Waterjet cutting penetrates material using a beam of water far less thick than a human hair. This technique can be used on various surfaces and is not restricted to certain materials. Using waterjet cutters anything can be cut with the highest quality and precision.

The main contrast between this cutting technique and other methods is that it is a non-thermal cold-cutting which implies that no heat is used during the cutting process. The toughest materials with a layer thickness of over 12 inches can be cut through by it.

Waterjet operators are very concerned about their safety during cutting operations. To prevent any injury while using waterjet machines, you must take precautionary measures for your safety. In this article, you will learn about the waterjet safety measures you must take while in contact with these machines. 

Waterjet Cutting Technology and Safety Risks

Waterjet cutting is generally safer than other cutting techniques; it nonetheless has its own unique set of risks and additional safety precautions. 

There is a chance of waterjet injuries if used improperly, given that the water flow is capable of slicing 12 inches or more of the hardest metals. 

If body portions are directly exposed to the water flow, they can be easily penetrated. A blade’s cutting edge cannot be compared to a waterjet cutter’s sharpness.

Following you will be able to know about the hazards that are caused by waterjet cutting in detail with the safety measures you need to prevent them. 

Main Hazards Caused By Waterjet Cutting

Waterjet cutting technology has potential safety measures that should be taken. They can cause serious injuries that can harm the body parts completely. 

Following are some of the hazards that are associated with the waterjet cutting

• Life Endangering: When used improperly, waterjet cutting can occasionally endanger life. For instance, hemorrhaging or puncture wounds may result if the water stream goes through the body. As waterjet users are not equipped with full body protection, it is only possible to prevent these injuries by using the machinery correctly.

• Ear Injury: The water stream does not immediately cause ear injury in waterjet cutting. The process produces a lot of noise, which causes ear damage or even hearing loss. Waterjet cutting can be extremely noisy, particularly when cutting denser materials for an extended period.

• Eye Injury: Direct and indirect water splashes while waterjet cutting has the potential to cause eye injury. This harm can be retinal injuries, dislocation, blindness, or sometimes corneal injuries like scratches.

• Blast Injury: The sheer power of the water on your hands causes serious injury. If the fingers get in the water stream’s path, waterjet cutters can remove the entire finger. Even the supporting plates’ pointed corners have the potential to cut fingers and palms.

• Skin Disease: Sharp abrasive particles could pierce the skin of the working workforce during abrasive waterjet cutting. Later, this could lead to skin infections. Additionally, while working with dangerous materials, the dust from the material itself can lodge within the skin and result in life-threatening illnesses.

Measures To Ensure Waterjet Safety

Waterjet cutting is a cutting machine that is used in industries. However, waterjet cutting can be extremely dangerous for the operators if adequate measures are not taken to prevent it.

You can keep yourself safe while cutting by following the advice provided below.

1. Adequate Machinery: When it deals with waterjet cutting, it is crucial to employ high-quality equipment. Even if all safety precautions are taken, using a low-quality machine might lead to harm. Additionally, investing in high-quality equipment will only result in financial savings over time.

2. Industrial Policy: If you are an employee or operator, ensure your company is approved by WHS – World Health Safety and has quick safety measures to prevent loss.

3. Leaks and Damages: Always keep an eye out for any leaks or damage, and replace the affected part as soon as possible. Use just the spare parts that the manufacturer suggests using for spares. Choosing aftermarket third-party components risks damaging the machine and injuring anyone working nearby.

4. Injury Prevention: Use appropriate precautions such as preventing ear injury, wearing needed equipment, preventing eye injury, wearing goggles, preventing any skin disease, and wearing high-quality gloves.

5. Professional Operators: Ensure waterjet operators are highly professional and are mastered in operating waterjet equipment. This can prevent many dangerous situations.

6. Electric Wires: Avoid coming into direct contact with any circuitry or the live cables entering the machine. Call a licensed electrician for assistance if you need any electrical assistance. As previously noted, waterjet machines use a significant amount of electricity, which those without technical expertise shouldn’t handle.

