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Using The Hose Over The Shoulder
Recently, my business partner and I instructed a fire skills session at a CFA fire training ground for an underground mine rescue company.
During the pre-training safety briefing, the manager of the training ground said that under no circumstances were members to drag or operate a hose over their shoulder (regardless of how many operators are on the hose), as depicted below.
He cited two main issues:
1) Manual handling risks
2) Balance (loss of)
Thoughts from anyone else?
Is this still an accepted and taught practice in your department?
Do you agree or disagree?
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by James Hawk on
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this method is also useful for "surround and drown" operations from an elevated position
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Permalink Reply by Ed Cornish on
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I use this method mostly for car fires and some brush fire mop up. I don't use it for a structure fire unless I get on the exausted side and the fire is under control.
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Permalink Reply by Ron King (Fire Chief) on
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I agree, You should never have the hose on your shoulder
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Permalink Reply by lutan1 on
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I agree, You should never have the hose on your shoulder
Chief, you're the first one to say this in support so far- why?
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Lutan1, I have been in the fire service for 22 years, and I have seen people lose their balance, lose control of the hose, and injure themselves using the over the shoulder method. You just don't have the same ability to control and move with the hose in this position. We teach that it is not a safe method in our dept. and it is taught as being unsafe according to VA Fire Programs. To each his own, but in my opinion it is just not a safe practice.
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Permalink Reply by Paul Montpetit on
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I guess I would have to hear his reasoning....hard to put out a car fire any other way........apparently he hasn't spent hours on a handline at a barn fire either.....even an 1 1/2" gets heavy after time.....last summer we had a silage fire at a farm and day one we were there for about 10 hours....called back for day #2...and once for some spot fires in the field on day #3.....couldn't put the silage out.......I know several of us spent several hours on a handline (1 1/2") and we also spelled each other on a 2 1/2" while bucket loaders emptied the silage from the barn and dumped it in the field..........I felt my age that fire (and then some),,,,,,
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Permalink Reply by Ron Ayotte on
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I have seen people lose their balance, fall over and lose control of a charged hose line carrying it in the "regular" way, too... is that unsafe?
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Permalink Reply by Ben Waller on
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Ron, based on what?
100 PSI nozzles, 75 PSI nozzles, 50 PSI nozzles, or dry hose?
All of the above?
How do you teach hitting fire below grade or below the feet if an under-the-arm method doesn't give the nozzleman an angle that will put water on the fire?
How about teaching proper backup to help the nozzleman with balance.
And as Ron Ayotte says below, people lose their balance, fall, and lose control of the line using other methods, too.
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Permalink Reply by Lee Huff on
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Here it's up to the nozzle man whether to go under the arm or over the shoulder. Although just about all our nozzles have pistol grips, we still have a couple without for backups or extra lines.
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Permalink Reply by Mike "Lapo" Lapotasky on
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I agree. If you can't do the over-the-shoulder with a fog nozzle, let someone else do it or quit. Sometimes it is necessary. When it is unnecessary it should be avoided.
I don't know many guys that can do an over the shoulder with a 2 1/2. That is ill-advised.
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Permalink Reply by Tony P on
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I'd say the Manager is doing what he's been told to do buy his boss. For him personally, the three 'L's don't come into it UNLESS he goes outside the rules of the organisation.
Being in the same service (the CFA) we have to do formal training 'by the book'. which means follow the SOP's. Do we teach 'slightly different' things later, yes we do. I'm a follower of your second paragraph Oldman.
I personally am not keen on the over the shoulder technique, but it does have it's place. It can be the only way to get the wet stuff properly into a car, or anywhere similar. On grassland I don't generally see the need, in steep bush (hill country) I'd be very wary.
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Please look up, I added something about the manager and his instructions. Or don't look back there if you can't be bothered :D
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