A WARNING TO EVERYONE...please read, learn and implement!

[gregster]

Hiya Foggers....

The reason for this post is 2 fold...

Firstly to update everyone as to whats happening with Davetheraveuk so you can wish him well with his upcoming operation...

and Secondly to use his "real" example to hopefully educate the idiots out there (I am one of the worst offenders!) who take short cuts and dont wear safety equipment (PPE).

I know it is long but please read this all the way through and learn from it...



Many of the SE guys will know DavetheRaveuk from our SE meets, the workdays where has been one of our star grafters, and from the help he gives me in the evenings up the woods getting stuff ready for gatherings.

Some of you may already know that he has been suffering problems with one of his eyes for a while, and after having a chat with Dave we considered that sharing his unfortunate experience with all members on FOG was essential and might hopefully save someone else the pain and loss in the future that he is currently suffering.


This is Dave's story so far, thanks for letting me share it mate....everyone please please learn from it...

Just before I met Dave (last feb) he had been using an airchisel at work to remove a broken wheel bearing race from a hub...
Whilst doing this the race shatterered and lumps of metal shot into Daves eye...Dave was not wearing safety glasses, even though he had some at work...
His boss then took him to hospital in great pain where they removed what they thought was all the metal from his eye.

The pain continued for weeks and dispite several more hospital visits and treatments there was no real abatement.
Gradually the eye sight in this eye got worse and worse, an optitian pescribed special glasses which worked for a short while but werent a lasting fix.

Over the last couple of weeks the eye sight stopped completely from the eye, leaving Dave in pain and blinded in one eye.

Then Dave started suffering intense pain in the eye which culminated with one Dave descibed as a single pop sound, like bursting bubble wrap, and then he could see spots in the damaged eye...
What had happened was that his eye had built up so much internal pressure that it had burst open at the back.
Daves eye then became really blood shot so back to the hospital again.

Dave, over the last couple of days, has seen a number of consultants and specialists...
Basically there is still a lump of metal deep in his eye...and a cataract has formed over the initial wound.
The salty liquid in his eye which fights infection has made this metal start rusting, which has invoked a serious infection which has caused the build up of pressure, which led to the burst at the rear of Dave's eye.
Dave has been given eyedrops to take every 2 hours to help reduce the effects of the infection and pain, as no surgery can be contemplated with the amount of pressure his eye is under at the moment, as it would simply explode causing irrepairable damage if punctured by the surgeon.

So this is where Dave is up to now...
Pain, blindness in one eye, and the uncertainty of what the future holds...

Hopefully the eyedrops will reduce the swelling/infection, because then the surgeons can operate.
They need to remove his eye, cut it open and try and dig out the remaining piece of metal,if they can get to it, and then cut off the cataract...
The Surgeons have advised 50/50 on the success of the operation...
50% that Dave will get 80% of his original sight back,
and 50% that the eye will be dead and Dave will be totally blind in one eye for ever.

For Dave its a no brainer, he is blind in the eye at the moment and in a lot of pain...so the outcome cant be worse than he is suffering at the moment.

So there you have it....a real story, that one of us is really going through at the moment, and all for a moments stupidity by not wearing safety glasses.


I, for one, admit that I regurarily have chanced luck and used powertools without PPE, even though I have all the gear at the workshop ...but that stops now and goes for anyone else working in my workshop.

This is just stupidity, it isnt cool or macho, and having seen what Dave has been through and is facing, my future useage will be safe for certain.
Safety glasses are only a quid a pair....just a quid a pair,
so no excuses for not wearing because they are old and cant see clearly through them, just buy some spares and keep them in the garage.

Both Sally and I would like to wish Dave every bit of luck with his impending operation, and a quick and successful recovery.

Please dont post "blaim/claim" stuff or "legal advise" below...
The reason for this thread is to wish Dave well and to highlight his plight so we can all learn from it, so anything posted off that topic will be deleted without explanation.

Please please please take heed Foggers and use PPE...you really dont want to be where Dave is at the mo.

[James Bass]

Likewise, I have also been one of the numpty's who chanced luck. I think everyone is guilty of this at some point. However.....

!! GET WELL SOON DAVE !!

