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The Perils and the Pitfalls...

4K views 52 replies 24 participants last post by  vince-305 
#1 ·
Dont know if this is the correct section but here goes....

Addressed to Si and the users of our forum...

Today I posted bit of a long rabble about safety in the workplace and the home garage, etc in the topic section
All too often i meet people with the remains of a scar or second prize sustained in the working environment, etc.

I have noticed a lot of younger guys(or younger than me) coming onto the forum (basically through the type or content of some questions asked, etc) interested in the hobby and its great, it shows to me that the hobby IS alive, however you cannot buy the experience of people on here and how do we get that experience down on paper ?

The newbies are the future to sustain the history and all that surrounds British rodding, racing or whatever part of it floats yer boat, long may it continue, i hope some of the dinosaurs dont scare them away....

With this I think some of the skills which are handed through generations dwindle as times and career opportunities in our country (UK) change.
Nowadays the "hands on trades" are becoming minority in favour of the desk type jobs, result = skills shortage = attracting workers from elsewhere, wont go there.........

the younger team who used to find it easier paying people to modify their cars are now having a go themselves during recession times and coupled to the fact that tools are generally more available eg, basic welding set up for 150 quid, grinder for 30 quid, compressor for 150 quid, etc etc enough to get going, not counting what we can get from ebay...

So nowadays the possibility of self tuition is on the up. If someone shows someone else, maybe they are passing on the skills but not neccessarily the hazards associated with the activity.

Few people take notice the warnings on the side of the packet.....makes ye a poof......eh ????

Im wondering whether something like posting good basic safety information along side the tech features (some of which are superb) would be of any benefit.

What do you all think ?
Maybe the tech feature with a sub folder for the pitfalls to go with the perils.
I have access to a lot of info through my industry, how to lift correctly, how to change a cutting discs correctly, basic equipment checks amintenance advise, eye safety, etc etc

I dont want to load out a section amongst some good tips from professionals of a running feature (Big Yins Fly press for example), maybe a sub folder of the tech features ...how to and more importantly how NOT TO would be good.

I dont mind starting this off with what I have, for sure there are more experiences than mine.

Comments please ?? :wtf: or :hit:

Stuart
 
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#2 ·
I for one think its an superb idea. i train engineering apprentices for a living and i spend a lot of time covering health and safety in the workplace and the correct use of tools and equipment (im a qualified health and safety officer). all the lads (and lasses) i get to teach are between 16 and 20 years old, most of them buy a car at some point during their 4 year apprenticeship and i do spend quite a lit of time advising them on car related topics as well as the stuff i need to teach them.
i would be happy to put some words together on both general safety and (if apropriate) cover some of the more knowledge based subjects, basic first aid, chemical use and warning signs found on containers.
it would be nice to hear from some of the younger people on here to see what they think.
 
#3 ·
I apprenticed in the motor trade nearly 40 years ago. We had a superb apprentice school and H&S was drummed into us. Within the first month we attended a lecture in London which featured some very graphic slides from accidents within the motor trade work environment. Graphic enough that a few people threw up and a number had to leave the room. Those images stuck with me and I always tended towards being respectful of any equipment I was using. At a later stage of my career I became an H&S rep so had the pleasure of writing up plenty of mishaps.
In a trade environment there are normally others around when things go wrong. Fires, missing fingers, feinting are all so much easier to deal with when others are nearby. The only death in our workplace happened on a Sunday when procedures were not being followed and nobody else was around. As a rep at the time inspecting the scene on the Monday morning made me vomit.
The only car to totally burn out was after hours when somebody was welding their own exhaust, legitimately, but again with nobody else around.
If you're working alone in your garage the environment is deadly but many don't realise...there is safety in numbers.
I know of one well known name from the Tri Chevy world who was trapped for some time when a Pontiac rolled off some ramps and trapped him by the hand. When you're in a cave it's sometimes a fair while before anybody walks past to help free you! His hand was not a pretty sight. Can also remember a well known Hi Rider and his wife having a lucky escape when a friend passing by discovered them overcome by fumes on a cold winters night in the garage. Not very slick...
 
