30 do's and don'ts of hose care and use

Hose failures can be expensive in terms of lost production, ruined equipment, and, most important, personal injuries. Careful observation of the following points will improve service, safety, and economy from the hose you use. 

DO's

1. Use hose designed and recommended for the service intended.
Your trained representative will gladly aid in helping select the best hose for the service and make suggestions to prolong its service life on the job.

2. Specify best-quality hose where maximum safety and performance are desired.
Make sure hose is easily identifiable as to type and use. Where dangerous misuse may possibly occur, use different fittings or connections.

3. Make sure hose is the correct length for the job intended. 
So that it is not stressed unnecessarily, or exposed to damage because it can’t be kept out of the way of passing traffic.

4. Set up inspections before each use.
So that damaged or worn out hose or couplings can be replaced before either contributes to an accident.

5. Attach hose, using appropriate elbows and nipples.
So that its operation (including its own weight) will not cause it to bend sharply at the coupling. 

6. Avoid subjecting hose to damage by vehicles, falling rocks, or other objects.
It is easy to install protective covers or to run hose through lengths of pipe.

7. Check manufacturers’ Chemical Resistance Charts
To insure the hose will transfer the chemical before it is put in the hose. The S.T.A.M.P.E.D information must be known to properly determine
compatibility.

8. Wear appropriate PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) for the application.

9. Hydrostatically test hoses periodically.

10. Train employees on how to inspect a hose before each use.
To insure it is safe to use. “When in doubt, remove from service!” Error on the side of safety!

11. Remove a hose assembly from service whenever there is doubt concerning its safe operation.

12. Store hose in a cool, dry, dark, and clean place. 

13. Store hose in a flat coil.
Be sure no kinks are left in the coil. Lay it on the floor, a shelf, or a table. Store long length hose on a reel. If hose is non-reelable, store it in straight lengths.

14. Protect hose from ozone ( O3).
The active form of oxygen which is more prevalent in the atmosphere than many people think. Store away from electrical or ozone generating equipment, preferably in the dark. Paper, wood, and rags are good O3 absorbers. Original packaging should be maintained when long storage is involved. 

15. Use hoses in a well ventilated area.
Certain media such as Anhydrous Ammonia, LPG, etc. will permeate through the hose and can displace breathable air in a confined space.

16. Use “wipchecks”.

DONT's

1. Crush hose or kink it.
Also avoid repeated bending which may eventually break the reinforcement.

2. Substitute hose types.
Consult your supplier or his representative for a recommendation where an alternate must be found. For example, using a hose not made for high pressure service as a substitute for compressed air could lead to dangerous failure and injury.

3. Assume that all hose is oil proof.
It is good policy to keep grease and oil from all hose, or else to clean immediately after contact with such materials.

4. Use a hose if it has any reinforcement exposed through the cover due to cuts, gouges, wear, or just prolonged use.

5. Exceed the working pressure for any reason.

6. Use damaged or worn fittings.
Check to see if coupling is loose or has moved, has worn threads, worn gasket, or is corroded. Successful hydro-testing will help verify the integrity of the coupling.

7. Use a hose outside the temperature limits as given by the manufacturer. 

8. Hang hose on a nail, peg, wall hook, or anything else that will bend it sharply.
​Kinking, especially prolonged, can lead to hose failure.

9. Let direct sunlight shine on rubber hose for prolonged periods.
Sunlight will deterio¬rate some types of rubber hose covers.

10 Store hose after use without first rinsing, draining, and drying out the tube if it has carried any substance that might ultimately cause rubber deterioration.

11. Re-couple hose unless you are knowledgeable about the correct methods to re-couple.

12. Place heavy objects on stored hose or stack the hose so that bottom pieces are distorted.

13. Bend hose beyond its minimum bend radius or with a kink when installing or using hose.
Sharp bends immediately behind the coupling will reduce service life.

14. Install a hose with a twist or such that flexing/bending occurs in more than one plane.