Rotating machinery will kill you

[Srgt. Hulka]

My nephew, when he was younger, worked for a tree service. He was running the chipper one day, when a branch caught him from behind, and in a split second, he was being pulled into the machine. The e-stop was not working because the POS owner did not fix it when it broke. My nephew managed to get out of it when he was just inches from the chipper. He told me he just knew he was about to die.

 

[DocRDS]

I still cannot fathom how we were taught to use a bandsaw in Jr. High with 0 safety precautions (Hey wear safety glasses so blood doesn't hit you in the eye!).

ALso My own misfortune with rotary equipment--the drill press chuck was attached to a chain and I forgot to remove it--hit go and got a little love bite from the chain. I got the scars as a reminder--but no stiches, and all fingers. I was one lucky SOB. Again, Jr. High. We had a metal press that was foot operated--one kid ran up and stomped on it as a joke to his friend. Not pretty.

 

[oldiephrt]

A Iowa packing plant had that happen to person.s who complained about undocumented workers. ( in the days when Gov. cared Oh and when a shipment of drugs got caught on the way to a plant.)

 

[Sean the Nailer]

I'm guessing that nobody here has ever heard of a 'friction saw'? We had one of those at the place I served my Apprenticeship. The upper and lower wheels were each 5 feet in diameter. The 'band' that it drove was 1/2" (0.500) front-to-back and about (0.060) thick.

That thing took a little bit to get up to speed. Then, against all rules of machining, you could start feeding 3/8" (0.375) plate 304 stainless steel. And let me tell you, it could cut. There was then a 'board' that you would lean into, to push the plate into the blade. That thing would eat through that stainless plate, and you could cut contours with it as long as your control was smooth and consistent.

There's a reason for that board though, and that was to keep all human parts away from the sides of the blade. Twice I saw that blade break. And the whole thing would pile up like a folded slinky RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU in an instantaneous manner. It truly was instant, and all you hear is a 'bang' and then like a magic-trick, there's all this 'layered band-saw blade' right there.

We called it the 'widow-maker' and I personally had a huge amount of respect for that machine. To do what you needed to do, that machine truly worked well. But to push any envelope or cross any line.... that machine was UNFORGIVING and lethal. The band speed I never did work out (mathematically) but I've never worked stainless steel with such an incredibly high cutter speed.

 

[shoobe01]

Reminded with some of the above stories of two things I admittedly did not see myself, but which had a reliable narrator, and I saw the aftermath of in one way or another, plus neither are death:

Rotary things:
Factory maintenance guy is drilling a hole in the floor to mount a machine. One of those gas powered hole saws. He has handles to control it several feet away but one man machine. Someone messed up, it IS a place with rebar, saw snags just for a moment. Machine rotates him without any delay in acceleration, he stops holding on after about half a turn, is flung appx 20 yards away, lucky for him just onto concrete instead of into one of the adjacent machines, pipes, forklifts, etc.

People also don't understand pressure:
Same factory, much of the machinery operated very high pressure air. I forget what now but a few thousand PSI. Someone doing a PM task to clean the filter and forgets to shut off the proper valve and bleed first (his fault, it's a two step process and he forgot both steps to safe it). A few bolts loosened and suddenly the 8" cover plate comes at him, smacks him in the chest and throws him a few feet.
Somehow just a few lightly broken ribs, not death, but also: filter assembly. He apparently got everything that was in there injected into him, seriously went from one flu or cold or whatever to another for 6 months straight.

 

[c1steve]

I know a commercial fisherman who was killed the same way, about two years ago. He stored salmon in the bilge, and one time his jacket got caught on the propeller shaft. The deckhand went down after 10 minutes, wondering what was going on. Nice guy, Denny was his name.

 

[Maggot]

Chain saws are another entry on the non-intuitive risk list. Oh, yeah, sure, that bar full of teeth will send you to the hospital for stitches and so everyone focuses on it, and promptly ignores the risk presented by dropping objects out of the sky that weigh several tons and tend to take unpredictable paths.

Been there done that.

You can definitely get a nasty cut. Up in Montana unless you cut an artery you just slapped some resin from a Tamarack Fir on it then some duct tape. The resin acts as an antiseptic and once it hardens its like super glue.

Didnt learn my lesson and cut one that managed to land on my ankle. Broke it right at the socket. Walked 2 miles back to the truck and drove myself to the hospital.

Id wager none of the above rank even close to stepping on a mine though the guy going through the lathe probably didnt know the difference.

