DIY near misses

[tony sayer]

I

Well I Used to work off ladders up the three story's high rigging telly aerials when younger, and I thought I'd survived the odd slip off a roof ladder rather well sliding down a slippery slate roof etc, and had to use a pair of cutters to "stab" the roof to make a hand held brake;!..

But last year a simple fall of a latter up a power pole from 8 metres saw me in hospital for a month in a coma and not expected to make it:(

However despite the skull fractures and hematoma's, subarachnoid haemorrhage, a fractured femur which came right through the skin and a lacerated elbow we're back at work not that much worse for wear 'tho a bit more risk adverse than before;)..

However one thing that will be good advice to all concerned on here and elsewhere is if anyone has had much of a bump on the head even if they appear OK afterwards, is -- STRONGLY-- advised to go to the accident and emergency unit of a hospital to have it looked at. Even minor head injury can cause internal bleeding which can have devastating consequences if left untreated!....

[Huge]

"holding an explosive device". Sheesh. Hi, everyone, say hello to Uncle Charles.

At least when I was into explosives (as encouraged by my A level Chemistry master, some 40 years ago), I had the 'common' to use electrical detonation and *long* pieces of wire. The bangs got bigger and bigger, the police started arriving earlier and earlier, so we gave it up. My mate ended up in hospital after playing with anhydrous silver nitrate, though. (Drip water onto it and the heat of hydration is enough to make it detonate.)

[Huge]

I still don't have proper feeling in the tip of my left index finger, after more than 10 years, although it's better than it was, but that was a kitchen accident (6 stitches), not a DIY one.

[Huge]

My next-door neighbour inspected the acid level in a car battery by the light of a cigarette lighter on one occasion. He kept his sight ...

[tony sayer]

In article , Grimly Curmudgeon scribeth thus

Had that problem before. Take the fuses with u, doesn't stop a determined idiot from trying but makes it more difficult for them;!...

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Onetap saying something like:

Istr someone's Grandad having a souvenier of the war - a deactivated grenade the kids used to play with. When the old guy popped his clogs the grenade was handed in, upon which it was found to contain explosive.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember "Dave Liquorice" saying something like:

That's why you'll find 'breadknives' in most if not all electrical trade outlets. Just a serrated blade with black handle, but saves all that blood stuff.

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember Onetap saying something like:

Sooner than you think - a couple of years ago a woman locally got a scratch from a rose thorn and subsequently died from a very resistant strain of somthing nasty. In previous decades that would have cleared up nicely with some off the shelf ABs, I'm sure.

[Jim]

"Live grenade prop used in Dad's Army play Dad's Army episode Dad's Army was screened from 1968 to 1977

A theatre group staging a production of Dad's Army narrowly avoided the production going with a bang after using live grenades as props.

The grenades had been found in a garage owned by a cast member's father-in-law during a clear-out after his death."

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember tony sayer saying something like:

Now that I recall the incident more clearly, I realise I *had* pulled the fuse, but left it at the FB. These days it's even easier for a numpty - domestic MCBs aren't commonly lock-offable.

[Sidney Endon-Lee]

That's a Very Good Point.

[sm_jamieson]

Probably worth making a lock for the CU box itself, or fitting a lockable box around the whole thing. Then you can take THAT key with you ;-) Simon.

[Jim K]

ditto except using a jigsaw with a coarse blade (insulated pboard)....luckily nothing permanent tho lots of blood, pain and self- loathing...;>)

Jim K

[Andrew Gabriel]

Me neither. Have a giant rose all up the front of the house, which needs lots of care. Pricked many a time.

One of my classmates at infant school was playing in the garden whilst his dad was pruning roses. Little lad stepped on a cutting which sprung up into his mouth and pricked him. Hit a main blood vessel which caused a clot which moved into his brain, and he died.

Was listening to details of some new threat which is appearing. IIRC, it's otherwise ordinary infectious bacteria which aren't normally a serious risk, but have some additional protein or enzyme which is preventing any antibiotic from working. Been seen in some other countries for a while, but we've had around

10 cases here, although all these were post-operative infections after returning from operations which took place in India.

[Andrew Gabriel]

Just checked all the odd spare MCBs I have in the garage. The only ones which aren't lockable are some 20 year old Square-D.

Having an MCB lock to hand is another issue though.

[Sidney Endon-Lee]

I didn't realise such things existed, although a quick Google finds them. An example is:

didn't realise MCBs were that standard. Well worth having in a toolbox - could be a lifesaver.

My thinking before was that the MCB had to be specially manufactured to be lockable.

Thanks for teaching me,

Sid.

[dom]

Whilst completely antibiotic resistant bacteria sound extremely scary (and certainly should be viewed as a serious threat), the media is probably in the process of whipping this up into a killer bee story.

There are alternatives, and I wouldn't be surprised if we hear of new UK research be launched into Phage Therapy.

[fred]

In article , [e-mail] writes

my hand went septic and the infection spread quickly up to my elbow it was hot lint poultices on the palm that drew the infection out almost as rapidly. It was a long time ago and I was a nipper so probably invincible.

[Dave Liquorice]

Yes, that's what I have and actually use now...

[Grimly Curmudgeon]

We were somewhere around Barstow, on the edge of the desert, when the drugs began to take hold. I remember [e-mail] (Andrew Gabriel) saying something like:

Which is really what I meant. The ones Sydney found are very useful to have in a toolbox, I must get a few.