Page 2 of 3 FirstFirst 123 LastLast
Results 16 to 30 of 35

Thread: Compressed air to blow off clothing, so dangerous it's banned in workplaces

  1. #16
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    4,973
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Drew View Post


    I work in emergency medicine and that's a new one on me. I'm gonna have to see some documentation!
    You didn't see it so it must not exist?

    It started in the auto factories in Michigan during the union wars, and it was not always just horse play. It was a way to get rid of a problem with no evidence.

  2. #17
    Join Date
    May 2006
    Location
    Prairieville, Louisiana
    Posts
    578
    They banned the use of bicycles at (2) Honeywell Plants in our area . . . . go figure . . .

    I'm sure golf carts are next . . . some bozo was seen pulling his buddy on a 4 wheel dolly with a golf cart last week . . .

    Both these guys are over 50 . . . :-)

    Steve
    Support the "CREEK" . . .

  3. #18
    Join Date
    Aug 2010
    Location
    Between Houston & Humble Texas
    Posts
    247
    I've been knowing about that for a while. I have even received training (Houston Areas Safety Council) about the hazards. I still blow off with it though. You almost have to if you would like to leave the dust in the shop and not bring it in to the house. I NEVER blow my face. I just generally blow my clothing off. I am guilty of blowing out my hair though. My goal is to get DC good enough to reduce having to blow off.

    Quote Originally Posted by Steven DeMars View Post
    They banned the use of bicycles at (2) Honeywell Plants in our area . . . . go figure . . .

    I'm sure golf carts are next . . . some bozo was seen pulling his buddy on a 4 wheel dolly with a golf cart last week . . .

    Both these guys are over 50 . . . :-)

    Steve
    Oh, I bet the next safety meeting in your plant was a good one after the dolly/golf cart fiasco. At some plants here golf carts are out and bicycles are in. Weird how that works.
    Last edited by Joseph D'Orazio; 03-18-2011 at 8:50 AM.
    <-------- Knows nothing of WoodWorking. Wants to know everything about WoodWorking.

  4. #19
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
    Location
    Trussville, AL
    Posts
    3,589
    Quote Originally Posted by Benoit Bissonnette View Post
    I never understood why people would use compressed air to clean up their workspace or even themselves with it. My shop is small and there's a fine layer of dust everywhere even though I sweep the floor regularly and clean up the top of my tools with an old draftsman brush at every possible occasion. Still, there's a lot of dust left where I can't easily reach or around my tools.
    Maybe it's dependent on the setup and of course all things in moderation. If I had a good woodworking dust filtration system, I could see putting on a dust mask and blowing everything off good with compressed air at the end of the day to give the collector a chance to pickup what it missed along the way. I fully agree that no one should be in there breathing.

  5. #20
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    3,178
    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Edgerton View Post
    You didn't see it so it must not exist?

    It started in the auto factories in Michigan during the union wars, and it was not always just horse play. It was a way to get rid of a problem with no evidence.
    Apples and oranges, Larry; I wasn't questioning whether compressed through an air hose inserted into a person's rectum could cause serious damage, just whether a fatal trauma could occur during casual, "horseplay", as was posted. Assault with intent to injure is clearly a different matter entirely.
    Last edited by Frank Drew; 03-18-2011 at 10:34 AM.

  6. #21
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Atlanta, GA
    Posts
    6,393
    The biggest safety risk, in routine use of compressed air as cleanup aid, is blowing dust, etc. into your eyes. Dust in your mouth won't hurt you - just ruins the taste of the Cabernet.
    When I started woodworking, I didn't know squat. I have progressed in 30 years - now I do know squat.

  7. #22
    Thank Heavens that someone is finally raising awareness of this silent, but deadly, killer








  8. #23
    Join Date
    Nov 2008
    Location
    Northern Oregon
    Posts
    1,820
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Drew View Post
    Apples and oranges, Larry; I wasn't questioning whether compressed through an air hose inserted into a person's rectum could cause serious damage, just whether a fatal trauma could occur during casual, "horseplay", as was posted. Assault with intent to injure is clearly a different matter entirely.
    Here's the facts. My woodworking teacher in 1969 explained the dangers of air hose horseplay with the goosing story.

