Stored Energy: Injury Caused by Failure of Expansion Joint in Fire-Fighting Equipment

Stored Energy: Injury Caused by Failure of Expansion Joint in Fire-Fighting Equipment
What happened?
During a trial of fire-fighting equipment, a hose expansion joint or bellows failed. The release of pressurized water hit a crewman who was standing nearby, slamming him backward and knocking him
unconscious. The fire pump was shut down and help was sought. CPR was administered; subsequently the injured person was medevaced.  This incident was considered by our member to be a potential fatality. The injured person was in hospital for some weeks.

What went wrong? What were the causes?
Some identified issues were:

• There was inadequate management of significant risk;
• There was no understanding of the life time of the expansion joint or bellows;
• There was no installation procedure provided for this bellows by the manufacturer;
• There was no preventive maintenance or inspection/testing of the failed equipment.

 

What actions were taken? What lessons were learned?

• There had been a similar rupture of a bellows some years previously; this earlier incident was not investigated.
• Had it been investigated, it might have helped in preventing reoccurrence;
• Engineering and design of critical equipment during new building should take into consideration personnel safety as well as equipment protection;
• There needs to be a better design review of pressurized equipment, particularly where different components are in use.

Source: https://www.imca-int.com/safety-events/stored-energy-injury-caused-by-failure-of-expansion-joint-in-fire-fighting-equipment/