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Post by stris141 on Dec 2, 2005 3:18:15 GMT -5
If you have any safety tips or questions, this is the place.
I recommend that you wear a firesuit. Also gloves and a headsock. I know lots of people don't think they need them. But if you've seen anybody burned, like I have, you'll want them. The cost of a burn center, per day, is way, way more, than a good firesuit. Not to mention the pain! It's been awhile since I've bought one, but I would guess for about $200.00/$300.00 you can get a good one. I like a two piece, so I can take the jacket off, while in the pits. Yes, they get hot. But it's well worth the sweat. Just drink more water.
Steve
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Post by dadicted on Dec 2, 2005 12:17:06 GMT -5
im 100% with stris.
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Post by crash21 on Dec 3, 2005 18:44:25 GMT -5
It's not only during the derby that there is a danger of fire. A friend of mine was burned pretty badly last sumer working on his car in his barnyard. He pushed the car over to the shop with a bobcat, then struck up the torch to cut sometihing off the rear of the car, not realizing that he had punched a hole in the stock gastank while pushing it. Shortly after he started cutting, the tank pretty much exploded and he got second and third degree burns on both legs and arms. He was lucky that his brother was there to call 911. Last I heard, he was still doing therapy and skin grafts.
I try to always have someone there with me while I'm working on my cars, and I have a cell phone on my body AT ALL TIMES. Just in case I get hurt bad enough that I need help or if I get pinned onder a car or something.
Safey is something i take VERY seriosly, especially since I got married and my son was born. Safety should be everyone's top priority. Have fun, but be careful. Oh my god, I sound like my dad.
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Post by Amy F. on Dec 3, 2005 21:31:40 GMT -5
This is an excellent topic to be stickied. Keep it up, guys!
Amy
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Post by crash21 on Dec 4, 2005 20:02:50 GMT -5
What the heck does stickied mean?
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Post by dadicted on Dec 4, 2005 20:06:19 GMT -5
they will never go down the line. they will be @ the top of the pg when u come to the opening pg.
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Post by superm on Dec 5, 2005 19:54:38 GMT -5
drive with your thumbs out...
and don't hang your arm out the window
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Post by chryslerfat on Dec 6, 2005 9:24:11 GMT -5
I dont know if your tracks allow it but I run a piece of 9 inch c-channel on the outside of the drivers door with the corners cut off. I weld it at hip height and have been tracked in the door it bent the 1/2 inch thick c-channel but could have been real nasty. The officials agree with it here and I have been running the same piece for 8 years.
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Post by stris141 on Dec 6, 2005 9:38:24 GMT -5
They don't allow that here. But if they did, I sure would use one.
Steve
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Post by dadicted on Dec 6, 2005 11:13:38 GMT -5
take a nife w/ u in the car, and a small fire extinguisher. if u have a fire and ur belt sticks, u want to be able to get out. the fire exinguisher is a last resort. dont play firefighter and get toasted while ur in there. get out and let the other guys do it.
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Post by stris141 on Dec 6, 2005 13:50:06 GMT -5
The track rules, where we derby, require us to have a fire exinguisher in our cars. And also a folding or other type knife, within reach of the outside. That way, if we get knocked coo-coo, they can reach the knife for us. A really good knife to use, is one of those belly slicing knifes, for deer, etc. And some come in hunter orange, so the help can see it eaiser.
Steve
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Post by derbyfanatic244 on Dec 6, 2005 15:13:12 GMT -5
The first thing that should be done when building a car is to remove the stock gas tank whenever possible, or atleast before any torching or welding is done. You can also fill it with water, if you cant remove it, because its the fumes that explode not the gas itself.
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Post by dadicted on Dec 6, 2005 16:20:41 GMT -5
i used the gas tank for extra sheet metal this past yr. i took it out, filled it w/ water and then cut it from there. i took the lid off too.
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Post by crash21 on Dec 6, 2005 18:51:30 GMT -5
Yea, keeping your thumbs out of the way is a good one. I lost my power steering in a heat a couple of years ago. I was doing a good job of keeping my thumbs out of the wheel, but I got hit in the front and the side at the same time and fell into the wheel and broke my left thumb. I knew it was broken the instant it happened. I drove and shifted with my right hand the rest of the heat. afterwards my wife tried to get me to go to the ambulance, but I loaded the car first because I know I wouldn't be able to with a splint on my hand. As soon as I took my glove off, my thumb swelled up like a bratworst (sp?). And it hurt alot too.
