Any ideas for my sore hands ?

[doug boardley]

I've seen horrific burns on "tough guys" through pouring foundations/screeds with the Neanderthal impression that they're tough

 

[White Room]

Remember reading about a guy who was helping with the footings in a new build and he walked through the concrete while it was being poured, he ended up with severe burns on the legs.

 

[Ajax123]

When you mix cement with water one of the resultant chemicals is calcium hydroxide in solution. This has a very high PH. Human skin is about 5.5ish so putting something on it which is a very high ph has a caustic effect. It dissolves your skin without much pain to start with. There is no burning sensation as such and the caustic burning can occur without any physical sensation. By the time you notice it is too late and the burn will get worse before it gets better. Wet cement also contains metals and minerals like Chromium six which is what causes the dermatitic reation and is also highly carcenogenic (anyone who has seen the film Ellen Brokowisk - if that is spelt right - will have seen cos that is what the chemical they were talking about in that film was) It is also abrasive so wears the skin making it a less effective barrier and is also very hygroscopic so draws moisture out of the skin.........oh and by the way once you notice the burn it blooming well hurts.....Wear ya gloves.......

 

[White Room]

Another fine post AJax

 

[Ajax123]

Another fine post AJax

Managing to rein in the really big posts - I was almost away with that one.....:lol:

 

[White Room]

At least I did'nt need to come up for fresh air:lol:

 

[doug boardley]

unashameadly nominating Alan twice in this thread, if you don't look after youselves peeps, nobody else will:yikes:

 

[doug boardley]

getting a feeling that Marcus and (sWe) are the same person lololol

 

[macten]

I wee on my hands - best thing to cure grout finger - hardens them up too! :beatnik2:

 

[White Room]

No, it drys them out so you don't feel anythink

 

[Ajax123]

I wee on my hands - best thing to cure grout finger - hardens them up too! :beatnik2:

That used to be the cure for Chill Blanes. Tried it once. About all it did was warm me feet up a bit.

The normal human urine PH is about 6.0. This will serve to neutralise the high ph of wet cement to a certain extent a bit like rubbing dock leaves on stinging nettle stings. It wont stop the alkaline damage once it had been done but it will dull the pain a bit I guess.

However if you got cement on your hands would you really want to use them to get your equipment out so you can wee on your hands - Ouch and Yuk! :lol: Apparently never eat sandwiches after using cement.........

 

[doug boardley]

..... or peeing on your hands, (weils disease etc)

 

[Ajax123]

..... or peeing on your hands, (weils disease etc)

That's when you let rats pee on your hands aint it....that is probably a whole different web site.....:yikes:

 

[doug boardley]

... but what if you're a tiling rat catcher lol Alan, my ex boss got Weil(s)? and can't drink alcohol now, as it gave him a strain of hepatitis, that is potentially fatal:yikes:

 

[Stan001]

There is a machoness on building sites which I hate. I had scaffolding at first lift (that’s where the horizontal bars pass over the doorways (at about head height) and over the first floor windows. The foreman of my chippies told me he has never had a problem in 20 years on site (after I pointed out to him if he or his guys wear boots and hats then my insurance covers them – if not its their insurance) – anyway, to cut a long story short - the day later (I kid you not) he hit his head on the scaffolding and carved a nice chunk out. He was really good about it and it was at least an hour before we all said ‘I told you so!’
My mate fell off the roof of our local petrol station doing a job 4 years ago, no straps, not hat. He smashed his head and broke his neck, paralysed from the neck down. Peer pressure at work. We visited him in hospital over in Salisbury for 6 months before he came back home for a year then died a couple of years back.
The trades are really macho – what’s that all about?