Inherent Dangers in the Use of Pneumatic Plugs (WWETT Show 2023)

This presentation will provide useful information concerning the use of pneumatic plugs as a tool in a variety of sewer assessment/cleaning/rehab activities.  People are seriously hurt and/or killed every year as a result of misuse and lack of training in the use of pneumatic plugs.  Most workers lack the understanding of the combined pressures created within a plug when it is fully inflated. For example: a 30-inch plug inflated to its maximum rated pressure could contain over one-quarter million pounds of force, which equals the number of square inches within the plug multiplied by its inflation rating.  We will emphasize the inherent dangers associated with this tool through multimedia and instruction. Proper use and precautions that must be exercised during the use of pneumatic plugs will be demonstrated and possible injuries that could occur will be explained. Past experiences of other municipal workers using these tools that have narrowly escaped injury and those who were injured will be shared.

Learning Objectives: 

1. Explain the dangers involved in the use of pneumatic plugs

2. Identify the pressure ratings of pneumatic plugs

3. Recognize the actual forces contained within a pneumatic plug

4. Properly perform tasks of storage, setting, inflation and deflation of pneumatic plugs

Speaker:  Rusty Nezat, Director at Nezat Training and Consulting Inc