#4 ·
Sounds like a great idea. I'm hoping we can get the tech features section bulked to do like you say, pass on the knowledge. I don't see why safety advice should be left out of this.

The best approach might be to write up some posts in the features area and once we've got a few together I can look at the best way of organising them within the site ??
 
#5 · (Edited)
Sounds like a plan Si :tup:

Really want your (our) site to be there for anyone who wants to ask any level of tech / non tech question and to understand the pros/cons, and more importantly not to be afraid to ask !!!! without being snipered !!!!!!!!!!!!
My attitude is, Im not a smart guy but what i learn, costs nothing to share with others.. i think many on here same boat, that means a lot to me personally because every day i take something from here !! whether tech, history , new stuff coming in, shoot the shit..whatever bud,,,,


great to be accepted, means that i will now task my counterparts to provide lots of good stuff !! albeit oil and gas, what happens in the real world.....?
 
#6 ·
I think this is a fantastic idea, im 22 and in the motor trade (Prepper/Painter) so i know how important it is to understand how to use tools properly and safely as well as chemicals (paints, thinners etc) my gaffers dad does a couple of days a week with us he's 77 and he's been there seen it done it two or three times over but i cant count how many times ive asked him if i could use a tool i'm unfamiliar with and how many times hes give me a demo of how the tool works and a safety run down before he lets me use it, why does he do it?

Prevention is better than cure!
 
#7 · (Edited by Moderator)
I served my time as a City And Guilds centre lathe turner/machinist, some 30 years ago, and even back then safety was hammered into us, but over the years I have lost track of how many times I've seen people leaning over lathes with long hair hanging down, loose overalls, sleeves rubbing on chucks, guards removed etc. There is a hell of a lot of power in even a small lathe, and it can suck you in and ruin your life in a heartbeat, as can pillar drills, bench grinders, rotating wheels, propshafts, engine fans etc.

I think the cause of the following accident was a lose sweater, or some such simple thing.

Link removed by Roadrunna. The post has been re-submitted in the Adult Area due to it's content
CONTENT WARNING - Partially dismembered body following industrial accident - VERY GRAPHIC

http://www.rodsnsods.co.uk/forum/showthread.php?t=4962

:tdown::sniff:
 
#12 ·
Great idea.

This is a great idea........it's a positive way of helping to promote safety within the hobby.

Raising safety awareness can never, ever be a bad thing.

I served my time as a Fitter/Turner and spent years milling, turning, grinding, fabbing, welding etc and safety was paramount. It only takes a split second to lose a finger, a hand.........or your life.
As Apprentices we were also shown very graphic pictures of accident scenes and injuries.

There is a hell of a lot of power in even a small lathe
As an apprentice I once seen a lathe lift itself clean off the ground, stripping the threads and nuts clean off the fixing studbolts. The lad using it had let the tool/toolpost hit the chuck at high speed (started lathe on a high speed for the next job.....with the high speed feed still engaged after screwcutting :shake:). The tool/toolpost rammed into the chuck, which pretty much stopped dead and the resultant transfer of torque and energy caused this to happen. The 'bang' from this was a noise no one in the training centre will probably ever forget. The lad was lucky, the only thing he probably lost at the time was bowel control. :shock::scared:
No part of your anatomy is ever going to get the better of any machine, or handtool for that matter.

I have worked in the Oil and Gas industry for a long time now and can relate to where Rottenroot is coming from with this. I work on an offshore platform and the emphasis on safety is always second to none.

Taking a step back from what you are doing every now and then to look at the big picture can highlight potential dangers that you may not see when you are so close to the job in hand.

Look after each other, you may see something unsafe someone else hasn't noticed.

Even though you are safe, be aware, someone else might not be!!!

Be safe out there chaps and chapettes. :bigsmile::bigsmile::bigsmile:
 
#10 · (Edited)
No worries. I was in two minds whether to post it, as it is a very blunt (and extreme) reminder of what can go wrong so easily.

Just thought, I started working offshore 17 years ago TODAY, and the one thing that has increased dramatically is the safety aspect. I'm a safety kinda guy, so anything we can post on the forum that helps people from having to learn the hard way is okay with me.
 
