fieldmouse
Member
- Messages
- 20
Holy Cornflake Blasting ****oles!
last night I almost came a cropper and all because I forgot about a little tin sat on the end of my work bench.
I was trying out my new Autoshield from Weldequip, just having a few practise runs on some scrap. Totally absorbed with the need not to hold the old mask with one hand and admiring the straight welds I was achieving I didn't notice the loud crackling from ahead of the visor, it was getting quite hot too!
Anyroads I raises the visor to find a rather large fire has started on the work bench, has spread to the gargage "curtains" and a large plastic scrap bag. Within seconds the room was full of black smoke. Luckily I had a damp blanket on another bench and managed to smother the fire but only just, it wasn't for going out!
I had to leave the gargage for 20 mins to allow the smoke to clear but when I returned I found the source, a small tin of thinners that I was using to clean a paint brush. I totally forgot about it and obscured by the pile of scrap that I was welding.
It hit me about 20 minutes later, how close I came to losing 20 years and 10 grand of tools for a moments lapse in concentration.
In my case the horse has bolted but it only takes a few moments to perform a quick Risk Assessment of your work area ie. contingency (escape route, fire extinguisher/blanket location), clear working area (flamables stored away, good housekeeping etc)
Apply a little common sense to any tasks you perform and don't allow yourself to become complacent.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to scrape the molten plastic from my work bench!!!
last night I almost came a cropper and all because I forgot about a little tin sat on the end of my work bench.
I was trying out my new Autoshield from Weldequip, just having a few practise runs on some scrap. Totally absorbed with the need not to hold the old mask with one hand and admiring the straight welds I was achieving I didn't notice the loud crackling from ahead of the visor, it was getting quite hot too!
Anyroads I raises the visor to find a rather large fire has started on the work bench, has spread to the gargage "curtains" and a large plastic scrap bag. Within seconds the room was full of black smoke. Luckily I had a damp blanket on another bench and managed to smother the fire but only just, it wasn't for going out!
I had to leave the gargage for 20 mins to allow the smoke to clear but when I returned I found the source, a small tin of thinners that I was using to clean a paint brush. I totally forgot about it and obscured by the pile of scrap that I was welding.
It hit me about 20 minutes later, how close I came to losing 20 years and 10 grand of tools for a moments lapse in concentration.
In my case the horse has bolted but it only takes a few moments to perform a quick Risk Assessment of your work area ie. contingency (escape route, fire extinguisher/blanket location), clear working area (flamables stored away, good housekeeping etc)
Apply a little common sense to any tasks you perform and don't allow yourself to become complacent.
Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to scrape the molten plastic from my work bench!!!
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