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Posted By: Trumpy Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/16/05 01:37 PM
There was a nasty incident here locally that I am aware of.
Had the young guy been wearing a decent Hard Hat, this would not have happened.
But he wasn't, he was wearing a cheap copy of a Hard-hat, I was shown by the local OSH Inspector that it had the Hard hat Compliance sticker, but there was no NZS Number or other approvals apart from a C-tick
(For EMI standards) and a CE mark (and we all know it means Chinese Engineered).
Only reason I say this, is because I filled in for the guy yesterday as a wicket-keeper in a local game of cricket, he died last night at 9pm.
Off-topic, but if you are looking at this Trish and Becky, (Mother and Daughter), please take care!. [Linked Image]

[Linked Image]
Mike.
Posted By: capt al Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/17/05 04:12 PM
It is pretty sad that someone would supply this young guy with a cheap knockoff hard hat. How can you justify saving a couple of bucks over the value of a life? That is just wrong.

Al
Posted By: Big Ed Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/17/05 10:25 PM
I hate to ask it this way, however, was the hardhat supplied by his employer or was it one that was purchaced by the individual?

I have worked in industry requiring hardhats for 15 years and have seen companies that supply the cheapest they can get. I have also worked where they get the best money can buy (incidentaly, my current job does this).

Amazingly, with these high quality hardhats, some individuals buy their own, cheaper hats. Most complain that the cheap ones are lighter, more comfortable, better looking... whatever.

I am not looking to point blame, but to point out that sometimes the best intentions of an employer can be subverted.

Ed
Posted By: Trumpy Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/18/05 10:37 AM
Guys,
I've had more information from the OSH Inspector since my original post and it doesn't look good for the Employer.
What actually happened was young Rick was on a local building site here and happened to be walking under a scaffolding at the same time as a Plumber dropped his 12" Stilson Wrench.
So I'm told, it hit Rick in the head and caused near-fatal injuries.
From what the Inspector tells me, Rick was only wearing a "Bump Cap", not a Full Hard Hat as he should have been provided with.
Apparently, the thing split into 3 pieces upon impact.
Sure, a freak accident, but one that could have been easily preventable.
Big Ed, to answer your question, it was supplied by the Employer. [Linked Image]
Even worse, to be 23 years old and dead, with a young family.
We all know someone that has had a head injury at one time or another, my absolute sympathy goes out to those that have and have to live with it.
Capt Al, I agree with you whole-heartedly!. [Linked Image]

[Linked Image]
Mike.

{Message edited to fix up spelling}



[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 01-18-2005).]
Posted By: ga.sparky56 Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/24/05 02:11 PM
That's a sad story Mike.

On the subject of head injuries,I know a fella who's in his late 60's,and has something similar to Alzheimers(sp?)

His Dr's have pretty much ruled out the possibility of regular Alzheimer's,and have attributed it to a head injury he had as a younger man,so even tho you recover from such an injury,no telling what long-term effects it might have on you.

Russell
Posted By: Trumpy Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/26/05 12:43 PM
Good Call Russ!,
And nice to see you down here. [Linked Image]
The brain of a human being is such a delicate thing.
It is suspended in a certain amount of fluid and if that fluid layer is damaged, wether it be by injury or disease, it has huge ramifications for it's owner.
Look at Enchephalitis (sp?), or Fluid on the Brain.
It doesn't take much of a knock to seriously effect the Brain.
Break a part of your skull and that opens up an entirely different kettle of fish. [Linked Image]
Isn't a Hard hat such cheap protection?.
Posted By: DougW Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/26/05 05:59 PM
Our pastor's son-in-law was working on a job site just before Xmas, when a mason accidentally dislodged a step board (2" x 6") which headed down and pegged him in the head.

While his helmet was Listed, and a decent commercially available brand (AFAIK), it shattered, and part of the injury was chunks of plastic in his head, along with the resultant swelling from the impact.

He survived, and it appears he'll be making a significant recovery (thank goodness).

Scary stuff!
Posted By: ga.sparky56 Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/27/05 02:23 AM
I'll confess that nowadays when I work in an attic for any length of time,I put a hard hat on.

