Hello all! i would like to firstly say that i thoroughly enjoy all the great posts here! anyways, mine is about safety. i recently suffered a severe eye injury..not while woodworking..well, i was helping a friend do a little demo, and i was bent over, so my safety glasses slipped down a little, and while prying a rather stubborn nail, the bar came free and hit me in the eye with such force, it ruptured the globe.it made a rupture about one third the diamater of my eye. they repaired it, although i have 15 permanent stitches.ten days later , i had a surgery to re attach my retina, and they had to put a scleral buckle around my eye to stabilize it. due to the initial trauma, it had to be placed in a position where it was over one of my eye muscles.this resulted in my eyes being out of alignment.i have double vision…although i have very low vision in my damaged eye.i had another surgery 6 weeks later to fix a small corner of the retina, which wasn’t seating because of scar tissue. also, i had to have the lens replaced due to a trauma induced cataract.i will need one or two more surgerys to remove a silicone bubble in my eye(which keeps pressure on the retina)although sometimes it must stay in permanantly.also, i will need to have either the scleral buckle adjusted, or my eye muscle moved.i am 24 hours post op as i write this, but my vision does seem clearer with the new lens…it takes some time as the fluid settles after surgery. plus with the oil in, i wont see totally clearly anyway.the moral of this story is this: i constantly see people working without safety gear.i have worked construction…it is rare to see any safety equipment being used.i always use ear and eye protection, as well as a good mask. i wish i would have used a strap to keep my glasses tight, but i normally am in the shop, and I tuck them into my big earmuffs, and they never move.it is doubtful i will ever have full vision again,but i cringe everytime i see someone being careless.i hope the next time you are woodworking, you will remember this overly looooong post.oh , did i mention i had to stay face down 90 % of the time for 2 weeks and 1 week respectively after my retina surgery’s?also, i am unable to work for the last 2 months, and am off for a minimum of 6 more weeks.the next time you are too lazy to put them on, or don’t think it could happen, well, i was just pulling nails.I can only imagine the force modern power tools would throw something at you.please , please. please be safe….also…if anyone has a time machine i could borrow to go back and avoid my accident..haha let me know…..anyways….enjoy(SAFELY!) all your woodworking endeavors! I’ll be doing mine from behind a face shield!haha..just another excuse to buy even more handplanes..(but, honey, they’re SAFER! ) bye y’all
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Replies
I've kidded my self for years that my regular glasses with hard lenses were "as good as" safety glasses. Your post has convinced me that I should buy certified safety glasses and wear them when working in the shop.
I always wear earmuffs when running machines - but, why do I value my hearing more that my sight? No more !
Frosty
P.S. Thank you for the wakeup call.
Interesting timing. The latest issue of WoodSmith has an article reviewing safety glasses.
Oh, GS, this is very sad to hear!! My husband had a separated retina several years ago, and went through the "bubble" routine and laying in a specified (and torturous) position for 2 weeks, and it was incredibly difficult. What you've had to do and still face is frightening indeed. Thanks for posting here and reminding us how important our eyes are and to always, always protect them thoroughly.
I recently ordered a pair of prescription safety glasses to wear in the shop when I'm not wearing my contact lenses. Your post has prompted me to get with it and put the shields back on the sides and make sure they're at the ready any time I'm out there wearing glasses. As someone else mentioned above, it's not a good idea to rely on plain Rx glasses for protection.
Wishing you the absolute best in recovery.
forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
definitely wish you the best in recovery as well. i too cringe when i see such a lax attitude toward safety by people with tools. i often use reading glasses while woodworking and maybe that isn't enough either. i think i'll go get a full face shield as well. thanks for the wake up call. i'm more determined than ever to work safely. your lesson and your post are making a difference. thanks again.
greg
G.S.: Just had my inlaws here for the holiday and my SIL was talking about the kids hanging about work areas and working with handtools without glasses. Her husband doesn't follow safety rules much but he is an adult and can do as he wishes. After my talk with her I went to Graingers website and sent them a box full of safety glasses and a face shield. Also forwarded a copy of your post.
