A note on "SAFETY"

1558 Views 17 Replies 10 Participants Last post by Old Ray, Nov 3, 2021

Old Ray

Discussion Starter · Oct 30, 2021

This has nothing to do with Routers per-say but everything to do with how quick bad things happen when maybe are not as focused, paying attention when we run dangerous equipment.
Two weeks ago today after working my early morning shift, came home like normal with several medium sized limbs to cut up with a chainsaw that I had climbed up the tree and cut a few days earlier. I have run a chainsaw cutting big trees most all my life, usually crazy stuff no one else would touch. But today I was not focused and I was tired, the climbing saw I have , small pro saw, with a new bar, and chain kicked back and hit my left thumb like a dead blow hammer, boom, I knew it had got me instantly. It had my full and undivided attention instantly! I took my glove off and blood was pouring out of the tip of my thumb. It was cut in two places like a razor blade, one plenty deep, not cut off ,Thank You Jesus!. I take a lot of goodys powders , I bleed like water. I squeezed it back together and went to the house, and washed it thoroughly with dial soap, antibacterial, and press a clean cotton rag on it, to stop the bleeding, and it did stop after a while. I ended up in a urgent care where they soaked it and super glued it up, bandaged it. I took a few days off work, and have plenty much healed up for the most part. If you were going to have a accident with a chainsaw, this was about as far as I would want to take it.
I was a Woodcraft this afternoon and shared this story with gentleman in the store. He immediately lifted his right hand and showed me where his index finger was gone past the first knuckle but not a chainsaw , a table saw got him a few months ago.
Please do not pick up, turn on, or try to operate any of these wood cutting tools if you are not 100% focused on exactly what you doing, and where your hands and fingers are at all the time! All these tools will get you! Do not take them for granted ever! I still have all my fingers, but have had more stiches than I can remember, two plates, 11 screws, and two screens in my gut both sides, and have broken bones I try to forget when it's cold and they ache. I spent 3 and half weeks in a comma, defibbed threes times one afternoon.
Be careful!
Ray still making saw dust

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jw2170

· #2 · Oct 31, 2021

That is a timely reminder, now that winter is coming to the US, and more members will be looking for indoor projects,,,

old55

· #3 · Oct 31, 2021

OUCH

Old Ray

Discussion Starter · #4 · Oct 31, 2021

The reason I say anything about this , mostly because of my history in running equipment for most of my life. I still have my lock out/ tag out lock from there. We shut it down if there were any concerns of safety or crashing a machine until it was fixed. People got cut working with metal, sometimes nasty cuts, fingers chopped off kind of stuff. That was in another department at work, no fingers lost in my area at all. Because we pushed safety hard! Machines can be fixed and tooling replaced, When someone got hurt it really was a big deal, and we took measures to see if there was any way possible it would not happen again. I am old school and excuse my mouth a second ,a hard-azz, hard to get along with when it comes to safety. I have all my fingers with lots of scares on them, I really do not care about working in metal anymore, or that is where I would still be doing. I feel very fortunate that I still have all my fingers at my age. I preached to my folks , don't put your hands or fingers where they will be chopped off or mashed to the thickness of sheet metal. (.030, they are pretty much useless at that point !, and from witnessing the aftermath, I would say it pretty much hurts like hell! as you are trying not to go into shock!) I really would show new people what a 300 ton press would do to a cigarette by rolling it over on one. I had their attention now!
It almost got me a couple weeks ago. I was not focused on what I was doing and it happened in a second! Before starting this equipment up, make sure your brain is operation mode and you realize that these tools will mutilate your body parts and never miss a beat! They are not an amusement ride!
I would never let anyone I personally did not feel was ready to run any equipment even start it up, I trained them, worked with them, changed tooling for them, answered any questions they had in calm and easy tone until I felt they were ready to do anything beyond hit the start button. They all knew I was a hard-azz, but they also knew I would have their backs when things got crazy. I would set their machines up while they got material when we had just a few minutes to get parts to any assembly line, and my boss' head was about to explode.

