A brief review of fluid power system safety in Australia

In Australia there is a significant and increasing reliance on pressurised (pneumatic and in particular hydraulic) fluid as an energy transfer medium. While there has been some discussion of the fatalities associated with fluid power, little attention has been paid to the incidence and pattern of injuries and incidents associated with interaction with these systems. The majority of the statutory authorities in Australia have responded only superficially to specific risks posed by this technology across all industry sectors. While high pressure fluid power installations in Australia are subject to few mandatory engineering standards and prescriptive training requirements, they continue to be widely employed across all industry sectors. Efforts are needed to further reduce the workplace risk associated with fluid power systems including the development of effective all-industry sector safety guidelines and training regimes in order to reduce the incidence of fatalities, injuries and incidents associated with this technology.