Popular Mechanics Gives Bad Safety Advice

[Magicniner]

It sounds like almost nobody has a hard core safety rig.

There's a reason for that, if you have eye protection, ear protection, a hat, good gloves and a grinder which hasn't been modified then in most situations all you need in addition, unless you are in a production environment, is common sense.

Most health and safety regulations are constructed to protect idiots from themselves and protect employers from idiots. I regularly grind with gloves, glasses and earplugs but that's a small job in a vice at the bench where I have control of the direction of sparks and can position myself and the work so if the disc does let go I'm not in the line of fire, when I'm under a car grinding at close quarters it's time for fireproof overalls, full face guard, hat, gloves, ear muffs etc. the whole 9 yards.

[earlgo]

A welder acquaintance of mine uses an angle grinder and I have rarely seen him use PPE other than his safety glasses. Still vertical, ventilating and not leaking. Must be lucky.

On a different subject: The whole 9 yards. I recently saw a documentary on rebuilding a P-51 Mustang and the expression came from the length of the 50 Cal ammo belt that fed the wing guns. Shooting all of it consumed "the whole 9 yards". Feel free to work that into the next cocktail party conversation.

--earlgo

[Magicniner]

Feel free to work that into the next cocktail party conversation.

Same belt length for Tail Gunners and another documentary made a good case for that being the source

[SteveHGraham]

Take a look at some grinder accidents on Youtube, and you will see that common sense and a flimsy pair of glasses won't keep you safe.

It's always the experienced people who make the worst mistakes. They think they know everything.

I'm looking for advice on what to use, not what I can get away with not using.

[Glenn Brooks]

sounds like nothing will do except a full Kevlar body suit and bronze diving helmet, with remote air.

Seriously, I wear a leather welding jacket almost all the time i am grinding -partly because grinding and welding occur back to back. Even when it's hot outside. also wear welding gloves and plastic eye shields. Also, Religiously wear hearing protectors - not the little girly girly ear plugs - real, plastic He-man ear muffs. The high end ones dampen more decibels than ear plugs. I am just not interested in loosing anymore hearing capability.

Iam open to buying a face shield - partly to improve vision -hence safety. I wear glasses. plastic eye protectors are forever fogging up. Maybe a face shield won't succumb to this malady.

[Magicniner]

I'm looking for advice on what to use,

Use everything possible, if you can't work out what's safe you are inherently unsafe

[SteveHGraham]

Use everything possible, if you can't work out what's safe you are inherently unsafe

Right, which is why I posted the question.

[SteveHGraham]

Here's a good argument for using a face shield.

[SteveHGraham]

That's actually one of the less-horrifying fragmentation/kickback injury photos on the web.

[Magicniner]

I'm not shocked, stunned or impressed by pictures of idiots, he had his face in the plane of the disc or there were objects which could deflect it back at him with most of it's energy - he was plain and simple STUPID.
In my 20s I worked in a Health and Safety Rich Environment as a dealership panel beater for Vauxhall, I subsequently worked in classic car repair at it's peak in the '80s and multiple other body shops, no-one ever wore the full body crap you're hankering after or copped a lump of disc or grinder related injury, you'd quite simply have to be a chuff of monumental proportions to get some disc in your face.

You might want to avoid tool racks behind your lathe or mill too, apparently they are very dangerous, if you reach through moving equipment

[warmstrong1955]

What Magicniner said Steve!
Common sense is so uncommon.
Having rode herd on many a maintenance and fab shops.....that guy in your pic needs a sign.
I also served as safety man, taught classes, and I have a MSHA trainer's Card....issued to me in 1981....almost as old as MSHA.....
I was required to investigate many an incident as well, in mine and in shop.

As I said, the wheel guard should be between you and the wheel. Obviously, this guy didn't have the wheel guard between his face & the wheel, if he even had one. Probably too busy lining up on his cut, and inadvertently gave the cut-off disc a little twist, and boom. I've seen this before, although not that severe.
You should wear a face shield, gloves, and at least a long sleeve shirt, TUCKED IN....and cotton. A leather apron is nice. You should know when you start cutting or grinding where the sparks are going to go. Don't aim for the pile of paper, the dog, the cat, your wife cause she burned your toast, or the guy working next to you....and make sure he and all others are clear too. This is basic stuff we talked about, and required. Rule is...."What If?"

Most incidents like this, can be traced back to people taking short cuts, if not just being stupid.

I you need a Michelin Man suit, and a fresh air supply to feel safe, then get them. It won't cure stupid, like that guy though. I've seen broken face-shields, as well as broken safety glasses. Beats the eye injuries I've seen, and all were unnecessary.


Bill

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p5ZkdHImCuQ

[SteveHGraham]

Do you actually know where his face was or whether he used a guard? He probably didn't use one, but if he had worn correct safety gear, all or most of that damage would have been prevented.

I can put up photos of people who were gashed in the abdomen and neck, outside of the plane of rotation, and I also have a video of a guy injuring his thumb with the guard in place. A grinder can kick back and go right into your throat, face, arm, or gut. It can also throw you into the work or a nearby object. Bottom line: if you don't have the right gear and you work anyway, you don't HAVE common sense; you have pride. Attitudes like that are the reason it's so hard to find a used table saw with a guard on it. Everyone who buys one is the Chosen Genius who can't run his hand into the blade...until it happens.

Respectfully, the "My buddies and I have done this for three hundred years" argument isn't valid at all. You judge a tool's safety by the rare accidents, not by the endless parade of days when nothing bad happens. Every day, smart old men with lots of experience maim themselves with tools. In 40 years of driving, I have never had an air bag go off, and I have never seen one go off. I still like air bags.

If you don't have any advice regarding hand safety or body protection, great, but I would like to hear from people who think otherwise and can point to useful products. Wouldn't you agree that it's possible someone knows something you don't?

Here's a professional welder who wore what he was told to wear and still got his throat cut. You don't have to be stupid or careless to get hurt. Everyone makes mistakes, and some accidents are just about impossible to foresee.