable liquids
nearby.
2. Make sure that the machine will be able to clear all obstructions. Never blast a wet
floor.
3. Never blast over bolts, nuts, screws, nails, or other debris as this may result in
significant damage to the machine & serious injury to the operator.
4. Work area is well ventilated. If work area is enclosed or partially enclosed
(warehouse, parking garage, tunnels, etc.), then gasoline can never be used as
the fuel source for the shot blasting machine. This is because carbon monoxide,
which is a byproduct all internal combustion engine, can be extremely hazardous
when allowed to accumulate in an area. An odorless, tasteless, & non-irritating
gas, carbon monoxide can quickly become lethal. As a result, vapor propane must
be used in all instances when the work area is enclosed or partially enclosed. The
work area must still be well ventilated, however, as vapor propane also releases
carbon monoxide. This means that extreme caution must still be used when using
this fuel source.
5. Each worker has a carbon monoxide monitor on their persons. These carbon
monoxide monitors should be calibrated, in working order, & should be equipped
with audible alarms that will warn workers if carbon monoxide levels become too
high. If carbon monoxide levels exceed 35 parts per million, all work must cease
immediately. This represents a potentially deadly situation which necessitates an
immediate shutdown.