 

[Not a Clue]

It's never fun having to turn off the machines after someone gets hurts or cuts something off. Happy to be the guy turning the machine off instead of the guy being hauled away in an ambulance, but still not fun.

I struggle to watch most anyone make anything with machinery on tv because the amount of stupid I see makes me cringe. Bandsawing with gloves on. That's a quick way to get your hand ripped into the blade. So stupid. That's a non-starter. Never do that. In fact, never use gloves anywhere that something can grab them and pull you in. A latex glove, not a problem. A fabric glove, you're going to have a bad day.

I guess they don't teach people how to use bandsaws in most of those shops because you are supposed to set the guides so there's just enough clearance for your workpiece. If you are cutting 1/8" sheet metal, there's very little blade exposed and it would be a challenge to cut your finger off. However, these dumbasses on tv will be sawing a piece of sheet metal (which is dangerous with the wrong blade), and they'll have the guide lifted up 6"-8". You could slip and cut your arm off with the way they are using the things.

Stuff like and watching them drill a piece of sheet metal in a drill press with no clamps and holding it with the hands makes me cringe.

 

[billt]

Severe chunking.

 

[hollowoutadime]

I have all these tools. Wear eye protection, be able to walk away, sharp blades are your friends.
Drill presses on metal can helicopter, walk away
Table saws ripping can bind and fire back.
Dull chain saws require too much operator pressure and oft-balanced. can bind. Always safer sharper and be able to walk away.
Edge sanders, have an 89", if a belt snaps - Christ.
Metal cutoff saws - walk away.
Band saws - pushing because of a dull blade.
Large handheld drills. Rip wrist tendons.
Wood chop saws - pretty safe.

 

[Jscb1b]

Hydraulic pressure. The tractors I work on have suspended front axles. I watched a guy unscrew a hydraulic accumulator without bleeding the suspension. It shot the accumulator 100 feet. Just seconds before it let go, he was standing right in front of it. The bad part is that there was no training about it.

 

[ZiaHunter]

Farm equipment can be extremely dangerous. FIL's cousin was messing with a PTO and overalls got caught which drew him into the shaft and tore him to pieces. Have a full woodworking shop at my house with big stationary tools. You need to have a great deal of respect for them and pay attention to what you are doing. Use jigs, hold downs, fences, push sticks anything to keep body parts away from rotating parts. Have an old Powermatic 86 bandsaw and Clausing 20" drill press which will definitely hurt you. Woodworking tool that scares me the most is shapers and don't own one.

 

[Ric O'shay]

Power tools scare me. This thread reinforces why.

 

[Jscb1b]

Well fuck! Now we have to ban power tools. It's for the children.

 

[Maggot]

I was thinking about the OP:

Rotating machinery will kill you​

So will rotating lead pellets traveling at high velocity.

Yep.

 

[clcustom1911]

It can happen.

It does happen.

People have to understand just how much 'power' industrial machines have. And 'can generate'. In my years/decades, I've witnessed an incident or two.

Same/same goes for 'hobbyists' who have entry-level 'industrial' machines at their home....

People seriously underestimate what gear reduction, and a 1/4 HP 3ph motor can do. It's quite impressive.

Dillon 1050 and an autodrive can easily amputate fingers.

 

[clcustom1911]

Caught in a wire spooling machine.....

Liveleak.com - Worker Gets Spun Around A Cable Coil GIF | Gfycat

Watch and share Liveleak.com - Worker Gets Spun Around A Cable Coil GIFs on Gfycat

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[madppcs]

I work offshore in the deepwater sector. The size, power, pressure of the equipment out here should be one of the new (wonders of the world).

 

[Badjujuu]

I used to work for a company that refurbished and installed print presses... we're talking about up to 12 units, dryer, folders/finishers...

At one print plant near Boston, one lady was standing too close to one of the units while it was test running and her long hair went in between the rollers (the air movement picked up her loose long hair).

She didn't even feel it, it was that quick and BAM her whole scalp was gone....

She's lucky considering the size of the rollers and unit..... could have been a lot worse

 

[memilanuk]

Fuck me

About the time the guy started getting aerosolized, the thought going thru my head was "well that's a new version of 'Red Mist'!"

Yeah, yeah. Probably going to hell, I know

 

[memilanuk]

I work offshore in the deepwater sector. The size, power, pressure of the equipment out here should be one of the new (wonders of the world).