Have a great weekend!
Ray

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mgmine

· #5 · Oct 31, 2021

Accidents happen when you try to cut corners. You don't have something clamped down or you try to cut something too big and awkward. You climb on a ladder that isn't steady or maybe only supported by the top rung on a small tree. You don't bother with the safety glasses because it's a only 10 second cut. The list goes on. I once decided to use an electric buffer on a brass lamp without taking it apart and removing the cord. Guess what happened.

roxanne562001

· #6 · Oct 31, 2021

One can never be too careful especially with a chain saw. Glad it was minor. Thanks for sharing. We all have to think about safety as priority one.

Old Ray

Discussion Starter · #7 · Oct 31, 2021

A lady right down from we used to live, after washing her car was going to use a buffer on it while the ground was still wet. Cheap extension cord, killed her. I watched my neighbor taking tree limbs off hack-berries in his yard about 20 foot up , on a ladder after I had just had the thought he is going to get hurt, really strech out to make cut on a limb, and the ladder fell out from under him. He threw the saw still running, and kind of made a decent landing. He got up and looked around to see if anyone saw him. He did not realize I was watching him,, and I told him a few minutes later, You best let tree pro's get those limbs for you, getting the grass to grow in your yard is not worth getting hurt bad or killed. He knew I used to do stuff like that, but have since stopped climbing. He actually listened and got a tree service to finish up what he was trying to do. I have stopped and told people trimming a grass with a string trimmer without safety glasses, the risk they were taking with their eye sight, only to be laughed at,, Hearing protection is a must, my neighbors hear my cnc router and the shop vac running. I always have ear plugs, not the cheap ones, and usually head phones as well. Anything that makes noise I use I have hearing protection, and the people around me as well if they are close. Safety glasses as must all the time!!! I wear glasses anyway, so easy enough there. If I am doing anything that requires concentration on my part, and someone is might be what I call "babbling", out loud, I will just stop and walk away, I hurt my sister in laws feeling while wiring up the new stove up under the counter. My wife and my daughter both babble, but I have a steam coming out of my ears stare i can give them, they instantly know to SHOOSHHHHHH! I do good in absolute quiet . Before they closed us down in 2008, I could get the real price on appliances Kitchen Aid, so we re did our kitchen. The day I was about to cut into the countertops to set the new built in stove. Which I had got up early to check and recheck my measurements while it was quite. My wife got up and saw what I was fixing to do, asked, 'Do you want me to leave while you are cutting that out? I replied, nicely, "If you can not keep your mouth shut , YES! So she left for about an hour while I cut it out and set it in. I cut it so close by hand I had to take a file to remove just where the screws where in the side of the stove.

I'll stop babbling myself, sorry,
If you are going to do any job do it the best you can, always keep your safety#1,
Ray

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Old Ray

Discussion Starter · #8 · Oct 31, 2021

roxanne562001 said:
One can never be too careful especially with a chain saw. Glad it was minor. Thanks for sharing. We all have to think about safety as priority one.

The saw I cut myself with was a small professional climbing saw, real light in weight. I have several others, one up to 4 and a half horse motor. The other ones have a safety feature I have to use every time they get started. They are heavy enough I need both hands to operate them. That's what got me, and I was tired after working all night. trying to one hand the saw!
Ray

Barry747

· #9 · Oct 31, 2021

Focus, focus, focus. A couple of years ago I was resawing some walnut on the band saw. I had three boards to cut and, after the first two, I noticed sawdust had built up at the bottom of the fence and I was afraid that the next board wouldn't be flush. So, without thinking (the root of most accidents) I brushed the saw dust away with my hand without turning off the saw. Fortunately, I didn't quite hit the bone but it was close. A few stiches into the front of my left hand ring finger, and a couple of weeks out of the shop taught me a lesson that I thought I already knew. On the up side, every time i walk into the shop the first machine I see is the band saw and it brings back the memory. To me it's a constant reminder to pay attention not only to the specific task (like wiping away sawdust0 but to my complete environment. Like the situational awareness I learned in the army but applied to the shop.

