Just Learned a lesson (or...I just got home from the hospital)

D

DCT

Joined
Jan 3, 2002
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92
I did something really stupid yesterday...I touched up something on my grinder without my safety glasses on :eek: (this is the first time I have ever done this) it was only gonna take 30 seconds :rolleyes: . Later on the evening I could feel something in my eye. I went to work today and still felt like a grain of sand in my eye. After work I decided to go get it checked because it did not look so good. After a 5 hour wait (just getting back now), my cornea scraped with a needle (to get the rust from the sliver out) and a tetanus shot I will never be so #$#%$' stupid again...

Just thought I would share with you all my attempt to demonstrate evolution (natural Selection)..

Take Care
Dean
 
Dean thanks for the tip I will just add my mistake.

I had a new billet of damascus, just cooled down with a bit of scale on it I gave it a tap with a hammer to loosen up the scale before I used the wire wheel on it.

It was only a light tap I had ever intention of putting on goggles to wire wheel.

Yep just a light tap the scale jumped straight into my eye that was the end of work for the day.
 
"it was only gonna take 30 seconds". I did that a few months ago, and the same thing happened. I had my eye rinsed and later that day it disappeared, but I was very close to seeing a doctor about it. I guess we have to suffer to learn.:D
 
Is this wierd or what; yesterday for the first time I got something in my eye while grinding, had to wash my eye out to get it cleared up. After hearing Dean's story I'm glad that's all it took.

Dave
 
Ditto
And $175 doctor visit later I was fine.
Took him all of 30 secs to remove. Hows that for an hourly wage!
 
The last time my knifemaking hobby sent me to the emergency room was about 7 years ago. I was a little too agressive with the belt grinder, and it tore the piece out of my hand. Got a few stitched in my left index finger, way too close to the tendon.

The tetanus shot was the worst part. My arm hurt like hell for a week. Here's a tip from my friend who was in the Army back in the early 70's: as soon as possible after the shot, do some push ups. It'll help dispurse the serum throughout the muscles faster.
 
Given the talk about metail fragments in eyes and hospital visits, I was curious........ I had an MRI about a year ago they asked me if I worked grinding metal. I wasn't at the time, but am now. I have heard (third or fourth hand) that the reason they ask is the the magnets can pull a metal grain right thorugh your eye. Anyone know about this??


Bob
 
Glad thats all it took to get rid of it. I know a guy who was grinding on the body of a car, stopped and then saw one more spot to do, didn't bother to get the goggles out again (same story as you pretty much). Only they had to pop his eye out of the socket to get the sliver out, it had worked around to the back.
He had to be awake for the procedure so they could tell him which way to look/turn his eye to position it :eek::barf:
 
Bob, On that MRI business. They asked me the same question. When I told them I did grind some steel the day before , they X rayed my eyes to make sure there was no metal particles in them. They said the MRI would cause the metal to get hot and could cause some damage in the eyes.
Roland
 
Seems like I am with some good company on this mistake. ;)

I know I got off lightly this time...made the perfect lesson. I can't see myself grinding without my glasses again.

Matt...somehow the thought of having my eye taken out of my head to be worked on brings back images of Blade Runner :D

Stay safe everyone

Dean
 
Hey all, thanks for these stories.

I just got my first grinder this week, and due to my time shooting and reloading, wearing safety glasses has just sort of become a habit to me. So I've been wearing my regular prescription glasses and safety glasses while I use grinder.

But, I will admit after a long session here, was getting rather annoyed with the two sets of glasses(don't have money to buy prescription safety/ballistic glasses), and was considering forgoing the ssafety glasses. But after reading all of these, and remembering how much I hate hospital visits, I think I'll keep them on. Thanks for helping keep a newbie safe.
 
I have worked in metal fabrication and welding most of my life.I have had many pieces removed, most got there while wearing safety glasses and once with my welding helmet on.If it's going to happen it happens but please wear some protection.And one more thing, anyone around metalworking should have an eye magnet.Mine has saved me a bunch of trips to the Doc.Dave
 
The beginning of July I was grinding alot of metal off to get the blade thickness done to .125ish. Went to my Mothers that evening and did a repair job on her screen door and while driving home (about 5 blocks)a piece of metal must have flown off my hair or eyebrows and went into my left eye. I rinsed it out well but the feel of a grain of sand was still there. At 1 am I couldnt sleep anymore and went in to the emergency room. They plucked out a small sliver of metal out. After 3 more visits to the eye doctor in the coming week and having my eye taped up for 2 days and putting goop in there for a week, it took 3 weeks to see well again. I do wear safety glasses always but I now use the air hose to blow off my hair and clothes before I leave the shop. Hard lesson learned!
 
I have had two different boughts of steel in the eye over the years.Both times I was wearing my glasses and watched the piece bounce off the inside of my glasses and into my eye.The Doctors at the emergency room know me and what I do so when they didn't put a patch on my eye or tell me to stay out of the shop for any length of time..They just laughed and asked if I would do what they said and I said probably not and so they just said be careful and have a good night.:D
Just please be careful everybody and wear your safety glasses..
Bruce
 
Well Here is My Story I was Forging a Billet just Last Week One of those Rare Ones All is Going Great then out of No Specific Place my face Get's Sprayed with Hot Slag / Scale at the Power Hammer on the ''Draw Out '' That stuff Sting's I Finnished the Draw out then Put the Billet Back into the Forge Then Checked Myself For Damage I Found a couple of ''Minor Burn's around the Beard No Problem !! Then i Looked in the Mirror Closer to See Why MY Rigth eye ''Stung'' a Piece of Slag hit me Right below the Eye in the Corner by the Tear Duct No Damage to the Eye Thank's Still That Billet is Mine For Life Whatever Blade's Come From it Will Be Personal Just my Crazy Rule !! Good Luck / Play Safe
 
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