Getting hurt in the lab

**Blake** · 09-01-2006, 07:09 PM

Originally Posted by OPTIDONN

Well electricity and me just do not mix. Every time I have to take something apart sparks fly!! Once when I was changing a switch in a cylinder machine I plugged it in to make sure it worked. I realized that the position of the switch needed adjustment. So I grabbed the switch from the inside when my hand began to tingle and tighten around the switch! It took a second to realize that it was electricity!!:hammer:

Or how about slipping with the screwdriver and stabbing yourself! Thats always a good one.

I got shocked by a cyl machine once. I had a diagnostic tech on the phone tell me to bypass a switch and I was in a hurry so I followed his advice. (At the time, I was working on my masters in electrical engineering - so I should've figured this was a bad idea.) Well, sparks flew and I found out what a wonderful sensation 220 Volts can be!

I've stabbed myself with a screwdriver so many times it doesn't even hurt anymore.

**SarahMP584** · 09-01-2006, 07:43 PM

How about a nice nosecheese covered screwdriver inserted under your index fingernail....
I thought for sure I would get gangrene.

**hotsauce** · 09-01-2006, 09:40 PM

While pulling off an aged, crunchy temple tip, it broke apart, forcing a good portion of it under my fingernail. I was chatting with the doctor as it happened--he continued on talking while I explained that I was in rather a lot of pain, and did he have any nail clippers. Fun.

**Jubilee** · 09-02-2006, 12:51 AM

How about working on the assemblies underneath in the cabinet of the cylinder machines. Trying to loosen up a bolt and finally wrenching it free only to be using too much force and giving yourself a really good goose egg, shortly after working in another area and skinning the knuckles in a "tight" area...

**HarryChiling** · 09-09-2006, 10:28 AM

Originally Posted by Jubilee

How about working on the assemblies underneath in the cabinet of the cylinder machines. Trying to loosen up a bolt and finally wrenching it free only to be using too much force and giving yourself a really good goose egg, shortly after working in another area and skinning the knuckles in a "tight" area...

Somewhere out there an engineer is snickering about the placement of some of those bolts, I swear it's like you need some sort of wacky tool to reach some of those bolts. And if you have ever taken a an assembly apart, the first time I did I didn't know what a ring spreader was an my boss was too busy laughing at me spread out on the floor jabbing myself with a number of tools trying to get the rings apart. Thinking back it must have been a sight to see. It sucks that I have not found any dedicated enough opticians to play some of these pranks or initiations on.

**Ray Parent** · 09-09-2006, 02:21 PM

The only real injury I've ever gotten on the job was from breaking loose a bolt on a cylinder machine. Ended up having to get my wrist x-rayed and using a brace for a month.

Had my hand slip one time while taking a high plus off a cylinder machine. Did a good job slicing up my hand between the thumb and index finger.

A guy I worked with managed to drill through his thumb when he was trying to drill out a broken screw.

**OPTIDONN** · 09-09-2006, 02:31 PM

One time while changing the coating in our poly coating machine we had a major chemical spill! If you have seen this stuff there's warnings all over the container! "Do not spill, Not stable, Do not get on skin, Do not inhale" Well the stuff must have sat in a pool for 20 min before we noticed it! At about the same time we all began to feel dizzy and were getting bad headaches! It felt like a hangover without the fun part.

This never hurt any one but was a heck of alot of fun. We used to take old poly lenses and put them in a vice. We squeezed them untill it was almost folded in half. We had our acetone in squirt bottles and shot it across the lab onto the lens...then BAM!!! Poly pieces flew every where!

**chip anderson** · 09-09-2006, 03:21 PM

If we keep this thread up, we are gonna have OSHA all over our hinneys with so damn many new regulations we won't be able to open the door without safety goggles and space suits.

Chip

**HarryChiling** · 09-11-2006, 07:33 AM

Originally Posted by OPTIDONN

This never hurt any one but was a heck of alot of fun. We used to take old poly lenses and put them in a vice. We squeezed them untill it was almost folded in half. We had our acetone in squirt bottles and shot it across the lab onto the lens...then BAM!!! Poly pieces flew every where!

That is the funniest thing I have ever heard.

**Fezz** · 09-12-2006, 08:18 AM

Originally Posted by OPTIDONN

This never hurt any one but was a heck of alot of fun. We used to take old poly lenses and put them in a vice. We squeezed them untill it was almost folded in half. We had our acetone in squirt bottles and shot it across the lab onto the lens...then BAM!!! Poly pieces flew every where!

I know what I am doing for fun this weekend!!!(what a lame life I have!)

This cracked me up!!!

I will be sure to wear my safety glasses when I try this. But, believe me, they will be made with TRIVEX lenses!;)

Fezz
:cheers:

**rcroutch** · 10-01-2006, 11:21 PM

A friend of mine using a hyrolic pad press to put a glass finning pad on a lap, turned his back when a lens shattered on a cyl. machine. When he finaly remembered that he had been pressing on a pad, the press was burried into the rubber pad. He then watched as the press arm came up and the tool just shot out and hit him square on the forehead.

:cheers:

**Chris Ryser** · 10-02-2006, 02:35 AM

Originally Posted by harry a saake

.................shoot a stream of acetone across the room and see if they could hit someone.

or they loved once in a while to pour a little acetone on the cocnrete floor under the toilette dooor, when the accountant had to long a session on the pot.................and then light it. He used to come running out, sreaming at them.

**HarryChiling** · 10-02-2006, 10:47 AM

Originally Posted by Chris Ryser

or they loved once in a while to pour a little acetone on the cocnrete floor under the toilette dooor, when the accountant had to long a session on the pot.................and then light it. He used to come running out, sreaming at them.

Chris you are a sick sick man. This thread is getting dangerously funny.:D

**Grubendol** · 10-02-2006, 12:25 PM

On Thursday I slit my thumb open trying to deblock a lens with no safety bevel. Fun fun Fun.

And my fiance has said I am not allowed to handle any tints this week so my hands remain flesh colored for the wedding ;)

**Cindy K** · 10-02-2006, 05:33 PM

Note to self:

Tie hair back when using handstone.

NOT a good way to polish the nose.

Yep, it happened to me. All alone in the store. Hair gets wrapped round the spindle of the handstone.

On another occasion, I picked up a towel from the counter, opened up the lids for the chem unit, and my hand was met by a stream of fire. Guess there was something on the towel, it dropped into the chem, caught fire.
What do I do? Pour water in. Big mistake.

(Yes, I am blonde)

**HarryChiling** · 10-03-2006, 02:09 PM

Originally Posted by Cindy K

(Yes, I am blonde)

By the looks of things we are all blond deep down.

**Reinhardt** · 10-04-2006, 07:55 AM

This thread concerning lab safety, or lack of it, is another reminder that injuries will and do happen in our unique workplace. Mandatory wearing of eye protection by all personnel in the lab is synonymous to wearing seatbelts in the car. It’s a no-brainer.