Peter Cobbold Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Steve, We have ash and oak mainly - the ash can also rot inside out like that. I dont trust myself to use a chainsaw safely, so bring in a tree surgeon where management is essential. Otherwise I like to encourage standing deadwood as habitat, which is why the right to roam idea is not good. His next job is a row of 70-year old coppiced oak, ash and sycamore whose roots support the stream/ditch as it comes down the hill to the house. The trees take the brunt of westerly gales and if one were to topple the rootball could block the stream....and flood us. So the job will be to remove the top two thirds of each tree...hopefully keeping the roots alive and well. There'll be some useful timber, but getting it down a 30deg slope will be exciting. The delights of country living ! Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stevecross Posted January 14, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Peter You are right. In theory, I suppose, right to roam has it's merits but as we seem to live in a no blame, litigation, society now it just does no work. A good example happened with us just before Christmas. My wife was driving back to Colchester from Warwickshire after visiting our son. At a roundabout 2 miles away from home she shunted into the car in front in a typical (he's moved, no he hasn't ) accident. Our car suffered a broken number plate. The other driver claimed a split rear bumper cover (acceptable) a stoved in rear panel (dubious) and whiplash for him, his wife and all 3 kids (my wife only saw one child) When we reported the claim our insurers could not quite understand why we were not making a claim. I pointed out that our only damage was a cracked number plate that I had already bought for less than 10 quid. They then asked about injury. My wife did have a bit of a stiffness in her neck and when going to the doctor for a different issue she said she may have strained a muscle. Our insurers then told her that she should claim for it. They were quite insistant but we held off. We have no issue with NCD as we have never claimed in over 30 years of driving so our NCD is well protected. 3 weeks later my wife is fine. We thought several times about lodging a claim and pocketing the compensation especially as, after research, it appears that I am paying around 30 extra on each policy I have just to pay for these events. I suppose I am now classed as an ("old git") but I am not about to start making spurious claims for an accident that my wife admitted was her fault. How can you have an accident that you admit to being your fault and then claim for compensation for self inflicted injuries? Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Hi Steve, your fully comp insurance covers you for personal injury. You know you are injured , you also know that the other people weren't It is the gravy train syndrome - whiplash etc is/are difficult to diagnose. We have a lot of it in west London. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Whiplash injury is a real problem, not only for insurers and the insured. Apart from the pain that the sufferer, or the leadswinger, reports there is nothing that the doctor can find, no 'signs' unless there is a nerve or bony injury, which are rare, and are the only time when investigations are needed. This Patients webpage has a helpful review, that matches the NHS one. It emphasises that there is no need to rest or support the neck, and that simple painkillers are the best treatment. http://patient.info/health/whiplash-neck-sprain John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
iain Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 As a land owner one is liable for injuries to trespassers however caused on your land..... How crazy is that?! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 As a land owner one is liable for injuries to trespassers however caused on your land..... How crazy is that?! Yes. Public liability insurance essential. Outside of farm insurers it can be impossible to get cover for a property that has a public right of way running through it. Landowner is also liable for cost of disposing of fly-tipped rubbish. Its a worrying time for even small landowners in Wales: http://www.countryfile.com/explore-countryside/food-and-farming/should-wales-allow-open-access-its-countryside-scotland Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
ChrisR-4A Posted January 14, 2016 Report Share Posted January 14, 2016 Or near any glass. Don't ask me how I know... Pete Now you tell me!! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stevecross Posted January 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 Here's a tip. If it's cold in your workshop use a propane jet type space heater. It's a bit noisy but chucks loads of heat out in your preferred direction. If you are standing too close to it you will always know by the smell of burning shortly followed by warm ankles. If you then glance behind you, you will notice that the bottom 6" of your jeans are on fire. If you find the unsymmetrical look of this unpleasing, you can also do the same to the other leg an hour or two later. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
