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View Full Version : How often do u have a good injury???



Rowan
20th July 2004, 12:02 PM
After suffering my third serious bleeder in abut 18 months I started to wonder if I should be anywhere near power tools. All three injuries have taken at least 4 hours to stop the flow of blood and one was a trip to casualty (there went that day).

Not counting the usual splinters and minor abrasions that result from rough wood and sharp tools, what is an "acceptable" time between accidents.

a) a week
b) a month
c) 6 months
d) a year
e) eternity!!!! :D

craigb
20th July 2004, 12:26 PM
I was lucky to be able to vote Never.

I really hope I can keep it that way because the things that we play with can give you a really nasty bite. :eek:

So I for one, always try and treat them with the respect that they richly deserve.

However, accidents do happen :(

Craig

silentC
20th July 2004, 12:51 PM
I'm not really the superstitious type but I feel I would be tempting fate to respond to this poll. I had the same feeling about the 'how many fingers have you got' poll from last week. So far, the answer is 'never' - touch wood (now, surely if that worked we'd all be injury free).

I was lucky enough to get through jobs in a sheetmetal works, a glazier, and a joinery without ever needing anything more than a bandaid.

Wongo
20th July 2004, 01:45 PM
I voted “never” and the only reason is I have been very lucky. :(

I am learning to respect power tools and machinery though. :)

duckman
20th July 2004, 01:58 PM
Where's the option for "more that yearly" or words to that effect?

My last serious injury (I'm a chippy) occurred about 6 years ago when I stepped off a ladder and found that a bucket containing broken glass had been placed, by a mates teenage son, near the bottom of the ladder and my right leg ran down a shard of broken glass. :eek:

Accidents involving tools are for me, very few and very far between. :)

LineLefty
20th July 2004, 02:05 PM
I've been at this 6months now and not had a serious injury, bar a few chisel nicks and a decetn cut from a japanese handsaw. Having said that, I mainly stick to hand tools.

Wood Borer
20th July 2004, 02:05 PM
I voted never but I don't like the option either. So far I haven't had a serious injury but who knows what the future holds.

I exercise safety precautions and think things through and keep a four leafed clover in my pocket. Keeping the bench clear is simple and effective but difficult to put into practice.

- Wood Borer

LineLefty
20th July 2004, 02:09 PM
Keeping the bench clear is simple and effective but difficult to put into practice.
- Wood Borer

Thats a good safety tip WB, Most of the cuts Ive had has happened as I've grabed a tool of a cluttered work surface and touched the business end of a chisel or blade. IT also increases the chance of dropping and shattering some thing brittle steel goodies.

Kev Y.
20th July 2004, 02:26 PM
I am afraid I had to vote yearly, however I have not been out in the shed for a while which helps improve my stats a bit.

The last accident ended up with a visit to casualty, after embedding a 25mm chisel into my index finger. (no stitches required THIS TIME)

Also I tend to believe that "every day I dont have and accident is a day closer to the day I will have one." :o

Kev

E. maculata
20th July 2004, 08:50 PM
Must abide by NSW workcovers description of a "serious injury", therefore I have apparently never suffered a seroius one whilst in the shed woodworking, usually happens as soon as I set foot outside it though, or on my way to work, or at work, or on my way home, going to the shop............etc etc etc.
Lesson from my life "expect it when u least expect it"

Bruce C.

bitingmidge
20th July 2004, 08:58 PM
How often do u have a good injury???

I must be lost. Sorry.

Have I stumbled into a S&M forum or sumfing?

To my way of thinking, NO injury is a GOOD injury.

:confused: :confused: :confused:
P

RETIRED
20th July 2004, 10:34 PM
I have to answer that I have never had a good accident. The last LTI I had was in 1968 when I crushed my finger with a crank handle.

All my machines terrify me. You live longer that way.

journeyman Mick
20th July 2004, 11:09 PM
All my machines terrify me. You live longer that way.
I'm with , maybe not terrified, but seriously mindful of the damage that they can do. Never had a serious injury, worst was a slip with a chisel that needed 3 stitches (I knew I was doing the wrong thing at the time) and a slip off a wheelhouse that sent me crashing onto an anchor winch cracking 3 ribs. Insufficient space for any sort of scaffolding or a ladder so there was nothing much that could have been done to prevent it. Most of my slips and injuries have occurred through a combination of stress and fatigue. Working 60+ hours a week (plus travelling time, plus time for paperwork) is just asking for trouble. I've become really good at saying "no" over the last few years. So the worst injuries nowadays are the occasional splinter or bump.

