stupid accidents and near misses

[4x4 mark]

we've all had them daft accidents,nowt serious, and near misses at work etc.
the other day i was stripping a crappy 6mmt&e with my side cutters when the earth core snapped and i smacked myself on the forehead leaving a small cut and a hugh lump.

i had an apprentice once who whilst trying to fit an earth bond under a sink managed to turn the valve for a washing machine on and almost drowned himself with a face full of water.

i saw a site agent walking across a site step on a temp. cover of a man hole which broke, his leg went down the hole ripping all the skin offov the front of his shin... nice

many moons ago when i was an apprentice i saw a guy break his thumb with a mash hammer whilst showing me how easy it was to chase a wall made of blue engineering bricks.. he didn't swear much

 

[montybaber]

I had just started work in a factory (literally days) and was still trying to impress and prove myself, I had been at work all day and I had been told by my other half that this particular day I had to be home on time (been racking up the hours to show flexibility.

Whilst I was getting ready to leave, my boss asked that before I went could I go to where a new compactor was being installed...ok I said (not wanting to say no!) so I wonder round with my tools and the engineer that had travelled 6 hrs to get there was waiting for me.

he had installed everything but needed power, the other electrician had put in a supply but the manufacturers spec was wrong and required a 32amp socket (machine had a fixed plug on side of panel) unfortuantely the guy had put in a 16amper instead

I said theres nothing I could do, but the boss of the factory had by this time come down and was pleading with me to sort something out (ie run a lead with a 16amp plug one end and 32 socket the other) the engineer was eager to get going but the site boss wouldnt let him go til he'd seen the machine running.

I explained i'd rather not and anyway the supply would'nt cope anyway so best option just temp was to run a long trailing lead from a nearby 32amp socket that I had found happy days!!

I had to make up the lead because it was about 30ft long I was already about an hour late and I already had missed calls on my phone!, I was running around like a --- trying to get it done and go and had the site boss and all his underlings standing around for the big unveiling lol.

I run back with the lead plug it all in and nothing!! tested socket and found it to be dead so spent twenty mins running around checking dis boards trying to find MCB, finally found it and dis-board was at the top of narrow starcase about 15ft in the air so I then try to squeeze huge triple extenders up the tightest staircase (two 90 degree turns) and reset MCB

By this time engineer is angry, boss is impatient I am soaked with sweat (25degreesc) and I try again.....hurray!!! power is on....only...(said the engineer) phase rotation is incorrect!....ok no prob i say packing up my tools almost ready to run off....... I rip the socket from the machine (and did'nt think cus 99 percent of the time when you disconnect a plug from a fixed point it is dead just stupidity!), I without thinking undo the socket top and undo two phases i then (with sweaty wet hands) grab hold of both phases instantaneously one with each hand to swap them over

well you could hear my shout from miles away!! I drop the socket (when I finally managed to let go!!) to the floor and calmly walk to the isolator and turn off the supply and calmly walk back and carry on fit to machine (shaking like a ****tin dog), I turn on without saying a word and the machine is fine but everyone is just stood there staring at me with open mouths! blood is dripping through both hands where I now have deep holes and my heart is going about a thousand bpm!!!

The site boss walks over and says thankyou and I pack up and go I get in the car and I am gutted what a t**ser!!!

Next day I get called to big-wigs office and he sits me down and says that he does'nt want to have to phone my missus and tell her i'm dead, so be more carefull...I took it on the chin but took a while for them to have faith in me again.

Moral of this LONG story is take your time, dont rush and get in a state no matter what is at stake cus you could end up dead!!

I learnt a huge lesson that day and now I am OVER carefull! it was my own stupid fault and I accept that, it may not have been the worst shock in the world but it hurt enough for me!!! and my heart felt like it was coming out of my chest for several hours after.

Thats my stupid accident anyway

 

[Bane]

Yeah that was crap Monty.

Picked up some ladders 2 days ago and hit the overhead powerlines.

Only they were the telephone lines. (I lied).

Just goes to show how easily you can get fried.

 

[saveloy]

I nearly decapitated myself once.

When I was about 18 or 19 I got a job driving a Transit tipper at a local builder's merchant. On my second day I was sent to pick up about 30 sheets of 3/4 ply from another builder's merchant.

I loaded the ply up,found a strap in the Transit cab, and put it over the middle of the ply. I then set off back to the yard.

Halfway back I had to break a bit sharpish at a mini roundabout. Next thing I know, the rear window of the cab comes through showering me in glass. The ply had all slid forward because I hadn't used the strap properly and the ply had come through the rear window of the cab. The only thing that stopped me from losing my head or being paralysed from the neck down was the fact that the corners of all the ply had hit the edge of the cab. Another 1/2 inch over and the whole lot would have come through the rear window.

19 years later and it still sends shivers down my spine thinking of that day.

There but for the grace of God go I and all that.

Ps the w@nker$ who owned the merchants had a steel mesh fitted across the bulkhead the next day

 

[Bane]

Bloody hell Saveloy.

That was a lucky escape.

 

[saveloy]

Bloody hell Saveloy.

That was a lucky escape.

I know Bane. I think about it from time to time and it really puts the sh*ts up me!
Thing was because it was only my second day it really didn't register at the time. I was young and worried about losing my job. It was only when I got back and one of the other drivers pointed out that the ply could have come all the way through, that it finally hit home.

I guess the moral is NEVER take chances. You only get one chance in this life .

 

[Bane]

That's true mate.

But also, had anyone ever advised you on how to secure your loads?

 

[saveloy]

No Bane, I was just sort of thrown in at the deep end. It was 20 odd years ago before any real importance was attached to H&S and training. Also it was just a family run business and there was no real H&S.

Thing is, that incident should have put me off driving for a living for life, But oh no I later went on and got a HGV and I ended up driving artics around Spain and France for two years in the mid 90's!! Never ever lost a load after that first one. I made sure that everything was secured double tight. More or less taught myself. I had had my warning and after that I didn't need telling twice

 

[spark-doctor]

Lets see now

Bullet hole in left thigh,
Bullet hole in left hip,
Bullet hole in left ankle,
Chopped thumb off,
Chisel through palm,
Stab wound to upper arm,
Broken both legs, (left 5 places, right 3 places)
Broken right arm,
Broken nose.

Recently,

Dislocated shoulder,
Concussion,
Burn to hand

Sure there is more but Mrs Doc not here to remind me

 

[montybaber]

blimey

 

[saveloy]

Lets see now

Bullet hole in left thigh,
Bullet hole in left hip,
Bullet hole in left ankle,
Chopped thumb off,
Chisel through palm,
Stab wound to upper arm,
Broken both legs, (left 5 places, right 3 places)
Broken right arm,
Broken nose.

Recently,

Dislocated shoulder,
Concussion,
Burn to hand

Sure there is more but Mrs Doc not here to remind me

$h1t. I take that back about only getting one chance in life.

 

[spark-doctor]

Just remembered,

Fractured skull and 2" cut in head after standing up under a truck door on chrismas eve. 8 staples and a couple of days in hospital.

Does catching malaria count?

 

[wayne]

whatever my near misses and stupidity have been they don't reach monty and docs league ; let me tell you about a friend.


he was a trainee electrician years before me .On the day in question he had called in sick .this proved a lifesaver because somebody braked HARD in front of the van ,and the engine ended up where he would have been sitting that day .......makes you think.

 

[montybaber]

whatever my near misses and stupidity have been they don't reach monty and docs league ; let me tell you about a friend.

im not in docs league nowhere near it!! think he's james bond

 

[Spudmiester]

Lets see now

Bullet hole in left thigh,
Bullet hole in left hip,
Bullet hole in left ankle,
Chopped thumb off,
Chisel through palm,
Stab wound to upper arm,
Broken both legs, (left 5 places, right 3 places)
Broken right arm,
Broken nose.

Recently,

Dislocated shoulder,
Concussion,
Burn to hand

Sure there is more but Mrs Doc not here to remind me

Bionic spark !