Total PPE

[serial killer]

I have a buddy who throws his used ear plugs through the wash with a bunch of other laundry and reuses them. I think he's a little goofy, but it seems to work for him.

Pete, the way I understand it, according to US regulations the employer is responsible for providing PPE. In actuality, it tends to be a little bit of a tradeoff, especially with most smaller companies. The owners know that they are unlikely to face any sort of government scrutiny and tend to skimp on what they provide.

I own all my own stuff because I have fairly specific preferences. For instance, I can have all the earplugs I want for free, but I own a couple pair of earmuffs because I like them much better. I like to replace my glasses much more often than most because I hate scratches. I prefer a pair of full wrap chaps and have freakishly long legs, so screw the stinky old shorty chaps on the truck. Etc, etc. I think that I'm a rarity though. Most of the guys I know do their dangedest to avoid wearing any PPE at all. I guess I just value my hearing and all my appendages more than most.

 

[Job Corps Tree]

Glad to see a Employer trying to do his best for his Crew. I have always bought my own when I had to. I want to See my Sons graduate and to Hear my Sons graduate. Anything to make you & your guys Safer. Husky makes a good pair of Gloves( with saw protection in the left hand, most cuts are here. on the hands) better than MIT's. You go! Safety First! Please don't forget Training

 

[memetic]

Glad to see a Employer trying to do his best for his Crew. I have always bought my own when I had to. I want to See my Sons graduate and to Hear my Sons graduate. Anything to make you & your guys Safer. Husky makes a good pair of Gloves( with saw protection in the left hand, most cuts are here. on the hands) better than MIT's. You go! Safety First! Please don't forget Training

I'm not sure if we are required to buy all the safety gear, but we are doing it anyway because we love our crew - and I don't want any gimps at my house when we have parties . We are only "kind of" buying it because we are getting it up front for everyone, but VERY slowly the crew pays in to it to keep it for themselves. That's part of the reason why I have been asking them what they want. I think it's a good deal because they get the gear for free up front and don't have to pay interest or anything and get to keep it. It's good for everyone.

I've heard of other employers some of our guys worked for didn't provide them with anything. Not even $3 safety glasses. One guy showed me a scar where a twig caught him in the eye and he had stitches. A fraction of an inch higher and he would be wearing a patch now and out of work. And he was excited because his boss paid for the hospital bill. That kind of stuff makes my stomach turn.


Re hands:

All right, I'll bite. Tell me about hand safety. Gloves and mits are just about the last thing I'd ever wear, right behind knickers and a corset. I don't understand how anyone cuts their hand while sawing (both hands are on the saw?). It seems to me you have a superior grip with a bare hand. I have used gloves in the past for all types of activities and I always have a better grip without. The only activities I do with gloves/mits is motorcycles and snowboarding. And snowboarding doesn't require a grip!

Also, my hands are pretty hardened from construction, martial arts, and other things - no not that. Tell me the horror stories. Bring 'em on. Maybe I'll add gloves to the mix.



edit: Forgot this:

"Most of the guys I know do their dangedest to avoid wearing any PPE at all."

I don't understand why this is. I have seen it a lot now that I have been paying attention to it. For me it is complete discomfort why I skip a couple things. I feel safer when I am focused on work rather than what I am wearing (the discomfort because of it). I will have to adjust. I know some people think they are cool without safety gear. They think they look cooler or stronger without it. I could give two shiiites how macho or cool I LOOK. I know I look a lot stronger with two arms and two legs and two feet and two eyes and my head....

 

[clearance]

I wear gloves now, didn't used to. Just the cheap yellow/orange chainsaw type gloves, they work real good in the rain. Better grip than bare hands when wet. Gloves do protect your hands somewhat. Maybe you get scratched instead of cut, maybe a little cut instead of a cut that needs stitches. Maybe the glove burns a little instead of your flesh sizzling (like when you touch a hot muffler by mistake).

Gloves are not a must like the other things though.

I prefer the hardhat, muff, facescreen combo, all in one package, no looking around for another piece. People cut thier hands, wrists, by one handing a saw, usually a top handled climbing saw.

 

[memetic]

"People cut thier hands, wrists, by one handing a saw, usually a top handled climbing saw."

That's what I thought!

My partner does this shiite all the time it f'n freaks me out. I know he does it to rile me up sometimes. I hope he's really not showing off. Most people know showing off is a sure way to get your arse handed to you - or your hand handed to you in this case.

