WJA Offers Farmers Free Water Jetting Training to Boost Safety
The Water Jetting Association is offering farmers free water jetting training to ensure they and their operatives have the skilled needed to work safely.
Farmers commonly use commercial pressure washing equipment to wash down vehicles and clean or decontaminate facilities like milking parlours and livestock sheds.
However, most do not undergo training before using this powerful equipment – a situation the WJA wants to counter with offers of free training.
Pressure washing common
It is offering farmers and farm workers places on a free training scheme that helps water jetting contractors who need to train just one or two operatives at a time.
The scheme was set up in 2023 memory of David Kennedy, the long-serving WJA director, who died in October 2022.
WJA Training and Safety Chairman Steve Williams said: “Pressure washing, in particular, is a water jetting technique commonly used by farmers.
“However, our training records indicate that there is not a significant take up of our pressure washing training within the farming community. We want to do something to begin to change that.
“For that reason, we’re offering farmers free places our on our David Kennedy Training Programme which provides the full range of WJA training courses accredited by City & Guilds.”
Biohazardous materials
Commercial pressure washing equipment with operating pressures of up to 275 bar (4,000 psi) can be bought over the counter or online and are widely used in the UK. Many incorporate the use of hot water or steam and powerful chemical cleaning agents.
These water jetting systems need to be used with great care. Water jets at just 7 bar of pressure (100 psi) can pierce the skin. Water jets under pressures up to 275 bar can cause extreme injuries that can be fatal.
In addition, biohazardous materials associated with farms can be taken into the body, greatly increasing the risk of serious infection.
The WJA pressure washing course is the one most likely to be of interest to farmers. It is a one-day course, with both class-based and practical assessment elements.
Key learning points covered include:
- Introduction to water jetting
- WJA codes of practice, including the new Purple Pressure Washing Code of Practice
- Water jetting systems and safety devices
- Types of water jetting pumps and nozzles
- Health, safety, and PPE
- First aid – through learning about the WJA water jetting injury treatment algorithm
Farm workers can also attend WJA Safety Awareness, a one-day class-based course that provides a general grounding on water jetting systems and their safe use.
Improving health and safety
They could then go on to attend one or more of five WJA practical modules: surface preparation; drain and sewer; drain, sewer and surface preparation; tube and pipe; and hydrodemolition.
Steve Williams said: “Training is central to improving health and safety. Farmers can significantly reduce risks associated with pressure washing, or other forms of water jetting, by taking up our offer of free WJA training.”
Find out more
Farmers who want to consider taking up the WJA’s free water jetting training offer should contact the WJA office team. Telephone: 020 8320 1090. Email: info@waterjetting.org.uk.