Hydraulic press safety reminder

[Jeff in Pa]

One of the guys at the shop where I work had an "incident" with the hydraulic press. He's an experienced welder and has used the press many times before.

"Bob" was using a 25 ton hydraulic press to straighten out a 1-1/2" thick stainless steel weldment. Although told and shown the proper way to do it, he got lazy / sloppy and had one of his blocks crooked that was being pressed down.

He was lucky the piece that went flying was aluminum and didn't have much mass. He ended up with stitches / staples and was extremely lucky he didn't incur any serious injuries.

Below will be two pictures, one of his hand which got three stiches and the more graphic one of his head in which he acquired six staples. He better hope he doesn't go bald


Remember folks, machinery has no conscience, no soul or feelings and doesn't care what is in the way.

Since these pictures may be for everyone, click at your own risk
Hand ( not too bad )

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...d.jpg~original

Head ( graphic )
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v7...d.jpg~original

[Sam Mac]

OUCH! looks like he's lucky that could have been a lot worse.

[Jeff in Pa]

Originally Posted by Sam Mac

OUCH! looks like he's lucky that could have been a lot worse.

His hand is hurting him more than his head

Yes it could have been a lot worse. That's why it's important to make sure you always press straight down. If the blocks or parts shift, that the time to reset back to square.

[bocephus1991]

Yeah he's dam lucky! I guy I know owns a tire shop near here. He had a tire blow off the rim a few weeks back and is lucky to be alive. He lost an eye they had to reconstruct his face, it busted his jaw bones up badly. His nose was hanging by a thread. A few centimeters lower it would have got his jugular. Another man I know was welding and a 55 gal drum exploded, he's got 3rd degree burns on 75% of his body. Machinery and tools are not forgiving, please be careful. Somebody loves you.

[Billy-O]

I'm glad "Bob" will be OK! That's gonna leave a mark. I'm sure when he looks in the mirror, he'll be reminded of that hard lesson learned.

[mjsoldcub]

thanks for sharing jeff....hope he gets well...bet he doesnt do that again....

[Jeff in Pa]

Originally Posted by mjsoldcub

thanks for sharing jeff....hope he gets well...bet he doesnt do that again....

"Bob" learned a life lesson with that experience.

[j4c11]

Originally Posted by Jeff in Pa

"Bob" learned a life lesson with that experience.

Hopefully the life lesson he learned, him and those in charge of him that allowed him to operate machinery like that, is that regardless how much experience and training you have you should always wear PPE. The owners of the place will definitely learn a life lesson as well when their workers' comp policy is up for renewal and then again for the following 5 years when their mod gets recalculated to include this injury.

[squatch]

As a fire fighter friends says, "Safety rules are written in blood". They don't write them till somebody gets hurt.

Glad he didn't get hurt worse.