A saw has a place for both hands for a reason I don't care how bad arse a saw handler you think you are. But, what do I know.

 

[secureland]

"...when he took the boot off he had to shake his toes out and put them in a bag for the hospital."

Thanks, I just threw up in my mouth!

Did the toes sew back on OK, or were they all mangled from the saw and un-sewable? I know a saw cut in wood can look smooth and neat, but I also notice the 5/8" of wood missing after the cut. Well, not missing, but lying in a pile on the ground as saw dust. Does he wear a size 10 and a size 9 now?

Did his saw have a break?

it was in the mid 80's If I remember right the toes were no good so I suppose he does wear 2 sizes of boot now, the family had a run of bad luck at the time one of his sons had been out drinking one weekend and was walking down the side of a major road and a lorry mirror knocked the top half of his head off havn't seen them for nearly 20 years now used to piss myself laughing when the got the shearing gear out for the dogs if we had a hot summer.

at that time they tended to do away with the breaks reckoned they were a nuisance, back before health and safety got out of control

For the US folks, a "lorry" is a big rig or semi.
Sounds like a terrible accident.

Are you in the Northwest of Scotland? I spent some time on the Applecross Peninsula.

 

[Bermie]

Go with the all-in-one helmet system, beats looking for separate pieces all the time.
I know what you mean about the face shield, sometimes the sun is slanting at an angle and actually reflects off the inside of the screen, making it harder to see...but this doesn't happen often enough to be a major issue, the protection I've had over the years from face slapping branches and eye poking twigs more than makes up!

I'm switching to chaps for the summer, I just can no longer bear my all around protection Stihl trousers, waaayy to hot!

I invest in chainsaw boots, SIP leather, they have steel toes and kevlar strands. I have to import them, worth the cost

Gloves not only give you a better grip with sweaty/wet hands, Clearance said it best with how they can reduce an injury from major to minor! I concur, Silky saw cuts are nasty on bare flesh. The chainsaw protective ones with the pad on the left hand are a holdover from days of no left hand guard...the UK still insists you wear them, once they have a law, its hard to undo it! Improvements in chainsaw 'safety features' now has significantly reduced the risk. Yup, left hand cuts are usually 99% caused by one handing a top handle saw...

 

[shokidq]

For the US folks, a "lorry" is a big rig or semi.
Sounds like a terrible accident.

Are you in the Northwest of Scotland? I spent some time on the Applecross Peninsula.

I'm down in Perth but I do love it in the highlands, done a bit of clearfell over around the Isle of Mull and up around Thurso so long as you skip june july and august for the good old midge.

 

[Sprig]

I have a buddy who throws his used ear plugs through the wash with a bunch of other laundry and reuses them. I think he's a little goofy, but it seems to work for him.

Pete, the way I understand it, according to US regulations the employer is responsible for providing PPE. In actuality, it tends to be a little bit of a tradeoff, especially with most smaller companies. The owners know that they are unlikely to face any sort of government scrutiny and tend to skimp on what they provide.

I own all my own stuff because I have fairly specific preferences. For instance, I can have all the earplugs I want for free, but I own a couple pair of earmuffs because I like them much better. I like to replace my glasses much more often than most because I hate scratches. I prefer a pair of full wrap chaps and have freakishly long legs, so screw the stinky old shorty chaps on the truck. Etc, etc. I think that I'm a rarity though. Most of the guys I know do their dangedest to avoid wearing any PPE at all. I guess I just value my hearing and all my appendages more than most.

Its quite alright to wash yer foamies, personally I just use Ivory soap and warm water, squeeze, re-do, squeeze, re-do, squeeze in clean dry towel. avoid detergents as they have been suspected of causing bio-grief, a good real soap is just fine. Also avoid high temp water as it may degrade the foam.
Just my semi-worthy .02$ wotrth fer the afternoon.
Value your hearing man, you will never appreciate as much as you will when its gone

From a safety slut.

Serge

 

[scotclayshooter]

I'm down in Perth but I do love it in the highlands, done a bit of clearfell over around the Isle of Mull and up around Thurso so long as you skip june july and august for the good old midge.

There was a report on tv that the midge was now as far north as TAIN lol
About 20 miles west of Thurso is Strathy i went Red Deer stalking there once It was murder with the midge and even worse once i shot one and went to gralloch it! NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!
So when are we going to organize a Scottish GTG?

