Working Safely with the Bristle Blaster

Surface preparation is one of the higher-risk activities in coating work: dust exposure, noise, vibration, and in the case of abrasive blasting, containment and breathing apparatus. This OSEA paper (2010) addresses the safety profile of working with the Bristle Blaster.

Download the full paper (PDF) ↓

What safety aspects does the paper address?

Operator exposure during bristle blasting: dust generation compared with open blasting, the absence of spent abrasive media, and the practical consequences of a hand-held tool that needs no blast pot, enclosure or breathing apparatus for typical scopes.

Why does dust matter so much in this industry?

Removed coatings can contain hazardous substances: lead paints and hexavalent chromium (chromium-6) coatings among them. Any method that reduces airborne dust and eliminates contaminated blast media reduces both operator exposure and disposal burden.

What about the tool itself?

The pneumatic Bristle Blaster is ATEX-evaluated for zone 1 gas and zone 21 dust environments, which is why it is specified for in-service work on live oil and gas assets where ignition risk excludes most alternatives.

Related

• Chromium-6: safe coating removal
• Operator training