my profile | my password | search | faq & rules | forum home

» Film-Tech Forum ARCHIVE   » Operations   » Film Handlers' Forum   » Use Your Safety Gear (Page 3)

This topic comprises 4 pages: 1  2  3  4

Author Topic: Use Your Safety Gear Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 04-25-2002 05:56 PM                     When I was at my new theater today, the subject of bulb safety gear came up. Like many people I know, these projectionists never bother to use the safety gear. I always do. Anyway, one of the managers said that when the bulb is cool, it's not under any pressure, and even if it were to explode, the face mask and leather jacket wouldn't do anything. The glass would go right through. (He told the story of how one time he through a bulb into a dumpster, watched it explode, and saw fragments of glass in the metal! Thus, if it can puncture metal, it will puncture leather and plastic.) I guess he was basically trying to say that wearing the safety gear is a false sense of security. I do not agree. So, does anyone have any stories to tell of how wearing the safety gear did protect them in an explosion?  |  IP: Logged Will Kutler Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1506 From: Tucson, AZ, USA Registered: Feb 2001 posted 04-25-2002 06:17 PM                     Your manager is full of PHUGGIN ! Safety gear is OSHA approved and does work. If you do not follow proper safety procedures and you are injured, it is your ass! But if you do follow the proper procedures and are injured, your ass is covered! Your manager is feeding you a line! Cover you own ass and do not risk your health! I already posted a long time ago about what happened to me. I went to lift a brand new Perkins Elmer bulb out of its box and the damn thing exploded in my hands! The protective wrapper plus the safety gear: mask, apron and gloves saved my ass! But it did make me jump a little !  |  IP: Logged Paul G. Thompson The Weenie Man Posts: 4718 From: Mount Vernon WA USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 04-25-2002 07:34 PM                     Ken: The manager is slightly and dangerously mis-informed!!!!  |  IP: Logged Jan Hackett Expert Film Handler Posts: 148 From: Albuquerque, NM, USA Registered: Apr 2002 posted 04-25-2002 10:47 PM                     30 pounds of pressure per cubic centimeter. Enough reason to always wear saftey gear. ------------------ Jan Hackett Theater Operations Manager Extreme Screen Dynatheater NM Museum of Natural History Foundation  |  IP: Logged Jerry Chase Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1068 From: Margate, FL, USA Registered: Nov 2000 posted 04-25-2002 11:40 PM                       Ken, I'll be gentle with your "manager." Anyone who publicly suggests that NOT wearing safety gear is fine is setting themselves and their company up for an injured employee to sue both the company and the manager. Some bullets go through bulletproof vests too. Cops still wear the vests. Continue using safety gear. Regal executive lurkers, smells like time for a strongly worded memo to the troops. Be thankful for employees that want to do things right.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 04-26-2002 12:50 AM                     Thanks guys. And remember, my new theater isn't Regal.  |  IP: Logged Ken Lackner Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1907 From: Atlanta, GA, USA Registered: Sep 2001 posted 04-26-2002 12:53 AM                     ROFLMAO!!! Thanks for the title, Brad!  |  IP: Logged Paul Konen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 981 From: Frisco, TX. (North of Dallas) Registered: Jun 99 posted 02-15-2004 02:22 AM                     At least my "booth ghost", who became visible today because of the snow in Dallas, wears his gear. Either he is trying to practice his Matrix moves or his is just getting tired of changing bulbs. It does appear that he forgot his gloves!  |  IP: Logged R. Andrew Diercks Expert Film Handler Posts: 232 From: Marion, Iowa (In the middle of everywhere) Registered: May 2003 posted 02-15-2004 01:10 PM                     I changed a 1k bulb in a small auditorium last year. The bulb was held very securly by the negative post. I tried to twist it loose, when I suddenly heard the gas escape the bulb and the escape my rectum. It sounded like a tractor tire letting out air in a rush. Luckily no explosion, but it gave me one hell of a warning.  |  IP: Logged Matt Jahans Film Handler Posts: 5 From: Slough, UK Registered: Dec 2002 posted 02-16-2004 10:15 AM                        I saw this thread and thought that I'd add a few words. Apologies in advance if I cannot reply immediately as I am often on site visits, so not at my desk. It's good to see this topic being highlighted. It’s amazing how many people are not aware of the risks. At TLS UK Ltd. we offer Xenon lamp training for our customers (also the BKSTS technical road show) and explosion safety is a big topic. To begin with a Xenon lamp when cold is at 8 - 10 BAR of internal pressure, once ignited this increases to 30 BAR until the lamp cools; this is the reason why the lamp is explosive. As highlighted in previous posts, it is advisable to wear protective equipment: Full-face visor, Kevlar Jacket and gauntlets. I would also recommend returning the lamp to its safety case as soon as possible during lamp removal, not all lamp houses allow this until the lamp is removed through the mirror. This safety case does contain an explosion provided it is of a sturdy build - OSRAM's for example. I personally wouldn't like to test an ORC or LTI cellophane wrap. Reasons for explosion: The three most common reasons for explosion tend to be Recrystallization, Transit Damage and Mis-handling. 