Thread: Dangerous accident

Originally Posted by Ben Dono

Morning Duke! I think I might have missed something as I thought Borax was relatively non toxic to most things except insects.. Are they getting rid of borax now?

People used to use it to rinse their eyes and this is what they are trying to stop. We wanted some because the Wife heard it was a good trace element for beetroot, and did we have a job to get the chemist to sell us some.
Regards

Boric acid has a 50% lethal ingestion dose in mammals of 2.6 g/kg so a 50 kg person would need to eat 130 g to have a 50% chance of dying. Common salt has a 50% lethal injection does of 3.75 g/kg so boric is not that much more toxic than salt.

However, low levels have been found to shrink dogs testicles and also is know to effect the development of unborn mammals. This is why it's use has been restricted.
There is a bit more detail here Boric acid - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Originally Posted by Chris Parks

I detest overalls due to the difficulty of getting them on and off quickly. I have been in a small flame over and don't ever want to repeat the experience. Why the bushies are using one piece overalls has always puzzled me, very hard to get off in a hurry if need be.

I am with you on this one. CFA in Vic has now changed to 2 piece. Far smarter and safer choice.

I wear overalls very rarely myself but for general shed work including welding I had SWMBO cut off a pair at the waist to leave me with a jacket. I also made an apron from leather we got off a stripped leather couch for intensive welding grinding jobs.

Rinsing your eyes with borax ? I have never heard of that one. Another old wives tale? Them old wives have got a lot to answer for. They should be banned. It is amazing what people will subject themselves to without really knowing why.

However, low levels have been found to shrink dogs testicles

I will have to remember that one!! You can never tell when this needs doing.

May be worth researching flame resistant methods. I guess garments are available retail. I know that there are heat resistant HiVis vests for people who weld etc.

Dean

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

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Rinsing your eyes with borax ? I have never heard of that one. Another old wives tale? Them old wives have got a lot to answer for. They should be banned. It is amazing what people will subject themselves to without really knowing why.

Not borax but boric acid or hydrogenated borax has a number of medicinal uses.

Boric acid can be used as an antiseptic for minor burns or cuts and is sometimes used in dressings or salves. Boric acid is applied in a very dilute solution as an eye wash. Dilute boric acid can be used as a vaginal douche to treat bacterial vaginosis due to excessive alkalinity.^[14] As an antibacterial compound, boric acid can also be used as an acne treatment. It is also used as prevention of athlete's foot, by inserting powder in the socks or stockings, and in solution can be used to treat some kinds of otitis externa (ear infection) in both humans and animals. The preservative in urine sample bottles (green cap) in the UK is boric acid.Boric acid solutions used as an eye wash or on abraded skin are known to be especially toxic to infants, especially after repeated use because of its slow elimination rate.^[15]

Originally Posted by Oldneweng

Them old wives have got a lot to answer for. They should be banned. It is amazing what people will subject themselves to without really knowing why.

Dean

+1 Dean.

Some stuff just boggles the mind.

Cheers

Rob

Hi

You only need to catch fire once to fully understand the outcome. Mine was with a friend on a farm near Murgon in QLD. I was holding onto a piece of steel for him to weld. Had one of them plastic jacket on that get issued to you when working on mining sites. Jacket was hit with sparks, plastic caught fire, I said I was on fire, he dropped everything, picked me up and dunked me in a water trough 3 metres away. After that, I stepped back, thought about my own slack practices in the shed. Every welding or grinding job I do, I ensure I have water handy, remove all the combustable materials out of the way, that is, moved metres away, wear suitable protective clothing for the job you are doing. Then get on with it.

Be safe and take care Gents.

DD

Rural supply places might be the go. I just bought. 20kg bag to treat my firewood storage shed for termites. I'm going to pick up the pure borax this week for some DIY cockroach baits.

The little buggers eat all of the peanut butter I use in the rat traps. A bit of borax will kill them without harming my chooks that will find them on the ground the next day!

BTW, the chemical treatment energy Australia are using on their poles for termites and rot is a chalk like produce made by preschem. It's predominately borax and Fluoride. I had a chat with the local lads and they say the treatment is good for 10 years and it's easy to retreat. It's the same manufacture of the small 'no rot' chalk sticks you find in bunnies.