What are some safety techniques while working on my trailer?

Fire extinguishers and gloves. I've been ridiculed for being " Mr. Safety" by employees, friends, and family for years. First aid kits, fire extinguishers, respirators, dust collectors, ventilation.... you name it, I've got it covered. When my daughter was 6 years old I'd jokingly ask "do you have your swimming helmet on?"

Fortunately I have never had to actually use my strategically placed safety items, but they surely do help me sleep better. Even so, I managed to almost remove a thumb while working on our FAN a couple years ago. Just a simple moment of not paying proper attention and trying to do something I knew was potentially risky. I find it really difficult to work with gloves because of arthritis and other tactile issues, but when it comes to exposure to toxic chemicals I do wear them. Really good idea to avoid getting drunk before noon. Thanks Larry!

I wear big heavy gloves using my 10 inch buffer. It's loose clothing you want to watch out for. I don't wear anything looser than a tight T shirt when I polish. A couple of different types of face and eye protection helps keep you seeing well. Some people wear earphones but I want to be able to hear everything. I ain't deef yet. Say what?

Hi Friends,

Great comments.  Keep em coming.

I think it might be important to distinguish between what we refer to as gloves.  I have used three types of generic gloves over the years.  I have used the fat unfitting cloth back covered gloves sold at HD and some nice better fitting leather tan leather gloves at Harbor Freight as well as some 9 mil black Nitrile gloves found at Harbor Freight..  The fat ones found at Home Depot are ill fitting and I can understand not using them for the machinery that bw describes, but what about using the the black nitrile gloves?  I find they fit rather well almost like having a second skin.

I have been really happy with the tan gloves from HF.  Nice good all around glove and pretty durable also. Cheap, too.  But, may be too loose for working with machinery.

Also, rat droppings can be found in long abandon vintage trailers. Hantavirus, a serious respiratory disease can be carried through rat droppings. What level of respirator should be used for working with rat droppings?  I would think that finding rat droppings could be fairly common and should be dealt with safely with at least gloves and a respirator. More?

Cheers,

Rod

good point. Also watch your head phones (ear buds). I ripped a pair out of my ears with a 4" grinder.

The MOST IMPORTANT safety tip I can think of is for you to stop and think before doing anything. Example What can or possibly will happen if I do or don't do this. A little fore thought goes a long way toward your well being.

bigbill has it right!

When I was younger I gave more thought to how not to waste a $50 4'x8' sheet of marine plywood than I did to what might go horribly wrong cutting it. When I went to the ER a couple years ago with a lacerated thumb during the work on our FAN, the surgeon on duty said that most of the serious injuries he saw were from people who'd been working with power tools all their lives without problems. It happens when you least expect it. We get complacent. Fortunately my thumb is still attached to the rest of me and usable...I had my doubts the day it got chewed up in the table saw.

In some sense, I knew that what I was going to try to do was a bad idea, but like an idiot, I went ahead and did it anyway. Live and learn I guess.