Mick

WISE
20th July 2004, 11:36 PM
No suitable time between incidents just don't do the same thing twice.

I had to teach myself to learn from my injuries

A few years ago i was cutting masonite for presentation boards with a stanley knife (not too smart i know) slipped off the steel straight edge and cut the top off my thumb 1/3 through the nail all bar the skin on one side.

one year later almost to the day, once again was cutting masonite with the same conditions and sliced up the centre of my forfinger(just short of the bone) between the two nuckles closest to the nail.

haven't had a serious cut since and hope i havent prompted one with this brag.

bsrlee
21st July 2004, 01:45 AM
Rex Mossop would LOVE the title of this one.

There is no such thing as a 'GOOD' injury - minor, serious, maim, dead is about how I see it.

The initial question also seems to imply that you SHOULD have accidents, and that you should look forwards to them! Then the explanatory text implies the opposite. AAAaaarrgghh!!

So far, woodworking for a few years now, I've only had one bleeder that needed a trip to the doctor - when asked if I had saved the piece of skin I had to gently explain that it was a thin red mist in the back yard - sticking a fingertip into a full speed router bit does that. Its just a bit shiney now, not too bad. Everything else has been a bandaid job. When metalworking I've had a few cuts, burns and such, nothing needing medical attention, but boy did they hurt - remember - Hit the rivet, not your finger!

But I have 'done' my back a few times, usually getting out of the shower or some similar domestic disaster - maybe they'll ban homes next?

hexbaz
21st July 2004, 02:49 AM
I voted 6-monthly, which is about true - though I have never (he said, tempting fate) been injured by a power tool. Knives mainly, and a couple of times by a hand saw. My most recent bleed was taking the end off my finger with a ceramic potato peeler, but I guess that does not count as it did not involve woodwork.:rolleyes:

Rowan
21st July 2004, 10:58 AM
No suitable time between incidents just don't do the same thing twice.

I had to teach myself to learn from my injuries

Therefore injuries can be good if they teach u not to do the same thing twice. After all dont folks say

"learn from your mistakes!!!!" :rolleyes:

davo453
21st July 2004, 11:38 AM
I also had to say never (and touched everything lucky in the process) had a serious injury from woodwork. I’ve had many close misses though and am also terrified of all my machinery, whilst trying to avoid the adage “familiarity breeds contempt”.

I do injure myself just about every were else though. Not serious enough to go to the doctors as a rule (takes a lot to get me there though) At Easter whilst driving a Backhoe I dropped a wheel in to a hidden hole which jolted me making my hand slip on the control jerking the vehicle even more and throwing me up and on to the edge of the window which slides into the roof space. Result a quite deep dent in the front of my skull (still there), I saw stars for nearly an hour, I’ll wear the seat belt next time I think.

The other day whilst watching TV (a harmless pursuit you would think) I did as is my habit shifted my leg up to put it over the arm of the chair, I totally forgot the coffee table was there (no I was sober) The heavy Jarrah table took off vertically and I have a large hematoma on the top of my foot, don’t think its broken but its hard to wear shoes at the moment.

And those are only the recent ones. Maybe I should as SHMBO says live in the shed.

Cheers Dave

Zed
21st July 2004, 03:10 PM
thankfully due to my anal retentive nature I have never hurt myself in the shed. I have however trod on a beer bottle whilst drunk and required 12 stitches or so under my big toe. that was a fun night! NOT!!!

once upon a time I had a little habit of breaking the fall of objects with my foot (usually whilst clad in a shoe) as I have very fast reflexes honed with a nervous nature and some very risky sporting practices. I did this without incident for many years and saved numerous objects from breakage until I dropped an old dial telephone (the old telecom ones made by sdc with bells and coils in 'em) on my big toe - this in itself wasnt so bad but I neglected to elevate my foot so that I could "shock absorb" the fall and since my foot was on the ground I effectivley hammered my big toe with a friggin heavy phone against the anvil of a concrete floor - jeeeeeezzuuss! did that HURT like a mo'fo!!!

