Tool Safety -what happens when you forget

[SteveA]

Group,

I feel compelled to write this post, as a lurker of this newsgroup for some time, a poser of questions, a relatively newbie to serious woodworking and as someone who has survived a career in heavy and highway construction for

37+ years I had remained unscathed, until now.

After work ended today, (I am currently a instructor for our craft as well as Safety trainer for our membership), I ended up working in my shop area to cut and bevel some 4" oak pieces so I could join them to form a 4" leg for a mission style table that I am currently working on. My tool of choice is my PM 3000 with a just sharpened WWII blade to put the 45 on both sides of these boards to I can start gluing them up to form the leg. I pulled several boards that were previously jointed and planed to size and started cutting them down into a more manageable size, closer to the final lengths thinking it would be safer working with smaller pieces (31"+/-).

After running the 16 pieces through the saw the first time, I noticed that a couple of them appeared to be a bit wider, because there was still a flat spot on the bevel side. At this point I must tell you, this saw scares the sh*t out of me every time I use it, I have the utmost respect for its ability and maintain the area around it free an anything that might impede the work going thru. At this point, the easy answer was to take a 1/8 of the dimension, and run them through again to remove this flat spot and complete the bevel. I got through all but a couple, when for no apparent reason (I am still trying to figure out how this actually occurred) my thumb came in contact with the blade. Having seen all of the video's on the subject posted on the web some of them I actually use when teaching tool safety, I was very much surprised with this momentary contact with the spinning blade. Pulling my hand back and after a fast look at the cut and then immediately squeezing my thumb with my other hand I was again surprised with first the lack of blood immediately as well the lack of any feeling or pain at this point. I found some paper towels, folded a rough bandage and wrapped it around my thumb. Near as I could tell for the initial view, the cut was fairly restricted to the meaty part of the bottom of my thumb, just shy of the tip and extending an inch or so down the thumb and perhaps 3/16 wide and about the same deep. Looking around the shop I finally found some masking tape, and prepared to replace the initial bandage with something a little more substantial. Now up until now, there has been very little (in my estimation) blood from this cut, however upon removing the temporary bandage, this changed abruptly. Still without any panic or pain, I managed to change bandages, take another look at the damage and wrap it back up. Knowing from previous cut and such I have managed to get over the years, I knew that the masking tape would not be able to close the cut and with this second bandage, I starting looking for duct tape but ended up finding my preferred tape material, electrical tape. I proceeded to again re-bandage using the electrical tape to close the gap, and the bleeding had slowed considerably.

I elected at this point to begin the trip home where I could re-dress this properly after stopping to get a supply of bandages, tape and misc first aid stuff (which I will now keep in the shop). At this time, about 4 hours later, the cut has stopped bleeding and the healing process has started. I rationalized that since it is a removal of material, stitches would not be a good option at this point and have a wait and see attitude for the morning. There is no pain and just an occasional throbbing but otherwise I think I have been very fortunate to get away lightly with such a stupid move on my part. I am thankful that the blade was at a angle, which limited the amount of contact that was made and or the depth of the cut. The somewhat funny part is earlier today. I was at a local tool supplier and was looking at the saw stop saw, because of the fear that this saw instills in me when I use it.

I am not sure what another newbie might get from this, other than to use the utmost car when operating this equipment, I consider myself lucky for this minor lesson as I have seen the results far worse encounters.

[allen476]

Been there, done that. as the saying goes. Nicked my index finger good when it got sucked into a RAS. At least you learned from it.

And it isn't all in the experience part either. My dad was killed one year and one week ago. He was 67 and had been in construction for

44 years and fell from a scaffold while climbing out on it. Something that he had done countless times in the past.

Be thankful that it wasn't more severe. The scar will be a good reminder though always use a push-block.

Allen

[Sonny]

No pain, then and now, may mean you cut a nerve.

Just because flesh is missing, ie a gap, doesn't mean stitches aren't needed. If you are reluctant to have it stitched, you can use Steri- strips, a type of butterfly bandaid that is a substitute for stitches. Clean the wound and close it, somehow, as best you can. Any scab that forms is nature's bandaid. Johnson & Johnson can't make a bandaid as good as mother nature does.