I work in hydro generation, with low head, high volumetric flow rate Kaplan head turbines ranging from 20-25 MW at the last plant, to 120-145MW at the current one. There are certainly bigger ones around... but the scale - and the relative precision involved in machining and installation - never ceases to amaze me. Not a whole lot of second chances working around equipment that size, that's for sure.

 

[AMGtuned]

Farm equipment can be extremely dangerous. FIL's cousin was messing with a PTO and overalls got caught which drew him into the shaft and tore him to pieces. Have a full woodworking shop at my house with big stationary tools. You need to have a great deal of respect for them and pay attention to what you are doing. Use jigs, hold downs, fences, push sticks anything to keep body parts away from rotating parts. Have an old Powermatic 86 bandsaw and Clausing 20" drill press which will definitely hurt you. Woodworking tool that scares me the most is shapers and don't own one.

Router is one of my favorite tools. Hands down. It is also one of the scariest MF out there, if you let your brain get the best of you. Very sharp, very fast, 0 fucks to give. Play nice out there folks

 

[EddieNFL]

And when I read all of these posts I think of people riding motorcycles with a tank top, shorts, & flip flops with the helmet either unbuckled or only half on. The only topper to this is the girlfriend on the back with a tank top, short shorts, & flip flops. My skin crawls with just the thought.

Maxwell

 

[quietmike]

I used to work for a company that refurbished and installed print presses... we're talking about up to 12 units, dryer, folders/finishers...

At one print plant near Boston, one lady was standing too close to one of the units while it was test running and her long hair went in between the rollers (the air movement picked up her loose long hair).

She didn't even feel it, it was that quick and BAM her whole scalp was gone....

She's lucky considering the size of the rollers and unit..... could have been a lot worse

20+ years in printing. Saw two de-glovings, a mangled arm, and two near fatal burnings.

 

[deepsix++]

that was difficult to watch , I cant imagine being the co worker , they Knew each other , and then to see your friend be so horrendously mutilated . I hope he was able to get therapy . very thankful I'm a cnc MILL machinist

 

[Snuby642]

I ran some mills and never really got hurt. Not sure why they didnt scare me like a lathe.

Cutters shatter, come out of chucks, sling stock out of vice.

The new ones with the cabinet surrounding them even sling things out of the top when something stupid is done.

We sometimes used glue as a holding fixture and I even cut parts and patterns mostly out of aluminum alloys using double back tape to hold it. The tape would gum up the cutters.

Boss was to cheap and stupid to buy better equipment, he couldn't run any of it. Kind of like biden running the country incompetent and got his job under false pretenses.

 

[Maser]

Even though he's dead, looked like one hell of a ride to go out on! Almost like getting too close to a tractor's PTO shaft.

 

[Kein Mitleid]

Yikes.

I worked for an older machinist for a number of years. He instilled a healthy respect for machinery and would not take undue risk.

Most important lesson I was taught was not to try and save a part if something starts going wrong. Kill the machine and get the fuck out of the way.

 

[lariat]

I showed this video to my guys as a reminder to the old hands and a wake up call to the newbs. There is no turning back once this event starts. I also showed them the pics of my hands getting cut to the bone just from non-turning high rake endmills. All kinds of things can go wrong, and they can happen quick. Its amazing how fast even when things are running slow or even not moving. Hell, a dude on blood thinners working in a shop is a potential nightmare.

Regarding the pump jacks: I cannot tell you how many cattle I have seen get up in there and wind up without a head or a broken neck. Or worse is the pumper who is working on one playing the timer on the motor switch. I have seen more than one mangled hand because of a serious lack of due care and too much comfort with the situation. One was a buddy of mine in grade school who was with his grandad while he changed out the belts and it turned on before they were finished. But back in the day there was no real safety to speak of. As a kid I would play on the derrick while my grandads employees drilled a well, take my GI joes and go under the derrick and play in the drilling mud, all kinds of shit I would have a heart attack if I saw today.

I will say though that an unhealthy fear makes one completely ineffective and potentially dangerous as well. If you cant get past the fear of what could happen, stay out for the safety of everyone. I guess that goes for a lot of occupations.

 

[Bigfatcock]

I have a 5 HP band saw I use for resawing boards. That thing will fuck you up if you don’t pay attention. I’ve used it for years, and have done wood working for years, and I still give that thing the respect it deserves. Always use push sticks, use a fence, never force it.

That thing would take your fingers off before you even realized it.

 

[shoobe01]

...Most important lesson I was taught was not to try and save a part if something starts going wrong. Kill the machine and get the fuck out of the way.