McMuttley Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 To reduce risk of injury, never tell her what it really costs. When i first started racing i just reduced the costs a 'bit' when challenged. Soon learned from the wise old men of the paddock to move the decimal pount to the left. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 On eye protection, goggles mist up and don't fit if you need to wear glasses for close work. Far better IMHO, is a visor, like a welder's mask that can be flipped up and down as required,. Never mists up, no problem with glasses and protects your face as well/ John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stevecross Posted January 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 Re eye protection. A visor is sometimes a problem as bulky and sometimes a bit awkward when underneath something. Over the last couple of years I have found it necessary to use reading glasses for some low light close up work. I buy 6 pairs at a time from pound mart ( At about a pound a pair surprisingly!) They are always on my head and always have a few pairs around the workshop. Not had a single incidence of "metal eye" since. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 Visors and safety glasses don't give anywhere near as much protection as a decent pair of goggles. Stuff can bounce off the inside into your eyes. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stevecross Posted January 17, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 Pete Any comments I have made on this thread are based on personal experience. They are not meant to be posted as advice, just comments. I am semi retired now and as such probably spend 3 days a week working on my cars. I would imagine I spend around 6 hours a week grinding metal so just relaying my experiences Having made about a dozen trips to A & E up to around 10 years ago just trying to pass on what has worked for me since as a regular "Grinder" in the real world. Cheers Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted January 17, 2016 Report Share Posted January 17, 2016 Steve, I'm about the same, just relaying my personal experiences. I've found the visor is good for keeping large flying lumps off my face, and I normally wear impact-rated prescription glasses, which seem to make small particles in the eye more rather than less likely. Are those pound shop reading glasses shatterproof? A proper pair of safety glasses, although not as good as goggles, will not only have an impact rating but will wrap around to a certain extent, so giving some sideways protection. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stevecross Posted January 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Hi Pete Certainly did not mean to suggest my "poundland" glasses are shatterproof or a recommended protection item. Just brought it up as because I now use them all the time they are always on my head so instead of there being an instance where I just have to do a small, quick grind or cut and am not inclined to find my proper eye protection I just drop them down for each and every 5 sec use of the tool rather than thinking I can just shut my eyes for a second or two. Absolutely right re shatterproof but although I have never had a disc break so far I well understand the need for correct protection. Most accidents seem to happen at the least expected moments (most car accidents happen within 3 miles of home ?) so the fact that I have at least a minimal amount of protection always on hand has, I am sure, kept me out of A&E for around 10 years. I started this thread to prompt more thought about what could go wrong not to try to promote unsafe working practices. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
stillp Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Steve, yes, I agree, and I'm sure you're not promoting unsafe practices. Most (if not all) accidents are followed by someone saying "I didn't think that would happen"! Perhaps I'm a bit sensitive about safety glasses, having had my NHS specs broken in a playground incident aged about 6, leading to a hospital trip to have glass fragments removed. I'm worried that your "minimal amount of protection" might make the result an accident worse. Proper safety glasses are not expensive. Pete Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 On a strange shift - I have been erecting a shed in the garden (it is my new spray studio ) I have been wearing ear defenders for the last two days. It has not been noisy - so why the ear defenders. I have found over the last year that when my lug 'oles get cold they shut down and I can't hear. I had an idea that perhaps it is the cold doing the damage. Well the experiment worked a treat. The ear defenders kept them warm and when I finished the days work I could still hear (sort of). Interestingly I would suggest it was actually dangerous wearing them as I couldn't hear a thing. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Stevecross Posted January 22, 2016 Author Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Roger Odd thing about ear defenders. I have quite a bit of land and over the last 25 years have had to fell or log many trees. Although I have been using a chainsaw regularly over the years, I hate wearing ear defenders and try to avoid working on my own. It makes me remote from the job and I get less warning of a problem because I cannot hear it. I dislike wearing gloves for exactly the same reason, I loose my sense of feeling and have less warning of a problem. I appreciate that if I was doing this regularly then these measures would be essential for my own wellbeing but as I only use my saw perhaps once a month I choose to do without those items as I know I am more in control of my work & environment without them. Does that make sense? When my youngest Daughter was born almost 15 years ago I suddenly became risk averse. Stopped extreme skiing, parachute jumping and climbing ladders. Suppose I feel a bit of a wimp now but see a potential accident everywhere but as I generally work on my own now I know there is usually no immediate back up so tend to take extra care. Steve Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Peter Cobbold Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 Working alone is a concern. A farmer neighour rolled his quadbike and was trapped. No mobile phone, but luckily was seen from a track after a couple of hours. Even walking alone is beginning to be a concern as age creeps up, and I never remember to take the mobile. Re battery charging. A post on here a few years back alerted me to the explosion risk when charging a tired, gassing battery. Tractor battery I think, exploded into bits spraying acid. There was an internal short and the gas is hydrogen. Bang. Thank you whoever posted the tale - I now replace old batteries and dont try reviving them. Peter Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Alec Pringle Posted January 22, 2016 Report Share Posted January 22, 2016 We're all going to kick the bucket one of these fine days . . . . . wonder is that some of us have lasted this long. When your number is up . . . . . fate is inexorable. Don't panic, Mr Mainwaring. Cheers Alec Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Hi Pete/Steve, this being alone things is a bit scary. About 15 years ago I participated in a Scout Extreme Adventure Week-end. This one involved walking on/across moorland and we were up in the Peak District. There was a party of 6 of us bog hopping - from tussock to tussock with unknown depths below. That went well. When we got back onto a well trodden route of fairly solid peat it all went pear shaped for me. The path had boot prints in it as if recently walked upon. There was a very thin layer of water on top <1/8". I happened to be in the front of the bunch by about 10ft. All of a sudden I'm up to my belly button in bog and sinking quite quickly. The other five 'responsible' Scout leaders were pi**ing themselves with laughter. My rucksack slowed the descent into the murky mire but still going down. No matter what I did I could not get out. In the end the gallant leaders sprang into action and using a rope pulled me out - with some difficulty. I had sank to my arm pits. Before and after this episode we saw a number of individual young people running across the moor on these tracks. There was also an older gent in shirt sleeves walking. Had any of them got stuck in my situation they would have disappeared - without trace. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Alec, and others, Yes life is an incurable disease, but there are some diseases that make you want to die long before you do. H&S is rarely about life saving, more about hearing, sight and limb saving. I'm sorry that so many discount the visor, and amazed that in a group that probably has a high average age so few feel the need to wear corrective glasses as well as protection. 'Prescription' glasses just don't fit under goggles. Safety glasses with 'prescription' lenses will cost as much as your ordinary glasses. But you can make those much safer! Look/ask for "Safety side pieces" that fit onto the rims and fill that space between the rim and your temple, where bits can get in. I don't know how easy they are to put on and take off - a visor has to be easier! - and you still will have no protection for the face, but it's your choice. Thinking on't, I don't think we have discussed breathing protection. Once, I foolishly used the old style Hammerite in a confined space, a whole body tub's worth. That night, I thought I was having a the Mother of all Migraines (that I never suffer from) and feared a stroke, with the most severe headache I have ever had. I attribute it to the Xylene in the paint. or that used to be in it. Since, I have had twinges of the same if I breathe Hammerite fumes, but a good respirator, a mask with absorbent canisters for organics is completely protective. I'll wear it if I'm doing any spraying or for dusty work, cleaning off rust with a cup brush in a drill for instance. Well worth having in the cupboard, IMHO . John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 Hi John, even a simple mask will stop a good deal of dust getting into your lungs etc. After doing grinding etc without a mask give your nose a good blow and see how much black muck comes out. If you have been breathing through your mouth that stuff can get all the way down into your tubes - not good. So thats - breathing mask, goggles, ear defenders, gloves, Toetector boots, chainmail jerkin, floatation aid, and a rope. That should do it. Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 . . . . and don't forget the parachute Roger! Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RogerH Posted January 23, 2016 Report Share Posted January 23, 2016 ....and a snorkel....... Roger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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