# Safety



## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

One thing the refinery really beat in our heads at work was safety. Don't make the mistake of thinking they really cared about us; for them it was monetary. But in reality, safety is fairly quick and easy. Un-plug the drill or saw before changing blades or bit. Turn off breakers before electrical work. The amount of extra time spent to do something safely is not much additional time. Do you have a tripping hazard? What will happen if the wrench slips? What if the fillet knife slips? One extra moment can save infinite moments, and not just for you.
For my 2Cool friends: Let's all wear PFD's and kill switches please.


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

Agreed! Happen to be looking at inflatables now


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## Gator gar (Sep 21, 2007)

I wont even mow my yard without a JSA.


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## DJ77360 (Jun 10, 2012)

Very good post, Sir! You are absolutely correct with what little time it takes to make the effort to be safe. Wearing PFD's is something I would never do, until this year. I'm aware of too many drownings of older men that could have been prevented if they had used a PFD. I hope I'm never found on the water without my automatic PFD on. Using the kill switch is also very important if you go overboard.


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## RAYSOR (Apr 26, 2007)

Whitebassfisher said:


> One thing the refinery really beat in our heads at work was safety. Don't make the mistake of thinking they really cared about us; for them it was monetary. But in reality, safety is fairly quick and easy. Un-plug the drill or saw before changing blades or bit. Turn off breakers before electrical work. The amount of extra time spent to do something safely is not much additional time. Do you have a tripping hazard? What will happen if the wrench slips? What if the fillet knife slips? One extra moment can save infinite moments, and not just for you.
> For my 2Cool friends: Let's all wear PFD's and kill switches please.


Amen!


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

I wear my inflatable all of the time I over the water, before I step in the boat I have it on.
I have the strap to the kill switch on my wrist too, anytime the motor is going past idle speed.


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## hookedrknot (May 23, 2013)

well guys its all fine and good what u are saying kill switches are great so are pdf but u need to remember none of us get outa here alive .it like seat belts do u wear one most do now days i mean its the law right man i shouldnt give some liberal a idea just what we dont need more laws rules and regulations or maybe thats the answer a boat that beeps till u put ur kill switch on and your pdf on oh hell while we are at it lets wear a seat belt .ok before u guys go off on me saying i am nutts well maybe i am but i dont believe in worrying about dieing no i dont believe in Russian roulette . i just beleive in enjoying what life i have left with as few restrictions put on me as possible and that when my time comes i hope it will be fast and that i am doing something i enjoy .when you are young you think about dieing then you hit a period in life when you dont think about it later on when u get old you start to think about it again all i am saying is just be carefull be safe as possible and live life to the fullest just my 10 cents worth man i havent written so much in my whole life hope it makes some sense tight lines and be safe


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## BmacBmac1 (Mar 10, 2010)

hookedrknot said:


> well guys its all fine and good what u are saying kill switches are great so are pdf but u need to remember none of us get outa here alive .it like seat belts do u wear one most do now days i mean its the law right man i shouldnt give some liberal a idea just what we dont need more laws rules and regulations or maybe thats the answer a boat that beeps till u put ur kill switch on and your pdf on oh hell while we are at it lets wear a seat belt .ok before u guys go off on me saying i am nutts well maybe i am but i dont believe in worrying about dieing no i dont believe in Russian roulette . i just beleive in enjoying what life i have left with as few restrictions put on me as possible and that when my time comes i hope it will be fast and that i am doing something i enjoy .when you are young you think about dieing then you hit a period in life when you dont think about it later on when u get old you start to think about it again all i am saying is just be carefull be safe as possible and live life to the fullest just my 10 cents worth man i havent written so much in my whole life hope it makes some sense tight lines and be safe


It's not about answering to the man but more so making sure you do the minimal things required to be with your friends and loved ones for as long as possible. If it just so happens that your aligned with the man while doing so, so be it. For the record, I am not old by any means.

i do wish and hope the best for you and yours!!!!

