casting accidcent

[steamer]

Thank you Doubleboost and Coffeebean. We need to share safety information across the board. That is definitely the intent of the first post of this thread.

Dave

 

[bezalel2000]

What's the way?

Dave

Hi Dave,
I'm certainly not a foundry professional but I have a few years of experience and for my $0.02 worth, I think key is this

1. Use the techniques and setups you would use if you had to be pouring barefoot an naked. ( you wouldn't take any chances if you were ) then
2. Dress like you know your going to get splashed.

Step 2 is only there as a backup for the unexpected holes in the plan developed in step 1. Like forgetting to preheat metal tools and ingot molds Rule#5 or a clear path to the gas shut off valve Rule#2 (thanks for excellent examples, Doubleboost, Maxine, we can all learn from them)

15 Foundry Hot Work Safety Rules
http://www.homemodelenginemachinist.com/index.php?topic=15199.0

For my choice of protection - Its hard to beat leather!
Boots, chaps, coat and gauntlets, all available from welding suppliers.

My Boots I prefer elastic sided since the most likely path of entry is through the soul when I step on a lose spill - and as someone else already said it takes time to unlace a boot.

Safe Casting

Bez

 

[Tin Falcon]

I would say nomex or other flame resistant clothing under leather. My wife has found industrial grade uniform flame retardant jeans in like new condition at thrift stores. These iMHO are appropriate under leather chaps and apron. An non lace boots something you can slip off quick . I would think aluminum shoe covers would be appropriate. I have co workers that have to do work near the furnaces at Alcoa the have to wear shoe covers.
Tin

 

[Herbiev]

Thanks for sharing your experience with us Maxine. As an aussie I have the "she'll be right attitude" and put safety in second place to the excitement of the pour and the end result. As a result of your post I will definately put safety first :bow:

 

[Maxine]

I received a number of real classy PM's from members after my original post. Thank you for those fellas. All of them wished me well in healing and inquired how it was going. In answer to all that asked about the healing process, the answer is fine. My accident was actually on mother's day a year and a half ago. To be blunt honest it took me that long to work up the nerve to post the embarrassing pics and admit the stupid mistake I made by not putting my boots and boot shields on that day. Luckily for me I still have all my toes and have skin everywhere on my foot thanks to a fine plastic surgeon and some amazing technology growing synthetic skin grafts. The foot may be a little bit ugly looking (hey it is just a foot!) but I can walk on it, even hike and jog on it just fine which is all that counts.

Wear your safety gear and wear it every single time, no matter how small and quick the job is going to be. I hope just one injury is saved for someone, somewhere due to learning from my mistake.

Cheers guys,
Maxi

 

[steamer]

Glad your feeling better Maxine!

Dave

 

[The Shootist]

I haven't heard anyone mention the obvious, but cotton and wool both will not melt, nor burn freely, and are much cheaper any easier to find than exotic safety materials.

 

[walnotr]

An non lace boots something you can slip off quick . I would think aluminum shoe covers would be appropriate. I have co workers that have to do work near the furnaces at Alcoa the have to wear shoe covers.
Tin

This brings back memories from years back during a welding class. A fellow student was wearing pull on leather boots. While using a cutting torch a large glob of molten steel dropped right down the top of the boot with the same results as related above. He may have been able get the boot off quicker but it didn't stop the injury. In the same class I became aware or the importance of safety glasses while chipping slag off a weld. It popped off, bounced on my cheek and then the safety glasses. My cheek got a burn but my eye was saved. Without the glasses, I'm sure I would have had an injury. I have had other close calls but other than a few scars here and there all my parts are still attached.

Steve C.

 

[Tin Falcon]

I haven't heard anyone mention the obvious, but cotton and wool both will not melt, nor burn freely, and are much cheaper any easier to find than exotic safety materials.

While street clothes will offer some degree of protection . safety equipment is safety tested and rated for a reason.
I attended a blacksmithing class a couple weeks ago the on "safety" equipment required was safety glasses. the preferred attire of almost all students and instructors were jeans and a t shirt. Several of the students had either cotton or leather aprons. No one was hurt.

I have personalty had jeans catch fire while doing hot work I have the scar on my ankle to prove it.
Street clothes while offering some protection are not safety clothes. !!!
While the cost of safety equipment and clothing may seem high it is cheaper that a run to any Emergency room.
This is why I mention PPE not street clothes for hot work.
Tin

 

[Dan Rowe]

Tin,
Jeans or more proper dungarees were designed as sturdy work clothes NOT street clothes. And yes I have set mine on fire also at the ankle but I was wearing oil field boots so it took me a bit longer to notice but no damage.

You failed to mention what was the foot wear of the blacksmith class. I have a rule that I will not step in a shop with out work boots. I had to follow that rule in Chama NM and did not enter the shops because of my foot gear. I had to file a few acident reports on the ships and one of the FIRST questions was what type of foot gear was worn.

Dan

 

[steamboatmodel]

A sign in a shop i visited one time said 'Learn from others mistakes, you don't live long enough to make them all"
Regards,
Gerald.

 

[excalibus]

Firstly Maxine, Thankyou very much for sharing this incident with us... It reinforces my belief in planning for safety...

To that end, I have not yet built my furnace, but have begun to aquire the safety equipment I feel will be adequate for the job. I know that if I build the furnace first then I will use it even if I have not got all the safety gear I should use (side effect of bein an aussie I guess)....

These are the boots I have purchased off ebay for wearing when I am going to be smelting...