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Old Ray

Discussion Starter · #10 · Oct 31, 2021

Barry747 said:
Focus, focus, focus. A couple of years ago I was resawing some walnut on the band saw. I had three boards to cut and, after the first two, I noticed sawdust had built up at the bottom of the fence and I was afraid that the next board wouldn't be flush. So, without thinking (the root of most accidents) I brushed the saw dust away with my hand without turning off the saw. Fortunately, I didn't quite hit the bone but it was close. A few stiches into the front of my left hand ring finger, and a couple of weeks out of the shop taught me a lesson that I thought I already knew. On the up side, every time i walk into the shop the first machine I see is the band saw and it brings back the memory. To me it's a constant reminder to pay attention not only to the specific task (like wiping away sawdust0 but to my complete environment. Like the situational awareness I learned in the army but applied to the shop.

I almost have done that very same thing, so I placed an air line very close to things like that, It is like every time I have cut myself, I blame myself, think it through, ad remember that tool that like to have got me, our in the chainsaws case, barely got me, but also got my full attention. that will never happen again.
Ray

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wingspar

· #11 · Nov 1, 2021

A very long time ago when I was in my 20's we were brushing a survey line for a logging road in the south Oregon Coastal Mountain Range. It was in a old clear cut where the brush had grown up to about 15 feet tall and extremely thick. We were in 105 degree sun. I was more tired than I thought I was and walked back 15 to 20 feet where I had already brushed it several times just to see if I could see the next ribbon. Every time leaves brushed my face and after a while I got tired of that and looked at the leaves for the first time as I reached up to cut them out of my way. Yep. It was poison oak. Luckily I don’t usually get it and I did not get it that time. Right after that I decided to take a quick breather and put my foot up on an old rotten log and set the saw down on my leg, not realizing that I set the bar down on my leg and not the engine. Fortunately the chaps stopped the chain. I was so tired it didn’t even faze me, but I decided to turn the saw off and set it down. I could see clear thru the chaps, but it did not cut my pants. Chaps on a 100 degree plus day with no shade anywhere are extremely hot to wear, but they saved my leg. Moments of complacency can grab you at any time.

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Old Ray

Discussion Starter · #12 · Nov 1, 2021

wingspar said:
A very long time ago when I was in my 20's we were brushing a survey line for a logging road in the south Oregon Coastal Mountain Range. It was in a old clear cut where the brush had grown up to about 15 feet tall and extremely thick. We were in 105 degree sun. I was more tired than I thought I was and walked back 15 to 20 feet where I had already brushed it several times just to see if I could see the next ribbon. Every time leaves brushed my face and after a while I got tired of that and looked at the leaves for the first time as I reached up to cut them out of my way. Yep. It was poison oak. Luckily I don’t usually get it and I did not get it that time. Right after that I decided to take a quick breather and put my foot up on an old rotten log and set the saw down on my leg, not realizing that I set the bar down on my leg and not the engine. Fortunately the chaps stopped the chain. I was so tired it didn’t even faze me, but I decided to turn the saw off and set it down. I could see clear thru the chaps, but it did not cut my pants. Chaps on a 100 degree plus day with no shade anywhere are extremely hot to wear, but they saved my leg. Moments of complacency can grab you at any time.

I avoid poison oak and ivy at all costs. it wears me out. I walk away from work because of it. I understand the chaps as well, they are a life saver. Around here it often seems I am getting saws out to run in the hottest part of the year, and the heat will wear the strongest of us out quick. Last year when the tornado ripped through middle Tenn , I offer my services for free to the folks that got hit the worst. There were a lot big trees down, and there were a lot of folks helping out as i was limbing these big trees. I did ok with my saw but told my wife I needed a bigger saw, she replies go get what you need, so I did, got a new set of chaps to go with them as well.
I believe the heat running a chainsaw is the worst heat I have ever dealt with doing anything. I find myself getting delirious, but so far still enough witts about me turn it off, set the saw down, get away from it, pour water over my head and cool off get in my truck crank the ac up, whatever I have to do.

