# Ranch Worker Killed by Pressurized Water



## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

I don't know if I posted this a couple of years ago or not, but should all remember that high pressure water is very dangerous. http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/face/stateface/or/06or025.html


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## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

It never hurts to be reminded that even a "routine" chore could be dangerous or deadly.

Thanks!


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Never heard of it before from water, high pressure oil entering the skin can at the very least be extremely painful if not deadly.


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## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

There have been several high pressure injuries in this area. The above article, where a man was killed, was from 60 psi water. We have 120 psi in some areas, where the irrigation pressure comes from elevation. As most of you already know, high pressure water is used in machining to cut steel, rock, wood and more. Always worth keeping the danger in the back of your mind...


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

I'm not certain but I strongly suspect the cap or other metal component struck the poor fellow. 100 psi is regularly turned loose on tens of thousands of protesters around the world without killing them.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

100 psi to the eye the story reports. Probably brain infection?


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

It said 60 psi and impact caused death, it's pretty hard to believe. 100 psi won't break through 1/2" drywall.


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## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

slowzuki said:


> I'm not certain but I strongly suspect the cap or other metal component struck the poor fellow. 100 psi is regularly turned loose on tens of thousands of protesters around the world without killing them.


Might be 100 psi at the nozzle, but after the water spreads out and travels through the air it loses a lot of power. The Hoover Dam has the power of 600 locomotives.

Check this water jet cutting 2 inch steel.


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## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

slowzuki said:


> I'm not certain but I strongly suspect the cap or other metal component struck the poor fellow. 100 psi is regularly turned loose on tens of thousands of protesters around the world without killing them.


Not true:


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

The man in your video he obviously suffered a head injury hitting the cement not from being hit by water.

Water jets operate at dramatically higher pressure and have grit injected into the fluid to cut metals. It's what 100 or 1000 times higher pressure than a firehose.


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## Hugh (Sep 23, 2013)

He had massive chest injuries, it's obvious the water killed him. A lot of cutting is done without abrasives. Meat, wood, rubber, etc is cut with regular water.

Another water cannon injury:

National 

Injured Stuttgart 21 protestor could stay blind

Published: 06 Oct 2010 11:53 GMT+02:00

*The man whose bleeding eyes shocked Germany in the wake of last week's clash between Stuttgart 21 protestors and police has been identified as 66-year-old Dietrich Wagner. The pensioner was hit full in the face by a water cannon blast. *

The picture of Wagner being helped away from the melee, his eyes swollen shut and bleeding, came to symbolise what critics claim was a heavy-handed approach by police trying to break up a demonstration against the controversial revamp of Stuttgart's main train station.

Wagner's doctor said the patient was currently blind and might never have his sight fully restored.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Is there an autopsy? The video show a man falling onto the back of his head which tends to cause immediate severe brain damage. Its the same reason people getting punched out who fall backwards on cement don't fare well.

Yes some items are cut with just water jet, but again, they are getting up into or above pressure washer pressures.

I feel a bit silly discussing this, regardless of what happened exactly, I get what the point is, you need to be careful with energy be it tension in springs or pressure in water or air. Safety glasses can only do so much.



Hugh said:


> He had massive chest injuries, it's obvious the water killed him. A lot of cutting is done without abrasives. Meat, wood, rubber, etc is cut with regular water.


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