7. Purposely Designed: For industrial cutting, waterjet cutting gear is designed specifically. Use the tools only for this specific objective. Any other use of a waterjet cutter not approved by the producer will damage the waterjet.

8. Safety Panels: Waterjet machines operate with highly pressurized machinery powered by exceedingly high voltages. Never remove any of the machine’s safety covers. Electrical or pressure-related damage may result from this.

9. Movement Controls: Recognize the machine’s range of motion and movement direction. You can prevent such injuries by becoming familiar with the machine’s motion control.

Operator Responsibility And Safety Awareness

Waterjet cutting needs proper operating responsibility, for which employees or operators must take multiple safety measures to keep the machines working accurately. 

They need to be careful, follow rules, check for problems, tell others about dangers, talk to each other, and know what to do in emergencies. This keeps everyone safe and things running smoothly. So, operators have certain jobs and things they need to do:

1. Using Equipment: They need to use the waterjet machines carefully because they can be dangerous if not handled properly.

2. Following Rules: Operators must always follow the rules and steps that are set for using the machines. This helps to prevent accidents from happening.

3. Checking for Safety: Before using the machines and while using them, operators need to make sure that everything is working safely. This helps to avoid problems.

4. Reporting Dangers: If operators see anything that might cause harm, they should tell someone about it right away. This helps everyone stay safe.

5. Communication: Operators should talk to each other and to their supervisors about what they’re doing. This helps everyone to understand and avoid any safety issues.

6. Handling Emergencies: When something goes wrong, operators need to know what to do quickly. They need to make smart decisions to keep everyone safe.

Safety Awareness

One of the less hazardous cutting methods is waterjet; you should still take safety steps to reduce the negative effects of an injury. However, waterjet safety awareness is important and should be given on a monthly basis to all employees in any way that can be done, such as 

• Printed tips
• Posts on social media
• Workshops

Compliance and Regulatory Requirements

When it comes to using waterjet cutting machines, certain rules and regulations is really important for everyone’s safety. These rules cover different things like where the machines can be used and how to take care of them. 

Some rules are about how to protect the environment, like how to use water and deal with waste. There are also rules to make sure the people who operate the machines stay safe and healthy, like wearing the right gear and getting training. The machines themselves also have to meet certain safety standards to prevent accidents. 

Operators need to be trained properly to use the machines the right way and know what to do if something goes wrong. All of these rules and requirements work together to make sure waterjet cutting is done safely and responsibly.

Following you can read more about the maintenance and regulatory requirements of waterjet.

Daily Maintenance Of Waterjet

Waterjet requires daily maintenance to give the best quality cutting. However, to boost the cutting power of the water jet, a granular grit is added, depending on the density and composition of the material, such as titanium.

To make switching between cutting with mere water and cutting with an abrasive material straightforward, the abrasive is applied at the nozzle. 

All these abrasives and pumps are supposed to be maintained on a daily basis. A few quick wellness assessments are part of daily maintenance and only take some minutes to complete:

• Ensure that you have enough garnet.
• Visually inspect your cutting head to ensure it is in good working order.
• Ensure that your pump produces the necessary excessive pressure for effective cutting.

Regulatory Requirement

A waterjet is an industrial machine that has three major parts that work with a high-pressure water stream to cut through any type of material. You need to do some things regularly to maintain the working of the waterjet regularly. Such as

• Clean air supply.
• Electric power should be checked daily.
• Water quality should be tested 
• Your waterjet should be placed on strong surface.

Conclusion

Waterjet cutting has been demonstrated to be the most flexible and secure cutting method on the market. It has become the most popular cutting method across a wide range of sectors because of its capacity to efficiently cut tougher and more diverse materials while maintaining a safe working environment. 

As we know, more than wearing safety protective gear is required. You also need to be skilled in using a waterjet and avoid activities the manufacturer forbids. It is important to give awareness about the precautionary measures that must be taken while using waterjet cutting machines. 

For more information, you can visit IVYCNC to learn more about the safety of waterjet cutting.