Safety Alert please read!

[Kevin Sevcik]

Originally Posted by FrankJ

PVC pipe manufacturers also say do not use PVC pipe for compressed air systems. The big problem is that it shatters on failure. That warning along with the OSHA statement is enough for me not to use on compressed air systems. For OSHA competent engineering means following their warnings.

One possibility is the fitting was overtightened, starting the failure.

That's PVC pipe. I believe Tristan's point was that PVC the plastic could be made in a non-shattering formulation with added plasticizers. After all, I can get high grip gloves that are coated in PVC. I'm pretty sure that formulation of PVC isn't going to shatter at anything above dry-ice temperatures.

In other words, banning "PVC" from compressed air usage is about the same as banning "steel" from being used for something. Both words encompass many materials with a broad range of physical properties.