#9 ·
i think its a good idea.
I completed an NVQ2 last year in welding and fabrication, (despite getting no experiance at work! then they laid me of)

Health and safety was a major part of it. Came up in all of my exams, theory and practical.
If i were shown what a machine was, i was told how it could hurt you and even kill you if you don't follow the rules, then shown how to use it.
 
#14 ·
Served my time as a vehicle technician in the RAF.H&S drummed into us from day 1.Moaned about it at the time,but thankfull for it now.If you can get people to have respect for their equipment(ooh err) and the possible damage/injury it can cause at an early stage,it will stick with them for life.
Great idea!
 
#15 ·
This is a brill idea hard to get down all of the pitfalls, I did my time in the motor trade then in motorsport and know for Special Vehicles, also a first aider and have seen some nastys from young lads who did not listen ( not all ) would be good to pass on knowledge think it's what we lack now.
 
#17 ·
I think it needs to be broken down into a thread for each situation, such as :-

Gas welding

Arc welding

Grinding and cutting

lifting vehicles

etc etc

That way you can just have bullet points of does and don'ts for each subject, and not get it all cluttered up with comments and nasty tales, although it may be best if the first post was the list, and then they could be reinforced with comments in the later posts, or expanded on.

Does the HSE not have some documentation that would help out. It could be altered to suit specific situations.
 
#32 · (Edited by Moderator)
way forward

I think it needs to be broken down into a thread for each situation, such as :-

Gas welding

Arc welding

Grinding and cutting

lifting vehicles

etc etc

That way you can just have bullet points of does and don'ts for each subject, and not get it all cluttered up with comments and nasty tales, although it may be best if the first post was the list, and then they could be reinforced with comments in the later posts, or expanded on.
Exactly the idea i was looking at, dont know how effective though ,but basically pointers in the right direction.

few comments from me as the fire build up of those who do want the info, and those who dont.

Si, as requested earlier, I think it would be appropriate if possible ,for these threads to have own sub section under tech area sub folder. That way the great tech issues and features continue uninterupted by this subject.

---------

Ian - I agree, the safety side of using equipment, etc is 99% common sense big man and each individual should understand how it works before using, I cannot comment on the common sense approach of everyone, depends on the guy, but in todays society people dont read instructions, procedures, manuals, they want plug and play, thats it...no time for anything else.

i see it continuously in my industry, all down to behaviours.
---------------

The packet of peanuts gag is an example of how things in the world have gone way over the top, however changing a cutting disc on a hand grinder with the incorrect disc speed rating, made in china for eg, which is as good as compressed camel shite and explodes into a million bits at a very high speed, may just give you a sore one....dont need to go on ...

"but i got 10 discs for a fiver mate".......yes you did......... and ?? too fkin late, how was i to know....thats the point of the threads, "wrapping people in cotton wool". Some folks need that approach, others no.

Im not a safety pioneer, just one of the ones with the common sense quite happy to share it, unfortunately to the dismay of some.
The other forum turned some scenarios into slagging matches, thought we were above that. ? Debate, yes

I dont think there is nannying creeping into the hobby, i dont think the hobby has hit rock bottom with health and safety features, i interpret it as a pro active move to encourage people to try something new whilst providing some pointers in the right direction.
Is that the idea of the tech features too ???? how to do something yourself ??

Stuart
 
#18 · (Edited)
what ever happened to common sence! the idea is sound but come on.. if you dont realise you can be pulped in a machine you really should be locked up for the protection of yourself and others..

Health and saftey... and hot rods... do they float in the same boat.. will you be fitting seat belts, SIPS ABS Traction control, or are you just going to drive sensibly and apply common sence ? same as with your tools... by the time youve fitted gaurds to your grinders, sliped on your dust mask and goggles along with your elbow length gauntlets and saftey helmet,your completly desensitised, plus the hazzard of your goggles steaming up your more likely to cause yoursef an injury kitted up than not...

some of the risk keeps you on edge and concious of the hazzards..