Take care - Bill


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## JFolm (Apr 22, 2012)

Gator gar said:


> I wont even mow my yard without a JSA.


Make sure your mower is grounded before you start it.


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## DJ77360 (Jun 10, 2012)

I believe what Whitebassfisher is saying is to use common sense with whatever you are doing. To me useing the kill switch and wearing a PFD is using good common sense.
If it were to become a law, I would have no problem with it.


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## Sunbeam (Feb 24, 2009)

One little tip about the CO2 auto or manual inflated PFD's. There is a manufacturers recommended maintenance check available on line for the one you might own.
I was informed by a close family member of a fellow who drowned a few years ago that he was wearing his vest but the inflated bladder burst do to age, wear or UV deterioration an he was lost.
So take a look on line and check your Mae West type PFD as per the recommended procedure.
And find a throwable floatation ring or cushion that has enough heft to it that you can toss it into the wind to someone in the water.
I know 99% of you reading this are aware the Texas law requires a legal approved PFD for every person on board. I also know the 90% of you think that a PFD under a seat is complying with the law. In fact it is but a PFD under a seat in an emegency is as useless as teats on a boar hog. Wear it or have it in immediate reach.


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## GSMAN (May 22, 2004)

Thanks WB for taking the time to post this important message. I used to think I was Superman and nothing could ever happen to me on the water. Yeah, I was foolish. As I get old and older, I see how such a simple thing like wearing a life jacket or attaching a kill switch could save my life. It would mean alot to my wife, kids, and grandkids to have me around a little longer.


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

I to worked in the refinery and pipeline industry for 6 years, I learned a lot about safety. And some times the lack of it as a job neared the end and they wanted to hurry up and get the job done. I some times miss those days but it has changed a lot since I worked in that industry. The job I have now is very safety orientated most of the time depending in what country we are in.


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

I've never had a Class V PFD. When I see "U.S. Coast Guard Approved Type V Life Jacket / Personal Flotation Device (PFD) with Type III Performance", what does this mean? I take it that is should be worn while under power from main engine like a class III?


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

pYr8 said:


> I've never had a Class V PFD. When I see "U.S. Coast Guard Approved Type V Life Jacket / Personal Flotation Device (PFD) with Type III Performance", what does this mean? I take it that is should be worn while under power from main engine like a class III?


I tried to answer your question by using Google. IMO, the USCG info is more detailed and not exactly the same as the TP&WD info, so I decided not to cut and paste the whole charts, but here are links. Type V do seem to be hybrid type or special use. It is also my opinion that the game warden will not count an inflatable PFD unless you are actually wearing it. (Just having an inflatable laying next to you in the boat doesn't count, it must be worn)
http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg5214/pfdselection.asp
http://www.tpwd.state.tx.us/fishboat/boat/safety/life_jackets/
It appears that amount of buoyancy and the way the PFD supports you in the water are variables, such as whether it tends to keep you face up. My new inflatable says it meets Type II for recreational use, and Type V for commercial use.


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## Whitebassfisher (May 4, 2007)

In case it matters, I was not implying any more laws, I was just asking to be safe. I thought this fairly recent story was great!

*The Associated Press / KVUE.com*
*Posted on August 18, 2013 at 2:39 PM*
*Updated Sunday, Aug 18 at 3:45 PM *

*FREEPORT, Texas (AP) -- Officials say a man wearing a life jacket who fell from his sailboat in the Gulf of Mexico off Texas has survived by swimming about 3 miles to shore.

The Coast Guard on Sunday didn't immediately release the name of the 51-year-old survivor.

The Brazoria County Sheriff's Department on Saturday night called the Coast Guard at approximately 7 p.m. Saturday to report a sailboat washed up on Surfside Beach with no one aboard.

