Safety Elf?

[MartinL]

So, been congratulating myself all week on my recent Fleabay purchase.

A Hayterette lawnmower! Simple robust design on the lines of the agricultural hay cutters. Heavy plate/disc with 4 blued steel semi loose blades.

Wonderful machine, not exactly built with good old H & S in mind, but sure to cut grass without taking any prisoners.




After fitting 4 pristine blade and a brief risk assessment (chainsaw boots on), pushed it up to the allotment to play. SWMBO muttering the usual, be careful etc etc.

Well, it whizzed through the 12" allotment grass, ant hills, camouflaged hazel staffs, neighbouring plot holders 2"sq ground stakes just about anything that got in the way. Even cut paths through the empty plots to show off!

When finally I ran out of petrol I returned home with the beast, deciding to sharpen the blades in readiness for Easter & my next chance to play. Then, after carefully honing the chipped blades back to surgical quality, they were lovingly oiled and re-fitted.

That was where familiarity led to contempt & bit back!

One blade was not quite as free as the others gave it a wiggle. . . slipped & Doh / Ouch!


into the kitchen trailing tell tail drips of major cock up. First aid kit retrieved in secret then Busted by the boss! "yes Dear". . . .

Anyone else cocked up this week????

 

[dpearce4]

So, been congratulating myself all week on my recent Fleabay purchase.

A Hayterette lawnmower! Simple robust design on the lines of the agricultural hay cutters. Heavy plate/disc with 4 blued steel semi loose blades.

Wonderful machine, not exactly built with good old H & S in mind, but sure to cut grass without taking any prisoners.




After fitting 4 pristine blade and a brief risk assessment (chainsaw boots on), pushed it up to the allotment to play. SWMBO muttering the usual, be careful etc etc.

Well, it whizzed through the 12" allotment grass, ant hills, camouflaged hazel staffs, neighbouring plot holders 2"sq ground stakes just about anything that got in the way. Even cut paths through the empty plots to show off!

When finally I ran out of petrol I returned home with the beast, deciding to sharpen the blades in readiness for Easter & my next chance to play. Then, after carefully honing the chipped blades back to surgical quality, they were lovingly oiled and re-fitted.

That was where familiarity led to contempt & bit back!

One blade was not quite as free as the others gave it a wiggle. . . slipped & Doh / Ouch!


into the kitchen trailing tell tail drips of major cock up. First aid kit retrieved in secret then Busted by the boss! "yes Dear". . . .

Anyone else cocked up this week????

I do every week why should I cock up for just one week.

 

[B+.]

I do every week why should I cock up for just one week.

Obviously I'm not in your league
I only burned my hand on the grill...something my wife tells me she does regularly

 

[dpearce4]

Obviously I'm not in your league
I only burned my hand on the grill...something my wife tells me she does regularly

So far this year I have been to A&E twice and one of those ended up with me in hospital for 5 days and now on the waiting list for an operation.

Last year was in A&E four times. I think I should sponsor a bed there so I can at least not wait when I get there. Mind you the 2 visits this year have been by ambulance so didn't wait lol

 

[Millet]

I have had no hospital injuries just the usual bit of claret and a bad back, how ever i did cock up at Christmas when i bought my lady friend a calor gas greenhouse heater and fitted the bottle for her.
I had a phone call today calling me all sorts for putting it on too tight, she and her sister had been at it for ages even resorting to hitting the spanner with a hammer BUT no joy.
The two of them where unaware that gas fittings have a back to front thread. which basically means you tighten them too loosen them, one is blonde by the way but one is grey which i thought wisdom tagged along with..

 

[Poly Hive]

Many years ago I finished cutting a field of silage and went to the farm for lunch.

The grieve spotted the cab damage and looked at the blades on the discs, there but 7 not 8. If I had not been leaning forward my head was in the firing line and you lot would have more peace! For that matter so would have I.....of the eternal variety.

PH

 

[user 6228]

The most frightening piece of kit i have is a 9" angle grinder, good ole' conservation of anglur momentum makes it awkward, wayward and downright dangerous. Rather face the chain saw up a tree than this so and so. But when you have to take a chunk off +1/4" steel its the beast for the job.

 

[Millet]

The most frightening piece of kit i have is a 9" angle grinder, good ole' conservation of anglur momentum makes it awkward, wayward and downright dangerous. Rather face the chain saw up a tree than this so and so. But when you have to take a chunk off +1/4" steel its the beast for the job.

There's only one winner for me between a grinder and chainsaw, when i say winner i mean the one that fook's you up the worst when you make a mistake, chainsaws are lethal even more so up a tree.

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

chainsaws are lethal even more so up a tree.

especislly if you sit on the wrong side of the branch you are cutting

 

[Plenty of honey]

There's only one winner for me between a grinder and chainsaw, when i say winner i mean the one that fook's you up the worst when you make a mistake, chainsaws are lethal even more so up a tree.

i had a nasty one with a chainsaw up a tree three years ago, day surgery the following and physiotherapy for 4 months
but all ok now, not a good idea. compared to angle grinder i go with the grinder anytime!!

