Flotec WILL NEVER re-end a hose and WILL NOT mix and match. EVER!
Setting high standards for quality and safety.
No organisation likes to receive a negative review or complaint about its customer service but sometimes, you must stick to your beliefs and challenge negative comments.
The customer, despite what often gets said, is NOT always right!
When somebody discovered Flotec online and rang in to ask if we could re-end a high-pressure hydraulic hose, we had to politely, but firmly, decline their request.
Why?
When working with anything high-pressure it cannot be stressed enough how important it is NOT to ‘scrimp and save’ on cost or to ‘cut corners’ with quality.
Re-ending or mixing and matching hoses, compromises quality, rendering the hose potentially hazardous and fatal to life.
This reckless practice means that the reliability of a hose cannot be guaranteed and in a worst-case scenario, parts, components, and materials can dramatically fail, and, at a high-pressure speed.
When considering the potentially life-changing and fatal consequences of being struck by a hydraulic hose fluid pinhole burst or leak, Health & Safety MUST always come first.
Whilst the individual ringing into Flotec’s technical support team was initially frustrated by the organisations stance in saying NO to their request, as an ethical business committed to safety and quality, Flotec was justified and responsible in its refusal to undertake any work which could compromise both the quality of product supplied and the wellbeing of customers, lives, and the environment.
A Brutal Story.
In March of 2014, firefighter Ian McDonald was taking part in a training exercise with his employer, the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service when the cutting gear he was working with suffered a hydraulic hose failure resulting in a jet of high-pressure hydraulic fluid tearing through his PPE leather glove and piercing his hand.
The toxic fluid began to destroy McDonald’s tissue. When Ian noticed his hand swelling and began to feel a burning sensation, he was taken to hospital.
After an X-ray, it was discovered that Mr McDonald had oil in his hand.
Over a four-year period, he suffered a great amount of pain and increasing immobility and underwent 40 operations as doctors did everything that they could to keep his hand working.
Ian’s hand was finally amputated in June 2018.
An official investigation uncovered a lack of safety precautions and effective maintenance procedures being to blame for the hose failure.
Whilst Mr. McDonald was ultimately awarded £1.5 million in composition, no monetary value can excuse or eradicate the pain, stress, and life-changing injuries he suffered due to an unacceptable negligence and complete disregard for safety-first practices.
Q is for Quality.
With Ian McDonald’s horrific story being a shocking real life case study of the need to be safe with high-pressure hoses and their assembly, it is important to choose a hose supplier with both ethical standards and a commitment to providing a fit-for-purpose, safe and robust product.
The British Fluid Power Association is the UK’s only authoritative representation for the hydraulics industry, having more than 250 members, consisting of manufacturers, distributors, consultants and more.
Through rigorous annual audits and inspections, it is with great pride that Flotec is permitted to display the ‘Q’ approved logo.
This is important because it demonstrates that Flotec assembles hoses to an industry agreed standard.
Flotec is also certified to the very latest ISO 9001 2015 quality standards.
As an official Gates hydraulics distributor, Flotec supplies world-renowned hose products and components that have been tried, tested, and exceed specific industry and regulatory requirements.
To Conclude.
Whilst it can seem at first, tempting and cost effective to simply re-end a hose, this practice is completely foolhardy, potentially leading to disastrous consequences.
With hose failure possessing the ability to cause so much damage and harm, you must ask yourself the question… "Is it worth it?"
When choosing a hydraulics hose supplier, it is prudent to enquire about their credentials.
"Are they BFPA ‘Q’ Approved? Do they have the latest ISO 9001 Certification?"
Flotec is completely transparent regarding its ethics, practices, procedures, policies, certifications, and accreditations; with a vast amount of information and documentation being made publicly available on the Flotec corporate website.