# I got lucky. Know where your emergency shop kit and closest Urgent Care are!



## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

I got bit. Not by a high rpm spinning saw blade or pounding upon a chisel, but by a utility knife. I was working on the top of a plastic 55 gallon lid to accept a 6" duct after jigsawing a rough circle and then fine cutting with utility knife. I installed a fresh utility blade and on the first fine tuning slice, something went amiss and the utility blade slipped off the hole and through the meat of my left thumb which was holding the piece, and then bumped my arm. I quickly looked at the arm and thought "whew…no damage, that was close". But then I saw my internal red fluid gushing on the floor from my left hand. It looked like Game Of Throne's Arya Stark assassinating my left hand amount of internal red fluid coming out. I didn't panic. Thanks to previous LumberJock shop accident posts, I had emergency kit in my shop for such an accident. But wasn't enough because my red internal fluid soaked the gauze in mere seconds and was still dripping on the floor. I knew this was not a paper cut that could be dealt with in the home. Doctor time!
However, with the changes of the health care system in the last couple years… I had no idea where to go with my health insurance folks! The big hospital is 20 mins away with ER facilities. I've never visited the ER in my life so was spooked at the common talk of 4 hour wait times. Urgent Care? There was one just mere minutes away! But do they take my insurance? Would they reject me for wrong insurance? I had no answers but knew at least they could assess the wound and advise me. My friend drove me to the Urgent Care (this was on a Sunday mind you…were they even open?). They were open and accepted my insurance, saw me and cleaned the surrounding wound and started to stabilize. This is where I passed out  Though for sure, I would need 5 gallons of blood infusion and thought I messed up my thumb for life. They said way too deep of a cut for them to address and best to head down to ER. 
20 minute wait at ER and doc saw me. 8 stitches and a clean laceration with no apparent damage to tendon or lasting muscle issues. 1/4" to the right or a hair deeper, would of been another story. He said was the best place to have an accident.
So… good advice here about workshop accidents throughout the forum posts. Some folks have had more serious life changing accidents then my little flesh wound. 
The only thing I could add to shop accident preparedness is not only have a medical kit in your shop like many say…but also know the closest emergency location, hours of operation, what they do / not do. When an accident does happen, you have no time to think of such mundane things. This Urgent Care has no Doctor so not allowed to do stitches, only sutures. But capable enough to stabilize this wound enough to make it to ER.


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## jamsomito (Mar 26, 2017)

So if I'm gonna have an accident, have it right there. Got it!

Seriously glad the prognosis is good and you got the help you needed. I can't tell you how many times I've slipped with the utility knife in my own general direction. Make a quick adjustment and keep at it, issue out of mind. It's easy to take a knife for granted when they're not power tools and you use them all the time. Thanks for the wake up call.


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

I've played with utility knife for 50 years. In the military, you would get safety flagged for drawing the knife towards you instead of away. I would call this a simple accident, while avoidable, it's just more realistic to say when working with sharp objects in a shop, a boo boo will happen. It's just a matter of when. I do not apply this logic to spinning blades because I do pre/during/post safety checks due to the much larger injury that could occur. Hence, not going all out to purchase a SawStop at this time


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## Firewood (Dec 4, 2013)

Yeah, I did that some years back scori g drywall. A real bonehead move. I'm glad it wasn't more serious.


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

Mike…ewww. Drywalls chemicals in your wound. I was lucky in that it was a fresh new blade so not much in contamination (still got a tetnus shot). Couldn't image the docs scrounging their faces when you told them drywall utility blade


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## 000 (Dec 9, 2015)

> I do not apply this logic to spinning blades because I do pre/during/post safety checks due to the much larger injury that could occur. Hence, not going all out to purchase a SawStop at this time
> 
> - Holbs


You need to invent a box knife with flesh sensing technology. A blade that would retract in milliseconds.

That looks like it was pretty deep. 
Glad it wasn't worst. 
Keep it clean, give it a few days before going full out.


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

J… and get sued?


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## JohnMcClure (Aug 24, 2016)

Thanks for sharing this. Looking at your stitches, I have a scar in exactly the same location from a pocketknife incident about 7 years ago. Same situation - holding the work with my left, cutting sort-of toward my hand, knife slipped out past the cut.
Difference was, I was in a situation where admitting an incident (and the whittling activity that led to it) could have had repercussions. A big handful of shop towels and some duct tape is how I managed the wound.

This post reminds me of another recent discussion here in which locking the shop door to avoid distracting visits from family members while cutting… another member suggested that in some situations, that locked door could prevent your family members from coming to your rescue.

These discussions are very good food for thought - I need to put a first aid kit in my shop!


