DANGER OF NOT PICKING UP CUT OFF TAGS. - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / general

author: MrsR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 06:23:08 pm
content: Well this is for everyone who does their own PCBs.About 2 months ago the DIGITAL Blokes wanted a test PCB made. So the lazy buggers send me the Schematic of the circuit.I normally use Surface Mount components but this circuit needed 100 .01% 1/4 watt resistors and I had a lot of Through Hole resistors in stock.I would have had to buy a minimum of 50 SMD Resistors per each one and 5000 seemed to be a bit expensive for a Test board.After doing the SMD components I started soldering in the Through Holes. I soldered in the 100 and started to snip off the leads holding a few leads and snipping them off. Ping went one and I thought it landed on the bench, Yeah! it didn't I found it later in the House.A few days later I stepped on something sharp and on looking around I found a Cat Head Thorn (called Devils in other places).Tried to get the Tip out with a needle and it all healed up??Still a bit sore but OK.5 weeks later I hit my heel on the shoe rack and after I stopped screaming my Partner rang the doctors to get an Xray He wanted an ULTRA SCAN but that would take 4 weeks to get and the Xray was available next day.The attachments show the rest really a trip to Hospital and urgent Antibiotics General Anesthetic an Injection of a Local Anesthetic every 8mm around my Heel 50mm cut to get it out and I understand a lot of Muscle and Flesh had to be cut out to clean every thing out.Now I'm not to put my foot near the ground for 2 weeks and I can tell you a lot of pain. I still have a week to wait to see how things are but I can tell you all I will make sure I find anything dropped or that goes ping into the distance.On a last note if I had waited the 4 weeks for the ULTRA SOUND the Surgeon said I could have died from Septicaemiaand, as it was, it was a close thing.ALL THE BESTRachael

author: alank2
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 07:00:24 pm
content: Ouch Rachel; I sure hope that heals up soon!

author: PA0PBZ
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 07:02:02 pm
content: I once stepped on a DIP14 which was laying on its back on the floor, but luckily they don't disappear in your foot that easy.That teached me to wear more than just socks in the lab...Good luck with that heel, looking at it makes me feel the pain

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 07:11:01 pm
content: Get well soon, cuts on your foot are not nice, and especially on the heel. Going to take a while to heal, and you will need to be careful afterwards and avoid high heels for a good number of months as well.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 07:19:43 pm
content: Rachel,Lovely bones lassBut seriously, that is a really nasty accident. I presume the component lead caused an infection deep inside your soft tissues. I was always warned that no matter how clean they may look, component leads are a good source of infection if they go deep enough into the skin. As you state, it is all too easy to get blood poisoning from such an injury. It was indeed lucky that you had the X-Ray when you did or at best you could have lost your legIts a very large incision that they have made so things must have been pretty ugly under the skin. At least the infection does not appear to have attacked your heel bone....as I said ....nice bonesTake it easy and I hope the healing process is fast for you. It is not until you damage your foot that you realise just how much stress it has to put up with in daily life.Take care and get well soonAurora

author: hans
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 07:49:59 pm
content: That looks like a very nasty accidentI know how bad deep flesh wounds feel. They hurt like hell. Especially the swelling can be really bad in my experience for the first 2 weeks (probably the reason why should not be walking/leaning on it). I've had some metal plates in my leg for a previous medical procedure, and in my experience the removal of those plates was worse to go through than the initial procedure (which wasn't pretty neither). Not only was there less medication for pain (removal is <1 day in hospital - so they can't give you epidural anesthesia). But also the sensation of "I don't feel that sick at all - I can sit on a chair for hours" (in my case it was a procedure on my knee, meaning it will not bend) will hit hard.I can only say take it easy. This takes time, so give it all the time it needs. I hope this fixes it and get well soon!

author: German_EE
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 09:01:49 pm
content: OUCH!!Get well soon.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 09:25:15 pm
content: Quote from: MrsR on October 06, 2014, 06:23:08 pmThis is one of the reasons why I cut excess leads over the waste bin. I usually put my index finger on the other end to prevent the lead to fly away. If you make no mess you don't have to clean! I really hate it when people cut things and litter the bench and floor and worse leaving it for others to clean.Oh, and if the wound gets infected again put in warm water with a little bit of soda (not caustic soda!) a few times a day. This works miracles on external infections but for some reason not all doctors know about this.

author: EEVblog
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 09:29:22 pm
content: WOAH!Thanks for sharing and glad you are ok

author: SL4P
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 09:42:21 pm
content: Quote from: nctnico on October 06, 2014, 09:25:15 pm? and they actually go in ?Mine shoot around the room so I have to go look for them!No matter how hard I try - there's always one that gets away!OT: I learned many years ago from a colleague (mil-spec trained),notto cut tails too soon after soldering, as it can contribute to a fractured/cold joint with the 'shock' of the cutter jaw snapping closed' on the still hardening joint.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 09:45:15 pm
content: Quote from: SL4P on October 06, 2014, 09:42:21 pmI use my index finger to prevent the lead from flying away. I use the rest of my fingers to squeeze the cutter. Nothing escapes the waste bin.

