Be Safe Out There

[Arlin Eastman]

This all makes me wonder why I'm still alive.
I'm the outdoor type and active a lot.

 The short list;

Been shot twice (chest and leg). (accidents)
Attacked by bees to the tune of over 20 stings.
Rolled my jeep downhill into a muddy swollen creek.
Almost drowned on the rapids in a canoe.
Almost died in the hospital from a scorpion sting.
Hit 480v right through the arm/legs- that was a bad one.
Rattlesnake hit me on the shoe- right at the empty toe space- in the middle of no where Texas.
Fishing on the surf, a small Hammerhead about 6 foot long knocked me over before I ran on top of the water to shore.
Was 25 miles offshore in our Mako and hit a severe storm that near sank us.
Truck on jacks fell on my hand and I was pinned for an hour before I got help- hand ended up ok by a miracle.

 In the shop? Nothing to bad, just removal of skin from the jointer and a few cuts and one fingernail got ripped off. Oh- was using a long bit to drill through a shaft and my hair got caught in the bit and pulled out a chunk of hair.


But my biggest achievement is I have survived marriage and kids.


 I have a great guardian angel.

Cripes I would say you gave him a work out

[Cecil]

There are still countless woodworkers who would insist nothing else is needed other than what is between the ears. If that's true, 99% of safety measures and advisory in the world would be unnecessary. Accidents and injuries can happen to the most careful woodworkers.

That's part of the problem. No one can tell me they have never had a "brain fart", or some unexpected equipment or material failure. You shouldn't have to rely on the guards / interlocks / E-Stops etc. They are there as a backup when something unexpectedly goes wrong. 

It's like running a chainsaw, You don't plan on tripping the chain brake or cutting into your safety chaps. But things don't always work like you plan them to. I've never cut open my chainsaw chaps, but I've had a couple of times when I've come close enough to realise why I'm wearing them. 

Or you don't plan on testing your cars air bags, but when something goes wrong you may be very glad they are there.

I never used to wear a bicycle helmet.  I started wearing one when I told my kids they had too.  If I did not start wearing one, I would either be dead or talking like an person.  I did several thousands of dollars damage to the vehicle which collided with me, but I am able to talk intelligently about it.  My hearing is bad because I did not use proper safety equipment when younger.  I now wear $4,500 hearing aids so I can converse with my grand kids.  I now wear cut resistant gloves when I use sharp tools, like knives and chisels.  My safety habits have improved over the years.  Its not that I don't trust my guardian angle, but what if they happen to be looking the other way when I do something stupid.

[iclark]

I was a mechanic 39 years. I knew more people that lost fingers on a bench grinder  than any other machine.

It is frightening to me how many people seem to think that grinder wheels are stones and stones never break.


Considering how many pairs of leather gloves I wore out in my younger days cleaning VW parts on wire brush wheels in a grinder. in hindsight, I consider myself luckier than I do skilled. Goggles were always worn, but I should have learned the lesson about keeping out of the throw zone faster than I did.

[iclark]

There are still countless woodworkers who would insist nothing else is needed other than what is between the ears. If that's true, 99% of safety measures and advisory in the world would be unnecessary. Accidents and injuries can happen to the most careful woodworkers.

The Ken Vick quote in my sig does not denigrate in any way the importance of guards and other safety measures.

To me, it is a reminder that even with all of the safety features in the world in place, I can still hurt myself if my mind is not in the work/moment and that I am responsible for my safety.

[Cecil]

I never used to wear a bicycle helmet.  I started wearing one when I told my kids they had too.  If I did not start wearing one, I would either be dead or talking like an person.  I did several thousands of dollars damage to the vehicle which collided with me, but I am able to talk intelligently about it.  My hearing is bad because I did not use proper safety equipment when younger.  I now wear $4,500 hearing aids so I can converse with my grand kids.  I now wear cut resistant gloves when I use sharp tools, like knives and chisels.  My safety habits have improved over the years.  Its not that I don't trust my guardian angle, but what if they happen to be looking the other way when I do something stupid.

The PC software Woodnet is using is ruining my post I wrote "I would either be dead or talking like an i-d-i-o-t."  The software changed it to "p-e-r-s-o-n".  If I click edit, to change my post, the text reverts to exactly what I wrote.  Enough with this idiotic political correctness.  


Oh fudge

[hairy]

Good Choice, for larger stuff you can size up. I use the clamps for a lot of routing operations where if it went sideways, there would be my fangers  





They aren't Irwins, but HF has them for cheeeep.

   
          I do that on the bandsaw at times.