Utility companies and contractors are under pressure to control operating costs. With air compressors common on job sites, some work crews fashion their own air-powered excavation tools in hopes of finding cheaper alternatives to safe, commercially available tools such as the Utility AirSpade.
"Workers say, it's only blowing air so we can make a tool for $100." explains Craig Schoen, AirSpade National Sales Manager. "So, they take a length of steel pipe, add a ball valve, and attach it to an air compressor."
While building a home-made tool from spare parts might be cheaper, there are significant hazards and hidden costs which should be considered.
Homemade tools lack critical safety features such as a dead-man trigger. Dropping a homemade tool in the full-on position has the potential to "whip" and cause serious injury or damage. Utility AirSpade incorporates a dead-man trigger which immediately shuts off the air supply if released.
Imagine uncovering a live underground electric cable with a steel pipe? Featuring an insulated fiberglass barrel, the Utility AirSpade provides an important degree of protection from electric shock. In addition, the non-sparking nozzle and couplers featured on the Utility AirSpade lower the risk of explosion or fire when uncovering buried gas lines.
Besides keeping crews safe, the Utility AirSpade increases productivity. Homemade tools with an open end, or crimped orifice, disperse air in an unfocused, inefficient pattern - typically, 3 to 4 times wider than the air jet exiting the Utility AirSpade nozzle. Conversely, the Utility AirSpade supersonic nozzle focuses compressed air into a laser-like jet moving at 1200 mph, delivering significantly more kinetic energy and momentum. Thus, workers can excavate more material in less time compared to homemade tools. Less time also means lower air compressor fuel consumption.
Finally, homemade tools can get hot. Featuring a thermally insulated handle and fiberglass barrel, Utility AirSpade provides superior thermal protection, enabling workers to work longer and more effectively.
While it may be tempting to build a homemade tool on the cheap, the risks outweigh the temporary cost savings. "If you hit a utility line, the human and financial costs can be enormous," Schoen says.
"Work safer and smarter with the Utility AirSpade."
To learn more about the use of compressed air-powered excavation for utility/construction work, see the full Utility Technical Applications Bulletin.