Automotive Tuning/Fixing Safety

[Aaronbrook37]

Thanks for this reminder, AAron. We should all profit not only from our own mistakes but from those of our friends as well.

I'm wondering if you have spent much time analyzing what actually went wrong at the moment of the accident. I've cut myself many times and almost every time it was because I had my free hand where it shouldn't have been -- in the path of the blade should it slip and go off out of control. When I'm cutting or scraping something with a sharp or pointed object I try to imagine where the tool would end up if it slipped off the thing I'm cutting. And then try to work out a position that would not require my hand to be in that area.

Was that the case here? Were you in a hurry? Were you thinking about something else as you worked on auto-pilot? If you had had a work bench with a vice to hold what you were working on would that have prevented your injury?

You said "lesson learned" which is great. I'm just wondering with a little more thought you might make the lesson even more specific and therefore, even more helpful to you and the rest of us.

Yeah pretty much hit the nail on the head... rather than the thumb I suppose. Often for me it's those "heave" and "high torque" moments where your arms shake trying to get something loose/tight/to fit that cause the bleeding, cuts, and bruising. A work bench or even just a piece of plywood would have easily prevented this injury. As for narrowing down the lesson learned, it's essentially just to never rush. Auto tech is supposed to be about fun... and if you're just powering through a job that is frustrating you, slow down a little bit. Throw some reggae on the radio, grab a cold beverage of your choice, and just go with it.

11 Months later... you can just barely notice the crease now. It's the 1/2" fold between the lifelines or whatever those things are known as.

[JohnGunn]

I was working on ye olde Festiva today, trying to get it all finished up before I head off to university on Saturday and start actually doing something with my life again. One of my final tasks was to get my side moldings thrown on. Whilst preparing my side moldings for installation, I was quite careless while filleting the old adhesive off (razor blade and a box-cutter) and ended up putting a one inch (2.5 cm) gash through my right palm, between the so-called lifelines. 4-5 stitches later, and I find myself finally regaining feeling and nerve control of my 4th/5th fingers almost 6 hours later. Careless, stupid, and lesson learned.

Thanks for this reminder, AAron. We should all profit not only from our own mistakes but from those of our friends as well.

I'm wondering if you have spent much time analyzing what actually went wrong at the moment of the accident. I've cut myself many times and almost every time it was because I had my free hand where it shouldn't have been -- in the path of the blade should it slip and go off out of control. When I'm cutting or scraping something with a sharp or pointed object I try to imagine where the tool would end up if it slipped off the thing I'm cutting. And then try to work out a position that would not require my hand to be in that area.

Was that the case here? Were you in a hurry? Were you thinking about something else as you worked on auto-pilot? If you had had a work bench with a vice to hold what you were working on would that have prevented your injury?

You said "lesson learned" which is great. I'm just wondering with a little more thought you might make the lesson even more specific and therefore, even more helpful to you and the rest of us.

[Aaronbrook37]

Cover in cayenne pepper if it bleeds. It will prevent bleeding and speed healing. I've since cut myself similar to above several times. To prevent needing stitches or medicine, I filled the wound with cayenne pepper powder and kept it covered, changing the powder and bandage routinely. After three days, it was fully scabbed over... only took another half week until it was fully healed/scarred!

[NicholasJackson]

And make sure welds are properly cooled hahah.

Even if it takes 10 minutes.

[Aaronbrook37]

Here's what little scar I have left. It looks even like a surface scratch now, but let me assure you, it was at least 1/3" deep... judging from the red on my knife. I'm lucky to be a healthy and fairly athletic 20 year old... so healing is still abnormally rapid for me. You can see how much of a pain driving a standard was with this! Keep safe guys, and take care!

[Flyin4stroke]

I couldn't agree with this post more.. This was the aftermath of my broken back last year... Still sinks into my head about how im lucky to still be working much less working on cars and being able to work.. Left shoe ended up under the truck on the opposite side of the frame rail.. It happened so fast i dont know what happened but i pulled myself out and stumbled to my bed till the ambulance arrived..

