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Posted By: arseegee Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 03:15 AM
I dodged a trip to the emergeny room today by an inch...literally.

While I was walking through a job today, a carpenter (a kid no older than 20) had just finished cutting a board on some saw horses when he slung his circular back just as I was passing by. The blade guard was pinned back and I swung my body out of the way to trying to miss it. The saw blade still spinning, hit my radio that was clipped to my side and gut a grove clear across from top to bottom. I immediately looked for blood and expected to see my kidney hanging out. NO blood so anger moved in as I let some words fly. I am thankful that I was not injured since it could have been a bad accident.

All I can say is pay attention to what you and your guys are doing but pay more attention to the other idiots on the job site.
Posted By: NORCAL Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 04:40 AM
Is'nt defeating a guard on a saw, a $1000.00 to 1400.00 fine from OSHA? Or are they not likely to show up? (Unless there is a accident). [Linked Image]
Posted By: e57 Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 07:50 AM
Ya know thats you fault! Dont tell me you don't know of the "Stay 25' from a dumb a$$ rule". Thats horizontal, never get anywhere close to under one.

Let me guess, the guard is pinned back with a 16p nail? Makes a nice bullet when it slips out.

Sounds like that job is due for a safety brow-beating. And, you'll be looking for a bigger vintage phone. [Linked Image] If I were you, I'd got play Lotto right now before the luck wears off.
Posted By: Alan Belson Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 12:44 PM
Is 25' far enough? In a recorded case in the UK, a saw with the guard fixed up was dropped on the floor. It had enough momentum for the blade to run back up the guy's leg and into his crotch. Oooerr! Could just as well have been someone else's leg....
Alan
Posted By: Gregtaylor Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 01:21 PM
A guy working with me cut off all the toes on his left foot through a cowboy boot when he put down a pinned back saw on a sheeted roof and the trigger stuck. More than one violation here. All I can say is we were young, dumb, hungry idiots and I'm glad it wasn't someone else's toes.
Posted By: frank Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 03:33 PM
I have to agree with e57 on this one get them LOTTO tickets while there hot
Posted By: growler Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 03:35 PM
If the saw guards are pinned back, check the nail guns. You may yet get your brain ventilated. There are still plenty of crews that don't have a clue about safety.
Never sit down on the roof when a plumber is in the building. Those chain saws some use for vent openings will ruin your love life. I think of every job as an accident waiting to happen and try an make sure it doesn't happen to me.
Posted By: mkoloj Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 04:36 PM
I had a really close call once about 4 years ago when I was working installing data\comm cabling in a building that was being gutted, I just finished a pull and was at the reel boxes cutting all my cables down when I hear a crash and BAMM a small rooftop A\C unit came crashing down about 18" away from me right onto my boxes. Some illegal and obviously untrained guys were told to demo out the A\C unit, the way they accomplished this was that they were on the roof and cut the roof around the unit so it came crashing down into a space that there was no warning or anyone to make sure that anyone was under where they planned to drop this thing. There was definitely some colorful words spewed out from my mouth of which I don't think a single one was comprehended by the guilty party's. The next day I was to go there I had to drive in my own car to the site and as I cam rolling up all the guys were outside doing the usual hanging out before work starts and suddenly I have the light bulb light up and I came out of my car swiftly yelling "I-N-S EVERYBODY FREEZE!!!!" I think half the crew that was there from all the other company's instantly disappeared for the day.
Posted By: Celtic Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 08:48 PM
That idiot would always be searching for power as the male end of his cord would be cut off every day for a week...the following week, just unplugged, the week after that one single strand would be run between prongs - and unplugged...at least once per day....
lather, rinse, repeat.

This would continue until "someone" begged my forgiveness.
Posted By: Celtic Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 09:04 PM
Just remembered one close call....working UNDERNEATH a monorail with "flip switches" (for the train..switch weighs about 8 tons and "flips" in just a few seconds). Switch WAS LOTO, and people were working on it...all off a sudden I hear the the thing engage and before you could say "Heads-up" the thing flips - dropping a cascade of various tools (someone's tool bucket/rig?). A 12" or so adjustable wrench comes sailing down, bounces off the rail to my lift, and hits the dirt.
I retreive the tool and put it it in MY bucket/rig.
A half-hour later some shumck is picking up the other "litter" and asks me if I saw a wrench.
I say "you mean the one that just bounced off my rail"
him- yes
me -yes
him- can I have it back?
me- no
him-why not?
me- it's mine now