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Post by crash21 on Dec 6, 2005 19:23:59 GMT -5
Another good safety tip is to use the correct tool for the job, especially when it comes to lifting and holding. Never never use cinderblocks as jackstands. I have seen cinder blocks practically explode when used to hold up cars. When under a car, always use a jackstand. I know a few people that have been hurt by a car or truck or tractor or something falling on them.
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Post by crash21 on Dec 6, 2005 19:32:05 GMT -5
Ok, you opened up a can of worms here. I am a huge safety freek. I was even on the safety team at the factory that I worked at.
A really, REALLY, big safety thing to remember is not to let your kids (or anybody else's kids) play in the shop or around any work areas. I've heard of kids falling off cars and breaking arms and legs, kids getting burned on hot metal or engines, kids getting into antifreeze. It takes less than a pint to kill an adult, how much would it take to kill a child. Antifreeze can even be absorbed through the skin, so even if they are just playing in it it can harm them. I even heard about a little boy that was run over because his dad didn't know he was there. Luckily, he wasn't killed.
I'm sorrry to have such a downer of a post, but safety is the most important thing we can strive for.
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Post by espeed on Dec 10, 2005 21:33:24 GMT -5
dadicted...i read that about cutting a fuel tank..even with water its not safe to do it that way...seen a i gallon fuel tank feeled with water blow up ...from the little bit of fumes in it...the guy all most lost a eye....if you must do that ..us a co2 and perge tank good ...we have to weld tanks a lot and use the co2 all the time
but never would we use water !
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Post by doba75 on Dec 11, 2005 10:33:42 GMT -5
espeed is right water well not help you at all fumes is what exploses not the gas itself.
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Post by maxcarnage on Dec 15, 2005 20:11:37 GMT -5
winshield bars I nearly ate the hood of a car once....since then I always run 2 bars in the winshield, and I also put a piece of expanded steel from the one closest to the door to the drivers pillar....it keeps me from eating anything I shouldn't be. I've never had a tach inspector give me any trouble over the set up either....it's a saftey thing  |
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Post by doba75 on Dec 16, 2005 0:47:06 GMT -5
don't use your drivers door as protection. seen it, done it, very stupid.
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Post by chryslerfat on Dec 16, 2005 9:30:00 GMT -5
Remove all the interior from the car it is flammable.
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Post by doba75 on Dec 19, 2005 3:36:20 GMT -5
reinforce the drive seat, drove 3/4 of a derby with no back of a seat very hard on the arms and back!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by stris141 on Dec 19, 2005 11:06:05 GMT -5
If you don't have a bar, behind the drivers seat, to help renforce it, then run a nylon strap, from one front windshield post, around the back of seat, to other windshield post. You can use chain, to wrap around the post itself, and the strap to that. The strap will also be a handy thing to grab on to, while you're looking backwards.
Steve
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Post by doba75 on Dec 23, 2005 5:44:19 GMT -5
I just use seat belt that way you can adjust it.
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Post by chryslerfat on Dec 23, 2005 11:26:15 GMT -5
No twisted wires allowed where I run has to be switches. I have been running the same 40 amp switch for Napa without trouble since 1998. The push button start I use is for a semi-truck.
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Post by doba75 on Dec 24, 2005 8:45:59 GMT -5
just a jumper wire out of the back of the button. Just to be on the safe side , if the button ever goes you have a back up. Just tape the end up so it won't stort out the starter and if the button goes just peel the tape away and touch it to the other side.
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Post by dadicted on Jan 4, 2006 18:45:44 GMT -5
never had the button go, but i may put a backup in my next car.
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Post by demoboy on Jan 7, 2006 20:47:56 GMT -5
FULL FACE HELMETS. Almost every year, I see someone break their nose because they were wearing an open face helmet.
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Post by demoboy on Jan 7, 2006 20:50:23 GMT -5
And even though Steve mentioned it in the first post, keep yourself hydrated. Demo derbies are usually done on hot days, you're already under stress, and firesuits especially are hot. A simple way to keep from getting shakey at best, a heat stroke at worst, is to drink water before and during the demo... and save the beer for after the derby  |
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