The Coast Guard in Houston and Freeport launched a search by air and boat. Searchers about an hour later spotted the man on the beach in an area where the sailboat was recovered. The man told rescuers he fell off the boat and swam to shore.*
*"This goes to show that a life jacket can and will save your life," said Petty Officer 1st Class Raymond Clemons, an operation specialist at Sector Houston-Galveston. "The important thing in this case is that the man not only had a life jacket on board but made sure he was utilizing it. That is what saved his life."
*


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## pYr8 (Apr 17, 2012)

Thanks for the info WBF, and the article. Good to hear about survivors!


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## FISHROADIE (Apr 2, 2010)

I am going to get a self inflating PFD before the year is out. It would be great to wear on hot days, I like wearing my life vest it has pockets and keeps me warm on cold days. For years I fished alone so I got in the habit of always wearing it. One time I drove all the way home in the truck from lake Conroe wearing my life jacket, I got out of the truck when I got home and was still wearing it I did not even notice.


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## Mattsfishin (Aug 23, 2009)

I have also drove all the way home with my vest on. I am going to buy a high lift hydrostatic for the summer time and keep wearing the vest when it is cool out. Most people recognize me with the vest on.


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## redduck (Jul 26, 2006)

wierd things happen.Just a few months ago I fell out of boat settiing the hook on a top water bass bait. I had on pfd but also was in only chest deep water. better safe than sorry.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

Can't miss me in my red PFD. Big ol' bobbin' target. I always wear my kill switch over idle speed too. Heck sometimes during idle speed. Why not? Ain't no dang fish on my rod. HA! *sigh*

I keed.


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

I bought a self inflating vest couple years ago, when broken ribs reminded me I am not invincible. Wear it all the time. However I rarely use the kill switch on my CC. I wish they would make a radio controlled kill switch that would eliminate the too short tether. Otherwise I seem to kill the engine at the wrong time when docking etc.


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## Bankin' On It (Feb 14, 2013)

markbrumbaugh said:


> I bought a self inflating vest couple years ago, when broken ribs reminded me I am not invincible. Wear it all the time. However I rarely use the kill switch on my CC. I wish they would make a radio controlled kill switch that would eliminate the too short tether. Otherwise I seem to kill the engine at the wrong time when docking etc.


Yeah ya definitely don't want to kill the engine while trying to dock. Heh. It reminds me of a story.

When I first bought the boat I currently have I was hot to run it and went out on LL the Sunday before school started. Empty lake except one lone pontoon boat way out. I didn't run it too far. Just outside of Beacon Bay to run some gas through it. Well, the engine died and wouldn't run under a load. This ol' boy saw my dilemma and thankfully came to my rescue. He tossed me a rope and gladly pulled me back to Beacon Bay Marina.

As we are moving along I gave out about 60 feet of rope to keep a distance between us. It worked really well. So we are coming into the no wake zone of Beacon Bay and I'm thinking to myself that he was about to slow down for the upcoming turn. Well, he wasn't going real fast or anything, just real fast for me coming into a 90 degree turn with no power. I start looking at how much rope I have between us and running the scenario through my head. I knew I needed to pull in the distance because the marina ain't THAT wide so I start pulling in rope. This, in turn, speeds me up. Uh-oh. Coming in faster now and the distance is getting shorter and shorter to the turn. I start pulling faster. I start going faster. Aw man. Next thing I know he is at the turn. Luckily he was thinking about it and he stayed real close to the inside of the turn. I, on the other hand, watch as the rope goes limp and I fly right past him because of my increased speed! "OH S***!" I yelled out of sheer reaction. I'm headed straight for a 200HP outboard hanging in the stall on the corner and steadily pulling in slack rope!

Now a number of scenarios will run through a man's mind when faced with an important decision like I was facing. Do I run to the front of the boat and try to cushion the blow? Do I grab a paddle and try to slow down? Do I just jump and let insurance do the rest?! NO. Be a man and yell like a little girl while grabbing as much slack rope at a time as I can and pray for the best. "I'm comin' in HOT!"

