Safety first!

[NattyBumppo]

Last weekend I came to the realization that I was a statistic waiting to happen. There I was with the PC, on a wet washbay floor, dragging a 30 y/o extension cord that had the third prong hacked off by my dad when he was somewhere that had only two prong sockets. The ends of the extension required frequent tapping to keep whatever was plugged into it working. I realized I was living on borrowed time.



So last night at Lowes I spent a few bucks and picked up some quality 15 amp, outdoor extensions. They are a soft, teflon sort of jacket that will stay pliable even well below freezing. Another item was a quad, three prong receptacle with it's own extension. The quad box also has an overload breaker and GFCI protection. One other item was a portable GFCI converter. Basically plug it into any three prong outlet and you get instant GFCI protection.



Most of you will say this is pretty obvious stuff but perhaps some others, like me, overlooked the obvious in their zest to start detailing. I can;t believe I let myself get into that position.



So be careful out there folks and take a few minutes to examine your routine and practices. Detailing, whether for business or pleasure, should NOT be dangerous. Water and electricity are not good partners.

 

[porterdog]

Every now and then we all get a gentle reminder to be more careful, not necessarily from someone, but from something.



Recently I was working on a car on jackstands, the stands underneath the control arms. Since I was removing the axleshafts, I knew I might need to unbolt the strut from the control arm to get enough clearance for axle removal. "No problem," I thought.



Except that if you unbolt the control arm from the strut the car would be unsupported at that corner and would squash me like a bug.



I spotted the problem well before I got near it with a tool, but still...



Think twice.



Robert

 

[aljo]

Glad you noticed it in time!

Sometimes we all get caught up and forget the essentials!

We are humans! + but more



Like you said.

SAFETY FIRST!

 

[shaf]

Great post! :xyxthumbs



This needs to be said once in a while because I know how easy it is to get complacent. Especially when you get comfortable doing something and it becomes routine, you can forget about the safety aspect because it stops being a conscious consideration.



I've had a couple experiences similar to yours and it never fails to make my blood run cold once I realize what could've happened.

 

[Redcar GUY]

good post!