Eastie
21st July 2004, 03:13 PM
So the monkey has feelings :rolleyes: :D

Wood Borer
21st July 2004, 03:30 PM
I dropped an old dial telephone (the old telecom ones made by sdc with bells and coils in 'em) on my big toe

Zed they were made by STC and called ACF's in NSW and 800's in most other places. Being an old tech it brings back memories but nowadays many young techs giggle and laugh when I refer to these older phones when I take training courses.

They were good phones but a thing of the past now however the principles of telephony haven't really changed over the last 100 years or so.

The coil you referred to is called an ATSIC coil (anti side tone induction coil) which was always the first thing that came adrift when they were dropped.

I think they are collector's items now.

What's this got to do with woodwork? - sorry I was dreaming of the past.


- Wood Borer

Zed
21st July 2004, 03:36 PM
yeah I know them well - they were the "foreign order" of choice when installing extra sockets. I was a very naughty apprentice...

collectors item ? you gotta be kidding - there were millions of them around the joint surely they cant be valuable in the least. they were very robust werent they ? I remember being hit on the head with a handset during a mock battle in my old exchange , it hurt me - didnt do anything to the phone :D

whats it got to do with woodwork ? nothing - this is a saftey thread innit ?

Honest Gaza
21st July 2004, 04:12 PM
Still got an Ivory ACF in the shed. Only recently threw away spare transmitters, receivers, curly cords etc. But we digress....

ivanavitch
30th July 2004, 12:57 AM
I voted never since I have ye to be stitched. I do however donate plasma fortnightly so that the regular cutters and bleeders can have a free topup.

scotty

kiwigeo
3rd August 2004, 08:47 PM
Ok....heres my injury tote so far.


1. At age 7 got a little toy woodies kits with a REAL chisel in it. Promptly stuck the chisel through the side of my left hand and had to get it stitched up

2. At age 13 attacked the same hand with an axe and ended up with a scar right next to the chisel job.

3. At age 45 cut the top of my head open and ended up with 7 stitches. Was working on a Japanese pailing fence when a couple of palings Id left propped against a post blew over and landed on my nut. Panic stations as I was due to head out to an oil rig next day. Once Id got it stitched up I had to ring up the client and pursuade them to let me go out. Got out there and went to see the medic to have the stitches taken out....he was overjoyed to see me.....it was the first time hed taken out stitches and he needed the practise.

Of course it goes without saying that all of the above injuries were the result of poor job pre-planning and just plain stupidity.

kiwigeo
3rd August 2004, 11:22 PM
It might be slightly off topic but injuries are involved....check out attached URL for news item on an unfolding tragedy in Melbourne. A house has collapsed on a couple of chaps doing a re-stump job on same.

http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2004/08/03/1091476457148.html

Kris.Parker1
5th August 2004, 11:31 PM
My last funny (slightly painful injury) was when I was laying a deck in the backyard. My brother decided to come around a give me a "Tim the Toolman" boost with his old, slighty over used air compressor nail-gun, suffice to say after spending two hours in casualty, a tetanus shot and three small two inch stainless tokens in a small clear sterile container later I returned home. I doubt he will be invited around for the grand opening of the deck.
For those interested one in the thigh hit the bone, one in the knee and one in the calf on the other leg. Talk about getting caught in the line of fire.

Cheers

Kris

P.S. I have since purchased a cordless rechargeable one. No more old tools for this little black duck.

burn
16th November 2004, 07:06 PM
Today is the first day I've been able to look at this BB in a week.

A new SPD25A + mortising attachment + 150mm cross slide vice picked up last Wednesday (for $500 mind you) broke my back ... well pulled a muscle which was never meant to be pulled and was on my back for the last week! Admittedly I'm still young, but boy what a wakeup call .... I must remember not to be young and stupid anymore and attempt to lift/move/carry anything I want. Take care of backs ... good chairs, posture, exercise .... I want to be able to still use all my machinery well into my 80's!

Burn