I found this picture scary...

[Indiana Robinson]

One of the guys on the Shopsmith forum found this picture. It scares me and I am not afraid of anything...


 


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[Misfit]

There's an accident looking for a place to happen. 

[jim blodgett]

You ever see those depression era photos of working class people missing one arm, or leg?  Staring blankly into the camera?  I think Sally Mann took a lot of those, but don't hold me to it.  Anyways, very spooky stuff.

Every time I hear or read someone laud capitalism as this great eceonomic model, or curse those "danged OSHA inspectors" with their "stupid safety regulations" I think about those photos.

The profits of the few are generated at the expense of the many.  No question about it.

[rmack]

These things give me the creeps.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=40sCGb678sQ

[Cypressstump]

Ouch,, Ohh I have a splitting headache. That's disturbing to me as well.

[Magicman]

    I place a lot more value on my parts than some folks.

[sealark37]

It is a widely known facet of human nature that some people consider themselves proof from any harm and agile enough to avoid any hazard.  I do not know how that fact translates into a criticism of capitalism and innovation.  If you applied to the government to permit the design and use of a portable sawmill, you would wait in vain for a long time.  Regards, Clark 

[4speed]

OUCH! That picture made my head hurt, and the video made my hands ache. I don't understand or believe in any of Darwin's theory, but there might be some sort of natural selection about to happen there.

[sandhills]

I hope he doesn't slip  :-\

[beenthere]

Agree, it looks scary. If the blade is sharp, it will cut that wood like butter.

IMO, OSHA should butt out. And the statement "The profits of the few are generated at the expense of the many.  No question about it. " to me is OSHA profited at our expense. May not have been the way it was intended. ;)

If someone wants to put their limbs/fingers on the line that way then that is their business. I see it no different than someone jumping out of an airplane in a free-fall for the fun of it, or the skiers doing summersaults in the air, or the rock climbers going up mountains without ropes, or some of these fair rides that are for the thrill.  Or the jokers that walk in a cage with a wild animal just cause it looks dangerous and eventually it will be when the animal gets tired of playing the "nice" game.

For the guys that lost their limbs, gotta say they prolly won't do it again that way.

But makes a good picture. And I wouldn't do it that way.

[clww]

The first picture and that video are two things I won't ever be doing. I have enough accidents as it is (he knocks on wood).

[Norm]

I've seen too many neighbors loose limbs from designs that gave no thought to safety and only to getting it out the door. Uncovered PTO's have killed numerous children due to a moment of inattention or slip in the wrong direction. While you may not be a fan of osha I'm less a fan of companies making dangerous equipment for profit.

And I'm guessing the ones who lost their limbs won't do it again as they lost that limb..... >:(

[MHineman]

IMO, OSHA should butt out.

If someone wants to put their limbs/fingers on the line that way then that is their business.

If everyone was paying their own way for all their stupidity, then let them have at it.
  In today's world we all end up paying when other people get hurt.  Either through higher insurance premiums, or through higher bills from the hospital when that guy simply does not have even a fraction of the total bill due.  The hospitals charge us all much more that our share to make up for the uninsured or underinsured that have no resources.
  Then you have the guy that's disabled and getting disability from doing something stupid instead of continuing to be productive and paying taxes.
  The rest of his family shouldn't suffer because he's not able to evaluate what is safe and what is not.

[Delawhere Jack]

The profits of the few are generated at the expense of the many.  No question about it.

Free enterprise (not to be confused with "free trade") and the profit motive are the reason that you get to enjoy the greatest standard of living the world has ever known.

I seriously doubt that the idiot in the photo is doing what he is doing at his  boss's direction, if he is, then they are both idiots, and no amount of legislation or regulation can ever cure that.

Thanks to odious regulatory "protections", our nation is very quickly losing that standard of living. If things don't change drastically, and soon, we will become a nation of the safest, healthiest serfs the world has ever known.

[ArborJake]

 One thing I,ve learned for shure is that the government and the people who run it don't give a rats !@# about you, me the "workers" the environment or anything else except when its time  for you to vote for them. If you think they do your niave and Al Gore is laughing all the way to the bank. The more they get involved the worse it get's and then, they of course will tell you they are the only ones who can fix it. Let our judicial system handle the guys that are grossly neglegent. If you see someone doing something dangerous, warn him. If he won't listen, let him learn for himself. If we don't stop asking the government to get involved with everything then Delaware Jack is exactly right.