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 10:36:42 pm
content: I have some micro-shears for cutting off the component leads. They incorporate a small metal 'widget' above the cutting face that is supposed to help prevent the wire pinging off into the distance. I will take a picture of them and upload it.AuroraUpdate: Just found them. they are made by Xuron:http://www.amazon.com/Xuron-410-Microshear%C2%AE-Flush-Cutter/dp/B000BQOXJWNote some versions come without this 'Widget' fitted so check the pictures before you buy. I have used these cutters for many years without complaint. They aren't too expensive either.In the pictures I have tried to show the 'Widget' and in the last picture I moved it away from its normal position to reveal its shape. You can also do this if you do not want it 'in play' for some reason.

author: Dave
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 11:09:08 pm
content: I was once snipping leads and didn't snip enough off one. I snipped an additional millimeter or so and the little bit went flying off, almost hitting my right eye (it got stuck on the caruncle next to the eye). I was lucky not to get seriously hurt, but it made me realize just how dangerous those cutters can be. Needless to say, I now place a finger above the lead that I'm about to cut.That foot looks pretty bad. I wish you a speedy recovery, Rachel.

author: RobertoLG
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: October 06, 2014, 11:35:04 pm
content: heh, nasty stuff, just a idea something I made to recover small screws and stuff like that, get a neodimuim magnet fix at a stick and pass it over the carpet or under the bench they will get atracted to it, you can get it from an old HD, but be carefull with your fingers when you take it apart, they are very strong magnets

author: briselec
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 03:11:46 am
content: Hey you missed out on the fun of having blood poisoning. The lymph capillaries in your legs turn bright red and your heel would probably have turned bright blue like my knee did. And the glands in your groin become the size of golf balls which makes walking an interesting experience.It's a striking effect but it certainly knocks you around for a while.

author: Unknown
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 06:11:11 am
content: Everyone needs a pair of lab safety thongs (flip-flops for those of the American persuasion).

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 10:15:19 am
content: While living in the USA, we got to know a medicine that works wonders on wounds like yours.It is called Neosporin.Unfortunately it is not available in the EUhttp://www.amazon.com/MotivationUSA-23737-Antibiotic-Ointment-1-oz/dp/B004YE79IY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1412676756&sr=8-3&keywords=NeosporinIt is a paste that you apply to the outside of the wound.May be you can get it, where you live.All the best to you.

author: nctnico
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 10:54:13 am
content: Quote from: n45048 on October 07, 2014, 06:11:11 amThanks for the explaination. Thong means something completely different north of NZ!@HighVoltage: Neesporin sounds like a bad idea. From the Wikipedia page: "Neosporin, the ointment has been shown to promote the prevalence of MRSA bacteria, specifically the highly lethal ST8:USA300 strain". I stick with Soda. I've seen soda make massive infections go away.

author: HighVoltage
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 11:51:42 am
content: Quote from: nctnico on October 07, 2014, 10:54:13 amWell, it might not work for everything, since most bacteria need a correct selected antibiotics. But for lots of small wounds, it works extremely well.Another old remedy is silver ions, also embedded in paste and work on almost all bacteria.This was given to us by a US based dentist, who used it on all kinds of open wounds with good results.A hospital in our area just recently installed pure silver plated door handles on all doors of the hospital, to reduce the transferof bacteria. That also seemed to be working well, out of their statistics.

author: Wilksey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 12:33:29 pm
content: Holy shitballs! A component lead that causes so much damage!I always use pliers or tweezers to hold the lead before snipping and put them in a lid, they come in useful for test points!Hope you recover soon!!

author: kony
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 12:43:59 pm
content: This reminds me when I stepped on TO-3 package by my full weight unintentionally. Do I have to say how loud was my scream and how much louder, when I was pulling that bastard fully embeded by its leads in my heel out? Fortunatelly no infection nor swelling. Expiriences like this teach you to maintain your workspace quite fast.

author: MrsR
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 01:08:52 pm
content: Thank you all for your kind words and thoughts.I will make sure I have hold of the right lead before cutting from now on.I actually finished the board in my own workshop in the home, I always wear shoes when working in the businesses (They require a safety standard even though we are paid to work at home) Lab but Woolly socks in mine.Just got pushed to get the work done and paid for my own stupidityYou have to laugh about it or life would become pretty miserable quick.Thanks Again Everyone and be careful.Rachael

author: Fraser
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 01:10:13 pm
content: @KonyNot in the same league by any means but many UK residents, and those who use our 240V Mains plugs, will tell you of the pain caused when stepping on the upturned rectangular pins of these plugs.... often when wandering around in the dark or just not looking where you are going and barefoot. The design of the UK plug tends to cause it to sit on its back with pins upright....like stepping on a stonefish except no venom is involved.Aurora

author: Stonent
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 02:56:42 pm
content: North American plugs tend to lay on their side so you just get the hard rubber exterior and bend the plug.

author: Wilksey
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 04:04:03 pm
content: Quote from: Aurora on October 07, 2014, 01:10:13 pmYes, pain like no other!!!

author: SeanB
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 05:01:19 pm
content: Still have the marks from when I was 13 and dropped a hand drill and caught it with my foot, drill bit first. It went through and out the bottom of my big toe. That did hurt a lot after undoing the chuck and unscrewing the bit after washing my foot under the cold tap. Wrapped with a convenient cloth and after an hour it stopped bleeding, though it was fun the next day to walk to school in shoes with a sore toe.

author: Marco
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 05:36:23 pm
content: Quote from: HighVoltage on October 07, 2014, 11:51:42 amI suspect most of this is because silver is such a great catalyst, especially in the presence of a little UV stuff just falls apart before it. Still, bacteria seem capable ofadapting to it.We had a really great run, but I suspect in another couple of decades there will be a couple of secret anti-biotics only the richest get to use and the rest of us will have to return to pre-antibiotic medicine.

author: NiHaoMike
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: October 07, 2014, 06:04:58 pm
content: Biggest threat to antibiotics is their misuse in factory farms. What we can do is to raise awareness. Who actually wants to buy food from a biohazard zone?