Cutting Torches

53YOM WAS USING A TORCH TO OPEN A 50 GALLON ETHANOL VAT THAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE EMPTY. IT EXPLODED AND CAUGHT PTS SHIRT ON FIRE. BURNS ON CHEST AND ARMS. NO FD. DX: BURN, CHEST AND ARMS

53 YOF RAN INTO A PORTABLE WELDER AND INJURED LOWER LEG DX HEMATOMA LOWER LEG

6YOM PRESENTS WITH PARENTS FOR CONCERNS OF FACIAL BURN. PATIENT WAS REPORTEDLY PLAYING AT HIS FATHER'S CONSTRUCTION SITE. HE WAS WITH HIS DAD AND WHO HAD A BLOW TORCH, AND HE ACCIDENTALLY SWIPED IT ACROSS HIS FACE. DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURNS OF FACE

63YOM WAS REMOVING A SPARE TIRE AND WAS USING A CUTTING TORCH AND FELT SOMETHING GO INTO HIS EYE. WAS NOT WEARING SAFETY GLASSSES. DX RUST RING OF L CORNEA DUE TO MATELLIC FB.

82YOM PATIENT REPORT THAT HE WAS CUTTING A PAINT CAN USING SOME KIND OF CUTTING TORCHED AND IT BLEW UP IN HIS FACE, UPPER CHEST 2% OF FIRST DEGREE, MILD ERYTHEMA ON THE FOREHEAD 1% FIRST DEGRESS BURN DX: BURN

6YOM WAS PLAYING OUTSIDE W A PEER WHEN THEY PICKED UP DADS SMALL BLOW TORCH. FRIEND TURNED IT ON BUT THERE WAS NO FLAM AND PT WAVED HIS HAND IN FRONT OF THE NOZZLE WHEN THE FIRE TURNED ON BURNING LT HAND NO FD DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN OF HAND INCLUDING FINGERS

35YOM STATES HE WAS WORKING ON HIS CAR WHEN HE BELIEVES A SMALL PIECE OF RUSTL FELL INTO HIS LEFT EYE WHILE WELDING. RESULTING IN HAVING PAIN WHEN OPENING HIS EYE. PROGRESSIVELY WORSENED AND NOW HAVING PAIN IN BOTH EYES. WAS WEARING PROTECTION. DX: PAIN AROUND BOTH EYES, CONJUNCTIVAL INJECTION, TEARING EYES.

53YOM BURNED HIS FOOT USING A CUTTING TORCH TO START A CAMPFIRE. DX: BURN FOOT- FIRE W/ NO F.D.

19 YOF WAS USING A BLOW TORCH IN HER COLLEGE CHEMISTRY CLASS WHEN SHE NOTICED SHE HAD BURNT A HOLE IN HER SHIRT AND BURNED HER ABDOMEN. DX ABDOMINAL BURN

61 YOM USING BUTANE TORCH WALKING FORWARD TRIPPED ON COFFEE TABLE DX PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN NOSE

58 YOM REPORTEDLY FELT TIRED AND FELL ASLEEP WITH A BLOW TORCH IN HIS HAND. HE DOES NOT REMEMBER THE EVENTS LEADING UP TO THIS, HE DOES ENDORSE METH USE TODAY. HE WAS SOMEWHAT UNRESPONSIVE SO BYSTANDERS PERFORMED CPR. ALSO RECEIVED ***. UDS +AMP, COC, THC, FENTANYL. +BURN LEFT FOREARM. DX: FULL THICKNESS BURN, SYNCOPE AND COLLAPSE

48 YOM WAS WORKING ON HIS CAR LAST NIGHT. HE WAS USING A BLOW TORCH WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL CAUGHT FIRE. FD NS. DX: PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN MULTIPLE SITES OF RIGHT HAND, PARTIAL THICKNESS BURN MULTIPLE SITES OF LEFT HAND.

A contractor working aboard MCB Camp Lejeune in Base Housing was brazing on an exterior AC unit when he reported the torch caught fire causing a small fire on the exterior siding of the housing and catching the torch tip on fire.

I own a Glowforge laser cutting system. The company is based out of Seattle. After a little over a year of use I have come to the conclusion that these machines appear to be built using very unsafe design practices and their use could lead to catastrophic fire. Electrical faults are rife. The component layout is dangerous. The tube cooling capacity is poor and susceptible to overheating. The main cable that controls the laser head is exceptionally easy to damage during cleaning or maintenance, and the insulation wears off alarmingly quickly, exposing the conductor traces. The main cable also runs very close the stepper motor. These motors run very warm and there is not adequate separation between it and the cable to ensure safety (or reliability). The cable then runs through the drag chain, where it is subject to a great deal of friction and wear. In addition, the machine is advertised as a 'Pro' device that is able to cut wood, acrylic and more. However, the electronics, heat sink and exhaust fan are all located next to each other in the same area of the machine. The accumulation of dirt in fumes in both the fan and over those critical components is alarming. The design reduces cooling capacity over time. Finally, there is a red tension cable that carries around 26,000 volts and feeds the laser tube. This cable is not designed to be flexed or strained at all and is very fragile. However, the high tension cable is installed next to the main ribbon cable (mentioned above) which carry control signs. Mains and high voltage signals should also be separated by a considerable margin for safety - the potential for noise and errors passing between the cables could cause glitches, faults and represent a fire hazard. The final area I am concerned with is the ducting supplied with the system. The ductwork expands every time the machine is in use and the creasing and uncreasing cause punctures in the duct, allowing cutting fumes to vent into the user's work space. The ductwork