Eventually, my supervisor, his supervisor, the job super and a rep. from the client all appear...same basic q/a happens. My super, finally says - "..just give it back.."....as I threw it in the lake, they were all like "why did you do that?" ...I said "Oh gee..sorry..I slipped" - same dumbass comment the shumck gave.
Then I went back to work and let them fight about who was going to fire me - which didn't happen...LMAO.
Posted By: jdevlin Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/15/05 11:23 PM
Our company(call center) is currently moving into some additoinal space. The landlord insists on doing much of the building reno. Our contrator only doing inside work.
First
They cut holes in block wall for windows go home day. 3:00am call comes in roof fell down. They did no blocking or support and the block wall gave out take a 50 foot wide by 100 foot length of roof. Took a bunch conduits for fiber phone etc. Restaraunt in other part of building had no Debit for three days because of phones out.
Next week they cut hole in roof for AC and add supports etc. Inspector comes. Welding inspection fails.

Rains three days later and the newly fixed roof(not the part that fell in. that's still down) leaks all over the newly installed raised floor for the Lan room.
Just waiting to see what happens this week. We are supposed to fire up the UPS Friday. They rerouted the power conduits/lines around the down roof.
These are all the landlords contractors. Our guy would never let this stuff happen.
Posted By: e57 Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/16/05 02:03 AM
So now my worst close calls.....

Installing box for sconce on fifth floor over a floor that wasn't poured yet, so the "floor" was rebar and plywood. It was like walking on a tramoline. Someone walks by, and thier wieght tilted my ladder, next guy goes by and knocks my ladder by accident as its still moving from the first, I fall 5'! I then bounce off the floor, and on to the window framing on my back, roll out the window, and on to the outside scaffold below on the next floor down. As I am sliding face first toward the next floors, the stucco guys grab my tool belt and pulls me back up. Meanwhile my bags are emptying on to the side-walk below.

Drinks were on me for those two guys for the rest of the summer. I didn't get hurt, but years later I have funny back problems...

The other one is while I was closing a service side termination can while 20' up on an extention ladder. As I'm closing the can, one of the kerney's spung out, and I pushed the cover againt it, pushing throught my own "what I thought was good" tape job. The resulting short blew a 5" hole in the cover at eye level, luckily I blinked at the right moment, or I wouldn't be able to see this screen today. So I loose balance due to being startled by the explossion and minor slag burns on my face, and fall with one leg hung up on the ladder. The ladder rolls, falls and I ride it in a radius to the ground. No broken bones, no blindness, just a couple of pin-spot burns. And some lucky lessons on what not to do.... (Practically a laundry list.)

The next day, I have to check and re-tape my kerney, and go put a new cover on this box. I get there, and it takes me over an hour to stop shaking, and even longer to go put the cover on.
Posted By: Jps1006 Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/16/05 02:08 AM
Man, E, your close calls read like an episode of Tom & Jerry, or Wild E. Coyote.
Posted By: mkoloj Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/16/05 12:11 PM
New OSHA regulation!!!! E57 is to be tethered off to a point capable of supporting 5000 lbs. if he does not have his feet on the ground.
Posted By: bucketman Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/16/05 07:17 PM
If i give you $10 will you buy me some tickets.
Posted By: pauluk Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/16/05 11:15 PM
A couple of years ago I was doing a partial rewire on a Vicrotian house and the GC was removing some old gas heaters.

I saw him tackle the first one by stopping the end of the pipe, having his assistant turn the gas on, and putting his ear to the end to "listen" for a leak. As I saw him take a lighter from his pocket and strike it I decided to beat a hasty retreat, making excuses that I'd run out of something and had to go back to the supply house.

I went and had brunch in town and figured I'd come back later..... If the place was still standing! [Linked Image]
Posted By: kale Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/16/05 11:49 PM
See this link for another close call. http://www.safetycenter.navy.mil/photo/archive/photo148.htm
Posted By: Texas_Ranger Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/17/05 01:23 PM
Well, my uncle (plumber) told me there's nothing bad with the match-technique as long as you try it instantly after turning on the gas!
There won't be enough gas-air mix for an explosion, just a very tiny flame. Gas doesn't have that much pressure. I've seen him try that after repairing our kitchen stove.

