Paint and Coatings Industry News

Main News Page

Color Decals Designed for Waterblasting Safety

Friday, November 12, 2010

Jetstream, manufacturer of industrial high-pressure waterblasting equipment, has introduced a safety decal system for waterblasting equipment and components.

The system includes a safety sign and four decals in high-visibility colors to represent the four most common water-pressure ratings used in waterblasting. Devices with a 10,000 psi rating are coded yellow, while devices rated for 15,000 psi, 20,000 psi and 40,000 psi are coded green, blue and purple, respectively. The decals also incorporate different shapes to make them more quickly recognizable.

Enhanced Visibility

The system is designed to address the problem of fading, torn or dirty labeling on waterblasting equipment and components.  It also creates a highly visible system for new, distracted or rushed workers to confirm pressure ratings, minimizing the risk of a control gun operator connecting an insufficiently rated tool to the system, the manufacturer says.

"At Jetstream, we're committed to creating a safer, more productive working environment for our customers and the people and facilities around them," said Mike Bullard, parts marketing specialist.

"With input from our customers, we devised a series of color-coded decals that can be applied to all waterblasting equipment and components—not just control guns."

Varied Applications

The system is designed to have the safety sign posted either on the unit or outside the blasting area to identify the pressure rating associated with each decal, Bullard said.

“Those responsible for ensuring safety can then read the pressure gauge on the waterblast unit; identify the distinct, highly visible color of the decal on the control gun from a safe distance; and check the sign to verify that the control gun in use is sufficiently rated for the operating pressure," he added.

Jetstream plans to expand the visual safety system to include special rolls of color-coded tape to mark smaller tools and components, as well as hoses and lances, Bullard said.

Jetstream of Houston, LLP, a division of Federal Signal Corporation’s (NYSE:FSS) Environmental Solutions Group, manufactures industrial high-pressure waterblasting equipment operated at pressures up to 40,000 psi for a wide range of applications, including industrial cleaning and surface preparation. Product offerings include a complete line of skid- and trailer-mounted pump units, control guns, valves, hoses, replacement parts and nozzles. For more information, visit www.waterblast.com.