All of us know that our job comes with certain physical risks. This is no different from most other jobs in the trades. Being outside, or in a trench, or even driving from one house to another is probably a huge reason you went into the trades in the first place. As I’m researching for this article, I realized that we have more opportunities to get hurt than I initially expected.
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that plumbers, pipe fitters and steamfitters have one of the highest rates of injuries and illnesses among all occupations.
THE HAZARDS
Let’s start with one of the most common, hand injuries. Now I’m not talking about smashing a finger badly enough that you need to go to the hospital; I’m talking about smaller injuries like cutting yourself just enough to start bleeding. I can’t count the number of times I have done this, and most of the time it could have been avoided with a simple pair of cut-resistant gloves. The service plumber should wear a nitrile glove to protect their hands from bacteria in addition to the cut-resistant glove. We all know that the bacteria in a drain is not something that we want to come in contact with an open cut.
The next unfortunate opportunity that we have to be mindful of is an exposure to chemicals. I would think that this should start with our glue and primer. How much ventilation should we have with our glue and primer? The concern doesn’t stop there. I’ve come across far too many times an unknown chemical exposure when I had to cut apart a clogged drain and that instant stinging sensation that you get when the customer that used “liquid drain cleaner” failed to tell you about it.
Should we be concerned about inhaling the dust material from cutting cast iron or clay piping? The dust we can see in the air or after we blow our nose. A simple mask would prevent most of that dust from entering our lungs. What about when cutting PVC? It may not release a dust like cast. However, should we cut it in well-ventilated areas?
We are cutting, grinding and drilling all day long. The decibel level at a job site is incredibly high. The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health reports that 48% of plumbers have some degree of hearing loss. I don’t see enough plumbers wearing the proper ear protection that they should be.
The weather is another huge part of our job. We like to “act” tough and not show when certain conditions bother us. I’ve been part of many jobs where we had to add or move a vent in an existing attic in July. It doesn’t take long for you to develop heatstroke when the temperature is 130 degrees. Staying safe in these conditions should be a priority.
The last hazard I’m going to discuss is trenches. It may not be the No. 1 reason why plumbers get hurt. However, it does have the highest fatality rate, which means it’s the most important. I just want to touch on a couple standards from OSHA when it comes to trenches. We tend to let our employers decide the correct type of protective system we need. Do they have proper training to make that decision, or do you have the proper training to make that decision?
Per OSHA, shoring devices or other trench safety methods such as sloping are not required when an excavation is made entirely in stable rock or when an excavation is less than five feet deep, and a competent person has examined the ground and found no indication of a potential cave-in. This is nice for us that don’t work in a deep trench. However, someone will need to take competent person training.
If the trench is deeper than five feet, then we will need to slope the sides so that the wall doesn’t cave in, OSHA requires the side to slope at a 1 1⁄2:1 (for every foot of depth, the trench must be excavated back 1 1⁄2 feet). A slope of this gradation is safe for any type of soil. OSHA requires ladders, steps, ramps or other safe means of egress for workers working in trench excavations four feet or deeper. The means of egress must be located so as not to require workers to travel more than 25 feet (7.62 meters) laterally within the trench.
This list could go on and on. Safety training should definitely be part of our continued education requirements. I mentioned these because sometimes we get complacent with the safety measures of our job. It’s our life on the line, so we shouldn’t assume we will be fine, even if we have done similar things in the past.
GETTING HELP
Now that we have had a quick reminder of some of the physical injuries that we need to be cautious of on a daily basis, we also need to take a look at our mental stability. The stigma of not only men, but also plumbers needing to be “tough” and seeking help when dealing with their mental health, is something that we need to address. The number of suicides from plumbers from 2016 to 2021 have nearly doubled and we are on the same track to double again from 2021 to 2025.
We, as plumbers, have very demanding, stressful and physical jobs. We need to do everything we can to make sure that we come home safely every night. I know the demands and stress don’t just stop at 5 p.m. Please reach out to professional help or call 988 if you are in a crisis.
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Ken Dickerson teaches plumbing apprenticeship at Waukesha County Technical College. He is the 2022 Associated Builders and Contractors of Wisconsin Instructor of the Year, a U.S. Air Force veteran and proud husband and father of two. To reach Ken, email editor@plumbermag.com.