Another thing we dont think about is if something happens who can help you... Keep things around like phones if you are going to work on cars alone.. Always use jack stands... And never use concrete to support a vehicle which i learned the hard way, but got very lucky... Just think safety even if it takes a few steps longer...

I was sitting with my legs out right under the front of the driver side door where the 1/4 panel meets the door.. My shoulder was moved from sitting up and was grabbed by the 1/4 panel and pulled down into my lap basically...

[deathegg]

Very sound advice! I'm glad you'll be ok. We all become complacent at times, so we all need a kick in the head (or a razor into the hand in your case) to remind us to be CAREFUL.

[Aaronbrook37]

dang... thats not good at all im sorry for telling you to use a razor blade to get that molding junk off.... didnt i tell you to be careful? lol...

i am very careful when i work and i rarely get hurt other than scrapes on the arms from reaching in to small spaces.... (behind/under the intake manifold, up in to the dash to run wires, ect...) but ya im gonna think about things twice before i do any work now...

i hope it heals fast and dosnt give you alot of problems...

Lol no worries, Mike. I'll be fine... just giving people out there a friendly heads-up. Hoping to have the moldings done today... I got 5/6 finished and ready for install yesterday!

[sasquatch]

dang... thats not good at all im sorry for telling you to use a razor blade to get that molding junk off.... didnt i tell you to be careful? lol...

i am very careful when i work and i rarely get hurt other than scrapes on the arms from reaching in to small spaces.... (behind/under the intake manifold, up in to the dash to run wires, ect...) but ya im gonna think about things twice before i do any work now...

i hope it heals fast and dosnt give you alot of problems...

[Aaronbrook37]

Hey guys - just a quick blurb from me here that I think is really important to address. I know I'm not the only dumb fool who often hurts himself on the job out there!

I was working on ye olde Festiva today, trying to get it all finished up before I head off to university on Saturday and start actually doing something with my life again. One of my final tasks was to get my side moldings thrown on. Whilst preparing my side moldings for installation, I was quite careless while filleting the old adhesive off (razor blade and a box-cutter) and ended up putting a one inch (2.5 cm) gash through my right palm, between the so-called lifelines. 4-5 stitches later, and I find myself finally regaining feeling and nerve control of my 4th/5th fingers almost 6 hours later. Careless, stupid, and lesson learned.

The reason I'm sharing this is to constantly remind people of how important it is to not be careless whilst working on their Festivas or anything else. Take the time to prepare the car, prepare your workplace, and prepare yourself to avoid injury. I was fortunate that my father is a GP in a private clinic/practice nearby, and was available to stitch me up immediately without any problems or need to head to emerg. Maybe next time I won't be so lucky, so I'm planning to start taking much better care while working.

I've always kept a small first-aid kit in my spare-tire well - just as a general principle - it really helped me out today. Another backpacker-sized one in the glove box, come to think of it. Driving a standard with a gashed up right hand is far from an easy task, but it would have been much harder without any medical supplies handy to get me there in the first place. Even worse had I had something fly into my eye or cause a serious chemical burn to my abdomen. Fortunately I've never suffered either of these.

But there's no need to react to something you can pro-act. I'd like to stress the importance of proper eye/foot/hand/mouth/ear/other protection when working. It all matters, every step of the way. Sparks are dangerous, metal shrapnel from power/air projects is very dangerous, and heavy solvents and chemicals are dangerous. Even thinking about your environment around you is important - picking up your garbage/recycling, collecting and disposing your fluids, and keeping your workplace and tools clean and free of debris. Not only will this make things safer for you, but also for vegetation and wildlife around you. I'm guilty of this all the time - mainly oily/slippery socket ratchets for example.

In less-than-serious situations, we often overlook our own safety in favour of convenience, justifying closing our eyes, or taking our time as a substitute for professional safety and care on the job. Saving 5 seconds on your job isn't worth potentially losing an eye, a finger, or even a day's work. So next time you find yourself working on your next Festiva project or repair, please think about my hand gash, hopefully a scar in the next couple weeks. Disconnect your negative battery terminal, be very careful around chemicals and particles, and do every single step carefully to ensure the safety of you and others while working.