If your that worried about cuts grazes bumps and bangs and the rest of the associated pitfalls, pay someone else to do your work, the only hazzard then is to the health of your wallet..

meantime remember to wrap yourself in cotton wool before leaving the house and mind you dont get repetitive strain on the keyboard...

let each individual be responsible for there own saftey and lets halt the nannying from creeping into the hobby, its been fucked up enough over the past few years as it is .

if weve now reached the stage of Health and saftey features on a hot rod forum then the hobby has really trully and absolutely hit rock bottom...I would prefer to read stuff and see stuff about car building but thats getting hard to find.

be carefull and always wear clean underwear.. juts in case..and if your strugling,

Grinders cut, welders burn, etc etc and if your having a cup of tea remember that hot water scalds.. so if your having a cup of tea and a *** you trully are living on the edge...
 
#19 ·
what ever happened to common sence! the idea is sound but come on.. if you dont realise you can be pulped in a machine you really should be locked up for the protection of yourself and others..
No offence meant specifically but why is always that those who 'know' stuff that belittle 'teaching' those that don't :tdown:

You've gone through your learning curve so why not allow (and possibly help) others ??

When kids grow up don't we teach them what is right/wrong, safe/unsafe ?? Are they automatically imprinted with the 'rules' from birth ?? Nope.

some of the risk keeps you on edge and concious of the hazzards..
Very true and it's the way it should be however I also can't see education of those risks doing any harm ? Look at some of the 'old school' guys with missing fingers or one eye etc. Do you think they'd have preferred to have not lost what they did ? If you don't know about the risks though how can you be concious of them ?

meantime remember to wrap yourself in cotton wool before leaving the house and mind you dont get repetitive strain on the keyboard...
Don't laugh about that one. RSI has knackered my hands and wrists to the point of not being able to do a hell of a lot of what I used to :( (Nope, not wanking :lol:) But it has meant that you lot have now got a website to play on :lol:

let each individual be responsible for there own saftey and lets halt the nannying from creeping into the hobby, its been fucked up enough over the past few years as it is .
Not nannying at all and responsibility does still lie with the individual. By putting an information resource on here we're not claiming or removing responsibility, it's just allowing people to be more educated about things. There's no 'enforcement' of anything put up on here, you'll find it's entirely optional :tup:

if weve now reached the stage of Health and saftey features on a hot rod forum then the hobby has really trully and absolutely hit rock bottom
Rock bottom or new heights ? Each to their own interpretation. As per the 1st bit in this post, it should be up to those that have been doing it for a while to be passing on the advice and information so that those just getting into it can have a wealth of resources at their disposal to build bigger and better things. Schools and establishments don't teach kids 'useful' stuff nowadays so why not have a place where they can find it out themselves ??

I would prefer to read stuff and see stuff about car building but thats getting hard to find.
Due to the rate this site is growing (and not just the chat section) then i'd say there's plenty of that kind of stuff to read. It also relies on people contributing stuff like the guides and their experiences (be they safety related or not). Just like your feature on building a louver press. At the end of the day it's not just YOU that wants to read/learn stuff and it's not just the type of info YOU are looking for that needs to be covered ;) We have to cater for all levels of experience.

I'll gladly encourage anyone's willingness to learn and on ANY subject. If it stops someone losing a finger or hand then it's been worth it hasn't it ?? One persons level of common sense may be different to anothers. Often, things that have actually been learnt are described as common sense just because they've been in the system for that long that it becomes natural.

As with everything on here, people don't have to read it just cos it's been posted.
 
#21 ·
Like all things on here, you do not have to read it if you do not want to!

If you already know stuff, then it sounds dead simple, but if it can help those that have never done a job before to buy the right tools, and actually survive to drive the hotrod they build, then it must be worth while.

We've already seen folks post pictures of overalls that went up in flames, cars catching fire, using petrol for things it should not be and breathing in toxic chemicals.

If it was your child that was wanting to build a hotrod, wouldn't you want them to be safe?
 
#23 ·
Last time I flew out to work they gave us a bag of peanuts and a Coke.

And this bit is true, I swear it, the bag of peanuts, (that was labelled Peanutson the bag) had a warning label: 'Danger, may contain nuts!' printed on the side.