He also took apart our main gas valve live to fix it (it was leaking and there was a pressure test scheduled). He couldn't really turn off the gas for all apartments, so he decided to do it live. He handed my dad a wet rag and told him to push it into the opening... didn't even smell too bad. And if there had been significant amounts of gas in the air it would have smelled!!!
Posted By: gfretwell Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/17/05 03:57 PM
The guy from the gas company (Washington Gas Light) used a match to test my water heater when he set it up (1971). I guess old timers believed the smell of the gas was enough to prevent blowing up the house. It is like old sparkys who test circuits with a calloused finger.
Posted By: Trumpy Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/17/05 11:40 PM
kale,
That's a shocker of a story.
Mind you, it just goes to show how easily things like this can happen.
Wow Paul, I don't think I'd want to be around to see the results of a dumb act like that!. [Linked Image]
Posted By: hbiss Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/18/05 12:01 AM
I had gas run into my house a few years ago. The gas company excavated the main out on the street and I happen to notice one guy sitting on the back of the truck whittling the end of a stick to a point. Curiosity got the best of me and I walk over and ask him what the stick for. "You'll see" he says.

The other guy gets up out of the hole and gets a pneumatic drill from the truck (there is a compressor on the truck). He looks around for a twist drill in a drawer, couldn't find a sharp one and asks me if I have one, 3/8 would be good. I go to my truck and find a 5/16, "good enough" he says. He then chucks the drill bit in the drill, jumps down in the hole and proceeds to drill a hole in the 4" medium pressure gas main.

So, right about then I'm wondering whether to run but I notice the other guys don't seem concerned at all. I watch as this guy drills and just as the drill bit is about to break through the guy with the stick finishes whittling and tosses it down to the guy with the drill. Now as gas is hissing out of the hole the guy takes the stick and jams the pointed end into the hole plugging it. He then puts a saddle and valve body down over the stick, tightens the U bolts, pulls out the stick and screws in the valve.

Needless to say nobody was smoking...

-Hal
Posted By: Trumpy Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/18/05 07:41 AM
Cool story Hal!, [Linked Image]
However, I have to agree that professionalism within your own trade is a bonus.
I've done things that would make a usual Electrician cringe, but I'm used to doing it, even on 230V-66kV lines.
I think to a certain extent, it's when it all goes wrong, that we we tend to hear it more often.
Just my take on things. [Linked Image]
Posted By: DougW Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 06/25/05 04:30 PM
Hey, E57, forewarn me if you'll be working in my jurisdiction, huh? [Linked Image]

Reminds me of the story of the excavating company that was digging out an old water line when the accidentally nailed the gas feed.

The painter came out of the house complaining of "smell of gas", and said he was going to his van for a minute.

A second later the thermostat called for heat...

The house blew. The operator was protected by the cage on the machine, and the debris blew over the two guys in the hole.

Oops.

(And yes, we did manage to put out what was left after the resulting fire)
Posted By: Hazmat Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 07/14/05 08:30 PM
When I was young punk and building a deck on the back side of mom's trailer, I managed to cleanly remove (with a post hole digger) a 6" chunk of 1/2" plastic gas line from the incoming feed, before our meter. (Prior to One-Call, of course.)

Saturday evening, mid-summer and I've got LOTS of gas blowing from a hole in the ground. Ran to gramma's place and called (I don't know...911?) for help. Service guy shows up 20 minutes later and proceeds to lean down in that little hole and install a 2 piece splice and then test with soap solution...all while smoking a cigarette. Said the gas was too high a concentration to blow up!

Now I'm not a rocket scientist, but I do gas concentration calc's a lot...and even then I knew what LEL's and UEL's were. At least enough to understand that SOMEWHERE in the area he had to walk through to get to that "leak".

I watched excitedly from around the corner of the house, about 100 feet away...luck bastidge.
Posted By: Alan Belson Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 07/15/05 11:33 AM
Gas fitter, going up fast. At 13000 feet, he sees another guy on his way down.

"Hey buddy! Know anything about gas explosions?!"

"Nope!- Know anything about parachutes?!"

Alan
Posted By: Trumpy Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 07/16/05 04:04 AM
Hazmat,
My interpretation of Gas ignition, is that it requires either a Spark or a Flame to ignite it.
A cigarette alone would not ignite gas.
However I could be wrong and will not be held responsible for any idiots that want to experiment with this concept!.
Posted By: Alan Belson Re: Close call - idiots abound!!!! - 07/16/05 08:02 AM
I wish I had a quid for each time I've seen people smoking while refuelling mowers and motorbikes, changing gas bottles or cleaning brushes in solvent- none of whom have gone whooosh! I bet the difference between the temperature of a cigarette-tip and the ignition temperatures would be a close call though. And, of course, Mike, they have to light the cigarette with a.... flame!

Alan
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