I knew the rope was the only way to control this out of control machine and if I was going to make my problem someone else's, well, I'm gonna take a hit in the process. So I keep drawing in rope and that motor looks bigger and bigger by the second. FINALLY the rope gets tight and I give the biggest tug I have ever attempted. I was watching as the back end of his pontoon gave ground from my tug and whipped his back end sideways while at the same time my boat suddenly finds a new direction. A safer direction. I keep pulling and the bow of my boat swept right UNDER the 200 outboard. The stern of my boat misses the support post by mere inches as it changed direction and I had enough momentum built up to literally coast 1/2 way to the dock!

I look back at 'ol boy and he says "DANG! I didn't know you were coming in THAT fast! Sorry 'bout that bud." I look back at the 200 outboard, look at my boat and turn to him and say "No worries! Always an adventure! Didn't hit a thing. Thanks!" He pulls up next to me and lets me grab the side of his boat and he pushed the the remaining distance to the dock. Controlled.

I stare at that 200 outboard everytime I come into Beacon Bay Marina now just thinking about the tatooed face it almost gave me. Heh. Good times.


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

good story


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## DJ77360 (Jun 10, 2012)

markbrumbaugh said:


> I bought a self inflating vest couple years ago, when broken ribs reminded me I am not invincible. Wear it all the time. However I rarely use the kill switch on my CC. I wish they would make a radio controlled kill switch that would eliminate the too short tether. Otherwise I seem to kill the engine at the wrong time when docking etc.


I have one that is wireless. It is the Autotether. You can google it to read about it. I bought it and never installed it and would sell it for $125.00 if anyone is interested. I think they are around $200.00 retail.
I just wanted to let you know that their is at least on wireless on the market.


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## markbrumbaugh (Jul 13, 2010)

Snus said:


> I have one that is wireless. It is the Autotether. You can google it to read about it. I bought it and never installed it and would sell it for $125.00 if anyone is interested. I think they are around $200.00 retail.
> I just wanted to let you know that their is at least on wireless on the market.


I was doing some research and found AutoTether, and Virtual Lifeline. They use RFID Fobs to trigger a kill switch if the fob is immersed. I ordered the auto tether. Will report later..simply replaces the coiled tether with spring action tether to a small control unit.
Sorry I missed your post first.


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## shadslinger (Aug 21, 2005)

If you are ever there right after someone looses their loved one from drowning, you take stock of how you would fair if you went in the water.
In my case it became clear to me that all things are happening faster.

I find everything happens a lot faster the older I get. I get older faster.
The ground comes up faster if I trip, I get tired faster if I have to really exert myself hard, even for a short time.
And it just seems that I don't react as fast as i did when I was,..uh 40.
So having some prevention in place before hand is important to me.
After all I need to stick around to go fishing.


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## BmacBmac1 (Mar 10, 2010)

shadslinger said:


> If you are ever there right after someone looses their loved one from drowning, you take stock of how you would fair if you went in the water.
> In my case it became clear to me that all things are happening faster.
> 
> I find everything happens a lot faster the older I get. I get older faster.
> ...


I am with you Loy!!!!


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## TXgunner (Apr 2, 2012)

Haaaaa! You said a you do a JSA before mowing! I ****** off my safety guy once buy calling him in the middle of the night and asked him to help me do a risk assessment because I was taking the dogs out to get some hogs.


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## Gator gar (Sep 21, 2007)

TXgunner said:


> Haaaaa! You said a you do a JSA before mowing! I ****** off my safety guy once buy calling him in the middle of the night and asked him to help me do a risk assessment because I was taking the dogs out to get some hogs.


Yea, I store my mower with a burm (sp) under it in case I have a oil leak too. No need for a small environmental oil spill. All kidding aside, I have four NCCER's in safety. Very rarely do I take a short cut with PPE while working in my yard or around the house.

Being on the water should be no different and Whitebassfisher is spot on in his advice. We are privileged that we have a lot of safety training beat in our heads from working in the refineries. I would deffinately say that a kill switch and a life jacket is part of your PPE.

Remember, PPE is your last line of defense to help prevent an accident.


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