Work Related Injuries - Share Your Interesting Stories

etrain16 · Apr 26, 2017

WAYNO said:
Yep, it was an interesting place to work, and I am lucky to have had the opportunity.

It seems I was there in the late eighties...We were not allowed to bring a vehicle into or thru the mill, so everything had to be wheelbarrowed in. Welders, generators, other tools, and the steel itself, and then lowered with handlines to the ladder. After this project, I built a stairs and landing platform on the upriver side of the falls, so items could be delivered to the fish ladder by boat.

Oh, the good old days.

WAYNO.

By 1996 nothing had changed, we still couldn't bring vehicles down there. We paced it out as 9/10th of a mile one way from where we parked to where we worked. Carried my tools and my JW's tools there and back again each day, at least until a lower-term apprentice arrived on the job. It was without a doubt one of the most unique projects I ever worked on and I too am thankful for having had the experience.

As a side note, our work also included repairs on the locks - new limit switches on the gates, level senors, control cabling, etc. Worst part was pulling all the existing control cabling out of conduits that were now filled, post flood, with a nice brown sludge, compliments of the up-river sewage treatment plant that had overflowed during that flood.

WAYNO · Apr 26, 2017

etrain16 said:
By 1996 nothing had changed, we still couldn't bring vehicles down there. We paced it out as 9/10th of a mile one way from where we parked to where we worked. Carried my tools and my JW's tools there and back again each day, at least until a lower-term apprentice arrived on the job. It was without a doubt one of the most unique projects I ever worked on and I too am thankful for having had the experience.

As a side note, our work also included repairs on the locks - new limit switches on the gates, level senors, control cabling, etc. Worst part was pulling all the existing control cabling out of conduits that were now filled, post flood, with a nice brown sludge, compliments of the up-river sewage treatment plant that had overflowed during that flood.

You remember, other than the temporary job at the fish ladder, I worked at the mill on the Oregon City side. Much of the lower structure was under water during the big flood. So clear up til the time we scrapped the mill, all the conduit, switches, switch gear, PLC's, everything, was full of "river silt" as we called it. The new gray building that hangs over the river, that was the pipe shop. Ended up being under 7-feet of water during the flood. It wiped out our shop like flushing a toilet. The mill replaced all our tools after we gave them a list of our losses. One guy had a large wooden toolbox that was seen floating in the river after the flood. His list of "lost' tools was so lengthy, I told him his tool box would have never floated if it had all those tools in it.

Back to the topic I've so gleefully strayed from...
I was on a major shutdown in the mill, and during the shutdown they were recoating a paper machine room floor with some really new-fangled and expensive stuff. All of a sudden I had a ton of allergic symptoms, and turning anaphylactic. Our in-house EMT showed, only to experience a heart attack of his own. The ambulance ordered for me was used to haul him away, and I took a taxi to the emergency room. My bottom was promptly chewed by the EM staff, as I easily could have died. The company pretended to want to find out what had set me off so severely, as I was the 2nd person in the same area to experience the same symptoms. I went to the company doctor, who immediately diagnosed, without any testing, my anaphylaxis as being caused by something I must have contacted outside the mill. Yep, the companies really care about their workers.

WAYNO.

Norwestr55 · Apr 26, 2017

This happened in the veneer mill I work at probably 15-16 yrs ago. Chain conveyors pull 8 ft log sections through a trim saw and they're controlled by photoelectric eyes. The eye on one side of the conveyor and reflector on the other. If the laser doesn't hit the reflector and is bounced back to the PE unit that means that theres a block (log section) there and the chain won't advance until another PE in front of it shows that the saw is clear. Evidently a piece of debris blocked the forward eye and the deck hand couldn't reach it with a pike pole. Rather than locking out the equipment and clearing it he decided he would reach in thru the hole in front of the eye and pull the crap out. When the eye cleared the chain started, snagged his shirt and basically filleted his entire upper arm on the sharp edges of the hole. The lathe operator noticed that he had walked around the lathe deck a couple of times (in shock) and didn't think anything of it until he saw the blood trail. His bicep was actually hanging down onto his forearm. He was eventually fired for violating lockout procedure and went through a year and a half of rehab. That was one of the few firings here that everyone agreed with.

WAYNO · Apr 26, 2017

There is another aspect of these discussions. Social Security.

Because the government spent the money, they are increasing the age until a person receives regular Social Security.

66, 67, even discussion of 70 years old to begin collecting. From the stories above, the trades folks are pretty beat up by the time they hit their sixties. I was worn out long before 62. I could not have worked til 70. So what are the folks that worked with their bodies their whole life gonna do when they're kicked to the curb, and they're not yet eligible for Social Security?

