A sliver of metal saved me.

[Supermario]

Hey everyone. I wanted to share a life experience that happened to me almost 30 yrs ago.
1987 I was working on exploration drill rigs. Not a large or deep drilling type of rig but more of quick short holes all over the place set up. It was a 6 ton steel shack on ski's which we towed around from one set up to another with a 350 timber jack skidder. The shack always had to be perfectly level in both directions before allowed to start drilling the hole and many times we had to build a crib out of logs to raise the shack due to the lay of the land. we used the winch on the skidder and chains attached to the drill shack to lift while a crib could be built.
I'm 19 yrs old, I don't know better, and I hook the chain up to lift the drill shack on one end. Then I crawl down under and at several moments I'm directly under the ski or rails the drill rides on building a crib out of logs. Once job was done I signaled skidder operator to release the load and began to unhook the chain. That's when my heart jumped and I almost passed out. The hook was bent to almost straight and if it wasn't for the sliver of metal that held the entire time I was under the shack.... I would be dead.
I've kept that that hook since that day and have it hanging in my man cave as a reminder of how close I was......

[Cooper]

Wow!! I can relate Mario, I was about 21 and we were trying to pull a mobil home onto lot. Frame bottomed out on dip in road so we called my cousin who had a friend who had an old tow truck,,,,, he hooked up a similar hook to the axle to help pull. Nothing was happening and I had to craw under to reposition hook. Slack was on cable so safe,,, closest and easier place to crawl was path of cable. As I got under there the cable hook flew past me, cable was slacked but bent hook and for some reason it was sprung on axle and just happen to "let go " right when I was there. It flew centimeters pas my head taking out wood and siding on back smashing into back of truck enough to dent 1/4 steel plate !! This reminds me of that same experience. It's what I do for a living and it has stayed with me as a reminder even if some things look ok others may not be and to always check everything!!

Ya probably didn't give it as much thought then as you do as you age,,, really make ya think how lucky things can be. What's that saying about the old man being wise? He's not smart but wise from age and experience.
Had a young kid I was working with that I had to keep stressing how important it was to have jack centered on ibeam,, didn't think it mattered and had a 20tone bottle jack fly 3feet off ground smacking him in head,, he was pretty fuzzy rest of day and some stitches later he never questioned when I told him to reset the jack again. I think it scared me more than him!!!

[Mikem]

Man you guys are lucky to have reminders just think of the guys who don't . All the best Mike

[kaptain Jack]

I don't think ''lucky'' is the right word ! Some of my experiences I'd rather not had.
They cost you health and some of them injuries. Having a loaded gun put to my head is only one I wish to forget!

[Izzy]

Someone had a plan and your work wasn't done ..... not yet your time. Glad it wasn't

Thanks for sharing.......

Young'ns best be listen'n tho

[Lmackattack]

yea. you wont forget that one will ya? You sir got very lucky. and in doing so I bet that day changed how you did things involving personal safty.
I always cringe when I see people improperly lift up something or stand next to a chain under high stress. I watched a guy stand on a chain hooked to a pick up truck pulling out another truck. It was basically swing set chain. not rated for more than a few hundred lbs. before I could say something it snapped and hit him in the knee. He was ok but it put him on the ground for a few min.

thanks for the story

[BRICKNICK]

I don't know what everyone's beliefs are on here but I kinda believe everything happens or doesn't happen for a reason ...weather it's divine intervention or the universe's ultimate plan, when it's your time... It's your time. I've come close a few times with similar situations to you guys. I just split my head open at work this week on a rusted old tarp bar mount I seen a hundred times that day, the one time i stood up under it n it stabbed into the top of my head...the blood started to poor, I could stop the bleeding so off to the hospital I went. You can be as safe or cautious as you want, you can't catch every flaw. And if you are being safe and cautious everyone has a momentary lapse in judgement or just plan forgets some times, perfect example of that was my stupid head injury this week.

[bigford]

this past winter my K.W. kept getting stuck on the ice at work.
I had to put the bumper pull pin in and get the loader to pull myself
out of my parking spot. I hooked the chain to the truck other end to the
loader. I pulled the slack out of the chain set the brakes on the loader jump
out and pop the brakes on the KW. I hopped back into the loader and start to pull
BANG!!!! the lock pin did not lock into the frame of the KW and sent all the parts flying
into the loader bucket. had I left the bucket up the chain would have gone into the
windshield all this a 2:30a.m. and half awake

[Supermario]

I'm a firm believer that nothing in life is random and everything happens for a reason. the tough part of that belief is when dealing with the bad and unexpected things life throws at us never mind the " lucky" times.
4 yrs ago My father died unexpectedly from a brain tumour at the age of 73. Never drank , never smoked, lived a very healthy life and yet gone. I loved him and worshipped him. He was a great man, I knew it my whole life.
And yet it wasn't until his passing did I see the true greatness and effect of my father by the incredible outpouring and emotion of all the people in our town and how respected he was and how many he helped.
Sad he had to pass for me to see it but, everything happens for a reason. Just like my close call when I was 19 taught me a lesson so did this.
Live life to the fullest and cherish every moment!

[Cooper]

I can't agree more Mario, live life to the fullest.

And if it's not too far out of anyone's way, if you notice someone needing help, just do it, epically older people!! Because you'll be old someday and realize how appreciative a small jesture can be recieved. I'm not old, 40+ but anytime I see my elders doing something and I'm not! it doesn't hurt me to help! quite gratifying even if it's just taking a shopping cart back.

Sorry for the hijack Mario, your reply about your father just hits home, I've taken many shovels away from my dad, not because he can't use them but because he has used them, for many years!!!

[Supermario]

No hijack felt Coop. Let the thread go where it may