Best wishes to you for a rapid and full (as can be) recovery. Duke Masters
"... Buy the best and only cry once.........
You convinced me! Where is the best place to get prescription, safety glasses/shield? I have always been frustrated trying to wear goggles over glasses. They don't work and I can't see without glasses.
I had a near miss about 6 months ago- a tiny piece of carbide - my solution- I bought 6 pair of saftey glasses and placed them all over the shop. Literally every corner of the shop + a pair at the bench. It seems a little overkill but I have been taking eye safety VERY seriously ever since.
Dave
May the best go to you, GS. I like Dave's idea about the glasses being scattered over the workshop.
I'm doing the same thing in the workshop with "safety in numbers"... The first hurdle was to help make the workshop budget go as far as possible, so I buy my safety glasses by using the retail store's 25% Off and 40% Off coupons. From both the local Hobby Lobby's stain glass area, and at Woodcraft/Rockler, I've economically collected pairs of safety glasses. I really like the newer bubble shaped safety glasses that have the smaller bifocal lens made into their lens, but those glasses don't come with a case. At the local, large monthly flea market, I found a vendor that sells sun glasses. For $1.00 each, I've purchased several of just the RED vinyl padded glasses cases that will hold the larger safety glasses. Now, not only do I have enough safety glasses to lay in front most of my power tools so I have to move them to use the machine, but also the RED protective case is easy to see and keeps the lens dust/scratch free.
Bill
"Glasses scattered all over the shop." That sound like a good solution, but at two to three hundred a pair, it gets rather expensive. Besides, I need to have glasses on to see to get to the next machine.
Tink,
I don't know what brand of safety glasses you're thinking of, but the polycarbonate safety glasses with the federal impact rating are the ones I've collected. They're the ones costing $6.00-$14.00, and usually costing less with the store's coupon discounts...
I find myself leaving one of the pair on as I go from machine to machine, so I'll just move the spare pair aside.
Bill
I would have to have perscription glasses either built in the safety glass or under the safety glass. I've not found a suitable fit for the latter alternative. Always some problem. I admit, I have not priced the perscription safety glasses but I will shortly. My statement that I need glasses to see to get to the next machine might be exagerated some but not much.
Edited 11/25/2006 11:38 pm ET by tinkerer2
Any optometrist can order you a pair of safety glasses in your prescription. I believe they are polycarbonate lenses. I got big lenses to get a wide area of coverage. They come with side shields, and it doesn't hurt to get a couple extra pair of those too.forestgirl -- you can take the girl out of the forest, but you can't take the forest out of the girl ;-)
Thank you FG. I will be having cataract surgery shortly and will need all new glasses anyway. I will certainly look into that. I have to have a special pair for using the computer.
Be sure that the frames are also safety approved. The company that I work for gets the safety glasses from AO Safety but there are others out there. When I recently had my prescription changed I also changed the prescription for my safety lens and this was done from the same optical store. The safety lens should also have a small stamp on them also.
"also safety frames" Thanks, I wouldn't have thoughta of that.
Man......all I can say is that I wish you the best in your recovery.
To ALL:
This story and ones like it are why safety is so important. Not using proper safety equipment is just plain lazy.(or stubborn) I have sent guys home for not wearing eye protection.
As a side note to the editors of the magazine: Why do you allow pics of people operating power equipment (or any tools)without safety glasses? Examples of this are all over the magazines. Come on guys, seems like a simple thing to tell your subjects to put glasses on!!
-Paul
To All -
This is where I've been purchasing my safety eyewear for my pro shop. They have almost everything as well as excellent customer service. (No affiliation - just a satisfied customer).
http://www.safetyglassesusa.com/
Dan Kornfeld, Owner/President - Odyssey Wood Design, Inc.
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