Injured by Hand Tools

[DanZ]

I don't know if this counts. Is a 1 man auger a hand tool? You know the type that has the lawnmower motor on one end and the auger on the other. We were repositioning this when someone dropped the 12" auger. It pinched my index finger and broke the tip off. It was held on by the nail. THey had to rip the nail off and stitch the tip back together. They then sewed the nail back on. THAT HURT A LOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I thought you were going to mention using a lawn mower to trim your hedges!:roll: :wink:

 

[DanZ]

I watched a guy pull a hammer out of another guys tool belt and smack him in the head with it.

I have to ask, what did he do to deserve it?

 

[DanZ]

A friend of mine once told me there were 2 secrets in life:

1) Never cut with a knife toward you.

I always heard that number one is "DON'T PANIC" :grin:

 

[MarkWhite]

Too many to list but here is a dumb one. Pulling on fish tape with linemans pliers above my head. Pliers slip and smacks me right between the eyes. Sat on the ground for a long time after that. Hey maybe that is whats been wrong with me all these years:grin:

An old tool partner of mine did that. Broke his glasses in two and he looked like he had converted to Hinduism for a few days.


My first tool incident was early in my career roping apartments when someone suggested that I buy a 32oz waffle face hammer for work.

After the first day I renamed it "Meat Tenderizer"

 

[jayrad1122]

I know your body has something along the lines of a "low oil pressure" idiot light. It senses a drop in blood pressure and makes an effort to save your belly jelly.

I think my body reacts somewhat stronger than most. I get it from breaking an ankle or even from getting a blood sample taken. If I'm sitting or standing I'll start seeing static after 30 seconds (feels like when you're hand's asleep, but in my eyes) and then get nauseous on the way to lights out.

Thats pretty much how I am also. About 2 months ago my index finger slipped off the grip of my sawzall and right between the front plate and the chuck. It took a nice big sliver off the side of it. I stood up about ten steps and passed out.

 

[Rampage_Rick]

I always heard that number one is "DON'T PANIC" :grin:

And number 2 is "always carry a towel"

 

[frizbeedog]

And number 2 is "always carry a towel"

Are you a Hitch Hiker?

 

[ultramegabob]

I have poked myself in the eye with my safety glasses...

 

[zog]

And number 2 is "always carry a towel"

#3 Dont leave home without your pocket fluff

 

[LarryFine]

I have poked myself in the eye with my safety glasses...

That wouldn't have happend if you had been wearing safety glasses rated for protection from safety glasses.

 

[frizbeedog]

I have poked myself in the eye with my safety glasses...

Being injured by donning your saftey gear is something that there really is no cure for. Sorry.

It seems we just won't be able to make the world safe enough for all of us. :wink:

BTW LOL.

 

[brian john]

While trying to take off my PPE coveralls I durn near dislocated my shoulders, got stuck and had to yell for help. Fairly embarrassing.

 

[keepitsimplestupid]

I only have a few from long long ago (<17 YO). I guess I learned.

1. Scrapping copper out of a transformer and pinched my pinky with a hammer on the edge of the pinky. Kinda split the guts out of the finger. About 1.25" long. Self-repaired. Scars are barely visible.

2. Learned about kick-back the easy way when a chain saw took a bite out of my index finger. You can barely see the scar. Again self-repaired. Scar is barely visible.

3. And not a hand tool one, but it's not fun to play with electricity. I was doing body work on my car (I was 15-16) at the time. Sanding. No shoes. No shirt. Lying on my side. The extension cord was damaged and I caught the damaged part of a flat extension cord between my toes and there was nobody home. I could not let go. So, consciously I screamed. That was enough to distract by body so I could move my leg and let go.

Later in life.

4. Done much later. I was making a custom cutter for a project I was doing on a lathe and I was filing and the file slipped. I cut my finger on cutter.

5. I was working on a roof doing some sattelite work and started to slide. No harness. I said, I know about sliding and static friction. Let me lie down. I stopped sliding.

BTW, there is a table saw that won't cut skin, or hot dogs called the Sawstop. www.sawstop.com. It puts a charge on the blade and when something conductive touches the blade, the blade is send instantly into an aluminum block. Every occurence will set you back $70 or so, but you'll still have your finger.

I hate the drill and sheet metal, so I try to use pilot bits or bullet bits whenever possible.

 

[r_merc]

2 Days ago I was installing a range cord onto the Range. My hand slipped and I have this nice sheet metal cut accross the knuckles. Apparently there is an artery right there and my middle finger starts shooting blood out. Why that didnt hurt at all. Out to the truck. First aid kit isnt where it is supposed to be. OK find the napkins and electrical tape. 6 Hours later I finally have a chance to look at this "Cut" ... well I pull the skin apart and am watching my tendon move as I flex my finger. Just a little deeper than I expected.

 

[frizbeedog]

... well I pull the skin apart and am watching my tendon move as I flex my finger. Just a little deeper than I expected.

I was about to go and eat dinner.

....they say fasting is good for your health and spirit. :roll:

 

[electricalperson]

While trying to take off my PPE coveralls I durn near dislocated my shoulders, got stuck and had to yell for help. Fairly embarrassing.

thats pretty horrible but it did make me giggle a little bit. hopefully you were ok

 

[peter d]

I was about to go and eat dinner.

Yeah, I got a weird sort of feeling in my stomach when I read that.

 

[TOOL_5150]

Impact driver slipped with a #2 phillips bit. Went about 3/4 inch (full depth of the bit) into the webbing between my forefinger and thumb. It didn't really start to bleed for about five minutes and it looked like I had a little tunnel into my hand. No stitches. X-ray (make sure I didn't hit the bone) and Antibiotics. Not the dumbest, just the most recent.

Mark

Yeah those impact drivers are awesome - but change the phillips bits often! Mine slips occasionally when I get too lazy to change the bit, and I usually end up jabbing it into my finger . Maybe I will learn some day...

~Matt

 

[khixxx]

I cut, nicked, and bruised my hands so many times I now were gloves even to pick my noise.

The scariest tool out there is that crazy high speed core drill. Not sure what it is called official, I avoid it like the plague.

 

[keepitsimplestupid]

Emergency first aid:

You hit your nail on your finger with a hammer. What do you do?

1. Go to emergency room
2. Go to a non-emergency medical center
3. Try to make an appointment with your doctor
4. Take a drill press and drill a small hole in your nail
5. Heat a pin with a torch and puncture nail

I've done (5) and (3). I've (4) done. Blood goes everywhere if you wait too long, but it beats loosing the nail and it hurts a lot less.