Hydraulic Outrigger Failure Crushes Worker Safety expert Rory McLaren seems to be an endless source of interesting stories with valuable lessons that are especially relevant to those who work around hydraulic systems. More often than not, a lack of proper training is a major cause of these accidents.  Although Rory may not have witnessed these […]

Testing Hydraulic Cylinder Goes Wrong – Fire Erupts The lack of standardized component test methods in the fluid power industry has left maintenance personnel devising their own techniques for testing hydraulic components. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that a maintenance technician, with no formal training in hydraulics, caused a fiery inferno that burned […]

The Penalty of Making an Incorrect Assumption A mill maintenance technician who had some hydraulic training was badly injured in an accident at a sawmill. He was trying to remove a hydraulic cylinder from a production machine so he could replace the rod seal, which was leaking. The cylinder was mounted vertically, and its piston […]