Non-use of protective gear on TV car shows.

[Scott Bonesteel]

Having spent many years during a prior career in the engine room alongside screaming, turbocharged EMD-645-20 main engines (20 cylinders, 645 cubic inches per cylinder), I owe my excellent hearing today to always having worn proper hearing protection.  Many of my fellow ex-chief engineers now have significant hearing loss due to not having worn hearing protection.  I found fairly quickly that the large, 'ear muff' type protection was cumbersome to use, couldn't be carried around your neck so they were always there, so I opted (at the suggestion of another engineer) for the shooting-type ear plugs shown below, which are easily available at most gun stores and even Home Depot, etc.  When not in use they could easily be worn around the neck, the plastic tube flexing so that you hardly knew you had them on.  Motto of the story:  Easy to protect yourself with safety glasses/hearing protection/etc. if you just give it a moment's thought.  Seems like sight and hearing are worth that moment's thought.

[Scott Bonesteel]

P.S. I also highly recommend them for if you ever ride the BART into San Francisco from the Airport--must be 130dB+ on parts of that ride.

[Rivguy]

There was a real good, serious discussion on the HAMB about the use of safety equipment when spraying urethane type paint. Some pooh-poohed what they thought were over cautious  warnings,. A couple of guys reported how they got a lung full of the thinner used, and ended up in the ER. Symptoms like having difficulty breathing, headaches, extreme nausea and vision problems, that have persisted well after their exposure.  

I'm as stubborn and independent minded as anyone, but I sure would like to enjoy the time that I have left in retirement. I also don't want to be a burden on my Wife or kids because I ended up disabled, because I couldn't bother to take the proper precautions. We should set a good example for the next generation.

[Larry Schramm]

Many of the paints have isocyanate in their formulation.  For those of us old enough to remember this is the toxic material that leaked out of the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal, India that killed an estimate of 3,800 persons.

 

Use a respirator. 

[JamesR]

On 11/15/2022 at 6:01 AM, George Smolinski said:

doing bodywork and breathing in all that wonderful dust.

 

I've seen that in shops, and it truly bothers me. There are many young men working at these places who have no idea that age and ignorance will catch up with them someday. As terrible as it was for me, I wish they all could've seen my mom slowly fade away from a progressive respiratory condition. What really upsets me is that the owners/managers of these shops allow this to happen.

[1wonton]

Is this still the Antique Car Club of America website?  

[Frank DuVal]

13 hours ago, Bills Auto Works said:

I HATE threads like this that presume to tell grown men how to live their lives!

But you don't mind telling us how to live our lives?   We are both just explaining the dangers of activities.

 

I guess you are of the don't learn history, just repeat it instead of heeding warnings.

[Ed Luddy]

19 hours ago, JamesR said:

 

I've seen that in shops, and it truly bothers me. There are many young men working at these places who have no idea that age and ignorance will catch up with them someday. As terrible as it was for me, I wish they all could've seen my mom slowly fade away from a progressive respiratory condition. What really upsets me is that the owners/managers of these shops allow this to happen.

Yes, I'm always wondering about this on these TV shows. How does this crap get air time? I hate censorship and big brother more than most people.

  But if we had of known what's known now back in the 70's a lot of my friend's as well as me wouldn't have all the respiratory problems or be already dead as so many are.

[Larry Schramm]

When looking for common sense in broadcasting as in many other endeavors, common sense seems to be uncommon.

 

Even look at many shows involving cars, even current ones.  Using seat belts is the exception rather than the rule.

[1wonton]

If anyone is so stupid as to breathe in paint fumes, then all the warnings in the world would not help much.  It's just common sense to be aware of dangerous situations all around us.  Maybe some car collectors should think about taking up stamp collecting.

[rocketraider]

On 11/23/2022 at 10:31 AM, 1wonton said:

Is this still the Antique Car Club of America website?  

Are we not exposed to all kinds of hazards as we work on our old cars?

 

I've wondered about lack of basic PPE on some of these shows too, especially when it's being filmed. When OSHA comes knocking you can't defend your position when there's photo evidence to the contrary.

 

I chafed at some of the PPE I had to use during my powerplant career but I didn't like the alternative outcome, so I used it.

 

Even in retirement, I use earplugs, safety glasses and dust masks doing yardwork and especially if I'm using grinders or air tools and compressor. 

 

I haven't painted with more than a spray bomb in years. I guess I should replace my half-face respirator just due to age.