 

[scotclayshooter]

Its quite alright to wash yer foamies, personally I just use Ivory soap and warm water, squeeze, re-do, squeeze, re-do, squeeze in clean dry towel. avoid detergents as they have been suspected of causing bio-grief, a good real soap is just fine. Also avoid high temp water as it may degrade the foam.
Just my semi-worthy .02$ wotrth fer the afternoon.
Value your hearing man, you will never appreciate as much as you will when its gone

From a safety slut.

Serge

Whe i use foamies its 3M type they come in a little plastic bag, The trick is to roll them up while in the bag then when you take them out put them back in the bag and roll them up for re-use again that way they stay clean (apart from the crud that comes out of your ears lol)
I may be odd but i have to put them in fat end first or thy wont seal, I guess i gave big earholes
Over a certain DB the bones behind your ear transmit sound so quality muffs are better protection IMO

 

[shokidq]

There was a report on tv that the midge was now as far north as TAIN lol
About 20 miles west of Thurso is Strathy i went Red Deer stalking there once It was murder with the midge and even worse once i shot one and went to gralloch it! NEVER AGAIN!!!!!!
So when are we going to organize a Scottish GTG?

Lol last contracting job we done was at strathy i think you head 6 or 7 miles inland but it was about 14 years ago, did like to stop in at capaldi's in brora for a tub o ice cream on the way up.
A scottish gtg will be about 3 years after we get rid o labour an can then afford tae tak a day off.

 

[memetic]

Being half Scottish - my mom and her family is Kerr - it's good to see some Scotts here. Any of you guys want to send me a Kerr family kilt? I can't find one for under $200. Maybe someone you guys know can hook me up?

"The trick is to roll them up while in the bag..."

That's what I do.

"...then when you take them out put them back in the bag and roll them up for re-use again..."

That's how I definitely know your Scottish. I'm only half, I guess that's why I don't reuse them. We have a running joke here about Scotts being cheap as Jews. No offense to the Jews, my wife's one (I guess my son is too according to tradition). haha.

We have been to England, but our next trip is to Scotland. Not sure when, but if any of you Scotts want to meet up for drinks let me know.

 

[Kate Butler]

I wear Clics (magnetic front-closing sunglasses) with a foam band around the eye. Almost goggles, but not quite. They are THE BEST for keeping small particulates totally out of the eyes!! If it's serious work, the full helmet goes over the glasses.

 

[scotclayshooter]

Lol last contracting job we done was at strathy i think you head 6 or 7 miles inland but it was about 14 years ago, did like to stop in at capaldi's in brora for a tub o ice cream on the way up.
A scottish gtg will be about 3 years after we get rid o labour an can then afford tae tak a day off.

With the price of oil going up all the time you will be even busier with firewood!
Loads of people around here getting big wood burners fitted.
My mate just got a replacement fitted outside the house it cost him £5000!!!!!! but he gets the wood for free and recons he will save £1000 a year in heating.
By the time we get a Scottish GTG there will be no wood left to cut! lol

 

[scotclayshooter]

I wear Clics (magnetic front-closing sunglasses) with a foam band around the eye. Almost goggles, but not quite. They are THE BEST for keeping small particulates totally out of the eyes!! If it's serious work, the full helmet goes over the glasses.

Any chance of some more details? website? photos?

 

[Pete M]

This must be 'em... http://eyewearclics.ca/shop/index.php?cPath=29&osCsid=35b91cddb761dca8dfa0e7c7756aa0ad

 

[Pete M]

When I have to wear goggles (which is usually when I'm using a cicular saw or a cutting disc and the dust is blowing around and getting all over my contact lenses) then I wear the Bolle X90 low profile safety goggles. Quite a bit cheaper at about £8, but also comfortable and pretty much resistant to steaming up, unless I'm sweaty in the rain.

 

[Pete M]

by the way, I'm quarter Scottish, having a half Scottish dad and a fully Scottish grandmother from Largs.

 

[scotclayshooter]

This must be 'em... http://eyewearclics.ca/shop/index.php?cPath=29&osCsid=35b91cddb761dca8dfa0e7c7756aa0ad

Cheers back to plan b lol they aint shy with the prices!
Swiss one riders is my safety glasses of choice, I cut the arms off just on top of my ears so they dont hurt with muffs on.