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## lumbering_on (Jan 21, 2017)

Thanks for posting this, and I'm glad you are doing fine. Other than the passing out part, it seems you avoided any serious issues. I haven't had any issues with a utility knife, knock on wood, but there are times when the knife turned or slipped in a way that I didn't expect, and it could have lead to something. It's like chisels, I don't think most people think of them when the topic of shop safety comes up, but I've seen a few people that had to go to ER because they didn't keep two hands on them.

Good advice about the FA kit. My wife is a nurse so I have a lot of supplies, but I've been in a lot of home shops that don't have anything past a few Band Aids.


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## DMiller (Feb 7, 2017)

Hope you recover quickly! A similar thing happened to me about six weeks ago; except it involved a dremel 2" carving blade in a drill press. Trimming off the excess wood on a project- came to the corner and the blade caught and through the wood, sending the back of my hand into the blade. Ended up in the er and received fifteen stitches; thankfully, other than the size of the cut, it wasn't all that bad. Definitely reminds me of shop safety- hope you have a speedy recovery!


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## rockusaf (Feb 13, 2018)

Thanks for sharing, glad you weren't hurt too bad. We can all use a reminder every once in a while that we play with dangerous things in the shop all the time. I don't currently have a first aid kit in the shop, usually use blue shop towel and electrical tape if I cut myself good enough, but I will remedy that soon.

Rock


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

It was after some serious LJ accident post that I spent a good $50-$80 on medical supplies dedicated for shop use. From all sorts of bandaids, good tweezers, gauze, wrap, liquid bandages, even a tourniquet. All in wall hung medicine cabinet near entry door.
What was kinda cool was during the accident, all I could think of were previous accident posts  I knew with the crime scene massacre blood splatters, I would temp pass out due to sudden drop of blood pressure eventually. Before that happened, I prepared myself for it. Except for where to go after 
Hence my strong advice about knowing where to go after an accident. You do not have time to think about the address or if they are open or such when your head is flushing down the toilet.


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## pintodeluxe (Sep 12, 2010)

These are the injuries that really chap my hide. When a utility knife or a chisel gets you good. There's not even a power tool to blame! Hey, I've been there. Take it easy for a while ok?


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## pottz (Sep 15, 2015)

everyone always talks about cutting a finger off on the table saw but as youve shown the simpelist tool can cause a lot of damage.every aspect of woodworking has its own dangers.thanks for sharing this,i think weve all been guilty of not being careful using sharp knives.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

If shop towels and tape can't fix it. Nothing can.

I did the same action to my thumb but with a freshly sharpened 1/4" chisel. Amazing how deep them things can go.


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## diverlloyd (Apr 25, 2013)

Worst shop cut I have had in the wood shop was from the tape measure tape on the table saw. It sounds dumb but it was damn sharp and cut me like a champ across my palm. I was using a red pad to apply wax to it. It cut through the pad,the glove and the palm. Who would think that the tape measure tape would be like a razor. I stitched it up and was back at it. Tried to get the wife to learn how to do stitches but that is a big no go since she about passed out on that one.


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## CFrye (May 13, 2013)

Thankfully, you got the care you needed, Holbs. I suspect the wound required some internal stitches due to the depth of the cut (sutures and stitches are the same thing). Might I add to your preparedness list…always carry a list of your current meds with you. Your ER/Urgent care staff will appreciate it and you will not be extra stressed trying to remember! 
Thanks for sharing.


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## TheFridge (May 1, 2014)

I love urgent cares around here. A couple hundred for stitches instead of a couple thousand in the ER.


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## Redoak49 (Dec 15, 2012)

Glad you will be OK. Utility knives are responsible for a lot of injuries. Where I worked they were often the subject of safety talks before shift.


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## Magnum (Feb 5, 2010)

That's a Very Nasty Cut! I'm alway careful with Razor Knives! I've been "Bitten" a few times.


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## Kazooman (Jan 20, 2013)

I have a scar on the same area of my left hand from a very similar utility knife accident. Fortunately for me the angle of the blade was such that the cut was not very deep. More like slicing a flap of flesh on the palm of my hand. Thirteen stitches if I remember correctly.

Regarding your comment about long waits at the emergency room. They are well trained to triage patients based on the urgency of their condition. Show up with a bad cold and you will wait. Show up with a blood soaked rag on your hand with blood dripping on their countertop and you will be seen quickly to stabilize things. You might wait a while to get the actual stitches, but they won't let you bleed out on the floor.

I am certain they asked, but for those who get a bad cut and treat it at home. Is your tetanus shot up to date?