20-299 Oliver Smelter Boot with Metatarsal guard,Velcro closure

Flame Retardant Full Grain Leather
SOFTtrac Heavy Duty Dual Density Rubber Sole
Heat Resistant To 300º Celcius And Resists Exposure To Most Acids And Chemicals
COMFORT Cushion Impact Absorption System With PORON Reduces Leg And Lower Back Fatigue
Wide Profile NATUREform Type 1 Steel Toe Cap, With Comfort Liner Toe Bumper Protection Heavy Duty Kevlar Stitching
Padded Comfort Collar
METflex Metatarsal Guard For greater protection
Entire boot dip tested to 970º Celcius (1778º Fahrenheit) in molten aluminum.
Alcoa Dip Test
Suitable for industries such as: FOUNDRIES/SMELTERS


The fact the whole boot is dip tested in molten aluminium impressed me to be honest... and I know Oliver make good purpose built boots from my experience in the civil construction industry.

The boot looks like a moonboot almost... but no laces, no elastic, it is designed in a way that basically anything splashing on it will run off, it has an extra layer over the front of the foot that goes down to the steel cap - thats what the metatarsal guard is.

The sole is very thick and dual density - as I said it looks like a moon boot and so it should not get a blow through of moten metal through the sole very quickly either...

FWIW these boots retail are not cheap - nearly 300 bucks or something is the RRP, i got them considerably cheaper off ebay and they were listed as BNIB...

As for the rest of my planned gear, I intend to get a full face and head mask, one that goes over the back of the head as well so you wear it like a helmet...
Leather full neck guard
Welders long sleeve collarless jacket
Leather chaps to go over the top of the boots
under the leather chaps will be a pair of work pants - I have to wear full heavy cotton or denim at work so those will suffice as they are fire retardant. under the jacket will be a 100% cotton long sleeve shirt.

Leather welders gloves will protect my hands, but they will be cut down to be long enough to go under the jacket with overlap without going halfway up my arm.

All up I do plan to spend somewhere around 500 - 700 on the full safety kit out for smelting... I see it as a small price to pay to make sure I am not going to come to grief should a spill or mould explosion occur, I think spending a about 1 weeks average wages on this equipment is worth every cent because if I have a small incident, It would cost a lot more than that to remedy the situation let alone the lost income in the meantime...

What price do we put on safety I hear people often say in my work industry... I ask them what price do you think you are worth...

 

[The Shootist]

Dip test?

That's fishy...I work in the foundry industry and anything with moisture in it WILL EXPLODE if dipped in molten metal.

I know of foundries that have EMPTIED 2 ton crucibles because some guy dropped a wooden handled hammer into the melt.

 

[doubleboost]

Hi
Glad to hear you are on the mend

Safety gear is very important

But so is common sense
Any moisture will cause molten metal to explode everywear
All tools pokers stirrers skimmers etc must be pre heated
Damp ingot moulds are a favorite cause of problems
All my safety gear came from ebay at very reasonable prices
You cant beat leather for price
Leather rigger type boots are good but need ch apps to prevent hot bits getting inside them
John

 

[pcw]

since i lost my pinky finger i never weare any jewelry like rings or necklaces when working on something.
how come? was drilling a hole in a wall and the drill got caught. the drill somehow hooked itself to a ring i wore and ripped the pinky right off
when not working i weare rings on all my fingers (i have left) and a necklace.
Pascal

 

[Troutsqueezer]

Inquiring minds want to know, what is it that you were casting?

 

[Maxine]

An engine block for a V8 build.

 

[bezalel2000]

Real nosy beggers (like me) want to see a picture ;D




th_wwp

Bez

 

[Cogsy]

Hi everyone,
I did a couple of years work as a hot-dip galvaniser so I thought I'd share a bit of info from when I worked with molten metals.
We were issued elastic sided leather steel toed boots, but the constant heat would shrink the leather and the toe would curl up, making them very uncomfortable. Eventually management supplied thick rubber lace-up boots, with steel toes and a nice thin metal plate embedded in the sole to prevent burn-through if (when) you stepped in a puddle of metal.
For clothes, we got heavy cotton long sleeved shirts and pants mostly, which worked reasonably well for light splashes. Leather aprons were technically available but way too restrictive to be able to do the work we were required to do.
On one occaision we got to trial very expensive 'fireproof' (we were told) shirts. They were heavy, hot and scratchy to wear, but resisted the small splashes better than cotton, however, I was unfortunate enough to receive a much larger than normal splash to the front of my shirt and it actually ignited and sustained the fire. As it refused to be beaten out and there were no fire extinguishers anywhere nearby, I had to rip the furiously burning shirt over my head to get away from the fire. No major injury but the shirt was totally destroyed and I refused to wear another of those.
Minor burns were an almost everyday occurance, major injuries weren't all that rare, and on more than one occaision I had to literally run for my life, so I'm very wary about dealing with molten metal of any kind anymore.
But I do have this weird desire to cast some ali for a project I'm thinking about...
Stay safe.
Regards,
Cogsy.

 

[abby]

My Boots I prefer elastic sided since the most likely path of entry is through the soul
Bez

Faith , a garlic necklace , and a crucifix are the best protection
Sorry Bez.
Might I just add that a probably overlooked source of moisture is sweat.
After pouring my moulds any surplus metal is poured into an ingot mould , which I always pre-heat near the furnace .
After a busy casting session a drop of sweat fell into one of the ingot cavities.
As the molten brass covered it a large amount was ejected several feet in all directions.
Fortunately no injuries.
Now I am off to do some casting.