accident @ work, while gauging with oxygen lances

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Apparently, one of my collegues had an accident at a work site, while gauging out some bad metal (using oxygen lances).Where the rod goes into the handle, there was a small explosion at that exact location. He's got severe burn wounds at his hand, between thumb and index finger.Only thing I can think of is grease or oil on the rod.Investigation is taking place as we speak.
Reply:Never good to the word 'accident' in the post title, hope your colleague is ok!
Reply:sounds scary. Thats's why us old guys always talk about personal safety equipment. Get your own if the employer doesn't. Hope he's ok.
Reply:Hate those damn things. Awhile back was blasting holes down the center of stuck pins, owner of the equipment stopped to chat, took out my ear plugs & forgot to put them back in. Got a hot one in the ear, dissolved my right ear drum & all the nerves, nothing left to medically repair.REAL TRUCKS DON'T HAVE SPARK PLUGS
Reply:hope your co worker isn't seriously hurt. may he have a speedy recovery.
Reply:Oxygen lance hitting grease:  Sent from my A1045 using TapatalkMillermatic 211Everlast 200DX Thermal Arc 181iKlutch ST80i lunchbox stick welderLincoln Weld-Pak 100Century Stick welderPowermax 30 plasma cutterHenrob 2000 torchLogan 200 lathe (60 years old)Clausing 6339 Lathe (for sale)
Reply:Silly Me I thought the little pops at the start was the show. Wow, bring out the heavy protection.
Reply:Wow. That sounds uncomfortable. I hope your guy recovers.PPE is never really optional, is it?Put the wire in the fire!Lincoln AC225 | Lincoln ProMIG 140 | AHP AlphaTIG 200x | AHP AlphaCUT 60 | Millermatic 251
Reply:Here's the culprit, and the first observations:Hope somebody can comment of these photos, or share their opinion.At least, I hope everybody understands the importance of keeping your gear in optimal condition, and of course, PPE really isn't optional in this profession.If our collegue hadn't been wearing his gloves, he probably would've lost most functions of his hand. Accident happened with one of those:The torch was probably missing the O-ring and the flashback arrestorThis is the exploded view of the torchSomething happened inside the torch, burning up the oxygen lance...The pic shows the position of the lance relative to its position as it should be, this is almost all the way inside the torch.
Reply:That is not a lance or gouging torch.It is a exothermic cutting torch made by Arcair also Broco makes them.Rods are for the torch only and it is designed for cutting and piercing only.Was the tool being used as designed?
Reply:OK, the translation isn't correct apparently. We use the word "oxygen lances" for those rods.It was being used for removing material, thus gouging, but not cutting nor piercing.This is Arcair material, this is widely used in Europe.