Turn the thing off !!!

[Shannow]

Bloke in town was filling a lawnmower with it running the other day.

Imagine your posture when filling a mower, where your face, hands and arms are when it finally goes off.

Airlifted to the big smoke, superficial burning (will peel, and have some scars). They had to comatose him at times with breathing difficulties and panic.

He's out now (of hospital, not extinguished).

For the sake of 2 minutes (Briggs warning on mine), it's not worth it.

 

[crinkles]

i see drillers refuel their honda firefighter pump motors runnign all the time... that is NOT in their SWMS LOL... spilling fuel over the muffler etc.

i just take a stand a bit further back.

 

[Johnny]

Originally Posted By: Shannow
Bloke in town was filling a lawnmower with it running the other day.

Imagine your posture when filling a mower, where your face, hands and arms are when it finally goes off.

Airlifted to the big smoke, superficial burning (will peel, and have some scars). They had to comatose him at times with breathing difficulties and panic.

He's out now (of hospital, not extinguished).

For the sake of 2 minutes (Briggs warning on mine), it's not worth it.


All I can say is,

 

[Rick in PA]

Good Lord!

I'm always concerned filling the tank with the mower OFF.

Gasoline's powerful stuff. The mental image I use is that a tank-full can push a car clear across a state (not sure what you have down there, provinces?). Anyway, people handle it with such carelessness...

 

[JHZR2]

But it will never happen to me...

Guess that is why there is the deadman lever on mowers in the US?

 

[Johnny]

Oh, is that what that things called that I disconnected?

 

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
But it will never happen to me...

Guess that is why there is the deadman lever on mowers in the US?

yup, you physically can't fill the gas on a pushmower (or rider for that matter) w/ it running.
I like that that safety is there, not just for me, but for my kids.
if the guy filling his mower had disconnected the safety, well, to quote Bill Engval, "here's your sign"

 

[bullwinkle]

Wow-especially if it was an older, point/condenser type ignition system-rapid vapoization+readily available spark-sounds like the guy is LUCKY to be ALIVE! One of my best friends growing up died in a similar fashion-his dad owned a towing service & a little junkyard, they had rolled a van on it's side & he was cutting the rear axle out w/a cutting torch-the gas spilled out (he didn't notice it), ignited-he survived for almost a day in a coma, the only place he wasn't burnt was on the bottom of his feet. 22 years old & engaged to be married in less than 6 months. An expensive lesson in safety for all.

 

[meep]

oh these stories are horrible. I can't imagine the pain of the injured or the family.

 

[boraticus]

The world will never be short of applicants for the Darwin Awards. I'm surprised with how many Darwin Awards applicants make it to adulthood! You'd think that they'd be pretty much thinned out by then. Apparently not.

 

[AuthorEditor]

Reminds me of the guy I saw who had flooded his outboard motor so badly (float must have been sticking too) that gas was dripping from the intake into the boat he was sitting in while he leaned over the motor smoking a cigarette while pondering what to do. There was a large puddle of gas swishing around in the bottom of the boat too. Or the mechanic I brought my car to when my gas line had developed a leak. He put it up on the lift and put a hot trouble light right under the leak to see better, then proceeded to light up his smoke while he peered up at the dripping gas while I rapidly walked out of the door of the garage. That was one repair I decided would not be worth watching.

 

[Steve S]

It is only dangerous if the vapors ignite

 

[CharlieJ]

Originally Posted By: JHZR2
But it will never happen to me...

Guess that is why there is the deadman lever on mowers in the US?


Nothin' that a zip tie can't fix.

 

[JTK]

My lousy health insurance plan would deny my claim due to stupidity!

 

[bigmike]

I always fill up when it's cool, before I start mowing. Luckily, I can finish the yard up in 1 tank.

I guess common sense didn't clue this guy in.

 

[Samilcar]

Gasoline is powerful stuff. If it was being introduced today as a new type of fuel, it would be banned as being too dangerous for the general public to use. I handle gasoline with almost the same respect that I give to firearms.

 

[mpvue]

Originally Posted By: bigmike
I always fill up when it's cool, before I start mowing. Luckily, I can finish the yard up in 1 tank.

I guess common sense didn't clue this guy in.

your yard is too big! 1 tank lasts me almost all season!

 

[boraticus]

I read an account of a Darwin Awards applicant who thought it would be a good idea to use his push mower as a hedge trimmer by picking it up by the deck and pressing it against the hedge. When he stood up after attempting to make the lift of the running mower, he left the mower and the tips of his fingers right there on the lawn.

I'm sure that's the same kind of people who test electrical outlets with a dinner fork.

 

[bigmike]

He was just an honorable mention then. The awards are only given to those who are successful in reproduction elimination.

 

[boraticus]

Originally Posted By: bigmike
He was just an honorable mention then. The awards are only given to those who are successful in reproduction elimination.




True...

It's ironic that not one Darwin Awards winner has ever picked up his prize!