An airless injection injury happens when the high-pressure stream from the tip pierces the skin and the tissue under it. It can look like a small cut, but it is a medical emergency that can lead to amputation. Get immediate medical attention and tell the doctor exactly what fluid it was. Prevent it with the tip guard on, the trigger lock engaged and no hand ever in front of the gun.
What an injection injury is
An airless sprayer pushes coating through a very small tip at very high fluid pressure. The Titan RX-Apex manual states a maximum of 5000 psi for that gun, and the Impact 440 is rated at 3300 psi. A stream at that pressure can pierce the skin and the tissue underneath it. Titan's manuals say it can cause serious injury and possible amputation.
The danger is that the wound can look like a small cut. The manuals are clear that it must not be treated as a simple cut. The fluid is inside the tissue, and that is what makes it a medical emergency rather than a first-aid job.
If it happens: get medical attention now
The instruction in the manuals is short on purpose: see a physician immediately, and do not treat it as a simple cut. This guide gives no home treatment steps. The only step is to get medical attention.
Tell the medical staff exactly what fluid was injected. Titan's manuals include a note to the physician: injection is a traumatic injury, treatment should start as soon as possible, and treatment should not be delayed to research the coating's toxicity. They add that some coatings are a concern in the bloodstream and that a plastic or hand surgeon may be advisable. Graco's manuals give the same advice to say what the fluid was. Passing that note on to the staff is reasonable, but do not delay getting seen in order to find it.
The rules that prevent it
Every rule below comes from the manuals for Titan sprayers and guns. They apply to any airless gun, and the exact wording in your own manual wins if it differs.
- Never point the gun at any part of your body, or at any other person or animal.
- Never put a hand or finger in front of the gun or over the tip.
- Never stop a leak with any part of your body.
- Never spray without the tip guard fitted.
- Engage the trigger lock whenever you are not spraying, and check that the lock actually works.
- Never pull the trigger unless the tip is in the spray position or the unclog position.
- Do not rely on gloves. The manuals state that gloves do not protect against injection.
- Relieve pressure with the procedure in your manual before you clean, service or change anything, and when you stop work.
The last rule trips people up, because switching the motor off does not release the pressure. The Impact 440 and RX-Apex manuals both say so. The steps differ by sprayer: on an Impact 440 they involve the pressure knob, the PRIME/SPRAY valve and triggering the gun into a grounded metal container, while the Hydra X and Hydra M use different steps. Use the pressure relief procedure from the manual for your model. Manuals are on our manuals page.
Clearing a clogged tip
A clog is a common reason people end up with fingers near the tip. Lock the gun, shut the sprayer off and relieve pressure first. Never clear a tip with a finger. With a reversible tip, the RX-Apex and ControlMax manuals describe rotating the tip 180 degrees so the arrow on the handle points opposite the spray direction, then triggering once.
Hoses, fittings and the gun
The hose carries the full working pressure all the way to the gun, so it is part of the safety system. Titan's manuals say a hose can leak from wear, kinking and abuse. Inspect it before every use, do not kink or over-bend it, and replace a damaged hose rather than repairing it. A leak you try to stop with your hand is exactly the injury described above.
Use only conductive or grounded airless hose that is rated at or above the maximum pressure of the sprayer. The same applies to the gun, tip guard and fittings: nothing in the system should be rated below the sprayer's maximum. The hose length your sprayer allows differs by model, so check the manual. For a replacement, the Titan hoses page and the gun, hose and tip kits page list what the site carries, including the 316-505 spray hose.
Tip guards: check them, replace them
The tip guard is the part that keeps skin from reaching the stream at the tip, and the manuals say never to spray without it. A guard that is cracked, bent or missing has stopped doing that job. Look at it every time you swap or clean the tip, and replace it rather than spraying with a damaged one.
The site's tip guards page lists four guards. Fitment differs between them, so match the one you order to your own gun and tip, and call us if you are unsure.
Tip guards on the site
If you are replacing the whole gun, the spray guns and tips page is the place to start. One example is the 0538022 RX-Pro airless spray gun. For a tip and guard together, the 695-517G tip and guard kit is listed on the TR1 reversible tip page.
Protective gear: what it is for
Gear protects against the other hazards of spraying: mist, fumes, splashes and solvents on skin. It does not stop an injection. The Titan manuals call for gloves, eye protection, protective clothing and a respirator or mask suited to the coating. Wagner says to wear a painting mask or respirator whenever you spray. Skin cream is also advised when you are working with solvents.
Which respirator, glove or protective clothing is right depends on the coating and on any solvent you use to clean up. Titan's manuals send you to the coating maker's instructions and the safety data sheet, and this guide cannot pick the gear for you. Read the safety data sheet for the coating before the job starts.
A pre-spray safety check
Look at the hose
Check the length for kinks, worn spots and leaks. Replace a damaged hose.
Check the tip guard and tip
The guard must be fitted and undamaged. Replace a damaged guard before you spray.
Test the trigger lock
Engage it and confirm the gun cannot fire. Engage it again every time you put the gun down.
Put your gear on
Gloves, eye protection, protective clothing and the respirator or mask that suits the coating, as the safety data sheet describes.
Know the pressure relief steps
Have the procedure from your manual in mind before you start, so it is not something you work out when a tip clogs.
Tip guards, a hose and guns that appear on the pages above:
The Short Version
An injection injury looks small and is not. Get immediate medical attention and tell the doctor what the fluid was. To prevent it, keep the tip guard on, lock the trigger, never put a hand near the tip, and inspect the hose before each use. Gloves do not protect against injection. Our parts team can confirm a guard or hose for your gun on (713) 931-0006.
Need a tip guard or hose for your gun?
Call (713) 931-0006 with your sprayer model and the part you are replacing, and our parts team will confirm the fit before you order.
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