So, I work in my dads steel fabrication shop. Yesterday, apparently Eddie detected a small leak on the acetelyn regulator/valve which is on a nice big full tank of acetelyn, which is right next to another acetelyn tank and 2 full oxygen tanks. So his solution? Throw a metal bucket over top of it upside down, enclosing the regulator and top portion of the bottle. So that sits there for awhile... in a shop FULL of grinder sparks being launched everywhere. Of course, as im right next to all of that, a grinder spark hits it and BOOOM! I turn around like "WTF" and there is a huge fireball and plume of black soot (acetelyn is nasty stuff) and then it subsided to a smouldering mess. So im just standing there dumbstruck about what to do. I was scared to flip the bucket the rest of the way off and have it flare up again...but of course just as scared to leave it on. So another dude runs up and flings off the bucket and there is a nice cute little 3" flame coming off the valve. This of course means that if the bucket WASNT there, it would be a measly tiny little whoopsy fire, but due to the bucket it built up to a big boom. Source of the leak? The nut was tightened all the way onto the tank....DOH!

 

So anyways, I surrounded his work area with these signs, haha!

 

Make him wear a Road Guard vest and wrap him in caution tape.

Put a red blinking light on his helmet........Several years ago working as a mechanic I was using a torch to cut an exhaust system off a car. As I was about halfway done, the guy next to me decides the time was right to change the fuel filter on the car he was working on. Sure enough a small puddle of gas he's standing in ignites and he's doing the dance. Luckily it burned what was on the ground only, and the bottoms of his pants.

 

So I ask this guy afterwards why he opened up a fuel system while I was using a torch and all he said was "I don't know, I saw you using the torch and I didn't think".

Put a red blinking light on his helmet........Several years ago working as a mechanic I was using a torch to cut an exhaust system off a car. As I was about halfway done, the guy next to me decides the time was right to change the fuel filter on the car he was working on. Sure enough a small puddle of gas he's standing in ignites and he's doing the dance. Luckily it burned what was on the ground only, and the bottoms of his pants.

 

So I ask this guy afterwards why he opened up a fuel system while I was using a torch and all he said was "I don't know, I saw you using the torch and I didn't think".

 

Your lucky things could have turned out much worse.

 

http://www.dailyrecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2011110202046

I hope the primers aren't over there. I have to meet up with you this week. Probably Wednesday. I am in JC on Monday and Newark on Tuesday.

LOL yeah they survived

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3c_uziVrp8