Sharp edges on fixtures!!!!! OUCH!

[bobsherwood]

Can anything be done? Seems in the past few years, all fixtures have become almost razor sharp! Is there anyway to appeal to the manufactures to stop this practice? We do remodel and maintenance here and the electricians are always getting cut. Nothing serious but, was not an issue a few years ago. We change a lot of ballast in "can lights" and when you stick your hand in... surrounded by sharp edges. Buy a new 2X4 and grab it to install it... sharp all the way around. The guys here are asking.. who can we turn to? Seems even expensive fixtures are the same. Who can we turn to?
thanks!

 

[cadpoint]

I like the Kevlar, or the plastic dipped kevlar glooves!

 

[brian john]

34 years ago I got cut from a sharp fixture, 8 years ago one of our top men, then an apprentice received a nasty cut from a fixture.


This is nothing new.

 

[Pierre C Belarge]

As Cadpoint suggested, gloves are the answer.

There are so many different gloves to choose from today that would most likely protect your men, and provide them with the comfort to work well that this issue would be reduced.
By buying the gloves, it will provide 2 solutions.
1. help them to reduce the number of cuts.
2. show them you care - which may be more important than keeping them from getting cut.


My wife always tells me to look for the "silver lining in the clouds".

 

[bobsherwood]

well, I have been in the business almost 40 years and I know they are much much sharper then they used to be. try working through a 6" hole to change an emeregency ballast with gloves on!! I know about gloves, they all have a huge verity of gloves... What I am looking for is to complain to someone. Fixtures have always been somewhat sharp but, now, I promise... dang near razor sharp... text it.. I dare ya!

 

[LarryFine]

I started installing car stereos back in the days of 8-tracks, and I've never cut up my hands doing electrical work as I did back then.

 

[nakulak]

stop using gloves. if you cut your hands enough you will be more careful. if you want to rant, call the manufacturer and tell him you won't buy any more of their fixtures. if you want to be a sissy, get yourself one of those reality shows about sissy electricians who stamp their feet and storm off when they cut themselves. otherwise, paint the white wires red like the rest of us.

 

[peter]

In the exquisite field of illuminaire engineering, there is an eternal battle for the cheapest cost. Less metal equals less money. However there is the ever present danger of getting the metal too thin. In other words, aluminum foil, even the heavy duty kind, is too thin to hold a sharp edge.
Now in some factories, there are teams of Philopenino ladies whose task it is is to file sharp edges on the edges of electrical apparatus. Now you might not think this is worth the effort but it does shrink the shipping costs in large quantities. They especially do this on box faceplates.
~Peter

 

[LarryFine]

if you cut your hands enough you will be more careful.

If you really cut them often enough, the scars will toughen them up.

Otherwise, paint the white wires red like the rest of us.

Now, that's just wrong. :roll: (But, funny. :grin

 

[brian john]

My hands and arms are a mass of scars from various accidents.

 

[AV ELECTRIC]

We use to call those flouescent dropins beer can fixtures

 

[jeremysterling]

The way I came up: When the journeyman cuts himself, the apprentice shall bleed...

Worst cut I ever got on my hand was removing a single gang stainless trim-plate for a twistlock recept from its plastic wrapper. They are very sharp.

 

[Mr. Bill]

I've heard getting the fixtures "painted after fabrication" PAF will reduce the sharpness of the edges. But no one likes to pay for a luxury. Gloves are the most likely solution for you. I doubt the manufacturers will change for anything less than a big money court loss.

 

[highline]

2x4 drop in gave me 14 stitches. Shades seem to get worse every year. I think fixture manufactures have stock in glove companies.

 

[480sparky]

2x4 drop in gave me 14 stitches. Shades seem to get worse every year. I think fixture manufactures have stock in glove companies.

It's the other way around......... glove companies have stock in fixture manufacturers.

 

[wawireguy]

I don't like working with idiots that are always bleeding all over the place. That's why god made gloves. Everyone gets cut sometimes but I've worked with guys that it was a daily occurence.

 

[kris davis]

I thought they use recycled razor blades to make them.

 

[cadpoint]

... That's why God made gloves. Everyone gets cut sometimes but I've worked with guys that it was a daily occurence.

I always pack a few band-aids in the wallet, I re-check when panels and light placement are coming up.

 

[flashlight]

I thought they use recycled razor blades to make them.

I could shave with some of the mud rings we got.
They seemed to be worse a couple years back during the "boom."

 

[ceb58]

Sharp edges can also do more than make you bleed.