Waterblaster safety

Every year hundreds of New Zealanders require medical attention for injuries incurred while using their waterblasters. The most common types of injuries include back injuries, falls, eye injuries and burns.

ACC has provided these tips to help you keep safe while using your waterblaster:

• Pay attention to where the nozzle is pointing. High pressure water can cause serious injury if it is directed at people or animals.
• Ensure you wear sturdy non-slip footwear, wrap-around safety glasses, hearing protection and stout gloves.
• Be aware of slippery surfaces, especially when carrying heavy equipment that may affect your balance.
• Take care when you move the waterblaster to ensure you don’t block or restrict your work area. Try to keep the work area clutter-free, so that if you do slip and fall, you won’t land heavily or awkwardly on equipment or other obstructions.
• If your waterblaster has a two-stroke motor, take care to avoid its exhaust which can cause serious burns.
• If possible avoid using a waterblaster while on a ladder or the roof. A roof cleaning accessory kit lets you clean the roof while staying on the ground. Other accessories are available to help clean gutters and other hard to reach locations.
• Waterblasting on the roof should be done by a professional who knows how to correctly use a full harness that is fixed to a properly installed anchor bracket.
• If working from a ladder, make sure it is securely positioned and fixed in place so that it can't fall sideways. Maintain 3 points of contact on the ladder at all times (for example, both feet and a hand) and only use the handpiece of the waterblaster from the ladder – don’t attempt to position the waterblaster on the ladder. Ensure you have the right ladder for the job so you don’t have to work from the top 3 rungs.

For more information about DIY and ladder safety go to www.acc.co.nz/preventing-injuries.

More safety advice

• Electrical faults can develop in any appliance over time. So when you're using outdoor electrical equipment you must always have a residual current device (RCD) plugged in between the extension cord and the mains socket. The only possible exception is if you know your new switchboard has built-in RCDs.
• Place the waterblaster unit where it won't get wet. Don't clean a waterblaster with its own high pressure water jet. Wipe it down with a cloth. 
• Watch out for damage to your property. Waterblasters, particularly those using a needle jet, can damage soft surfaces like wood and asphalt. Test on a small area first. Pull the lance back, to ease the force of the blast. See the Checklist for more information.

Extension cords

Domestic waterblasters consume around 1700W when blasting. And almost always they'll be connected to the mains by a long extension cord. That cord has to carry over 7 amps of electrical current – so use an extension cord that is rated to 10 amps and is rated for outdoor use.