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wrinklearthur
28th April 2015, 10:04 PM
Well today started out well with the promise of a foreigner, of a simple digital television antenna install. I haven't been able to do any of these jobs for some time now, due to that back injury I had some years ago, so I was looking forward to doing this one job for a friend of mine for old times sake.

I scratched about this morning before lunch making sure I had all I needed for the job which included some not so easy to find clips that were for holding on coax onto a 'C' section shed frame support, had a bite to eat and heading off with SWMBO words ringing in my ears " Do be careful won't you? " .

After arriving, we had run the coax up and clipped it off on the 'C' section supports inside the building, a hole was drilled to the outside and more then enough coax was pushed through.
The shed is quite high and to mount the aerial it needed to be reached by standing in a 'safety' cage mounted on a forklift, so I setup the gear needed for the outside and I climbed into the safety cage.

Fastened the chain across the entrance of the cage and hung on to the safety rail. That's where I made a mistake, as I turned around to make sure that the cage didn't get too close to the wall, I had assumed that hanging on was the least of my concerns.

The safety cage is supported under neath by the two tynes of the forklift and the mounting plate for those tynes is near the top rail of the cage, as the tynes were raised to take up the slack ( as they were resting on the ground ), the mount on the forklift mast rose to meet my fingers wrapped around the top bar of the cage and what was I doing? I was watching the wall with my fingers behind me!!!!!!!

Agh!!! [bawl], blood gushed forth and my DNA is now sprayed every where in the yard. As soon as I felt the pain, the bloke driving the forklift saw something was very wrong and let the fork back down, giving my body a second refresher coarse in pain recognition as the two metal pieces past each other for that second time.

I fully expected to see stumps where my fingers should have been and was surprised to see the finger nails still in situ , although swimming in a sea of blood. Putting on a brave face I asked if I could have a couple of 'Bandaids', it was mainly to stop the forklift driver from fainting at the sight of my free flowing blood. :(

After I had repaired myself, the aerial was duly installed and the Television now works just fine. Came home and I soaked the two fingers that were crushed the worst, in a strong hot salt solution and on inspection I would expect both nails will come off in the near future.

So I have still have all my digits all attached. :arms: Thankyou Universe.

SBD4
28th April 2015, 11:24 PM
Yikes Arthur!

Certainly could have been worse. Glad for you that there was room for your fingers to "squash" through! Bet you copped it when you got home....

Hope it heals up nice and quick for you.

jimr1
29th April 2015, 12:47 AM
These sort of accidents can happen so easy , I pleased Arthur that you are OK to tell us about it . When I was working , we used Scissor lifts all the time . I could never stress enough to any young blocks , get your hands off that hand rail when close to any structure . Hope your fingers don't take to long to heal up !!.. regards , Jim..

S3ute
29th April 2015, 03:21 AM
Arthur,

Hello from Brisbane.

Sounds like you just lived one of my recurring nightmares - and the reason Mrs S3ute is reluctant to let me out to play most days.

Hope your digits recover quickly.

Cheers,

Neil

wrinklearthur
29th April 2015, 08:36 AM
----- Bet you copped it when you got home....
Hope it heals up nice and quick for you.

The Good Lady was at work late, not returning until the wee small hour of the morning, so I had to endure the wait till she arrived home.

As those who have married a Nurse will tell you, when they arrive home, they tend to debrief their days activities and sympathy for your woes isn't always coming forward.

I did get a nod of approval for soaking my fingers in that hot salt solution and now sport two lilly white dressings on my fingers and I will spare you the details of the mostly one way verbal exchange. :no2:

The problem I have for today is, how can I play / work, outside and still keep my bandages clean?

Thanks all for your sympathetic words.

wrinklearthur
29th April 2015, 08:59 AM
These sort of accidents can happen so easy , I pleased Arthur that you are OK to tell us about it . When I was working , we used Scissor lifts all the time . I could never stress enough to any young blocks , get your hands off that hand rail when close to any structure -----

I agree fully with your with your comments Jim, throughout my working life I have been aware of crush points and other danger points, this has allowed me to come through my working life with a full complement of fingers and toes.

Yesterday I let my guard down for a brief moment through a distraction and nearly lost two of my fingers as a result....

So consider this thread as a warning for those entering the beginning of their working lives; Don't leave things to chance, to be aware of your surroundings and don't put yourself in harms way.
.

Ranga
29th April 2015, 09:06 AM
Bloody Hell! (excuse the pun) Good to see you still have all your bits!

Time to get a pair of gloves to keep those bandages clean ;)

jimr1
29th April 2015, 11:16 AM
[QUOTE=wrinklearthur;2354036]I agree fully with your with your comments Jim, throughout my working life I have been aware of crush points and other danger points, this has allowed me to come through my working life with a full complement of fingers and toes.

Yesterday I let my guard down for a brief moment through a distraction and nearly lost two of my fingers as a result....

So consider this thread as a warning for those entering the beginning of their working lives; Don't leave things to chance, to be aware of your surroundings and don't put yourself in harms way.
.[/I agree with you Arthur , Even us older experienced oldies make simple mistakes , as you say It only takes a second to drop your guard . Passing on our knowledge , and experiences to the younger generation . In the hope they learn a bit of self preservation !!.. Jim..

S3ute
29th April 2015, 03:45 PM
As those who have married a Nurse will tell you, when they arrive home, they tend to debrief their days activities and sympathy for your woes isn't always coming forward.

Arthur,

Mrs S3ute also took Florence's oath. So did the S3MIL and Miss S3ute is in her final year.

Enough said..............

Cheers,

Neil