Some people obviously don't subscribe to the safety-is-a-matter-of-common-sense theorem.:pmsl:
 
#26 ·
I was watching an episode of American Chopper earlier and that made me wince! Mikey was using a grinder with a cutting disc, no back shield on it, no gloves and no ear protection......at least he was wearing goggles I suppose. :shake:

The thing is this is televised world wide so what kind of an example is that to set to car and bike builders especially the youngsters who don't know any different. :mad:
 
#27 · (Edited)
And this bit is true, I swear it, the bag of peanuts, (that was labelled Peanutson the bag) had a warning label: 'Danger, may contain nuts!' printed on the side.

sounds like a tag that should be posted on the door of this place.. Infact this place is already begining to sound like the NSRA site.. and thats already full of nuts....:)

I learned from an early age that catching your fingers in a door hurts like hell, falling off yer bike hurts like hell, but guess what it dont tell you on the door neither is it etched on the bike Thats because if your so fuckin stupid as to stick your fingers in the door and ride your bike like a nutjob you can expect all thats comming to you.

The fellas with missing fingers quite often knew what the risks were but took the chance anyway.. if you donrt realise that a blade that can cut metal or wood wont chop off your fingers then you should at all costs be kept away from the workshop cause your obviously an idiot and if your that stupid its unlikely youll have the smarts to build a car or anything for that matter.

Maybee im old school but it just rips me how folk have to be led by the hand in every thing they do these days.

I bought my first project at 14 bought an ark welder learned myself how to use it, later bought a mig learned myself ow to use it etc etc made mistakes and got the scars to prove it.. Thats not macho is natural.. some people just need to be wrapped in a comfort blanket..while the world is laid at there feet... put the effort in you get the rewards. If you dont already realise that tools and workshops are dangerous then find a safer hobby, tiddlywinks, but remember to wear your eye protection and watch out for carpet burns !

If grandkids are so young they dont understand the dangers of workshop equipment then you should be asking YOURSELF should they be in the workshop in the first place.. THATS JUST COMMON SENCE......the rest of you just watch out you dont catch your fingers in the door... and dont take a toaster in the bath with you, unless its unplugged...
 
#33 ·
Infact this place is already begining to sound like the NSRA site
C'mon now, how did it stem to that from one thread :beuj:

Seriously, you're not after any of this information. Fair enough, you know all you need to and that's fine by me.

On that note, why not leave this thread to those who are interested in putting the info together for the benefit of those who are interested in reading it. There's plenty more out there of the type you said you WOULD be interested in reading :tup:

Cheers.
 
#28 ·
When my son's in the workshop with me I will always show him the safe way to use equipment if he's not used it before. He's 20 years old and I'd really like him to A) be around to look after me in my old age and B) to be in one piece whilst he's looking after me.

It's none of the macho bullshit about it's a sharp blade it's going to hurt etc. He's fully aware that a grinder will hurt if it's used incorrectly but he isn't necessarily aware of the best way to use it and keep all of his fingers intact.

It's not leading people by the hand, it's damage limitation. We don't all find it being big and clever having fingers missing. :shake:

How did you learn to drive? Oh yes, somebody taught you how to do it properly and safely didn't they because if you don't then people get hurt.
Same thing, different scale. :tup:
 
#30 ·
The thing is the analogy works fine....think of the carnage if nobody was taught how to drive.

It's like I said, it's all about damage limitation.

I show my son how to use equipment safely, you can call it leading but I prefer education and it only has to be done once. :tup:

Sorry, this isn't meant to be a personal thing it's just that I would like to show the other side of the coin where H&S is concerned. 8)

Edit... Your post changed whilst I was typing this! I prefered your original response, it wasn't taken personally.
 
#31 ·
after reading it i thought it was to personal so changed it , im not here to offend anyone, but like the rest of you I will stand my ground .. we'll have to agree to dissagree cause this will just go round and round.. I dont advocate unsafe work practice, I just think that if you cant see obvious dangers for yourself then your a danger to others... keep folk like that at arms length..

if you dont realise that a grinder/drill/welder/file/hammer/chisel/electricity/hard things/wet things/sharp things/ pointy things/ smoky things/toxic things/dusty things/heavy things will bite you if your not carefull, then you should really be in a padded cell for your own saftey.. If your a child your excused, as you grow up youll find out, but maybee not in this nanny state....
 
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