Re: Maybe we need a NG Darwin Award

I think a Darwin award is about right to anyone dumb enough to put the tool where PRSL suggests. Using air wands for a lot of different things is pretty common. It makes fast work of cleaning flangeways, but common sense or a written rule if nescessary dictate eye protection and possible hearing protection, not to mention protection against trains comming into the work area. Bystanders should either have protection or be at sufficient distance to be safe from flying debris. I have used a med. sized air wand to blow the soot out of 19's flues at winter shut down, sitting in the firebox with the smokebox door open. Common sense and a desire to breath dictate a respirator and eye protection and maybe hearing protection, though mine is going anyway. I can't imagine using the air wand to perpetrate a practical joke. Employees/volunteers that have time for practical jokes don't live in the same world I live in. I've got better things to do. I appreciate PRSL's words of wisdom in general, but I think this is simply a case where proper use of a good tool is ok, improper use can be unsafe. Idiots will be idiots.