Worst case scenario - how well prepared are we?

[charangohabsburg]

Of course it's well understood that prevention of accidents comes in first place, while the first-aid kit on the wall hopefully gets buried beneath a pile of dust without ever needed to be put to "good" use...
And yet, how well (or bad) are we prepared in case of an accident that goes beyond tapping a finger with the deadblow hammer?

I am an optimist, and until recently this was more or less all I kept at my disposition and I never really used it, it was rather kind of a commodity:

Optimist's first-aid kit

DSCN0392-1.jpg (65.27 KiB) Viewed 43517 times

After a ummm... errr, let's say a minor incident one month ago, fortunately NOT at my place but rather during a visit to a friend who knew where the next doctor could be found, I decided to add an emergency phone number to my first-aid kit... Easier said than done, because there are several "emergency" numbers around, some "emergencier" than others, always depending on the case.
I now even started to think about getting an extinguisher or two, I hope that I'm not getting paranoid over this.

However, I found mentioning and making think about those issues which hopefully never will be a real issue could not hurt.

Cheers,

[Kamusur]

All you need Markus is some headache tablets and you almost got the complete survival kit
And on a more serious note do you still have 10 fingers and both peepers working?

Steve

[charangohabsburg]

Yes Steve, both peeper still at full strength and again 10 fingers in their original length.

[Kamusur]

That's good news Markus, those little workshop moments sure get your attention and lift the heart rate.

Steve

[martintaylor]

Was a scout in my youth. The old "Be Prepared" thing got a bit ingrained so I have a phone and a car first aid kit in my shed. I also happen to live next door to my doctor's practice, so if anything happens in his business hours I can rush next door. I've only had to do this once and it was my own stupidity that led to it. Drilling a large hole in the metal guttering for my shed when I was building it, while wearing thongs (insert international translation here). Drill bit grabbed, drill jumped out of gutter onto my foot. Almost severed my big toe. My doctor did a quick patch up and I was back at it a couple of days later wearing steel toes boots. Oh how we laughed.

Hope your injuries heal quickly Markus.

[charangohabsburg]

Thanks Martin. Fortunately my injury already healed almost completely, it happened a month ago while making firewood with the wrong tool (an axe instead a froe) from some of my silver fir that did not qualify for bracewood or instrument tops.

I also happen to live next door to my doctor's practice, so if anything happens in his business hours I can rush next door.

I also was lucky that I cut my index fingertip within general business hours. Further it helped me stay calm knowing that a chopped off finger still has good chances to be successfully reattached after 6-8 or even 10 hours, but it will heal better tha faster it gets professionally attended. If it is completely off (mine was still hanging on 1mm of flesh and skin) the loose part should be put in a watertight plastic bag, and that bag must go into another bag with some iced water.
Just saying. Hopefully no one of you will ever need it.

[Nick]

Thanks for highlighting this Markus and perhaps it's worth noting (as this is an appropriate post to remind people) that 90% of the cause of this type of accident is complacency, you knew that a froe was a more appropriate (and less harmful) tool yet the axe was right there and probably quicker. I'm guilty of it myself (and why I bring it up, probably more to remind myself ), I may be looking to do something a bit quicker so don't add a clamp or miss a step, it's not until afterwards when I think of what could of happened, that I realize my own stupidity. I also bring it up as I was a volunteer with the Ambulance service for quite a few years and saw quite a number of horrific injuries due to what should have been an easily preventable accident.
By the way, glad to hear that you have a fully healed & functioning set of digits.

[kiwigeo]

First aid kit not really necessary in a workshop.....all you need is already at hand:

- binding tape - perfect alternative for bandaids.
- french polishing rags - I use ripped up bed sheets. Perfect for making arm slings and mopping up pools of blood.
- antiseptic - IMS meths....better than the stuff you get in a first aid kit.
- tweezers - tweezers are for pussies. Real men use needle nose pliers.
- anaesthetic - any workshop of worth should have a fully stocked bar fridge.

[charangohabsburg]

Martin, you forgot to mention some free space to keep souvenirs and reminders.

[Kamusur]

First aid kit not really necessary in a workshop.....all you need is already at hand:

- binding tape - perfect alternative for bandaids.
- french polishing rags - I use ripped up bed sheets. Perfect for making arm slings and mopping up pools of blood.
- antiseptic - IMS meths....better than the stuff you get in a first aid kit.
- tweezers - tweezers are for pussies. Real men use needle nose pliers.
- anaesthetic - any workshop of worth should have a fully stocked bar fridge.

Martin

Markus Not game to ask about the specimen in the middle of the dish

Steve

[kiwigeo]

Martin, you forgot to mention some free space to keep souvenirs and reminders.

The finger tip goes in the fridge until I get time to mix up some hide glue and glue the bastard back on.

[kiwigeo]

I wasnt actually joking about using binding tape instead of bandaids. I stabbed myself with a scalpel halfway through a binding job. The glue was setting so I could muck around so the blood got soaked up using a few FP cloths and then a few wraps of binding tape stopped the blood flow.

[charangohabsburg]

I wasnt actually joking about using binding tape instead of bandaids.

I agree, it works.
I wasn't joking regarding "souvenirs and reminders" either. At the moment, mine sits still on the desk and I am looking for a nice spot closer to my woodworking tools. Oh and BTW, it is only the nail and skin that fell off after I pulled the last stitch.

The finger tip goes in the fridge until I get time to mix up some hide glue and glue the bastard back on.

For this application (or let's say at least for cuts after they stopped bleeding) CA works better than hide glue. Again not joking.

[Eric Scheper]

Actually CA was developed as a quick fix battle field dressing or used as that early on. Sure it's better to have the sterile stuff but I use the Bunnings stuff all the time on cuts (works better once the bleeding stops).