Pressure Washers, Children and Pets - Don't Mix

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Pressure Washers, Children and Pets - Don't Mix

Small children and pets, especially the family dog, love playing with the garden hose and sprinkler system and in summer particularly, these are irresistible to them. 

Pressure washers, however, are not the garden hose, and while older children can have this explained to them, smaller ones may not understand the potential for harm. Small children and pets need to be secured well out of the way of any pressure washing project.  

The force of a pressure washing blast can cause harm in several ways.  It can easily knock over a small child, who then may fall on concrete. Bruising would be the lesser concern. 

The powerful jet spray can break the skin of an adult in an instant, let alone that of a child, and the scars can last. Skin lacerations are the most common form of injury reported by people using pressure washers, followed by bruises, punctures and eye injuries.

A high pressure water blast can also, in effect, inject detergents and toxic substances into a child's bloodstream and deeper bodily tissue. If that happens there may be little to see initially other than some swelling and discolouration, yet a deeper infection may be caused. 

The eyes are particularly vulnerable, and serious long term damage can occur if a high pressure jet of water strikes a child's eyes. 

All this just means that extra care is required when pressure washers are being used where children and pets are on the property. 

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