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Welding slag story 1
Imparted to us apprentices by our instructor. He was master mechanic for a local construction general contractor.
One of their Cat scrapers the welds around the pivot point on the goose neck to the scraper can was badly cracked.
Welds had to be scarfed out with an air arc, 10' off the ground from a ladder and re-welded.
His welder associate was on it while the intstructor was busy with another issue on the tractor.
Ernie hears a crash and then screaming "ERNIE! CUT MY BOOT OFF ERNIE!"
Found his welder laying on the ground next the ladder holding his left leg in his hands screaming.
Big ball of slagg from the air arc got to his boot laces, burned a hole through the tongue of his boot and continued to burn a 1/2" diameter hole in the top of his foot.
Ernie cut the boot off and poured water over the foot to put the fire out.
Poor guy was off work 3 weeks while it healed up
My next opportunity I went shopping for slip on boots suitable for working construction.