How dangerous is it to be a plumber?

[Johncj5]

I do small repairs for a friend of mine on her apartment buildings. On my second job today I had to change a fluidmaster in a toilet.
The tenant was the typical nosey type and was watching me work, a couple minutes go by and he asks me, "How dangerous is it to be a plumber?"
So on the bright side, I finished the job without having to pull my shirt down every two minutes.

[indianjack]

I do small repairs for a friend of mine on her apartment buildings. On my second job today I had to change a fluidmaster in a toilet.
The tenant was the typical nosey type and was watching me work, a couple minutes go by and he asks me, "How dangerous is it to be a plumber?"
So on the bright side, I finished the job without having to pull my shirt down every two minutes.

The most dangerous plumber job is at the Watergate.

[archtimb]

Just remember not to chew your fingernails...

[762xIan]

Depends on how big of a plumbing operation you have.

Probably the worst is Hydrogen Sulfide gas (H2S)....if you are doing septic tank or sewage line work. This is bad stuff and will kill you. Many guys have been killed by being overcome by H2S going down into a hole.

Other than that, plumbing has your standard hazards of many mechanical jobs. Brazing and soldering, high pressure fluids, hot water and electrical hazards are just a few. Plus exposure to who knows what in a sewage or other drain line.

[Usmc0311]

It depends on how much crack you have.

[Curmudgeon]

Only 3 things you have to know to be a plumber...

1. Hot is on the left
2. Cold is on the right.
3. Shit rolls downhill.



.

[P-11 shooter]

Ask 27 hand......

[27hand]

Could be dangerous. P-11, now that was funny.

Here's a pic of my hand after a piece of cast iron fell and crushed the ring and pinky finger bones.


Those pins are 5" long and went all the way up to my wrist.

Another 6 months and I may be able to regain some grip strength.

Dangerous stuff we do. Hmmmm

Working in deep excavations, high elevations and everything in between.
Soldering , brazing, welding, burning on natural gas lines, medical gas lines, water,waste and vent lines.
Had a guy (motivational speaker) with burns over 90% of his body after lighting up a weld rod on a gas line. He will never work again. He is a steamfitter by trade but fitters and plumbers both weld gasline(I used to instruct).

How about chemicals? PVC and ABS glues and cleaners are absorbed into our skin all day long as well as breathing that crap along with other mastics, caulkings, dust containing any # of things.

Many buildings we work in have asbestos in construction materials. Insulation,plaster,floor tile and mastic that we drill into and remove to tie onto other pipes.

Using gasoline cut off saws , grinders and numerous other power tools all have degree's of danger.
Even as an apprentice, I worked with molten lead all day long when we used to connect waste and vent piping with lead and oakum joints.



Hospital drainage piping. You can see the waste in glass piping systems. Stuff from blood labs, urine collection labs, research labs and poo pipe .


Other than those few things, how hard could it be to put in a toilet?

27hand

Curmudgeon, 7 things.

Shit goes down
Stink goes up
Cold on the right
Hot on the left
Payday's on Wed
The boss is a prick
Don't bite your fingernails

35 years and that's all I remember but they still pay me every week. Go figure.

[Johncj5]

Did that hurt?

[27hand]

Did that hurt?

Only when I giggle.



it only hurts now when the sadistical bitch ( my physical therapist) hyperextends any one of those fingers. I think bad things about her mother, the rest of her family and all of her lineage.

The ring finger moves about 1/2". The pinky moves about 1/8". After 9 weeks, I can grip 15 lbs with my right hand. It should be 10- to 15 % stronger than my left, which pulled 129 lbs so I have a way to go. I am (or was) right handed.

I have also become well versed and knowledgeable about dusting, running the sweeper, doing dishes, feeding the pets, watering the flowers and doing the laundry all of course, left handed.

27

edit to add.

Since this came up in concealed carry and I strive to bring threads back on topic, I now only carry one gun and mostly pocket carry.