This story came over my fun with tubes list but I think it is a good cautionary tail for handy men and women.
Regards. Max. ----- Original Message ----- From: "charlesallisonknouse" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Sent: Sunday, August 31, 2008 4:30 AM Subject: [funwithtubes] Re: just for the fun of it - times you almost died > I was working as a carpenter, and was cutting wood standing on a wet > concrete pad, behind a partially built house, with mud all around, it > recently having rained cats and dogs for days. Someone had replaced > the power cord to the circular saw I was using with a piece of 16/2 > Romex. > > As my arm swung back after cutting a two-by, the romex got caught in > the blade. The blade jammed, and did not cut the romex, but did bite > through the insulation sufficiently that the entire circular saw, > which was metal framed, became live. As I was not only standing on wet > concrete but had on thoroughly soaked leather boots, the current went > right up my arm, down my body, and out through both legs. I > convulsively jerked - and went air-borne. In the air, I was no longer > being shocked, but I found I could not get my hand to let go of the > saw fast enough to avoid coming down, hitting the concrete, and > getting shocked all over again. This turned into a fun game. After > several bunny hops into the air - I think I also yelled, in any case > everyone in sight was at this point watching and, I'm sure, not at all > sure how to help - I figured out that if I managed to control the hop > well enough I could hop backwards a little bit at a time to get off > the pad - which I did. Finally, after what seemed rather like a > hopping marathon, I reached the edge of the pad. Luckily the mud was a > good six inches lower than the pad, so my final frantic leap in the > air gave me just enough time to let go of the saw and fling it from me > before I landed on my butt in the mud. At which point I got a rousing > cheer and applause from all the other guys. Fat lot of help they > were!!! > > best, charles
