I need to share a tale about an incident that happened at the shop today. Joe (Name Changed) removed a cap from a system that was under 150 pounds of pressure. Joe was told the system was empty and at atmospheric pressure by Mike (Name Changed). Mike honestly thought it was. Unfortunately there was a check valve in the system that isolated part of the system from the bleed valve. So when Joe quickly loosened the cap, a 6″ diameter steel cap weighing about 5 pounds, it explosively separated from the pipe. The released air threw Joe 15 feet across the shop floor and the socket in his hand about 50′ across the shop. Joe’s pant leg was ripped in half and there was a huge dent in a metal machine about 20 feet from the incident where the cap impacted. If Joe hadn’t have been lucky enough to be standing to the side, he would be dead.
Joe was furious with Mike.
Joe should be furious with Joe. Joe was the one removing the cap, he should have verified the zero pressure himself. My point in sharing this isn’t to scold Joe and Mike, but to help you remember to check things yourself. As a retro-revolutionist, doing things on your own, you are going to be exposing yourself to potentially dangerous situations about your homestead. Check your safety factors yourself.
Did you unload it yourself and verify it was unloaded? Gun Safety
Did you use your meter to make certain that the circuit breaker was off before changing the outlet? Multimeter Use
Did you make certain the ladder was secure before climbing up and on to the roof? Ladder Safety
Did you check to make sure the cast iron skillet had cooled before picking it up to put it away?
Did you check the chain tension on the saw before starting it? Chainsaw Safety
Did you look behind the pickup before backing up?
I’m not saying don’t trust people. I’m saying help them never hurt you or your loved ones and check it yourself.
