Personal Safety.... How Much Do You Think Ahead?

[topd]

Headed to the lake camp this morning I passed through Springhill, Louisiana. Right through down town. I live in Arkansas, but head down that way to get a 20 pack or two as my county is dry. (I'm only 8 miles from the state line). Going through town, I saw this tanker truck and a garden hose stretched over the road, cars were just driving over it. No big deal, all the cars were doing it. As I got near it I saw this guy with gloves on disconnecting from something... and the connection was smoking.... Ice smoking! I slammed on the brakes! It was a liquid oxygen tanker, and he had extended the hose by getting a garden hose from WalMart. He had a cryogenic liquid going through a garden hose.... and cars were driving over it!!!!! I made a few phone calls.

The reason I was late getting to the lake this morning was because I was waiting for OSHA to get there... it was quit an inconvenience!

 

[waznyf]

Wooowww that is a scary thought. Some people really do not use their mind. :?

Glad you made the responsible and educated decision to stop and get a hold of OSHA.

 

[loneredtree]

I don't think smoking around Liquid Oxygen is a problem. But, I am supprised that he hose did not break. Spraying cryogenic fluid around would be a problem. Some people don't KTAFA rock.

 

[grizzly86]

I don't even know what to say about this. Wait yes I do! You can't fix stupid!

 

[topd]

No, he wasn't smoking.... and your right, you can put a flame to it and nothing. The deal was the liquid...

It's so frigging dangerous I can't even start to describe if you haven't had experience. If that garden hose had of

broken, cryogenic liquid could have sprayed all over that down town square like a fire hose gotten lose. That

oxygen is -222C, meaning it will instantly destroy flesh!

 

[lankfordjl]

TopD, What are all the potential dangers in this case? Besides concentrated oxygen being explosive and liquid oxygen being extremely cold. Was the main problem that the hose would have frozen solid, ruptured, and spilled liquid oxygen onto the road? Wouldn't liquid oxygen immediately form into a gas in this case? I'm just ignorant of handling such a product. thanks.

 

[lankfordjl]

Ok. You posted right before me. Thanks.

 

[topd]

The problem is if it got 'on' anyone..... That's the danger!

 

[lankfordjl]

I suppose that man doing the job was at the greatest risk since he was very near it.

 

[topd]

It isn't that it's Oxygen.... any cryogenic liquid is extremely dangerous....

 

[topd]

OK off of Liquids ..... I have an Aunt that won't wear her seat belt because she thinks if the car wrecks, she'll burn in the fire, not being able to get the belt off.... I've told her hundreds of times, that if she's injured in the wreck because of no restraint, she wont be able to get out anyway.....

 

[lankfordjl]

I just remember playing with liquid nitrogen in high school physics. Lots of fun. OSHA probably wouldn't allow that anymore.

 

[topd]

Ha Lankfordjl .... you and I are thinking safety at the same time

 

[brewshooter]

Does your aunt watch a lot of TV, in particular CHIPS, where every fender bender ends with a blazing explosion?!?!?
The vast majority of car accidents don't end up in a raging inferno.

 

[topd]

I know... was was a firefighter for years and have told her that. Cars never just blow up like on TV

 

[topd]

My point is... there is no sain excuse for not wearing a seatbelt

(my Aunt's an idiot)

 

[topd]

I've always been a safety guy.... Hey, I wear a belt and suspenders...

 

[grizzly86]

What I hate is going to the range and having idiots playing with their "tacticool" guns while there is a cease fire and everyone is changing targets. It amazes me how few people will step up and say something. Usually it is me and something along the lines of "get you head out of your ass or leave".

 

[topd]

I've got a little firing range experience and know exactly! It's really great when you can just slap the crap out of them.

 

[dervis]

Ranges are some of the worst places, weekend warriors with their new toys that they treat exactly llike toys. Then they shoot themselves or someone else and gov goes after my guns. Watched a guy with 6 handguns, all loaded all stacked on the little shelf at the range, all pointed in random directions. I complained to the range owner and as he waved me off one of said pistols fell from the shelf, of course it didn't fire. Still what idiots.