Safety Equipment For Well Drilling

There are a few hazards that can come up during well drilling, so it's important to have the right safety equipment for the job. Here are some of the most important types of safety gear for a drilling operation. 

Fall Protection

One of the most important types of safety gear for well drilling is fall protection. Every worker should have a standardized set of harnesses and helmets to prevent falls. The helmet should be rated to protect the skull during a fall, but also to withstand objects that fall on workers from above. You may also want to purchase fall arrest posts, which may be a great addition to the standard guard rails on your sites. Another aspect of fall protection to consider is what happens if objects fall from above; you may want to install nets to act as a catch-all for loose tools and equipment. 

Surge Protection Equipment

Surge protection is essential for equipment that will be used in all-seasons weather. You may need to protect both the power supply and the equipment's operating boards from inclement weather and electrical surges. Power meters can help you monitor the generator's supply and detect any unusual surges in power. Portable circuit breakers in your system can also help to protect equipment from receiving the wrong voltage. You can also build a surge protector into your extension cords and outlet strips themselves. 

Lockout Tools

Another important tool to have on hand is ragout equipment. This is to effectively cut the power to critical machinery when the supervisor is not on hand to give the right credentials. This can help you prevent your equipment from being turned on by lower level staff when the safety criteria haven't been met yet. A lockout device might use a key or a key code to restore power to your equipment. 

A Means of Identification

Another item to consider is how you will identify authorized employees on the site. These ID tags shouldn't be something that's easily replicated by a third party; you may want to have them made by a professional who can include watermarks or holograms to prevent forgery. Unauthorized visitors can create a safety hazard if they use machinery or get in the way of workers. 

In short, there are several things to look out for when protecting your well drilling site. A great safety plan depends on communicating your standards with your team members, but it also requires a set of great safety protection equipment. For more information, contact a well drilling company like Henderson Well & Pump Co..

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