But going back to safety on routers, tablesaws, dremels, grinders, etc. do whatever you have to do to make it as safe as humanly possible, every time , all the time

My cousin, is a welder on oil rigs and big welding jobs. He has 3 fingers that are shorter than they started out originally, doing the same thing every time , 3 different times he placed his hand up under big plate steel doing something and mashed the tips of his fingers off. LIke it fell and he jerked his hand back to realize part of his finger was till smashed between big steel plates possibly the thickness of a piece of notebook paper. He is not or to me seems to be an unsafe worker, But if he worked under me, it would not have happened but one time, if it happened one time ,that is a like a million times too much. He and I would have a shut door conversation where all he would do is agree with me, or pack his bags and go home.

So sorry this is a router forum,, I get carried away ,,

Have A great weekend,
Ray

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Marco

· #13 · Nov 1, 2021

Old Ray said:
This has nothing to do with Routers per-say but everything to do with how quick bad things happen when maybe are not as focused, paying attention when we run dangerous equipment.
Two weeks ago today after working my early morning shift, came home like normal with several medium sized limbs to cut up with a chainsaw that I had climbed up the tree and cut a few days earlier. I have run a chainsaw cutting big trees most all my life, usually crazy stuff no one else would touch. But today I was not focused and I was tired, the climbing saw I have , small pro saw, with a new bar, and chain kicked back and hit my left thumb like a dead blow hammer, boom, I knew it had got me instantly. It had my full and undivided attention instantly! I took my glove off and blood was pouring out of the tip of my thumb. It was cut in two places like a razor blade, one plenty deep, not cut off ,Thank You Jesus!. I take a lot of goodys powders , I bleed like water. I squeezed it back together and went to the house, and washed it thoroughly with dial soap, antibacterial, and press a clean cotton rag on it, to stop the bleeding, and it did stop after a while. I ended up in a urgent care where they soaked it and super glued it up, bandaged it. I took a few days off work, and have plenty much healed up for the most part. If you were going to have a accident with a chainsaw, this was about as far as I would want to take it.
I was a Woodcraft this afternoon and shared this story with gentleman in the store. He immediately lifted his right hand and showed me where his index finger was gone past the first knuckle but not a chainsaw , a table saw got him a few months ago.
Please do not pick up, turn on, or try to operate any of these wood cutting tools if you are not 100% focused on exactly what you doing, and where your hands and fingers are at all the time! All these tools will get you! Do not take them for granted ever! I still have all my fingers, but have had more stiches than I can remember, two plates, 11 screws, and two screens in my gut both sides, and have broken bones I try to forget when it's cold and they ache. I spent 3 and half weeks in a comma, defibbed threes times one afternoon.
Be careful!
Ray still making saw dust

I have learned that If I am tired don't go in the shop. Fortunately not an incident to talk about. Don't worry about babbling about safety, I would rather babble than wish I had told someone before the accident than after the accident.

A thought Ray, a separate discussion about safely operating machinery?

Barry747

· #14 · Nov 1, 2021

I was writing another post to this thread when I read Marco's. The discussion should really be about shop safety in general. I've been a DIYer all my life and a woodworker for the last 17 years. I've only had one serious injury, described in my last post, that sent me to the emergency room. However, the tool that causes my most frequent injuries, small as they are, are my chisels. Sometimes I don't even know that I've cut myself until I see blood on the workpiece. I'm usually more annoyed that I have to clean up wood than I am that I have to get a band aid. The cause is normally carelessness. I'm either in a hurry or I'm too focused on the workpiece and move my hand into the path of the chisel. The last time I did this was probably over a year ago. Now, just like looking at my band saw to remind me to be careful, I've finally added the chisels to my mental list. I'm not even going to tell you how I cut myself on on a straight router bit trying to get it out of it's case.