 

[pargyle]

So, been congratulating myself all week on my recent Fleabay purchase.

A Hayterette lawnmower! Simple robust design on the lines of the agricultural hay cutters. Heavy plate/disc with 4 blued steel semi loose blades.

Wonderful machine, not exactly built with good old H & S in mind, but sure to cut grass without taking any prisoners.

Ahh yes .. I had exactly this model for many years, it must have been 20 years old when I bought it for next to nothing ...that disc with the loose cutters would mow down just about anything short of a giant redwood sapling ! I once had a field of fully grown thistles to tackle.. just tilted it up a bit at the front and away it went - took two runs at it but no problem. Only reason I got rid of it in the end was it lacked a grass collector and the posh neighbours kept looking down their nose at my old 'contraption'.... 'er indoors could not stand the peer pressure and we bought a shiny new Mountfield with a collector ...not a patch on the old one.

 

[MartinL]

Ahh yes .. I had exactly this model for many years, . . . . ...that disc with the loose cutters would mow down just about anything .

Easy to start too the disc acts as a large fly wheel, gives it great inertia when hitting anything (like a wellington with foot inside), that would stall a conventional model.

My point was that I took all the necessary precautions (Orange Husqvarnas) for using the mower, then put the sharpened blades back on with bare fingers, Kevlar Gloves @ 3 meters away!

Don't plan to be doing that again?

I bump-on all day to the lads at work then think "it's only a quick job, just need to be careful here"!

 

[Gilberdyke John]

Easy to start too the disc acts as a large fly wheel, gives it great inertia when hitting anything (like a wellington with foot inside), that would stall a conventional model.

My point was that I took all the necessary precautions (Orange Husqvarnas) for using the mower, then put the sharpened blades back on with bare fingers, Kevlar Gloves @ 3 meters away!

Don't plan to be doing that again?

I bump-on all day to the lads at work then think "it's only a quick job, just need to be careful here"!

Our old rotary mower just didn't care whether the blade edges were sharp or blunt. They travelled at such speed anything in their way was simply knocked off. I fear your blood sacrifice was wasted

 

[user 6228]

I have frequently used chainsaws up trees, up ladders, cutting willow and still the 9"angle grinder has the most dangerous prize as awell as fearsome kickback it has no brake and move it quickly and it can twist its self out of your hands. I'll give you Chainsaws have kick back and when falling off a ladder you need to be able to throw it away from you. (dont ask ). If you have only used a 4" one its chalk and cheese.

 

[Millet]

especislly if you sit on the wrong side of the branch you are cutting

Something similar to that happened on a rig yard i was working on years ago, i did not see it happen but they was a fellow cutting through a huge steel pipe with burning gear, the silly git was stood under the pipe while he was cutting it, it snapped and landed on him breaking his back in the process, it took the emergency services around 1hr to get him down as he was around 80ft up on one of the decks.

 

[MartinL]

I have frequently used chainsaws up trees, up ladders, cutting willow and still the 9"angle grinder has the most dangerous prize as awell as fearsome kickback it has no brake and move it quickly and it can twist its self out of your hands. I'll give you Chainsaws have kick back and when falling off a ladder you need to be able to throw it away from you. (dont ask ). If you have only used a 4" one its chalk and cheese.

What did your "risk assessment" tell you?

• Don't move the angle grinder quickly.

• Secure the ladder?

• Use a harness?

• Keep a firm grip of whatever you're using?

My point here is "Familiarity breeds contempt" and this leads to the inevitable accident that could have been avoided, hence . . . . . . . . . . . .
"I knew that might happen"!

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I once fell out of the attic when getting down a new pair of safety boots as the tread was on the way out on my old ones.

 

[user 6228]

What did your "risk assessment" tell you?

• Don't move the angle grinder quickly.

• Secure the ladder?

• Use a harness?

• Keep a firm grip of whatever you're using?

My point here is "Familiarity breeds contempt" and this leads to the inevitable accident that could have been avoided, hence . . . . . . . . . . . .
"I knew that might happen"!

I didnt forsee that when I cut the branch, the bit of branch that the ladder was leaning on, still attached would go UP 2 feet.

 

[For want of a better word]

We have an Alpina brush cutter.... evil beast like a 1000cc Vincent motorcycle engine on a stick!

Yeghes da

 

[REDWOOD]

Not had a biggy for quite a few years, the last one was when a spinning wheel on a van took my hand and a brake shoe under a ramp. Worst part was it was my left hand and seeing i'm left handed the daily visit to the loo very awkward for a few weeks.
If anyone gets the chance to do a manual handling course do it, its amazing what we do wrong every day without thinking.