OSHA Standard # 1910.242(b)
Compressed air used for cleaning. Compressed air shall not be used for cleaning purposes except where reduced to less than 30 p.s.i. and then only with effective chip guarding and personal protective equipment.
We get calls on a regular basis from folks, looking for products that will provide an effective flow of air for cleaning, blow off, drying, etc., but with the supply pressure turned down to less than 30psig, like OSHA requires. When you limit yourself to that low of a supply pressure, though, you’re simply not going to get the volume flow rate or air flow velocity to be successful.
You don’t have to limit yourself to that pressure at all, however…they’ve also published documentation that further explains that this limit applies to the “nozzle pressure,” or, the static pressure that would exist due to the dynamic flow, if dead-ending were to occur. That means that if the nozzle’s outlet(s) were completely obstructed (dead-ended), the static pressure, if it were greater than 30psig, would be great enough to break the skin and cause a grave and potentially life-threatening condition, known as an air embolism. Of course, if the nozzle’s outlet(s) can’t be completely obstructed, then the static pressure realized at whatever portion IS obstructed will be much lower, and therefore, safe & compliant.
This is where EXAIR’s Super Air Nozzles “earn their stripes” – by design, they cannot be dead-ended. It’s not the ONLY design that can’t be dead-ended, but it IS the most efficient …we’ve tested a good many of the others in our Efficiency Lab, and have proved this time after time.
Speaking of OSHA compliance, most of our Super Air Nozzles also meets OSHA’s standard 1910.95(a) for Maximum Allowable Noise Exposure. Only our largest ones (3/4” NPT and up) exceed the 90 dBA limit for 8 hour continuous exposure, so hearing protection is necessary, but they’re still considerably quieter than the same sized open-end pipe blow off. 
Back to that last part of 1910.242(b); the part about effective chip guarding: EXAIR’s Precision, Soft Grip, and Heavy Duty Safety Air Guns are all available with clear polycarbonate Chip Shields. They’re all in stock, available for same-day shipment; same as any other EXAIR catalog product. 
If you’d like to know more about how EXAIR products can help you achieve OSHA compliance in regard to your use of compressed air, give us a call. We’re eager to help!
Russ Bowman
Application Engineer
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