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## firefighterontheside (Apr 26, 2013)

Ouch. Listen to Candy, she might know something about an ER.
Your insurance has to cover an ER visit whether the hospital is in or out of network. That's good, because when people are in a true emergency, they need to go to the closest hospital and not necessarily the one in their plan. Regarding stopping bleeding, for an injury like yours the best thing is direct pressure. I've been an EMT for over 25 years and don't keep a kit in the shop. When I cut my finger, my other hand is my bleeding control. You don't want to just keep piling gauze on and filling it with blood. That's just controlling the mess and not stopping the bleeding. You can use the gauze, but it needs to be applied with some sort of pressure dressing, like the fridge's electrical tape. If the gauze fills with blood, don't remove it to add more, just put more gauze on top and apply more pressure. When I cut up the end of my ring finger with a biscuit cutter, I just pressed the end of my finger into my palm and went to the hospital. I am probably 30 minutes from the nearest hospital or urgent care. Don't forget about just calling 911. Even if they don't transport you, they will come and do a good job of dressing the wound, then someone else can take you to the hospital. There should only be a bill from an ambulance if they transport you. Take care and be careful.


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

I have that same knife, love how quickly you can pop a new blade out of the handle and into the blade holder at the business end. I know a sharp knife is supposed to be safer than a dull one but I can't help but wonder if the laceration wouldn't have been a little less severe with a dull blade. Then again it could have been just as bad but with more tearing and far more painful.


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## woodbutcherbynight (Oct 21, 2011)

> Worst shop cut I have had in the wood shop was from the tape measure tape on the table saw. It sounds dumb but it was damn sharp and cut me like a champ across my palm. I was using a red pad to apply wax to it. It cut through the pad,the glove and the palm. Who would think that the tape measure tape would be like a razor. I stitched it up and was back at it. Tried to get the wife to learn how to do stitches but that is a big no go since she about passed out on that one.
> 
> - diverlloyd


I was with my Dad as a kid when he pulled the tape measure. It got stuck and then let loose. Had to drive him to the ER. Bunch of stitches but not very deep. Sharp, very sharp that tape is.


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## CWWoodworking (Nov 28, 2017)

Glad you didn't do any serious damage. I have that same scar. Seriously, when yours heals, it will look exactly like mine. Same spot to a T.

I always think before I cut with them now. Bet you will too.


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## diverlloyd (Apr 25, 2013)

Wb I always thought that the tape was just a sticker applied to the tablesaw fence. Now I know that it has a metal middle section.


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## GR8HUNTER (Jun 13, 2016)

*OUCH :<((*


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## ssnvet (Jan 10, 2012)

I visit a lot of industrial facilities and factories as part of my job and it is not uncommon to see companies ban the use of utility knives… as in, they are not allowed on the premises.


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## ColonelTravis (Mar 19, 2013)

> If shop towels and tape can't fix it. Nothing can.
> 
> I did the same action to my thumb but with a freshly sharpened 1/4" chisel. Amazing how deep them things can go.
> 
> - TheFridge


I did that, except replace "1/4 inch chisel" with "1 inch chisel" and replace "thumb" with "my skull". Hello, emergency room stapler!

Holbs, good job with the foresight and I'm glad it wasn't worse.


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## Holbs (Nov 4, 2012)

+++ update +++
a good 3 months later, final billing came in. Before insurance: $1000 for ER doctor himself, $2700 for ER visit. After insurance: $172 for ER doc, $1500 for ER visit.
All for 8 stitches. No MRI, no ligament damage… just simple stitches (well, deeper than normal stitches/sutures).
Was told for my local urgent cares, which does not makes sense to me, urgent cares are not meant for lacerations or broken bones but more so headaches or flu.

Keep that $$$ in mind when it comes to at home safety prevention. And maybe, keep your animal veterinarian on speed dial instead of ER


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## bigblockyeti (Sep 9, 2013)

> And maybe, keep your animal veterinarian on speed dial instead of ER
> 
> - Holbs


My brother's wife is a veterinarian and she won't even work on him! She's very by the book and they can all get in a heap of trouble if working on folks instead of Fido. That being said, she would fix someone in an emergency but only if an MD wasn't readily available.


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## SignWave (Feb 2, 2010)

> ...
> Keep that $$$ in mind when it comes to at home safety prevention. And maybe, keep your animal veterinarian on speed dial instead of ER
> 
> - Holbs


I was reading this and thinking, "look at your ER deductible" and think about it as you stock your first aid kit and as you think about safety practices. ER deductibles have gone way up in the last few years.

I'm glad you're ok. It stinks that it cost that much, of course.

BTW, I have a scar on my forearm from the same knife. It was a fresh blade, so a very clean cut, but I still have the scar from it and the four stitches. I was doing something stupid and it bit me.


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## bndawgs (Oct 21, 2016)

Got a nice 18g brad nail in the finger the other day. Popped out the side and hit my finger that was holding the workpiece. That felt pretty good.


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