Protective gloves?

[tlingit]

I ran into a friend of mine, lovely woman and she told me about her accident running a wood splitter. She was wearing work gloves and accidentally crushed two fingers. She's a careful experienced splitter user,it was just one of those momentary lapses we all have. The surgeons were unable to do anything and she lost most of two fingers.

Now I'm on a mission to find gloves that can help prevent crushing injuries. In the past, our teenagers have all helped run the wood splitter, but I want better gear before putting them back on the job. Any suggestions?
(cross posted in gear section)

 

[fox9988]

I can't imagine trying to work in gloves that are crush resistant. Some jobs are inherently dangerous, PPE helps but you just have to be as careful as possible. I let my young daughters run the hydros on the splitter while I feed the wood. It's more dangerous but they love to do it and it does speed production. Times have changed, when I was their age I was running the saw.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Not sure what you would want for protection. We have a small splitter bu it is still 40,000 psi coming down. Therefore the best protection is simply paying attention. One also wants to do this type of job when you are alert; no alcohol for sure. No distractions, etc.

 

[Shadow&Flame]

Wood working machines are inherently dangerous...just goes with the job. When I see these new splitters that go so fast it makes me cringe thinking about all the fingers and hands that will be mangled. As fox9988 was saying about times changing...the things people wouldn't dream of having kids do these days was a normal job for me as a kid. I remember my Grandfather telling me when working with wood to "Keep my head out of my ass at all times"...ha

 

[ScotO]

Total concentration, total concentration, and did I mention total concentration? Sad thing about running machinery, you are gonna have an accident from time to time. Sometimes you can make a machine or procedure so 'safe' that it becomes unsafe. Wood splitters are inherently dangerous machines, sorry about your friend but that stuff sometimes is going to happen. I've had a close call or two, and I pay total attention to what I am doing when running that machine.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

Total concentration, total concentration, and did I mention total concentration? Sad thing about running machinery, you are gonna have an accident from time to time. Sometimes you can make a machine or procedure so 'safe' that it becomes unsafe. Wood splitters are inherently dangerous machines, sorry about your friend but that stuff sometimes is going to happen. I've had a close call or two, and I pay total attention to what I am doing when running that machine.

Right, it is sort of like the big presses in factories. Well, there is one advantage that most splitters have over the presses and that is when you let go of the lever, the ram stops. Not so on presses and a few oddball wood splitters. btw, I have cut a hole or two in my gloves while splitting and have also gotten a splinter or two but that is the extent of it for here.

 

[PapaDave]

I can't imagine anything that would be crush proof or even resistant, would be usable.
I'm envisioning a knights armour.
You could just have it c/s/d. I'm leaning in that direction in the next few years.

 

[tlingit]

I'm thinking about looking at another horizontal electric splitter. Its a little slower but with our small northern birch does just fine. You can tell teenagers all day long to be careful and pay attention, butthey do daydream and the price is pretty high for a small slip. Either that or flipping the gas splitter to horizontal, so hands are less needed. I really like the work ethic they get from doing wood (and the wood) so will keep thinking about this.

 

[mikefrommaine]

Would be a pain to use but what if you rigged the splitter so a second safety lever had to be held down before the splitter operates?

That way both hands would be out of the danger zone.

 

[red oak]

Wow! Crush resistant gloves? Good luck finding those! I can't imagine what they would be made of (steel?). As others have said, there's always risk involved, and the best protection is paying attention all the time.

 

[Ashful]

Maul. It's good exercise, and the worst I've ever managed to do to myself is get a bruise on my shin from a flying split.

If you must stick with the splitter, just pay attention! No glove is going to withstand 20 tons of pressure focused on the pointy end of a wedge.

 

[simple.serf]

I've got to say, the best thing to teach them is what can happen and check up on them to make sure they are paying attention at all times. As several have already said, When I was 11 or 12 I was running a saw, buzz saw, tractor, and splitter though not at the same time. Nothing drives me as crazy as equipment that makes you be safe... I usually get in trouble for bypassing the safeties.

 

[onetracker]

tlingit -
sorry about your friends' injury. 20-something tons of anything is serious business.. as far as kids today working with inherently dangerous equipment, i think its good for honing their concentration and confidence. might not be as effective as facebook but its close.

whenever i set someone up to work a splitter, chansaw etc, after they get a scorching lesson on how things work and how they can maime or kill you, i always quiz them on the 3 rules of (fill in the blank....let's say...hydraulic splitting)

1. don't get hurt.
2. don't get hurt
3. don't break my equipment

 

[Realstone]

Actually, a small accident or a near miss is one of the best preventative measures that can happen to a person IMO. Instant respect & sobriety about the equipment and procedure. Just so long as the lesson isn't too costly...

 

[WES999]

I don't think there are any gloves that will protect against 20 tons of crushing power.

Having spent many years working in a manufacturing environment, I have wondered how splitter manufactures have not been forced to add more guarding/ safety controls. (I think some of the smaller electric splitters have two hand controls.)

All of our plant equipment (mostly rubber molding presses must have light curtains, or two hand anti tie down controls. All pinch points/point of operation must have guards. Guards to stop flying objects. All kinds of OSHA regs., etc.etc.

Now I am not suggesting splitter manufactures need start adding all sorts of safety devices, just making the observation that standard splitter probably would not be allowed in a US factory.

 

[Realstone]

I think that you are right Wes. Good thing for us that splitters have been 'Grandfathered' in.

 

[Backwoods Savage]

I'm thinking about looking at another horizontal electric splitter. Its a little slower but with our small northern birch does just fine. You can tell teenagers all day long to be careful and pay attention, butthey do daydream and the price is pretty high for a small slip. Either that or flipping the gas splitter to horizontal, so hands are less needed. I really like the work ethic they get from doing wood (and the wood) so will keep thinking about this.

Most definitely vertical splitting is less dangerous than horizontal. I highly recommend it.

 

[ScotO]

Most definitely vertical splitting is less dangerous than horizontal. I highly recommend it.

+1. Thats pretty much the ONLY way I do it. Unless I have a ton of smaller ("5 to "8 rounds).

 

[Flatbedford]

 

[Wood Duck]

I think a maul or splitting ax is less dangerous than a splitter. If you use a maul right your feet will be out of harm's way and because your hands are on the handle, they cannot be hit by the head of the maul. The largest danger is what joful mentioned, a piece of wood flying into your shin. This is pretty rare for me, and nowhere near as serious as cruching a finger in a splitter. Probably safety goggles should be worn, although I cannot remember any small pieces of wood flying loose as a result of splitting.

 

[lukem]

One hand on the valve, the other in your pocket is about the only way to guarantee no finger loss. Appreciate the idea, but I'm afraid you are barking up the wrong tree with PPE to prevent injury. A glove that would stop a splitter would probably cause other injuries....like dropping a round on your foot because it is so clunky.

There's no substitute for safe behavior and respect for the machine. None.