Thread: Band Aids

Time to get some kevlar gloves...

A lot of the stuff I've made has has had some blood in the process but 4 cuts in a weekend is sacrifice on a grand scale.
Time to look at safe work practice and those gloves.
Regards
John

4 was a record. yesterday I was a little sick, a little tired and the attention kept slipping.

I went out today and bought some cut5 gloves, I'll wear them when wielding my ryoba saw since I'm now pretty confident that I got the finger seeking model.

Originally Posted by mark

Good news, is my tools are sharp, and the tenons are straight and true

And the tendons? At least with straight and sharp tools you' help the surgeon if he needs to see you up!!

i have a constant supply on hand as I don't think I have made something whereby I haven't cut myself. I also have to hide them from my daughter as she has a band aid fetish, and I'm sick of using duct tape to wrap round myself to be able to keep in working and keep the blood out of the wood.

The year I was at Sturt, the only accident that required medical treatment was from a handsaw.

Personally, I've just done a splinter count - 3 little ones that I should take out.

Originally Posted by Fumbler

i have a constant supply on hand as I don't think I have made something whereby I haven't cut myself. I also have to hide them from my daughter as she has a band aid fetish, and I'm sick of using duct tape to wrap round myself to be able to keep in working and keep the blood out of the wood.

what's wrong with duct or electrical tape as a wound closure?

Originally Posted by mark

4 was a record. yesterday I was a little sick, a little tired and the attention kept slipping.

I went out today and bought some cut5 gloves, I'll wear them when wielding my ryoba saw since I'm now pretty confident that I got the finger seeking model.

personally, I suggest you ditch the gloves and examine your technique.

these days I only seem to draw blood when I nick a cutting edge through carelessness.

Originally Posted by ian

what's wrong with duct or electrical tape as a wound closure?

Nothing really but blood doesn't mix well will the gum and doesn't help it stick. Duct tape however, does make the people in the ER laugh. I was cleaning a block of wood held in the hand and was scrapping with a Stanley knife when I slipped and it ran straight up my wrist. There was blood everywhere and luckily I didn't cut a vein, but just taped it up and kept on going as I had tools everywhere in my car park. Funnily enough the ER doc didn't believe my story and called the psych nurse down for a chat. Not surprising really as it was at RPA and they have a few of those cases. Anyway after being stitched up at 10pm, I headed off to work, stopped for some butter chicken and was parked 1/2 illegally and was approached by the police, but after they heard my story and saw the bandages they took pity and didn't book me. 1997 was a good year.

I would suggest that you also invest in one of the "instant ice" packs. You twist or bend them and they go very cold - they are useful to minimise bruising etc., but also if, heaven forbid, you cut a finger off or some such, it preserves it to help the surgeons sew it back on. I have never had to use mine, but keep it in the workshop none-the-less. Like ian and others above my usual injuries are small, annoying splinters so a splinter probe, some bandaids and some anaesthetic + anti-bacterial antiseptic cream lets me keep working (I get skin infections easily).

My father-in-law was living in the hinterland behind the Gold Coast, was on Warfarin, and cut the top of his finger off on a circular saw. He drove himself to hospital and the doctor said that he could have bled to death except the saw blade must have been so blunt that it got hot enough and cauterised the wound

Originally Posted by Xanthorrhoeas

I would suggest that you also invest in one of the "instant ice" packs. You twist or bend them and they go very cold - they are useful to minimise bruising etc., but also if, heaven forbid, you cut a finger off or some such, it preserves it to help the surgeons sew it back on. I have never had to use mine, but keep it in the workshop none-the-less. Like ian and others above my usual injuries are small, annoying splinters so a splinter probe, some bandaids and some anaesthetic + anti-bacterial antiseptic cream lets me keep working (I get skin infections easily).

the topic of workshop first aid kits has been discussed before.
In reality, the workshop kit only needs to cover treating those injuries that can be taped up while you continue working.
In the event of major trauma -- i.e. "4 on the floor" -- curtailing blood loss is a priority, followed by medical assistance. Typically, if you don't have the time to get a cold pack (or bag of frozen peas) out of the freezer, you don't have the time to activate an "instant" ice pack. If the injury, laceration or bruising, warrants a cold pack, or something more substantial than a band aid or a couple of inches of masking tape, it's time to stop working anyway. And to sit down somewhere cool.