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michalofsky

· #15 · Nov 1, 2021

two things
one obnoxious and one helpful
helpful: when you are cut to stop the bleeding wrap the cut in unglazed brown paper like from super market my mother taught me that it works every time!
obnoxious: whenever you read any instruction manual there is always a paragraph on safety BUT ITS IN SUCH SMALL PRINT!!! its like they wants to hide it it always irks me

Barry747

· #16 · Nov 1, 2021

michalofsky said:
two things
one obnoxious and one helpful
helpful: when you are cut to stop the bleeding wrap the cut in unglazed brown paper like from super market my mother taught me that it works every time!
obnoxious: whenever you read any instruction manual there is always a paragraph on safety BUT ITS IN SUCH SMALL PRINT!!! its like they wants to hide it it always irks me

Interesting idea. I already have paper bags in the shop that I use to knock down nibs in dry finish. I'll try that the next time I cut myself. Probably won't have to wait that long to try it out
.
Manual? I don't need to read no stinking manual! Well, actually I do. Usually several times. In terms of safety, it seems that most of the manuals come with several pages of obvious safety instructions, sort of, "don't shove paper clips into live receptacles while standing in a puddle of water during a lightening storm". The only safety instruction I'll look at are those embedded in the manual that are specifically associated with a part or process. Besides, all of my accidents have been due to either laziness or stupidity. No manual can fix that.

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DesertRatTom

· #17 · Nov 2, 2021

I was in the ER a few weeks ago and this guy came in with his leg wrapped, except for a 6.5 inch circ saw blade embedded in his thigh. He was there for a number of hours while they stitched him up, then kept him laying down (in shock) for a few more hours. Finally, they let him leave, with that blade in his hands. Don't want to waste a blade, right?

He had locked the blade cover off to the side then lost his grip on the saw when it kicked back on a knot, then landed on his thigh. Ouch. The put all that safety stuff on saws and tools for a reason. But still, if you are paying full attention, you're probably gonna get it some time or other.

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Old Ray

Discussion Starter · #18 · Nov 3, 2021

DesertRatTom said:
I was in the ER a few weeks ago and this guy came in with his leg wrapped, except for a 6.5 inch circ saw blade embedded in his thigh. He was there for a number of hours while they stitched him up, then kept him laying down (in shock) for a few more hours. Finally, they let him leave, with that blade in his hands. Don't want to waste a blade, right?

He had locked the blade cover off to the side then lost his grip on the saw when it kicked back on a knot, then landed on his thigh. Ouch. The put all that safety stuff on saws and tools for a reason. But still, if you are paying full attention, you're probably gonna get it some time or other.

I have been guilty of jacking around with designed safety features in my earlier years, but as I watched and learned from the guys that done it all their lives, most sporting chopped off/mashed off fingers or really nasty looking scares. I could see the pain and regret in their eyes as they told you their stories. Some were some of the greatest machine operators I have ever been around, even though they were what I considered the best, that one time got them. I watched them everyday sometimes really struggle to try to do messed up hands what they used to do easily. That one screw up they have to live with everyday of the rest of their lives.
Yesterday afternoon I took a about 60 foot tree down for my neighbor. It was dying and mostly dead and he was concerned about his new camper that he parked close by. I was not at all concerned at all I could put the tree exactly where I wanted it to fall. I concerned myself about checking and rechecking all the things I knew to do to make it fall like I wanted it to do. After roping it high for leverage with a big stiff nylon rope, pulling it with a 3 tons come-a-long, and another come-a-long to actually pull the tree, the first one tightens the rope up, attached a tree across the way. The set up was about 30 feet from where the end of the tree was end up. My neighbor on the come-a-long ready to really tighten up the rigging the second the notch came out of the tree. I had put just enough gas /oil mix in my biggest saw to make three short easy cuts. It started up like the champ it is and I made a cut into the tree flat about 10 inches then drove a big wedge in it exactly the direction I wanted the tree to go down. I finished that cut a little over half way through, and made the upper cut to intersect the first. It hit dead on , and the notch came out.. As I got in position to start the back cut, and the come-a-long was being snugged up a little more, I just walked away from it, and motioned for him to pull it on down, it had already started popping/breaking in what was left holding it up. I never made the back cut, we had it leveraged just right. it exploded into a pile dead limbs all over his back yard. I poured the gas out on the dead stump and started the saw back up and let it run until it quit, It went back on the shelf in it place in the garage until the next time.
I guarantee you I was a lot more focused starting that big saw up this time!

Have a great rest of the week,
Ray

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