While tools can make accomplishing your tasks or getting certain projects done much easier on you than having to use your own strength or power, tools can also be very dangerous if you don’t know how to use them or what safety precautions you should be following. Even with things like an air compressor, not knowing what you’re doing or how to conduct yourself around compressed air and nitrogen can put you and others in danger of being hurt.
So if you’re going to be using an air compressor for the first time in the near future, or if you don’t actually know how to best use this tool, here are three safety tips for using an air compressor.
Always Wear Your Safety Gear
The first thing you should know about using an air compressor, or using any other tool, is that you should always properly prepare yourself by wearing the right safety gear.
When you’re specifically using an air compressor, the safety gear you should be wearing should be aimed at protecting your eyes from particles that could be blown around as you’re using the air compressor. Generally, this should at least include wearing goggles or some other form of eye protection. You may also want to wear eye protection if you’ll be using a loud air compressor, and you may also want to wear some kind of mask over your nose and mouth if particles could be blown around and potentially breathed in.
Use The Right Tools For The Right Pressure
Different air compressors are going to be able to reach different air pressures. So to help keep yourself and your equipment safe, you’re only going to want to use air compressor equipment that has been rated for the air pressure that you plan to be using.
Some of the accessories and equipment that you’ll want to double-check when it comes to what air pressure they’re rated for will include things like the fittings, hoses, and pipes. If you use accessories like this that actually should only be used with a lower amount of air pressure, you could run into trouble.
Check For Leaks Before And After Use
Just as with other tools and machinery, your air compressor could have leaks that may affect its use.
The two types of leaks that you’ll want to keep an eye out for are oil leaks and air leaks. Ideally, you should check for both of these types of leaks both before and after you use your air compressor, as you won’t want to use the air compressor until any leaks are totally fixed.
If you’re going to be using an air compressor in the near future, consider using the tips mentioned above to ensure that you know how to safely operate this piece of equipment.