I have seen this taught alongside the design /work principle of letting the cheap part break. During training, and periodically especially if bosstypes are cheap, remind the machine operator they are the expensive part, so it's always okay to let the workpiece get damaged instead of themselves.

 

[Numedal]

I was taught that you need to respect the damage that machines and power tools will inflict with a bit of carelessness, but not to fear them, or you will likely not grip it properly (hand operated power tools this is, topic at the time was angle grinders) making it more likely to kick out of your grip and bite.

 

[DOA]

And when I read all of these posts I think of people riding motorcycles with a tank top, shorts, & flip flops with the helmet either unbuckled or only half on. The only topper to this is the girlfriend on the back with a tank top, short shorts, & flip flops. My skin crawls with just the thought.

Maxwell

See that everyday in SoCal. Guys with half helmets wearing short sleeve shirts, or the racer types wearing a proper helmet and no other protection. I'm just starting to get back into motorcycles and one of my first things buying was proper helmet, jacket and gloves.

 

[Snuby642]

Proper motor cycle gear kept my son alive.
He still ended up with neck fracture, busted collar bone, fibia ? big bone in thy another broke in ankle and a badly crushed foot.

Weeks in the hospital, months in a rehab facility and another six months in a wheelchair.

From the crack in the helmet I know he would have been dead.

The ambulance that caused the wreck didn't even stop.
But as you know those types are not held accountable.

He has enough metal parts in him to build a complete sbr upper.

 

[Bullfrog08]

See that everyday in SoCal. Guys with half helmets wearing short sleeve shirts, or the racer types wearing a proper helmet and no other protection. I'm just starting to get back into motorcycles and one of my first things buying was proper helmet, jacket and gloves.

I just got out of my motorcycles a couple years ago.....the cell phone and lack of attention was just too alarming. I love to ride, and would be ok with death at my own doing, but don't want an early exit because somebody needs to reply to a text at the very moment my life crosses their path. You'll see what I am saying pretty quickly, if you haven't already.

There are so many ways to die out there and so many dangerous things to debilitate us all. I think paying attention is probably the #1 thing to protect yourself and others.

That being said, the OP's video is horrible. What a shit way to go! I felt worse for the guy that had to shut the machine off and walk over to the mangled body. The dead guys problems are over, the other guy gets to see that image for a lifetime!

 

[corey4]

I've had my fair share of road rash. Even on 90° days I still wear full gear. People always ask "aren't you hot?!" My reply is always "yeah, but 40 minutes of being hot is better than 4 weeks of road rash". You can actually see the light bulb turn on inside their head.

 

[TurboTrout]

Crazy bitches with switchblades will kill you too. Moral of the story is know you’re enemy I reckon

Most of the girls I know probably would have more likely got themself hurt with a switch blade lol

also

 

[lariat]

Proper motor cycle gear kept my son alive.
He still ended up with neck fracture, busted collar bone, fibia ? big bone in thy another broke in ankle and a badly crushed foot.

Weeks in the hospital, months in a rehab facility and another six months in a wheelchair.

From the crack in the helmet I know he would have been dead.

The ambulance that caused the wreck didn't even stop.
But as you know those types are not held accountable.

He has enough metal parts in him to build a complete sbr upper.

Uh, yeah those types are. Up to and including losing the job, jail time, trying to pay fines while no longer having a job, etc.

 

[346ci]

That was rough, hard to believe the machine didn't move.

I high sided at a track day going 90mph and walked away, leathers had to go to barnacle bill for repairs, cracked the carbon fiber in my gloves bad. Anyone that rides should have a jacket at the very least.

 

[geek65]

View attachment 7675944

When I used to ride motorbikes I always wore full leathers and a full face helmet. I remember when I was being taught to ride motorbikes the instructor used to say if you want to know what it like if you fall off a motorbike without the proper kit, run a grape down a wall and see what the grape looks like afterwards, noting that you would be the grape. That was why I always wore full leathers and helmet even when hot and sunny.

I never understood those who rode in shorts and T-shirt,

 

[accurate obsession]

The video that started this thread is a real horror show, so much so that me and some of the guys in the shop are wondering if maybe it's a internet fake because it's kind of grainy and far away. So one of the other guys found the rest of the video, the one minute before, it's clear you can see the spindle turning and the thick coat on the worker. The worker is going back and forth checking things and then why??? decided to reach for something behind the chuck, and of course the coat won't tear away.


But, also came across this Pic and instantly thought of this thread. Scene from Fargo coming up.

