The Seven Major Hazards in Drain and Sewer Cleaning
Editor's note: The following is the first of a two part series on drain and sewer cleaning safety. The text is from Chapter 1 of The Professional Handbook-Drain and Sewer Cleaners, Second Edition. It is reprinted with permission of Spartan Tool's International Institute of Sewer and Pipe Cleaning. The handbook was authored by Ernest L. Weber.
Before a professional drain and sewer cleaner ever makes his first service call, he must be aware of the hazards in his profession in order to help avoid injury or even death on the job. After years of discussion, the overall consensus among professionals is there are seven major hazards in our profession. Please note the word "major." Every potential hazard a technician may encounter on-the-job cannot possibly be listed in any technical book. There are just too many to mention. For example, in this book, I do not speak about safe driving techniques, the proper use and types of ladders or trenching techniques, just to mention a few of the additional concerns. Somewhere, sometime, a drain and sewer cleaner would find a hazard not yet listed; I do want to list, however, those hazards a drain and sewer cleaner is most likely to encounter.