For open wounds, you might add betadine or phisohex, as a wound wash, to your first aid kit. Betadine is prefered, but not if your are allergic to iodine. Betadine contains iodine. Both of these products are surgical scrubbing solutions..... Comes in straight solution form and soap form. Don't use the soap form for really deep wounds. Your particular wound is shallow enough for the soap solution.

For the next few days, check your temperature 3 times a day. If you start running a fever, go see a doctor. It's not uncommon for your regular body temp to be slightly elevated (by 0.5=B0) at the end of a normal day.

We all get something from these kinds of reports.

Sonny

[RicodJour]

Hey Steve. Thank God that it was a minor injury and you're still in one piece. I hope you heal up right quick. Thanks for posting - we all need a reality check once in a while.

take care

R

[Edward Hennessey]

Just because flesh is missing, ie a gap, doesn't mean stitches aren't needed. If you are reluctant to have it stitched, you can use Steri- strips, a type of butterfly bandaid that is a substitute for stitches. Clean the wound and close it, somehow, as best you can. Any scab that forms is nature's bandaid. Johnson & Johnson can't make a bandaid as good as mother nature does.

For open wounds, you might add betadine or phisohex, as a wound wash, to your first aid kit. Betadine is prefered, but not if your are allergic to iodine. Betadine contains iodine. Both of these products are surgical scrubbing solutions..... Comes in straight solution form and soap form. Don't use the soap form for really deep wounds. Your particular wound is shallow enough for the soap solution.

For the next few days, check your temperature 3 times a day. If you start running a fever, go see a doctor. It's not uncommon for your regular body temp to be slightly elevated (by 0.5°) at the end of a normal day.

We all get something from these kinds of reports.

Sonny

Steve:

S:

As a substitute for going to a doctor, Sonny is very close.

If I missed where the wound was cleared of all foreign debris and peripheral dead tags of skin, I hope that was my failing.

Going to a doctor is a good idea if only because he can give you a course of antibiotics to prevent the onset of any infection. As well, I'm assuming you tested the digit for a full range of motion and found it. If not...doctor.

The advice on Betadine or Phisohex gets a second. If you have any openings in the wound when you change dressings, either (as indicated) would be smartly applied anew. Since you may not see a perforation or one may develop due to exertion, a wash of these compounds for the first few dressing changes remains a good concept, along with assuring the dressing isn't taut to the degree where the skin blanches.

Aluminum finger stalls resembling a half section of tube may be bent and taped to the thumb maybe with thin stand-off areas of sterile padding. You don't want to contort the thumb and stress the healing area. And you do want to remind yourself that you shouldn't unconsciously try to grab anything with that hand for the same rationale: you will, but the contact pain and the clumsiness of the appliance will lessen mistakes.

On the issue of pain, you indicate you feel some but not much. Not alarming. If, however, you are not experiencing tactile sensation in response to a stimulus at the distal end of the digit....

As I recall, aspirin and other non-critical blood thinners are not advised for awhile to abet wound closure. That seems logical but you are certainly welcome to check for factuality and the timeline.

My apprehension is you are probably good. Those sterile buttefly closures Sonny mentions are simply super things to always have around. Everyone whose eyes are connected to their brain and observed use of the butterflies buys them.

The above may be redundant in many ways to what you've done. But it is always a topic worth airing for everybody, just as you intended.

Thanks again--and most--for the reminder on shop safety. The more stories we hear, the greater the ratio they pose to the injuries we are likely to incur.

I'm glad it looks well for you.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

[Upscale]

[Edward Hennessey]

Steve:

Reboot addendum. Don't get the hand in water for about

10 days or so. Other hand cleaners will work for the area aside from the wound. Put a plastic bag over your hand when you bathe or shower, taping or rubber banding the bag closed at the wrist.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

[Edward Hennessey]

Those are good for the wounds illustrated and they can be modified for this use.

