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 CHAPTER 12.
SAFETY ASPECTS OF HOSE HANDLING
12.1 SAFETY PRACTICES AND PRECAUTIONS. The hose handling procedures discussed
in this manual all have been formulated and tested with safety as an uppermost
consideration. As stated in previous chapters, the raw sewage carried by the
hoses is a dangerous material because of its ability to spread infectious
disease. A lesser, but also important, consideration is the propensity of
uncontrolled sewage discharges to pollute water, create nuisances? and support
insect breeding. Thus, from the point of view of health protection, there is
a definite safety element involved in the sewage hose handling program. In
like manner, safety measures must be followed when ships are discharging in-
dustrial wastes to the sanitary sewer.
As stressed previously, sewage hose handling has the potential for phys-
ical hazard. Injury to the shipboard and shore personnel may occur from
poorly maintained or improperly handled equipment. Personnel handling hoses
can be injured by excessive stress if crews are not large enough. Separation
or mishandling of hoses during connection and disconnection can cause personal
injury as well as damage to the ship or equipment on the pier.
Finally, in many cases, hoses are connected to or disconnected from ships
under conditions of congestion on the pier or ship. This condition may lead
to accidents if due caution is not exercised.
12.2 PURPOSE. This chapter focuses attention on the physical and health
safety hazards inherent in the hose handling operation. Advice will be given
to assist in recognition of the hazards and in avoiding their ill effects.
However, there has not yet been experience with a full-scale hose handling
program. It is not likely that the following discussion will cover all -
potential sources of hazard. Personnel who handle hoses are urged to be alert
for hazards that may not be spelled out specifically below, and to develop
their own, additional precautionary steps for the hazards.
12.3 PHYSICAL PRECAUTIONS. The 50-foot lengths of 4-inch, collapsible or
noncollapsible rubber sewage hose in use for conveying sewage from surface
vessels weigh approximately 130 pounds. Because of its smaller diameter, a
50-foot length of 2 l/2-inch rubber hose used for submarines weighs about 50
pounds. All have heavy metal end fittings which, if carelessly swung or
dropped from a height, could do bodily injury. Parting or separation of hoses
while they are in use could lead to the same result. Comparable physical
damage also may be inflicted on equipment and cargo by hoses.
Other personnel safety hazards that must be faced include injury due
to: excess physical exertion in handling hoses, hoses and fittings falling
on shore crew members during loading and unloading, vehicular accidents on
the pier, falling overboard, mangling by machinery, steam burns, electrocu-
tion, and leg injuries. The following precautions are recommended:
a. The shore crew should include at least two men, and the ship's crew,
at least three men at all times.
12-1
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