[Paul_H]

Each adult is responsible for their own safety and if they think a job too dangerous or a employer reckless then draw a line in the sand and be prepared to move on if crossed.We just need the sand in our craws to do it.
I understand what Beenthere is saying and he's right imo that they(OSHA type agencies) can go too far.

[Dave VH]

I feel like I cut myself just looking at that picture.

I do my best to keep me and my guys safe, but if osha really wanted to, they could put me out of business fast

[Delawhere Jack]

I understand what Beenthere is saying and he's right imo that they(OSHA type agencies) can go too far.

It's actually much worse than that. OSHA is a weapon, it is used by statist types to crush the competition. There was a small cabinet shop that opened up a few blocks from my families yard 20 years ago. They were putting out fantastic products at very good prices. They presented a threat to a well established (and politically connected!!!!) shop in the area. The owner of the new shop had been very conscientious about installing safety guards, air filters and such. One day he gets a surprise visit from OSHA. They detect (going from 20 yr old memory) something like 2mg of wood dust per cubic meter in the shop and shut him down. He tried to jump through their hoops, but found that it would cost $50k to install filtration to meet the regulations. He closed shop a month later.

Case #2:

There is a company next door to the yard that recycles used motor oil into heating oil. They have been in operation for 20 years. They have been excellent neighbors. They produce no odors, they don't make any noise, and they take an item that used to get poured down storm drains and make a useful product from it. In twenty years they've had one spill that was less than 100 gallons, and was contained and cleaned up. They've processed millions of gallons of used oil.

About 6 weeks ago Wilmington police, Delaware police, DNREC, and, I kid you not, FBI! showed up. The cops were wearing SWAT GEAR.........BULLETPROOF VEST, HELMETS AND M4'S!!!!!!!!!!!

Apparently some oil was "detected" in the sewer system. The whole area has been under MAJOR pressure from developer to drive the existing businesses out so that they can put in more "riverfront attractions".

The owner has thrown in the towel. He told the "officials" not to worry, they are preparing a site in Baltimore, and will be closing up shop and moving there by the end of the year.

15-20 jobs lost thanks to "protecting the environment" so that some more nighclubs for yuppies, or "mixed income" neighborhoods can be built. And some politically connected LEACHES can fatten themselves up.

Buearacracy is a club to bludgeon others to death to get what you want...but only if you pay off the right stooges.

/rant off, good night all, and happy milling ???

[mikeb1079]

wow this thread went south quickly.... :

[ForestMan]

I think that's AWESOME.  Go for it dude!  Cut up that whole pile behind you.  I'm behind you all the way (about 20 feet)  ;D

[Delawhere Jack]

wow this thread went south quickly.... :

Sorry if I take it personally when people want to take away my ability to earn a living. I still have all of my limbs and digits, and I would never coerce someone to risk theirs, and I abhor the suggestion that it is my intention to do so.

[Paul_H]

I thoroughly enjoyed running my old square head,flat belt driven 4 sided planer even though many people thought it dangerous.I knew it could be so precautions were taken and that fine old vintage hunk of iron turned out some nice boards in my pursuit of happiness.

I listened to a faller for an hour in the crummy on the way to work one day talk about the companies not caring about the men,only the dollar and that he knew guys were killed on the job because they were afraid to lose their jobs if they refused.(I often smelled pot on this guy at work).
I asked him how many of the guys killed,were severely hungover from all nighters? He allowed it was a real factor in the death of a few that we knew.I asked him if he was willing to let a company control his after hours and he admitted he wouldn't.
Common sense and personal responsibility is what is needed.

[captain_crunch]

Looks like a cacaulated risk to me Try  bucking a 5 ft log off root ball on 40 deg slope Have had 2 go over me  but 5 ft left on root wad caused it to pole vault over my scared butt :'( So his splitter don't even make me nervious

[bushmechanic]

Didn't anyone here use a table saw for carpentry work-same thing and just as dangerous.You have to keep in mind that the saw blade doesn't move the man is moving.

[Norm]

Callous remarks about someone losing a limb are uncalled for whether you like osha or not.