> ...because Allen was taken to task a bit...

Hehehe.  No problem.  I enjoy a bit of controversy and criticism.  That's often
how I learn, although I do like it best when my critics know what they are
talking about, are good natured, and emphasize fact over fancy and rhetoric.

> Chemicals are handled safely on a daily basis by thousands of
> individuals... Is the risk the same applying the formic acid
> pads as when doing the mixing(?)...

Now, funny you should bring this up.  I've beem meaning to mention to the group
that one of my guys did manage to get some dilute acid in an eye yesterday while
applying pads.

It was one of those freak things.  He was working alone and had a bucket of pads
(no free acid) on the ground beside a single hive.  Normally he would have had
it on top of the next hive, but this hive was by itself, so he set the pail on
the ground.  Anyhow, he lifted one side of the telescoping lid, and the brick
slid off and landed in the bucket with sufficient force to squeeze the pads and
spray a bit of acid far enough to get him in the eye.

Seems he wasn't wearing his goggles (you can bet he is today), but fortunately
he was trained to immediately flush the eye with the fresh water which he had
with him (part of our safety plan). He said he noticed a little smarting when
the acid hit him and he immediately flushed the eye for the prescribed 15
minutes.  By then could detect no effect of incident, and continued on with the
job.  He pretty well forgot about it, but mentioned it this morning and says
that the eye feels okay.  A close examination shows no visible effects.

Goes to show that it does not pay to make assumptions, and that it is important
to have a 'plan B'.

>  What you really need to ask is "Would I let my son or daughter
>  or some other loved one do this?" Think safety in everything you do.
>  Safety never costs, it only pays.

Good points.  I remember that when I worked in the mines that the supervisors
would not let the men do anything dangerous, but always insisted on doing it
themselves if it had to be done.  It seems we are willing to take risks
ourselves that we would not ask, or even allow, others to face.

allen

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