I don’t work under cars or on ladders when I’m home alone. The idea of slowly dying from a crush injury or broken back is enough to stay away. And another set of eyes saying, “That’s really fucking dumb, mate” can help keep things in perspective.
Electrical work is a place where I probably take too many liberties… So easy to stop your heart if you accidentally touch the wrong thing. But turning off the breaker is a pain.
Death is not that far away in a home shop or garage
Last year I had some trouble with my air compressor. It was a small double tank portable unit that kept hissing with a loose connector. I put up with it for months, then I finally looked at it. It was a high pressure line leading to the regulator that was about to explode … if it had broken off, it would have launched the whole regulator unit like shrapnel into my face or hands like a small grenade.
I junked the whole thing and bought an even bigger compressor with a 40 gallon tank. Now my worry is that if this tank ever explodes, it will take me out and half the garage.