    I have no pictures for proof,but I believe it could happen.
    Last edited by Keith Outten; 03-18-2011 at 12:26 PM.

  9. #24
    Join Date
    Jan 2010
    Location
    Northern Colorado
    Posts
    1,884
    Quote Originally Posted by Larry Edgerton View Post
    I thought the same thing. I think we have a heavy handed moderator on our hands............
    I saw what was written, and what got removed.

    It was the definition OF political.

    One thing I love the MOST about the Creek is that ... it celebrates those things that UNITE us -- NOT those things that divide us.

    I'm grateful for their rules, and the even-handed way in which -- IMHO -- they apply them

  10. #25
    Join Date
    Dec 2008
    Location
    Northern Michigan
    Posts
    4,973
    Quote Originally Posted by Frank Drew View Post
    Apples and oranges, Larry; I wasn't questioning whether compressed through an air hose inserted into a person's rectum could cause serious damage, just whether a fatal trauma could occur during casual, "horseplay", as was posted. Assault with intent to injure is clearly a different matter entirely.
    Ya it seems strainge to me too, but my family, especially my grandfather that was plant manager at Pontiac in the 50-60's worked in the auto factories. There was some bad stuff that went on in those places. Gramp's said it was a horrible way to die, and that man was not afraid of anything. They ran the shops through fear back in the early days. He told me about it when I was a kid and wasn't even sure what an air compressor was.

  11. #26
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Virginia
    Posts
    3,178
    Quote Originally Posted by Kent A Bathurst View Post
    The biggest safety risk, in routine use of compressed air as cleanup aid, is blowing dust, etc. into your eyes. Dust in your mouth won't hurt you - just ruins the taste of the Cabernet.
    I thought the dust was a feature of those Rutherford Bench Cabs.

  12. #27
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Location
    Columbus Ohio
    Posts
    192
    The same "story" was used as the excuse to keep compressed air out of the machine shop in the tech-school I went to. I have always considered it to be an "urban legend", the typical "cautionary tale", but the lesson needs to be taken. It is possible to injure yourself with an air nozzle, but there are a hundered other ways to hurt yourself....

    That being said, I have blown the dust off of myself for many many years, first in a bodyshop, then in the cabinet shop and my own home shop too. I carry a Milton (screw-type) blow gun in my pocket virtually everywhere I go, the same one for nearly 20 years. Simple respect for things is all it takes.

  13. #28
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Glenmoore, PA
    Posts
    2,194
    Quote Originally Posted by Cody Colston View Post
    Just because something is banned in a workplace does not mean it's inherently unsafe. It more likely means that some bozo did something dumb and got hurt. Instead of getting rid of the bozo, they institute another "safety" policy. It rarely helps because it's impossible to manage stupid. The root cause of the incident (the bozo) is still walking around looking for another way to get hurt.

    I often use compressed air to blow the chips off of me when I've been turning. I don't aim it towards my eyes, get it close enough to blow dust or air into my skin and certainly don't insert the nozzle into a body orifice. A little common sense will go a lot farther towards keeping one safe than a knee-jerk policy will.
    Cody Colston for president - run and you have my vote. Seriously people!
    Sometimes I think the surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us.
    -Bill Watterson

    Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water.
    -W. C. Fields

  14. #29
    Join Date
    May 2004
    Location
    Port Orchard WA
    Posts
    435
    My favorite tool is common sense. Never injured myself with that one!

  15. #30
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    In the foothills of the Sandia Mountains
    Posts
    16,622
    Quote Originally Posted by Jonathan Spool View Post
    My favorite tool is common sense. Never injured myself with that one!
    Ain't that the truth. I worked as a R&D machinist in the Government laboratory system for 30+ years and believe me I think I have seen every safety video ever created. I can state categorically that air nozzles can indeed be dangerous if used carelessly. That said, I have used compressed air to blow metal & wood chips off myself since 1969 and never have had a single problem. As Jonathan Spool said the key is common sense.
    Please help support the Creek.


    "It's paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn't appeal to anyone."
    Andy Rooney



Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •