Almost lost a finger on a job in Gary last month

I was opening a manway on a pressure vessel and the lock ring slipped because the damn thing was greased wrong. Got my glove caught between the ring and the flange. Now I check every lock ring with a flashlight before I even touch it. Anyone else seen this happen on older vessels?

2 comments

2 Comments

miles_sanchez1mo ago

Laugh now but wait til you're down a digit and see how much fun typing with nine fingers is. You got lucky man, that lock ring bite is no joke. Grease is supposed to keep things smooth not turn your glove into a trap. I've seen guys get complacent after years of the same routine and that's exactly when stuff goes sideways. Good call on the flashlight check, I'm adding that to my pre-flight checklist too. Old vessels are like stubborn mules, they'll kick you if you let your guard down.

the_morgan1mo agoMost Upvoted

Grease and gloves can definitely create a nasty pinch point, especially on older hardware that doesn't have as much clearance. Pretty sure the flashlight trick works better if you aim it at a slight angle to catch the shadows, @miles_sanchez, instead of straight on. Those old vessels might be stubborn but they're also predictable once you figure out their little quirks.