 

[muzzleloader]

BTW, that entire subreddit is an epic collection of Darwin and Murphy hanging out at a party and getting drunk together. Holy shit.

Don’t forget lord Newton, who makes it all possible

 

[TexPatriot]

Don’t put your fingers where you wouldn’t put your dick

You obviously never dated Ms. Mary Jane Rottencrotch.

 

[EddieNFL]

When I used to ride motorbikes I always wore full leathers and a full face helmet. I remember when I was being taught to ride motorbikes the instructor used to say if you want to know what it like if you fall off a motorbike without the proper kit, run a grape down a wall and see what the grape looks like afterwards, noting that you would be the grape. That was why I always wore full leathers and helmet even when hot and sunny.

I never understood those who rode in shorts and T-shirt,

I always heard you invest as much in a helmet as you think your head is worth.

 

[338LM]

A number of years back in Illinois I saw a father and son riding a motorcycle, both wearing nothing but blue jean shorts riding in the city and out on the highway.

When I was stationed in Japan and my brother told me he bought a brand new 750 Suzuki Katana I told him to buy a full set of real good riding leathers and boots, and a really good helmet. Told him about all the motorcycle accidents I had seen in Japan and I must had scared the crap out of him. He actually never jumped on any bike without them no matter how hot it got in the summer. One of the few times he ever listened to his big brother.

I got my Pilot's licenses and also worked in Aviation a number of years in the Military. Worked on the helicopters in the ARMY and was also around fixed wing prop and turbo-prop planes. Tail and main rotors and propellers are also your worst nightmare on the ground. Jet engine aircraft will make short work of a person if there head is not in the game also.

 

[lariat]

The video that started this thread is a real horror show, so much so that me and some of the guys in the shop are wondering if maybe it's a internet fake because it's kind of grainy and far away. So one of the other guys found the rest of the video, the one minute before, it's clear you can see the spindle turning and the thick coat on the worker. The worker is going back and forth checking things and then why??? decided to reach for something behind the chuck, and of course the coat won't tear away.


But, also came across this Pic and instantly thought of this thread. Scene from Fargo coming up.
View attachment 7676958

He probably reached back there a ton of times over the years. Too experienced to care anymore and it cost him his life. But you reminded me of my nightmare - leaving in a chuck wrench and then turning on the spindle.

I feel for the guys who had to see it though. That will be a hard memory to forget.

 

[lariat]

A number of years back in Illinois I saw a father and son riding a motorcycle, both wearing nothing but blue jean shorts riding in the city and out on the highway.

When I was stationed in Japan and my brother told me he bought a brand new 750 Suzuki Katana I told him to buy a full set of real good riding leathers and boots, and a really good helmet. Told him about all the motorcycle accidents I had seen in Japan and I must had scared the crap out of him. He actually never jumped on any bike without them no matter how hot it got in the summer. One of the few times he ever listened to his big brother.

I got my Pilot's licenses and also worked in Aviation a number of years in the Military. Worked on the helicopters in the ARMY and was also around fixed wing prop and turbo-prop planes. Tail and main rotors and propellers are also your worst nightmare on the ground. Jet engine aircraft will make short work of a person if there head is not in the game also.

Not so funny thing, when we would work a car wreck and needed the bird it was surprising how many people would go BEHIND it or under the tail right after the pilot gave the go-ahead to approach. No rules are too important for the studs, until they are.

 

[Snuby642]

Uh, yeah those types are. Up to and including losing the job, jail time, trying to pay fines while no longer having a job, etc.

The accident report written by le some how failled to mention the ambulance ran the red light at high speed.

His view was obstructed by a truck in the right lane, he missed the ambulance but hit a pickup that pulled in front of him that the big truck was shielding his view of..

There were witnesses.

The report was politically influenced, take it anyway you want.

 

[300zx_tt]

^^^chainsaws are Darwin reincarnated

everything is moving
You
The tool
The work piece

the whole process is waiting for you to get lazy

add to it you are usually alone and far from enough from home base that it’s over

Tell me about it… .2 seconds of being complacent. 2 layers of stitches and a few days off from work. Lesson learned

 

[lariat]

You are lucky it didn't go deeper or hit that kneecap.

Had a due come into the ER once that tried to catch a falling chainsaw that was running full throttle when it dropped. No fun for him or the surgeons. Looking back on it, I don't think anyone asked him if he was wearing safety glasses. Given the gallows humor around there I'm surprised.

Also had a guy come in that FELL ASLEEP at work while running a bandsaw. Of course he slipped and the blade went fully halfway up his hand.