The training also covered tool malfunctions, but was limited to actions to take if the blade became bent or out of alignment. The piece of metal weighed 5.5 pounds and struck scaffolding cross-brace, ricocheted upward striking additional portions of the scaffolding before falling to the ground. The cutting tool is a Champion BPC-4 pipe cutter. The tool in use on January 24th, was a new, recently purchased tool. It consists of a hydraulic piston that drives a steel blade, guided by an investment cast molded steel anvil that is also used to hold the pipe in place.
Hydraulics power is supplied by an electric motor.
The unit is portable and designed to be used by a single person. The pressure-rating label on the tool is 5000 psi. One of the tool's safety features is a pressure relief valve, designed to limit pressure to approximately 5500 psi. If the relief valve fails to operate, the motor automatically shuts down. No similar failures of the unit have been recorded.