This is not meant to take away from the folks that sit behind a desk. I know there are stresses there, too.

WAYNO.

11Charlie · Apr 26, 2017

There are days I would love to be back in the field just worrying about myself instead of 5 employee's. Man now a days employees really suck. bunch of self entitled jack azz's

etrain16 · Apr 26, 2017

WAYNO said:
There is another aspect of these discussions. Social Security.

Because the government spent the money, they are increasing the age until a person receives regular Social Security.

66, 67, even discussion of 70 years old to begin collecting. From the stories above, the trades folks are pretty beat up by the time they hit their sixties. I was worn out long before 62. I could not have worked til 70. So what are the folks that worked with their bodies their whole life gonna do when they're kicked to the curb, and they're not yet eligible for Social Security?

This is not meant to take away from the folks that sit behind a desk. I know there are stresses there, too.

WAYNO.

It's not just social security, it's employee pensions too. I am part of several, one of the larger ones on a $$ basis is on it's way down the toilet, bleeding money just like SS, even though we keep pouring more and more money into it. SS says I need to work until 71/72, and with that pension bleeding out, it is estimated it will be insolvent by 2025, well before my retirement. I am fortunate though, I came out of the field earlier than most workers, so my body is taking less of a hit, but that said, the years I did do in the field have already taken some tolls that I pay for even today. As for me, I'll still plan to retire before 71/72, but I don't yet know when that will be. I'm 48 now, it would be great to be out in 10 more like my father did.

Rocklock · Apr 26, 2017

Worked as an equipment tech at a wafer fab in Gresham. One of the tools we were responsible for injected O3 into sulfuric acid as part of the fab process. Injector some how got misaligned and the expanding O3 got cold enough to create frozen H2SO4 with ozone bubbles trapped inside the ice cube. One of the the techs went in to fix it wearing the usual thick latex gloves and protective gear. Not realizing there was trapped O3, he grabbed a chunk of frozen chemicals which immediately started melting releasing the trapped O3 which dissolved his protective latex gloves allowing the H2SO4 to come into direct contact with his hand. Lots of jumping, yelling, screaming on that one. Fortunately, no permanent damage done, but a lesson on how the unexpected can bite you on the butt.

etrain16 · Apr 26, 2017

Rocklock said:
Worked as an equipment tech at a wafer fab in Gresham. One of the tools we were responsible for injected O3 into sulfuric acid as part of the fab process. Injector some how got misaligned and the expanding O3 got cold enough to create frozen H2SO4 with ozone bubbles trapped inside the ice cube. One of the the techs went in to fix it wearing the usual thick latex gloves and protective gear. Not realizing there was trapped O3, he grabbed a chunk of frozen chemicals which immediately started melting releasing the trapped O3 which dissolved his protective latex gloves allowing the H2SO4 to come into direct contact with his hand. Lots of jumping, yelling, screaming on that one. Fortunately, no permanent damage done, but a lesson on how the unexpected can bite you on the butt.

Acids are pretty nasty. In my career, we experienced a number of acid spills/leaks that shut down the job, contaminated equipment. Reminds me of another story - I was working at Intel Aloha campus as an apprentice. I was working down in a trench in the subfab. I was climbing up on a ledge to get to a conduit rack and as I put my hand up there, I landed in a puddle of clear liquid. In this place, they didn't mess around - any unidentified liquid would immediately be assumed to be HF (hydrofluric) acid - very nasty stuff, but you don't know if you have been exposed for several hours, and by then it can be really bad. They whisked me out of the trench and to the nurses office where they immediately put me through the treatment for HF exposure - basically stuck my hand in a deep bowl of ice water (with other stuff in it) and told me to leave it there - for the next hour. I went between extreme pain and complete numbness several times during that hour. Then they smeared a thick white cream on my hand and wrapped it in a bandage and sent me back to work. They never were able to confirm if it was HF or not as they went back but couldn't find the puddle I put my hand in. I guess their overly protective attitude was probably better than having my bones eaten away from the inside out.

