Trimming Accident

[Mark]

Yesterday i was trimming with my Shindawia ,was just about finished and looked down a saw what i thought was a piece of dirt,i went to brush it off and came to realize it was the head of a roofing nail,only the tip was sticking out,i tried to pull it out with my fingers it wouldn't budge so i went to the truck and got some vicegrips out and finally got the 1-3/4" nail out. No telling when it happend im so used to getting hit with rocks and twigs went to the doctor to make sure my tetanus shots were up to date,they were but they gave me another one and some very strong antibiotics to take for ten days. Doctor said if that nail would have hit my head it would more than likely have been fatal. The wound was just above my foot on the ankel and over half of that nail went into my bone, i had no idea that a trimmer could produce the power of a handgun but now do. Please everyone out there keep them glasses on and stay safe i hate wearing long pants so im thinking of purchaseing the chaps. Just thought i share with you how much power our trimmers have. Marks Mowing Service

[lawnMaster5000]

well that sucks, but i hope that you are feeling better shortly.

and as you said, wear your safty stuff:)

[AltaLawnCare]

Thats why I hate trimming.

I have a face shield I wear,(most of the time) but it's very hot.

[geogunn]

mark--aren't you saying that the nail stuck in your ankle and you didn't know?

AWSOME!

I awlways wear glases and sometimes a shield.

I once hit my shin with a BRUSHAXE. I didn't like that at all. I stuck some paper towels in my sock and pulled the sock up. I finished the job and it was off to the ER for 16 stitches.

GEO

[Scag48]

OUCH! I hope you get better man. I'm glad I bought the Stihl Helmet system. It works great. Even though it's mesh, I don't get hit in the face by anything, maybe just an occasional piece of dirt or grass. I highly suggest the Stihl helmet. It's only $45 and could save your life since it has a hard hat built in and earmuffs too. Stay safe guys, anyway you can!

[MuskTurfKing]

I never thought a trimmer could throw something that hard, kinda makes you think. Guess someone upstairs is looking over you...

Might have to look into a face mask. I tend to like not dying.;)

Glad to hear your doing alright. (I'd of freaked out if I had to pull out a nail that was in mewith pliers)

[DanG]

My legs are all tore up from trimming. little nicks and cuts everywhere and scars to boot.
I never used to wear anything but shorts till I bought my chapps (which are great):)
I had a mishap with a trimmer the other day. It tossed a rock into a 4'x 8' window and shattered it. Good thing for insurance.

Dan G.

[TLS]

With a string trimmer you have to remember that not only is it spinning @ over 5000+ RPM's, but also the fact that the string can act like a sling shot. The string will deflect a bit and then straighten launching anyting it can at speeds that could easily approach the speed of sound! (No I didn't figure out the math, but some trimmers tach out at 7800 RPM. Take that by sometimes a 20" swath and then on top of that, figure out my sling shot theory...)

Be careful!

[Martino]

Mark:
Glad you are ok from this close call. Just wondering......did you have the debris shield on your trimmer? If so, this post is not necessarily directed to you, but to the "pros" out there that work without this safety equipment installed.

The debris shield is something that all too often is removed by the the people using them, and for 2 reasons that I have been able to identify: 1.- being able to see better you work area , and, 2.- easier to use when using the trimmer as an edger. My feeling is , if you want to edge, buy an edger...it is designed for that job and the results look so much better that edges that have been hacked by a trimmer. The main reason for this post is to chastise those who disregard this important safety feature for the sake of speed and convienence. Not only are you putting yourselves in peril, but anyone who may be in the area, walking to their cars, etc. If you are a company owner and let your employees work in this unsafe manner, I can't even begin to tell you the libility problems that you are asking for. If you want your insurance rates to skyrocket, just have a few claims that result from unsafe operation of equipment. (Assuming they cover the claim in the first place!) The worse part of it is, these increased rates will also affect the companies that care about their employees safety and run their equipment as it was intended. I know that the shields will not protect in all cases, but will certainly be beneficial in most. The truly ironic thing is most times the cowboys that I see operating in an unsafe manner don't use eye or hearing protection, either, but that is a whole different story. As an aside, you would have to assume that these operators don't make sure that there is the prescribed amount of line coming out of the head on bump feed units, since the cut-off knife is attached to the shield. For every 1" of additional line that a trimmer is runng with under load, the engine loses several hundred RPM, contributing to carbon build-up and premature wear. In short, you are killing your trimmer before it's time. I hope Mark's story wakes some people up. Working smart means working safe!

[Double D]

Guys. please use all the safety equipment that is required to be safe. My legs will not win any contest due to all the scars from trimming (I think I will order some chaps). I also got lucky myself this week, got my pinky finger hit by my running stick edger, and I still have all of my finger. It is broken, and sore as heck, but I feel very lucky (and STUPID). Please be careful.

[TJLC]

I see guys trimming in shorts and don't understand how they can stand to get hit over and over again, in the legs by debris OUCH. When I first started, I tried wearing shorts. It didn't take long for me to figure out to wear long work pants. Be careful!

[dhicks]

Glad you are OK. Even if you feel better and there are no signs of infection makesure you continue to take the antibiotic for a full ten days.

[MuskTurfKing]

Martino,

Who says you can't edge with a trimmer? I edge with a trimmer and you can't tell the difference between that and an edger. Sure, you can screw up, but if you take your time and concentrate, it can be just as good.

My shield never really works, still use it though. Or else I would have string 3 feet long...:p

Hank

[fivestarlawnken]

Glad you are all right.Thats amazing you didn't feel it go through you.Take the anti- and keep the area clean,do you carry first aid kit including alchol and other goodies?

[CTHOM]

Man i hope you get better soon. Im one of those guys that wears shorts, and it hurts like hell, but i hate paints. I have also thought of buying the chaps, sounds like most of us need them for safey as well as for the pain.;)

[SCAPEASAURUSREX]

Mark,

Feel better, and take care of that wound..

I wore shorts the first time I used a pro grade string trimmer when I first started landscaping and wound up with a 1" long pieceof trimmer line stuck into my shin, Never wore shorts again ! I use the string trimmer to edge too, but I am trying to wean my self off of it , since I have a stick edger. I have gotten hit in the face soo many times with rocks and stuff and drawn blood numerous times, I do wear goggles but your nose and cheeks take a serious beating. I vote to use stick edgers for edging and trimmers for trimming... " Think Safty " Be safe everybody take care of #1..

[geogunn]

all the "pro" trimmers out here spin clockwise which on the leading edge slings the cuttings towards you.

my non-"pro" homelite ST-275 straight shaft rotates counterclockwise. the leading edge slings clippings away from you.

and for the very reason of the posting of this thread, that's why I like my homelite.

flames: begin....

GEO

[lawnMaster5000]

that just depends on the direction that you walk....

[geogunn]

Originally posted by lawnMaster5000
that just depends on the direction that you walk....

nope. I've walked to the right and to the left and the head rotates the same way regardless.

but I think I know what you mean.

I am right handed so I like to hold the throttle in my right hand. It feels more natural to me to walk to the right when trimming and I swing the trimmer to the right better.

using a "pro" trimmer and walking to the right slings the cuttings at me with the clockwise rotation.

I bought a nice new echo onetime but I hated it for the above reasons.

the echo was, however, very smooth and powerful.

GEO

[lawnboy82]

Would kevlar protect you from this happening? I wonder.