Hydraulic injection injury RR796

Prepared by the Health and Safety Laboratory for the Health and Safety Executive 2013

Hydraulic injection can be defined as the puncturing of the epidermis by a jet of a fluid under pressure. Hydraulic injection injury is the term used to describe an injury sustained by an individual following an injection of fluid, usually while operating or inspecting pressurised hydraulic equipment. While reported instances of injury through hydraulic injection are comparatively uncommon in the UK, the risk of injury through hydraulic injection is common to all hydraulic equipment irrespective of the system volume and can occur at relatively low pressures.

This report and the experimental work it describes offers an explanation of the injury mechanism and the current understanding of medical prognosis of injured parties upon sustaining an injury of this type.

High speed video footage of simulated hydraulic injection injuries was captured in order to illustrate the nature of injuries of this type. This footage will be made available to the public through various industry bodies in 2013.

This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.
Health and Safety Laboratory
Harpur Hill
Buxton
Derbyshire SK17 9JN