Safety Comes First
Gary A. Shaw
Box 4520, Milton FL 32572-4520
Things That Go Boom
While scanning the local newspaper, I noted a story about a grain elevator that exploded, and several people died. One might assume that there was a gas leak, a buildup of sewer gas, or possibly stored chemicals that sparked the deadly explosion, but no — I'll bet my next airplane that the cause was airborne grain dust!
How could grain dust create an explosion? When too much of any type of flammable material becomes airborne and is trapped in a closed environment, it creates a concentrated mixture that needs only a source of ignition to burn — very, very rapidly (boom!). If grain dust and air mix in a closed environment (such as a grain silo), the mixture can be just as deadly as gas fumes waiting for a spark.
Consider a modeler sanding a new airplane in a basement during the winter. Balsa is wood, and wood burns; think of how much dust can be generated when sanding, and realize that much of it can go into the air if not properly contained (with a filtered shop-vac). Now put a gas water heater (pilot light) or a cigarette in the basement, and you have a potentially deadly situation. I can't tell you how many parts per million of wood in the air it takes to cause concern, but I can tell you that proper exhaust ventilation can reduce the hazard.
The following article from modeler and Safety Officer Ron Kohler provides another example:
"Wood dust, like those piles of balsa dust that we all tend to make, is extremely explosive. A balsa stick or balsa dust in a pile burns—right? Well, when that pile of dust is floating around in the air, it can burn so rapidly that an explosion occurs. If there is enough wood dust suspended in the air, an explosion which is powerful enough to damage your home, or even kill someone, could occur. This is a pretty sobering thought when you consider how many folks routinely reach for a cigarette during their sanding sessions.
"An electric sander really adds to the problem by rapidly filling the air in your shop with wood dust. A shop-vac with its nozzle located near the sanding belt or disc can draw this dust away before it becomes airborne. Yes, this is an extra step and extra noise. But it is also extra safety. That shop-vac combined with other housekeeping tools can be used to make your balsa dust factory a healthier and safer place to work.
"The home is where safe attitudes and practices should begin. Our hobby, when pursued by intelligent and informed people, is an extremely safe one. That is, of course, when we are also diligent and conscientious.
"How many times have we also taken a chance by spray-painting, airbrushing, or even hand-brushing in an enclosed area? We all know that paint fumes can be a health hazard and an explosion hazard. Yet in the name of saving time, saving money, or some other excuse we fail to act safely when painting. After all, 'It's only a small job.' Or, 'You have to breathe a lot of this stuff before it can hurt you.'
"Let's talk about the fire/explosion safety aspect of painting. Face it folks: paint fumes are—no doubt about it—explosive! They can be ignited by a lit cigarette, the spark in a light switch, or even static electricity. If you can't paint outdoors, at least find a way to vent those fumes.
"After you have found a way to vent the fumes before you start painting, consider how you are going to limit or isolate ignition sources. You can limit ignition sources in many ways. What works in your home may not work, or for that matter, be necessary in another's home. For instance, does your home/painting area have a gas hot water heater? If it does, it has a live open flame called a pilot light. That pilot light is very close to the floor. The floor is, by the way, exactly where those explosive paint fumes like to congregate and hang out (for a long time). So, play it safe. Turn the pilot light off prior to painting. Don't relight it until you are sure that the fumes have been vented to the outside of the house. The list of ignition sources/solutions could go on until we have a book.
"Before I get that carried away, let me end with a couple of simple statements that apply to fires and explosions.
- In order to have a fire or explosion you need three things: (A) A fuel (like paint thinner or paint fumes). (B) An oxidizer (that's the oxygen in our air). (C) An ignition source (sparks and flames are the most common).
- When you eliminate any one of these components, you can't, for our purposes, have a fire/explosion."
Tick Precautions
Having spent a few days in prime tick country (New England) this spring, I know that health officials in that area are aware that ticks are abundant this year and can transmit disease. Virtually every newspaper I read had an article crediting a mild winter with an abundant tick population, and a higher-than-average possibility that more people will contract Lyme disease this year.