1) Recrystallization (or de-vitrification) means that the structure of the quartz glass changes from the glass phase back into the crystalline phase. This is caused by high bulb temperatures, typically 700 degrees C, and a temperature cycle. This initially causes the glass to lose its strength and can be seen in advance stages as opaque areas. After 25% above warranty life, an XBO lamp has usually recrystallized to such an extent that there is a considerably increased risk of the bulb bursting. For this reason be very careful if you are running your lamps for many hours. If due to financial reasons you are forced to run your lamps more than 25% above warranty, do regularly inspect the bulb glass - if any signs of abnormal white / greyish marks are seen, remove the lamp immediately. 2) A lamp can sometimes be damaged during delivery; lorry drivers not handling lamps correctly can cause such transit damage. This usually weakens the graded seals on the lamp, which can cause an air leak and in extreme circumstances an explosion. Transit damage will usually be noticed within the first 50 - 100 hours. 3)Mis-handling damage usually occurs if a projectionist applies force through the bulb glass on installation. A typical example would be a threaded negative pin lamp being screwed by twisting from the positive end; all the twisting motion is applied through the glass. This damage again will manifest early in lamp life. REMEMBER: There is enough energy stored in the lamp bulb to send quartz splinters flying several meters across a room if a lamp bursts. The above information relates to OSRAM and other reputable brands Ushio / Christie etc. Some of the cheaper brands are likely to re-crystallize earlier, be careful. I hope this was of interest Regards Matt Jahans  |  IP: Logged John Pytlak Film God Posts: 9987 From: Rochester, NY 14650-1922 Registered: Jan 2000 posted 02-16-2004 10:53 AM                        I've said it before, and I'll say it again. I you don't wear a full face shield to protect your eyes, that exploding lamp will likely be the last thing you'll ever see. And quartz shrapnel doesn't show up on x-rays, so the doctors have to pick it out of your body one tiny piece at a time!  |  IP: Logged Chris Hipp Phenomenal Film Handler Posts: 1462 From: Mesquite, Tx (east of Dallas) Registered: Jul 2003 posted 02-16-2004 07:16 PM                     One thing that I really like about LTI bulbs is that you can actually keep the protective case on until the bulb is installed. I leave the velcro strap on the postive end until the bulb is in, then I take it off, pull the top piece of the case off, slide the bottom piece to the top and take it off. I had to do an emergency changeout today and the bulb had about 2 minutes of forced cooling and 10 minutes to cool in the plastic case. I popped the bulb and it did not puncture the plastic case. Thus, the logic "it goes through steel" is a fallacy. I will post pictures of the case tomorrow.  |  IP: Logged Alexander Smith Expert Film Handler Posts: 128 From: Walney Island, Barrow-in-Furness, Cumbria. Registered: Jun 2003 posted 02-16-2004 07:19 PM                     I also "choose life" and wear full safety gear when handling xenons. Last month my co-worker and I had a nasty reminder of the reason for wearing full safety gear. A lamp exploded twenty minutes in to the tea-time show. Very loud bang and two very nervous projectionists! (And slightly damaged mirror also) There's a bit about it towards the bottom of this: http://homepages.enterprise.net/alexsmith/projection/Tech.html Alex  |  IP: Logged Brad Allen Jedi Master Film Handler Posts: 688 From: Evansville, IN, USA Registered: May 2000 posted 02-17-2004 12:12 PM                     Can someone name specific brands as to what safety gear should be purchased? Is this something Grainger would most likely have?  |  IP: Logged Frank Angel Film God Posts: 5305 From: Brooklyn NY USA Registered: Dec 1999 posted 02-17-2004 12:33 PM                        OSRAM has had a video tape available which details the correct handling of xenon bulbs include a very attention-getting section on their dangers. I think it is available free for the asking, or at least at the time you are buying bulbs. I am glad Brad A. asked that question about sources for this gear; used to be that the entire protective gear kit was available from the bulb manufacturers, OSRAM at lease, but now you need to hunt around for each piece. I see lots of "work gloves" in hardware stores, but what are the types that would actually provide enough protection when handling an exploding bulb? Same thing with those jackets -- are the ones made from the tyvik (sp?) material really good enough to stop those exploding shards of quartz from turning me into a human pin-cushion? Anyone know of single source for a complete "kit" assembled specifically for explosion protection? Frank  |  IP: Logged

All times are Central (GMT -6:00)

This topic comprises 4 pages: 1  2  3  4

Printer-friendly view of this topic

Hop To: Select a Forum: Category: Operations -------------------- Digital Cinema Forum Film Handlers' Forum Large Format Forum Ground Level Feature Info, Trailer Attachments & REAL Credit Offsets Category: Community -------------------- Film-Yak Film Handlers' Movie Reviews The Afterlife Bob Maar's Joke-A-Thon Category: Classified -------------------- Equipment and Supplies Wanted/For Sale Help Wanted/Seeking Employment Category: System -------------------- Software Beta Testing Forum

The Film-Tech Forums are designed for various members related to the cinema industry to express their opinions, viewpoints and testimonials on various products, services and events based upon speculation, personal knowledge and factual information through use, therefore all views represented here allow no liability upon the publishers of this web site and the owners of said views assume no liability for any ill will resulting from these postings. The posts made here are for educational as well as entertainment purposes and as such anyone viewing this portion of the website must accept these views as statements of the author of that opinion and agrees to release the authors from any and all liability.