A few tool queries

[EmilysDad]

Many moons ago, I got a splinter in my eye, it was my own fault not wearing safety glasses . ...... So for years now, even when sitting on the ride on mower cutting the lawn, I wear safety glasses..

Ouch! And we all think 'we'll be OK' when we get the grinder out, I know I'm as guilty as the next

 

[Blobcat]

I've a picture somewhere of my left forearm after an angle grinder wire brush interface issue...
It did a great job of wearing straight through my sweatshirt and then brushing away my epidermis...
"Thankfully" the sweatshirt wrapped around the wire brush sufficiently to jam it before it started on the underlying flesh. I was more concerned with switching the grinder off before it burnt out than my skin

I was using it single handed with the side handle unscrewed as I was cleaning up some steel wheels and couldn't get into all the nooks and crannies with the side handle on. Mains grinders can kick pretty hard...

 

[KennyN]

Had a near miss with grinder (cylindrical) when i worked in RR.

Prior to start time the operators used to start their machines to let the hydraulics warm up so they were good to go when the sounder went .As we arrived in tooling section and heading off to our lockers to get the "ovies" on i was walking behind a chap who pressed the start button on his grinder as we passed , unfortunately for him he was looking at the machine as it started and the grinding wheel exploded , he turned round to me an said "i think i have lost an eye" which he clearly had - not i nice image first thing in the morning. I think if i had consumed any breakfast it would have ended on the floor.

Since that day , safety specks all the time. I have had numerous "discussions" with the younger techs at work about wearing proper PPE. Just remember - You can always get another pair of safety glasses.


K

 

[barnaclebill15]

walking into a ships workshop there could be people working on things using grinders, wire wheels, hammers and chisels. I had a few times been hit on the cheek with flying debris, I asked for years for a rack of safety glasses outside the door with instructions they must be worn before entry and replaced on leaving back in the rack for the next person entering but it was never taken up in my company, I bought my own carried inn my top pocket and worn every time there was work in progress.
Funny as you get older you realise how important safety gear is, I was just lucky when I was young.

 

[Chrishazle]

Know what you mean about lack of awareness decades ago, I have slight hearing loss in both ears, was told it was classic noise induced hearing loss. When I started working on rigs I'd be standing a few feet away from a couple of roaring V8 diesels with no hearing protection, it was not until about 10 years later that ear defenders were mandated for certain areas, and another 5-10 before made-to-measure individual ear plugs became the norm, plus double ear defence for certain areas (rig engine room for example). I don't notice the hearing loss, but it's normal these days for herself to ask for the TV or hifi to be turned down!

 

[EmilysDad]

..... I was just lucky when I was young.

We were all bullet proof when we were young ..... or thought we were!

 

[EmilysDad]

Know what you mean about lack of awareness decades ago, I have slight hearing loss in both ears, was told it was classic noise induced hearing loss. When I started working on rigs I'd be standing a few feet away from a couple of roaring V8 diesels with no hearing protection, it was not until about 10 years later that ear defenders were mandated for certain areas, and another 5-10 before made-to-measure individual ear plugs became the norm, plus double ear defence for certain areas (rig engine room for example). I don't notice the hearing loss, but it's normal these days for herself to ask for the TV or hifi to be turned down!

Ear defenders were for cissies when I was at sea, they were provided but wearing of them was not enforced. I do think back & consider that I am lucky in the fact that I do seem to be able to hear OK ... I SAID ....

 

[EmilysDad]

walking into a ships workshop there could be people working on things using grinders, wire wheels, hammers and chisels. I had a few times been hit on the cheek with flying debris, I asked for years for a rack of safety glasses outside the door with instructions they must be worn before entry and replaced on leaving back in the rack for the next person entering but it was never taken up in my company, I bought my own carried inn my top pocket and worn every time there was work in progress.
Funny as you get older you realise how important safety gear is, I was just lucky when I was young.

When I was an apprentice (RN), we were only expected to wear glasses/goggles when turning brass as it chips off rather than a nice long swarf like you get from steel.

 

[EmilysDad]

Elf 'n' safety has moved on a little over the years ....
Did tha like that?

first half hour or so ...

Which rope is for the safety harness?

 

[Blobcat]

Elf 'n' safety has moved on a little over the years ....
Did tha like that?

first half hour or so ...

Which rope is for the safety harness?

Can you imagine any TV presenter doing this these days...

 

[V6Matty]

Can you imagine any TV presenter doing this these days...

I’m not one for heights and that made me feel queasy

 

[EmilysDad]

Can you imagine any TV presenter doing this these days...

Wind the clock on a few years ...... (Konnie Huq is better looking than Noaksy too )

 

[Frontstep]

I remember stood on the roof of a tall three storey victorian pile that was due for the big push thinking I should move further up the roof as I was nearly in the gutter.

Young and stupid definitely, I was far too concerned with getting it done and the demolition guys needed some geeing up.

I actually had no need to even be up there, they would have soon "brought it down to me"

I reach for safety goggles first, then mask and ear defenders.

 

[Conor]

We could potentially rename this thread to "The health and safety warning megathread - tales from the trenches"

Interesting to hear how things were before and hammering home for me the importance of PPE, although I was never that bad...I am a cissy, afterall.

 

[Argus]

Elf 'n' safety has moved on a little over the years ....
Did tha like that?

first half hour or so ...

Which rope is for the safety harness?

Good heavens that made me very queasy. I nearly fell off my chair I'm not sure while I continued to watch. Strange.

 

[Wighty]

Economically you're better off buying first tools cheaply - then replace any that wear out with good quality ones. I've done that for engineers for years as most of the tools get very infrequent usage.

I’ve always done that first and then replaced with good makes/quality next time round , which can be decades .

 

[V6Matty]

There’s no such thing as wasting money on tools, they will always have a use (one day)

 

[ajlsl600]

Nice enough but the issue with something like that is you put a lot of heat over a wide area.
In the good old days oxy-acetylene torches were excellent as you could get a great deal of heat in a very small area but given the dangers of oxy-acetylene they're pretty much frowned on these days.

Inductive heat coils are the modern way but they aren't cheap.

Careful use of the hot spanner has worked well for me over the yrs, incl bearings. I use a piece of scrap half inch plate. Cat colour temp crayons and heat the plate. Then sit the bearing on the plate for a while no gas to bearing contact. For broken bolts I often mig thtu a nut to the broken bolt the local heat and diesel usually does the job

 

[Frontstep]

How many of us have dodged a bullet or two with unprotected sex never mind goggles and ear defenders whilst working.
The often entertaining reasons given for not catching a disease or a pregnancy would fill a few pages.

The there's a few covid gems going around including my favourites,

nicotine kills coronavirus and fat gives you a protective reserve for the body to fight the virus with.