[TheForge] Life lesson with a happier outcome

[Bill Arduser via TheForge]

After reading about what happened to Gordon, I thought I'd tell you all about one of my own experiences. I have a nice Milwaukee angle grinder with a dead man's switch and a crappy Harbor Freight one that just has a slide on/off switch. I was using the Harbor Freight grinder with a wire wheel and wearing and loose, untucked, long-sleeved shirt. I know that you already know what happened, but it grabbed my shirt and started racing toward my face. Somehow I managed to grab the grinder with both hands but it took most of my strength to hold it away from my chin. For some reason I can't remember now, I was unable to get to the switch. Either there was cloth in the way or I just didn't dare let go of the hold I had on it. That left me standing on one leg while trying to kick the cord out of the wall with the other, which I was able to do. I was lucky. I am now much more careful with my clothing, what part of the wheel I am applying to my work, staying out of the plain of rotation, and I
(mostly) keep the wire wheels on the Milwaukee grinder.
Bill Arduser