The Butterflies are smaller and for more minor problems than your URL illustrates. There is a thin center strip meant to actually bridge the incision which connects the double-lobed wings on each which anchors the bandage to hardy skin. The thin bridge allows some aeration of the cut line and keeps the skin in the injured area from devitalizing as it might if completely smothered by full tape coverage. IIRC, they were in the neighborhood of about .15 cents per in a package the last time purchased. Whatever cost figure it may be, the shelf life on the product is long.

Before spending at Lee Valley, I'd check the drug store, web and any local medical supply outlet to evaluate prices and similar offerings.

I think the quoted sentences at the head of this post derive from Sonny.

Thanks for finding the URL on the Lee Valley offering.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

[Lew Hodgett]

"Edward Hennessey" wrote

------------------------- Butterfly strap bandage made from some adhesive tape and a pair of dressing shears was one first piece of first aid treatment my dad taught me as a kid.

Keep a bottle of betadine in my first aid ditty bag on board boat or in the shop.

Replace it every two years to keep it fresh.

Lew

[dadiOH]

Ouch! :(

Thanks for posting. What everybody got was a reminder to be careful. Always vigilant. Plus some excellent medical info.

[dadiOH]

Ouch! :(

Thanks for posting. What everybody got was a reminder to be careful. Always vigilant. Plus some excellent medical info.

[J. Clarke]

I gotta get some of those--would have saved me 2000 bucks a while back.

[Robatoy]

Sutureself.

[Gerald Ross]

You forgot to tell him to blow the chips out so he won't get termites.

[Larry Jaques]

Ditto the triple antibiotic (Polymixin/Bacitracin/Neomycin) he should use inside the wound initially.

I've had excellent luck doing my own doctoring and applaud his.

My wound treatment is 1) let it bleed for awhile to self-clean, 2) sterilize with water and betadine, 3) quickly dry, 4) apply triple antibiotic, 5) quickly butterfly, 6) keep dry for a week, changing the dressing daily. I try to avoid any use of the digit involved for a couple weeks and the skin self-knits without any suturing.

-- If we attend continually and promptly to the little that we can do, we shall ere long be surprised to find how little remains that we cannot do. -- Samuel Butler

[Sonny]

Regarding a laceration in/on a joint: After a few days - a week, sometimes it is best to start gently working the joint, so scar tissue doesn't tack itself down, potentially causing stiffness in the joint. Scar tissue is like knarled wood, it isn't aligned for smooth operation. Movement helps keep the scar tissue, as it forms, aligned with the joint's range of motion. Every several days, slightly increase the range of motion.

Antibiotics? *You can let your shop dog lick your wound. Since dog's skin is not vascular, when they get cut, they repeatedly lick their wound to keep it clean and "bug" free. Their saliva is very effective. Otherwise, triple antibiotic is agreeable.

Sonny

[Edward Hennessey]

S:

Hmmm...homeopathy. If the only flutterbys you have around are in the stomach when you get a scar y wound in the jungle, you can always up the ante with these guys:

make sure they can sing "I ain't got no body" before Fido gets whistled in. And I have, somewhere, seen scientific support for your dogone remedy.

Regards,

Edward Hennessey

[Steve Turner]

You might want to make sure the dog doesn't drink from the toilet first.

[Leon]

Ahhhhh been there done that. Glad to see you are up to posting your experience.

And thanks for pointing out that you are a safety instructor for this type work, and that you are still clueless how this all happened.

It is extremely hard to understand how your knowledge of the tool and knowledge of all the safety rules is not a guarantee to keep you safe. Until it happens to you, you really have no idea how fast and unexpedily an accident can happen.

It tool me 1 year to understand how I cut half my thumb off, I almost did it again. That was 20 years ago after woodworking seriousely the previous

10 years. Adding one more safety rule to my list has kept me unharmed for the last 20 however I know that later today I could loose a hand. It is called an accident for a reason.

BTY, the size of the machine does not increase the likelyhood or severity of the damage that can be done.

[RicodJour]

I lost part of the tip of my left middle finger from a biscuit joiner of all things. Shit happens. No one is immune.

R