A coal mine worker at an open cut mine in Central Queensland was recently injured while servicing a light vehicle in the mine’s workshop. The worker was using an 18V cordless grease gun when the grease gun hose failed next to the coupler, resulting in a grease injection injury. Resources Safety & Health Queensland (RSHQ) has since issued a safety alert outlining what went wrong and what sites should be checking.
What the investigation found
The grease gun was fitted with a modified hose that had not been assessed before use, the maximum working pressure was never verified and the replacement hose was not confirmed as compliant.
Ultimately, the hose had an assessed safety factor of approximately 1.2:1. Recognised Standard 23 (RS23) states that hose assemblies should have a safety factor of at least 4:1. The hose failed at the connection to the fitting, a known stress and kink point, and had no guards fitted at either end to prevent kinking. The hose originally supplied with the grease gun was only tested to a 2:1 safety factor during manufacture.
Meeting the RS23 4:1 safety factor
A 4:1 safety factor means the assembly has a minimum burst pressure four times higher than its maximum rated working pressure. It’s only meaningful when measured against the pressure the equipment can actually produce. For a grease gun producing 10,000 psi, the assembly needs a working pressure of at least 10,000 psi and a burst pressure of at least 40,000 psi.
RS23 applies to adaptor fittings as well as hose. Many sites have upgraded to higher rated grease hoses, but some are still running adaptor combinations that don’t satisfy the 4:1 requirement. Every component in the line needs to meet the same safety factor, and fitting an assembly with the correct end connection for the grease gun reduces the number of adaptors needed.
Protection at the fitting matters too. Restricting the bend at the ferrule helps prevent the hose kinking where stress is highest.
Abdex grease gun hose assemblies
Abdex supplies complete grease hose assemblies that meet the 4:1 safety factor specified in RS23.
- Parker 2340N-04 hose rated to 10,000 psi (690 bar) working pressure.
- Burst pressure of 40,000 psi (2,760 bar).
- 700 bar hand guards push over the ferrule, providing a grip and acting as a bend restrictor to avoid kinking.
- Individually pressure tested with a certificate supplied to ensure compliance.
Available end connections:
- 1/8″ NPT
- 1/4″ NPT
- 3/8″ NPT
- -4 JIC swivel
- -6 JIC swivel
- 7/16″ UNO male
Testing existing hose assemblies
To help you stay compliant, Abdex can pressure test existing grease gun hose assemblies. Our NATA accredited testing covers pressures up to 5,000 bar, with recertification and onsite testing available across Australia. Our hose asset management program tags each assembly with RFID at manufacture, so test and recertification history can be tracked from a mobile app.
Find out more about our hose testing services.
For pricing and availability, contact our team at [email protected] or complete the enquiry form below.