[john (smifffy)]

i think we have all done it at some time

get well soon dave

[jontera]

Wishing you all the best Dave, hope the op is a success..

and Greg, very good post..sometimes we are all guilty of taking the odd short cut, it's a shame that the plight of a mate is needed to make you realise what risk we put ourselves in.

[Kevin1964]

Thats my lesson learnt for the future

Get Well Soon Dave!!

[horses45]

All the best and hope all goes well dave

[Krusher]

Hope the op goes ok for you Dave. This story strikes a very similar resemblence to what happened to a friend of mine a few years ago.
Except he was breaking up a concrete path with a pick axe, and a splinter came off the pick axe and went straight in his eye. It started to rust as in
Daves case and he had to have the very operation you are talking about Greg. Long story short, the op was a complete success and his sight has been
restored although not perfect but restored all the same. I remember witnessing the incident from the start and seeing his recovery,driving him to the eye hospital for his appointments and just beeing there to help him out where I could. So, Dave I hope it works out for you as it did for my mate.
Good luck........

[BoxCleva]

Read a similar post on another non car related forum. Guy modded an angle grinder to cut logs with. The modded blade shattered and a piece ended up in his neck and killed him.

Good luck Dave I hope things improve for you.

[N1ova]

Good luck with the op.I will have my fingers crossed for you.

[fudge]

hope it all gores well.
and i agree with ppe. since i am a site worker that is drumed into you sooooooo much it is second nature. and even down to my sunglassess, they have an inpact rating (all oakleys do)

but i have seen a few bad injuries from my line of work. and tbh i hope i never see them again, but it will allways happen

but get well soon

[Rich]

Good luck Dave and get well soon

[Mr Mud]

Best of luck Dave, hope it works out OK for you mate.

[jmc]

I have involved with working metal in blacksmithing for just over thirty yrs When I first started my boss was very hot on ppe(personal protective equipment) even though at the time there was still quite a lot of bravado about not wearing safety gear,especially on building sites ,so I have worn safety gear ever since then. Even so there have been times when I have not used them just to do something quickly but I just stop myself now and go and fetch the glasses.
In spite of this I have had the occasional spark from an angle grinder some how getting past the glasses and landing on the eye.Because its hot it sticks to the eye usually a little to one side of the pupil.I have discovered that if I am quick I can remove it myself using a mirror, a bright light and the back of a scalpel and gently scrape it off.because of the glasses I think they take some of the impact out so its just on the surface. I can then blink a few times and feel it move to the corner of the eye.This sounds worse that it is but it only works if its done straightaway as otherwise it rusts on. If i cant remove it then i go to hospital to a&e and they put a numbing gel in the eye then some yellow dye and you sit with your head clamped in a device which shines a blue light into it so that the doctor can see it to remove it.
I have also used ear defendersall my working life in spite of this my hearing is going and I cant even bang in a nail at home or do the hoovering without them ringing for ages afterwards,so i wear them a lot.
I also wear a face mask this is something that we didnt wear as much when I was younger but do so now even sweeping the floor at work as if I breathe in just a small amount of dust (especially sawdust) I get cold symptoms for days afterwards. Rusty metal dust from grinding is the worst for me however.
We must take care of our health even if it seems ridiculous to others,the Americans have been much hotter on this for years possibly partly because they dont have a free health service.
I feel awful for you Dave and just pray that things go well for you and that you gets your sight back.

[davetheraveuk]

thanks for the support i will let greg no so he can repost for me

[bobbinsjob]

Hope everything is sucessful mate. I am probably worse than most, having lost a thumb, almost lost site in one eye, and endless other stupid avoidable accidents at work. One day I will learn

[4x4 bobby]

All the best and hope all goes well dave. Get well soon mate.

Regards Bobster.

[neal]

sorry to hear this mate good luck hope all go well

[Big Dav]

Thinking of you Dave, all the best. A lesson to the rest of us, think of what impact taking a shortcut could do to our families. David.

[fogman]

blimey dave that sounds awful, hope the op goes ahead as soon as possible & is as sucessful as it can be !

[crashtest]

i hope everything works out for you. i've been in the motor trade for over 30 years and have had countless visits to the eye unit at hospital but every now and then i use the air saw or grinder without my gigs on. not anymore i cant imagine how bad it would be without sight.
once again good luck