It's a pain,and you get some strange looks,but after gouging my noggin on a roofing nail a couple years ago,it's well worth it. It's kept me from many a cut on my head.

Russell
Posted By: pauluk Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/27/05 11:35 AM
Quote
I'll confess that nowadays when I work in an attic for any length of time,I put a hard hat on.
I must admit that I'd never even considered that, but when I think back to the times I've clonked my nut on something in an awkward attic it's probably not a bad idea.

Would need to be a hat with a very low profile for some of the tight spaces though.
Posted By: Trumpy Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 01/29/05 08:02 PM
Yeah Russ,
I'd agree with wearing a hard-hat up in a roof.
Things have got worse since builders started using Nail-guns and just fire nails into the timber willy-nilly.
I've knealt on a few, in the past, they are sharper than the older type nails too.
Doug, it's great to see that young fella come out of that accident OK, that's a nasty one.
Ouch!. [Linked Image]

{Message edited for spelling errors}

[This message has been edited by Trumpy (edited 01-29-2005).]
Posted By: ruggedscotty Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 06/10/05 06:26 AM
I recieved a moderately severe head injury while working and have to say that it is one of the worst things that anyone can go through - what makes it so bad is that there is no real outwardly visiable indication - its all in the head as they say.

I worked for a contractor supplying the british army with facilities support out in Bosnia, I was stationed near a little town in north west bosnia called Sipovo - it was back in '98.

We went out for a meal at one of the locally employed labourors houses a summer barbeque and then the on call technician came down to pick us up afterwards. We never made it back. I was a front seat passenger and the landrover struck a truck parked at the side of the road.

I work up some time later in Sarajevo - had taken a severe knock on the head and had been in a coma. My condition worsened and I was medivacced back to the UK where I ended up in the nurological centre in southampton. I had a sub duran haemotoma bleedig below the membrane that surrounds the brain and this was pressing down on my brain. I needed surgery to remove this pressure and I underwent what they call burr hole, a couple of holes drilled into my skull and the blood clots removed.

The ramifications of this accident had an effect on me for a long time afterwards - if truth be known I still suffer from time to time. I had my drivers licence taken away for six months - they had to see if I had any fits after this type of surgery.

I suffered from flash backs - disturbed sleep and post trumatic stress. I can tell you to look death in the face and then walk away leaves a lasting impression, you tend to question alot about yourself and life and what you hold dear. Suddenly things that were important before become insigificant and vice versa. I walked away from that learning so much more about life and what I was about.

Lawyers got involved as things turned ugly with the company that I had worked for. Dismissed for mis use of company property.

Yeap I should maybe write a book about it all as well if I could stop some one just someone from getting in a car after having a couple of drinks or even like I did from getting in a car with someone that had taken a few drinks then I would have achieved something. I would be pleased that I had stopped someone from going through all that I went through.

Oh the experiance out in Bosnia ? I can tell you I saw some amazing things electrically that would have kept this board going....

Ruggedscotty
Posted By: kale Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 06/17/05 12:00 AM
I've posted this link elsewhere, but it does fit into the discussion here: http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/photo/archive/photo148.htm
Posted By: gfretwell Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 06/28/05 05:57 AM
Did you all know a hard hat has an expiration date?
The OSHA consultant that pitched my wife's company said they are only good for 4 years after the date stamped in the bill.
He said they can fine you for it.
Posted By: renosteinke Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 06/28/05 07:12 PM
Yea..sure they are......I've yet to see any "expiration date" in the ANSI standard, on the hard hat, or with the supplied literature. Ditto for every other type of helmet (there are several different helmet standards).

I'd have that consultant document his claim.
Posted By: gfretwell Re: Lets concentrate on Head Injuries! - 06/29/05 12:25 AM
I looked into this and the 4 year is a recomendation but every company I looked at says at least every 5 years, and maybe every 2 years if you work in the sun. The interior suspension may only be good for a year.
http://www.nifc.gov/wfstar/hottopics/hard_hat.html
http://media.msanet.com/NA/USA/Head...rdProtectiveCapsandHats/816803_01_03.pdf
http://12.181.169.139/Merchant2/merchant.mvc?Screen=CTGY&Category_Code=HDP
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