What is Lyme disease and why the concern? The following is from the Lyme Disease Foundation (LDF):
- "Lyme disease is a potentially dangerous multisystem bacterial infection with a wide range of symptoms. If undetected and untreated, it can progress to late-stage, debilitating symptoms including arthritic or neurological problems. It is the most common tick-borne illness—nearly 111,000 cases have been reported in 49 states since 1980. Estimates of non-reported cases are much higher, presumed to be more than one million.
"One study estimated that Lyme disease costs society over one billion dollars a year. People can reduce their risk of Lyme disease by avoiding tick-infested areas, tucking in pants and shirts, wearing light-colored clothing to spot ticks, using insect repellent and checking family members and pets for ticks. A vaccine may soon be available to help protect people from Lyme disease."
For more information, related state and federal activities, physician referrals, and the quarterly newsletter Lymelight, contact LDF, One Financial Plaza, Hartford, CT 06103; visit http://www.lyme.org; e-mail lymenet@aol.com; or call the LDF 24-hour hotline at (800) 886-LYME.
Wood Tick Removal
Since I've touched on why you don't want to come in contact with ticks, I didn't think this month's column would be complete without a few words regarding how to get ticks off once they're attached. Mike Janowich provided the following:
"Several weeks ago, while thrashing around in the high grass and weeds, a couple of club members picked up wood ticks on their clothing. With the exception of one person, the ticks were brushed off and stomped on with maximum force until their little eyes bulged out. One unfortunate soul, who could not just brush the tick off his leg, enlisted the aid of several club members to dislodge it as best as possible to himself. After quite a lot of consultation and guessing, the tick was finally removed. The following information provided by the American Red Cross should take guesswork out of tick removal while at the field (or any other place).
"Ticks can transmit germs of several diseases, including Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever. There is some evidence that the longer an infected tick remains attached, the greater the chance that it will transmit disease. So remove it as soon as possible.
"First Aid—Cover the tick with heavy oil (mineral or machine) to close its breathing pores. The tick may disengage at once; if not, allow oil to remain in place for an hour. Then carefully remove the tick with tweezers, taking care that all parts are removed. Wash the area from which the tick was removed with soap and water, because disease germs may be present on the skin. Now you know the safe and easy way to remove those nasty little creatures called wood ticks."
Don't Fly Alone
If you follow this column, you may know that I warn about the dangers of flying alone. Although most radio-control publications write frequently on this topic, you can go to any field in the country any day of the week, and most likely find people flying with no one else present. Why the continued hoopla? Perhaps a perspective from Ron Kohler, Safety Officer of T.C.R.C., Berkshire, NY, can define the concern a little better:
"Are you flying alone? Do you grab your favorite bird and pop out to the field for a couple of quick flights, by yourself? Most of us have done it. Having the field to yourself has its rewards. It also has its dangers.
"Most flying sites are far removed from close proximity to ringing phones, blaring sirens, and other distractions. The downside is that they are also removed from emergency support services, should you need them. Let's examine what might happen should you incur even a 'minor' laceration to your prop-flinging digit.
"This alleged cut didn't come from an 80cc engine swinging a 26-inch prop. It came from a humble .049 swinging a 5 x 4. The cut went all the way to the bone and it's nearly 2 inches long. It hurts like mad. And, from the looks of it, you may run out of blood before you can get it repaired. Oh boy!
"You now have to control the bleeding. You're starting to feel the onset of shock caused by this physical affront to your body and nervous system. You're worrying about whether or not to leave your bird and gear at the field, the hospital bill, and how to transport yourself to the emergency room without ruining the interior of your vehicle. If this sounds like the scenario for a second accident, you're right!
"While this particular example is fictitious, events like this happen every day. Some are much, much worse. Whether or not they are preventable is fodder for another article. The point of this article is that had you arrived at the field with another competent adult your woes would be far fewer. The second person could help you attend to the wound, put your treasures in the vehicle, give you some morale support, and take over any required driving duties. All you would have to do is sit back and try to relax. While you're relaxing you might even remember that your organization's policy covers personal injuries. See...? Things are getting better already! Nuff said!"
That's all till next month. Hope you enjoy smooth air!
Transcribed from original scans by AI. Minor OCR errors may remain.