EPS · Apr 26, 2017

Turned my finger into a pez despeser with a victornox knife on fishing boat had the Capt fix it with 9 staples still have the scar pic below all so stabbed my self in the leg same boat different time and knife lol

Rocklock · Apr 26, 2017

etrain16 said:
Acids are pretty nasty. In my career, we experienced a number of acid spills/leaks that shut down the job, contaminated equipment. Reminds me of another story - I was working at Intel Aloha campus as an apprentice. I was working down in a trench in the subfab. I was climbing up on a ledge to get to a conduit rack and as I put my hand up there, I landed in a puddle of clear liquid. In this place, they didn't mess around - any unidentified liquid would immediately be assumed to be HF (hydrofluric) acid - very nasty stuff, but you don't know if you have been exposed for several hours, and by then it can be really bad. They whisked me out of the trench and to the nurses office where they immediately put me through the treatment for HF exposure - basically stuck my hand in a deep bowl of ice water (with other stuff in it) and told me to leave it there - for the next hour. I went between extreme pain and complete numbness several times during that hour. Then they smeared a thick white cream on my hand and wrapped it in a bandage and sent me back to work. They never were able to confirm if it was HF or not as they went back but couldn't find the puddle I put my hand in. I guess their overly protective attitude was probably better than having my bones eaten away from the inside out.

Yeah, HF is nasty stuff. At least sulfuric lets you know right away when it hits your skin.

Gaucho Gringo · Apr 26, 2017

Rocklock said:
Yeah, HF is nasty stuff. At least sulfuric lets you know right away when it hits your skin.

HF is also self sustaining when eating away at flesh, creates more as it goes along.

HB of CJ · Apr 26, 2017

Time for a funny work experience. Nobody injured. But ... fore told. Such bad behavior would get one instantly fired today. Fair warning. This happened in about 1976 or so. Some of the guilty are dead. The rest old and very Cooted. In the Shiety City

.... "It was a very quite shift, (watch) at Station 1, downtown. Frankly we were bored. Had not rolled a wheel all day and into the early nighttime. It happens even to the best Fire Departments, including my own. Then the bells hit three times. Gong, gong, gong.

A reported unknown small fire burning in the middle of Central Park. Our central park, not the other big one. Ours is dinky. About 8 blocks East from Fire Station One. Small response. A two piece Engine Company. Engine and Squad. Five of us. ISO Class One.

Off we go. Since we got wakened we are kinda pissed. Sosss we blew the air horns and stomped and floor siren. Just took us a minute to get there. We woke up everybody in downtown. Made us feel better. We could not find any fire, big, small, huge or tiny.

Then "Marti", (not his real name which has been changed) saw smoke coming from a trash can out in the middle of the grassy area which was green. About 250 feet from us. What to do. We were lazy. Did not want to pull and stretch in a small red line.

A red line is a small fire hose. Dinky. But we were lazy. Sosss Lieutenant "Bumpy" walks over to the trash can. Just a small warming fire. Some bums trying to stay warm. That was all. But we were firemen. Bumpy waved. The rest of us dismounted and walked over.

Five of us surrounding the smoldering trash can. You can see what I am leading up to here. We all had full bladders. So the five of us wizzed out that fire using five heavy streams. Yep. Got it out too. Anyhow, long ago, far away. The funny good memories."

Yes this actually happened.

Member 5605 · Apr 26, 2017

When we had the wind storm...

This was all wrapped up in the power line. Yeah I waited for somebody else to be around and they had the high voltage gloves. Power ain't no joke.

EPS · Apr 28, 2017

HB of CJ said:
Time for a funny work experience. Nobody injured. But ... fore told. Such bad behavior would get one instantly fired today. Fair warning. This happened in about 1976 or so. Some of the guilty are dead. The rest old and very Cooted. In the Shiety City

.... "It was a very quite shift, (watch) at Station 1, downtown. Frankly we were bored. Had not rolled a wheel all day and into the early nighttime. It happens even to the best Fire Departments, including my own. Then the bells hit three times. Gong, gong, gong.

A reported unknown small fire burning in the middle of Central Park. Our central park, not the other big one. Ours is dinky. About 8 blocks East from Fire Station One. Small response. A two piece Engine Company. Engine and Squad. Five of us. ISO Class One.

Off we go. Since we got wakened we are kinda pissed. Sosss we blew the air horns and stomped and floor siren. Just took us a minute to get there. We woke up everybody in downtown. Made us feel better. We could not find any fire, big, small, huge or tiny.

Then "Marti", (not his real name which has been changed) saw smoke coming from a trash can out in the middle of the grassy area which was green. About 250 feet from us. What to do. We were lazy. Did not want to pull and stretch in a small red line.

A red line is a small fire hose. Dinky. But we were lazy. Sosss Lieutenant "Bumpy" walks over to the trash can. Just a small warming fire. Some bums trying to stay warm. That was all. But we were firemen. Bumpy waved. The rest of us dismounted and walked over.

Five of us surrounding the smoldering trash can. You can see what I am leading up to here. We all had full bladders. So the five of us wizzed out that fire using five heavy streams. Yep. Got it out too. Anyhow, long ago, far away. The funny good memories."

Yes this actually happened.