Pipe bursting: It is a proven and routine method for pipe replacement and one that the Ted Berry Company crews perform on a daily basis throughout New England. Like all forms of utility construction, precautions are necessary to make sure you are not creating risks for workers, the general public, or nearby utility lines and structures.
The process of pulling the bursting head presents the most risk to personal safety. A pipe bursting system is creating stored energy that is being transferred to a bursting head and pipe system and it is essential that personnel know where the energy is in the system at all times. An operator should know that if conditions change, where that energy is going to be displaced.
That’s why, for instance, you should never get behind the equipment in a static system. In the rare case of a system or mechanical failure, that area could pose the highest risk to workers.
Equipment operating manuals, industry sources, and Ted Berry Company pre-burst checklists list several common safety considerations:
- Locating nearby utilities
- Proper trench preparation and shoring
- Confined space precautions
- Proper use of hoses
- Inspection of hoses and connections
- Personal protective gear, such as eye and hearing protection, when necessary
- Winch safety
- Lifting safety and proper use of lifting devices
- Safe pipe handling practices, including transportation, on-site storage, pulling and cutting/joining
- Proper equipment use
Like most industrial processes, proper planning and a pre-job brief can ensure that people are safe and the pipe bursting is done in a way that protects personnel, the general public, nearby structures, and equipment. A site safety plan is one of the steps included in the company’s mandatory task list, along with a safety review for work crews for each work crew each shift. Matt Timberlake Vice President