Disaster Averted

[Thistleman]

Making a jig this afternoon for a project I have on the go at the moment. Managed to clip a screw with my Kapex, a few sparks and some sparky language as it was a relatively new blade

The image was taken a couple of minutes after when I smelt a slight burning smell

One of the sparks must have landed just behind the Kapex and this was the end result

Beware of flying sparks

 

[Bob D.]

Glad you caught that. If you had left the area it could have got ugly fast.

Did you happen to check your shop fire extinguisher afterward to make sure it is still charged and accessible?

 

[Thistleman]

As my workshop is in the basement the potential fire risk is a real concern. I have multiple extinguishers on annual service contracts, CCTV and a heat/smoke detector linked to the home security system. I was fortunate that I smelt the burn rather than saw anything and was able to extinguish it readily. Everything else is for the worst and I hope that it is one part of the inventory that I never have to use in anger

 

[Bob D.]

I hear you, glad you're prepared.

 

[six-point socket II]

Really glad you caught that & thanks for posting about it!

Kind regards,
Oliver

 

[Imemiter]

That photo is almost NSFW it's such nightmare fuel. 

 

[Charles959]

I asked the director of health and safety at a university about using a grinding wheel. He told me that any time grinding or welding is done, the work is deemed "hot work", and someone must monitor the area for four hours after the work ends, because that is how long sparks can glow and then start a fire, according to the insurance people.

 

[Bob D.]

We have to have a dedicated firewatch during any hot work operations and are required to monitor for a half hour after all hot work stops.

But there are full time firewatches roving the buildings and an extensive smoke and fire detection system in most of the buildings. You can't even strike an arc without notifying plant operations before hand, because it will detect that arc long before there is enough smoke or particulate matter in the air to register.

You can't even Flick Your Bic without getting caught.