Water jetting procurement managers and service users are being urged to use the WJA’s new single code of practice to help them drive up safety standards across their worksites.
The new code replaces the WJA’s three previous codes, the Blue Code for high and ultra-high pressure jetting, the Red Code for drain and sewer jetting, and the Purple Code for hot and cold pressure washers.
Known as the WJA black code, due to its black cover, the document creates a single standard for water jetting that is much easier to access, understand and use to optimise safety.
Water jetting presents unique hazards often not fully understood by service users, which can result in safety lapses that increase the risk of serious injuries or fatalities.
WJA Chairman Lee O’Callaghan says: “Our new single code of practice represents the biggest step forward in defined water jetting standards since the WJA introduced its first code in 1982.
“It’s an exciting and important milestone for the WJA, our members and for every organisation that uses water jetting. There is now one code for water jetting across all pressures.
“The WJA Black Code has been developed with technical guidance from the Health and Safety Executive, which acknowledges it as defining industry best practice. This means it will refer to the WJA single code when carrying out its investigations.
“Procurement professionals and users of water jetting services can use it to specify standards for all water jetting techniques, including pressure washing, drain cleaning and hydrodemolition, by requiring suppliers to comply with the WJA code of practice.”
The same single code guidance is also built into all instruction delivered through the WJA’s City & Guilds-accredited water jetting training programme, the most popular water jetting courses in the UK.
The new code includes guidance on water jetting teams – organisation and duties, personal protective equipment (PPE), water jetting units, hose assemblies – inspection and testing, frost precautions, and safe use of equipment.
It also includes, for the first time, publication of a page-by-page version of the WJA’s water jetting injury treatment algorithm.
It provides advice, created for the WJA by medical experts, on the best practice response to water jetting injuries from worksite first aid through to post-hospital rehabilitation.
Connections between different pressures and types of water jetting have been made clearer than ever, aiding its use as a practical operational guide, available on worksites via the WJA app.
WJA Technical Manager Gordon Taylor says: “I’m confident it will be easier for contractors, training providers and service commissioners to use the WJA’s code of practice to work to the highest standards.
“The WJA is the guardian of water jetting safety, and that is the primary purpose of the new Black Code.”
