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Sabtr

Veteran Member
Veteran Member
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Not a report as such but do need to stress the importance of safety to everyone.

Long story short I was out tonight and could easily have died.
I'm a veteran member and have done exploration for decades. My main 'thing' is underground and industrial. I have huge experience of all things 'bad below' but tonight almost caught me out.
I was actually inside a sea wall - yeah I know. WTF! I know the geology there very well. I'm also very aware of the old mine workings - I have plans for that very area. I had a 4 gas detector with me and was checking constantly as I took my photos.
Basically I displaced some mud and rubble with my foot. Old mine water and then gas began seeping into the concrete chamber. My detector went nuts - mostly methane!

I'm home and safe. That chamber could easily have taken me. I can still smell the old rotten mine water on my skin - to me it has always smelt like rotten turnips.

Seriously folks - things may look simple but they can bite even the most experienced.
Take care and be safe for 2019.
 
Some wise words there. Glad you got out safely, all thanks to the detector I guess! Just goes to show how easy something could go wrong if poorly equipped!
 
Cheers everyone.

Yeah I had someone with me but they were above the chamber where the (only!) hatch was. My clothing is in the washing machine because stinking.
Wouldn't mind but I have two culverts to do reccys on this week - it's definitely made me more cautious..

Gas and water leaked at the bottom where the rubble is and I had to get around those rails and up through the hatch at the top - I also need to lose weight!

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Wow. never really considered gas when thinking about the air, only dusts and stuff.
Glad you're home in one piece.

Saying that almost fell 4 floors when a step gave way the other day.
 
Not a report as such but do need to stress the importance of safety to everyone.

Long story short I was out tonight and could easily have died.
I'm a veteran member and have done exploration for decades. My main 'thing' is underground and industrial. I have huge experience of all things 'bad below' but tonight almost caught me out.
I was actually inside a sea wall - yeah I know. WTF! I know the geology there very well. I'm also very aware of the old mine workings - I have plans for that very area. I had a 4 gas detector with me and was checking constantly as I took my photos.
Basically I displaced some mud and rubble with my foot. Old mine water and then gas began seeping into the concrete chamber. My detector went nuts - mostly methane!

I'm home and safe. That chamber could easily have taken me. I can still smell the old rotten mine water on my skin - to me it has always smelt like rotten turnips.

Seriously folks - things may look simple but they can bite even the most experienced.
Take care and be safe for 2019.
Excellent post, glad you are ok.
 
Sausage,

I trust your detector is annually serviced and certified? Your posts always read as if you are well versed and know what you a doing. In my working days had to recover three fatalities from old, contaminated tunnel workings - in one case the victim had not taken his oxygen and gas detection meters with him and the mile and a half round trip back to his van seemed to much like hard work! In the other two cases the meters had not been serviced or calibrated properly. I connect with the 'smell' aspect; it is that what you notice first - perhaps subconsciously it you are an old hand at the job - but always train one's self to react to the smell - might save your life or the life of a friend one day!
 
Glad you were OK. It's something we should all be aware of underground as it's one of those hidden dangers that you don't really think of unless you know. 4gases aren't cheap but worth it when you realise it's the only thing protecting you from a potentially fatal accident. I really should get myself one!
 
Sausage,

I trust your detector is annually serviced and certified? Your posts always read as if you are well versed and know what you a doing. In my working days had to recover three fatalities from old, contaminated tunnel workings - in one case the victim had not taken his oxygen and gas detection meters with him and the mile and a half round trip back to his van seemed to much like hard work! In the other two cases the meters had not been serviced or calibrated properly. I connect with the 'smell' aspect; it is that what you notice first - perhaps subconsciously it you are an old hand at the job - but always train one's self to react to the smell - might save your life or the life of a friend one day!


Absolutely yes - annual service which usually means a new oxygen sensor needed and the calibration and certificate too. It's coming up to 12 months soon and will need to go away again. Having a huge clearout and can't find their info right now..

Some smells can strip away the senses and the smell vanishes - you're a gonner if that happens!!
In the past I once hauled a bloke out of a dead end passage in a mine. He'd gone in and was stood staring at a puddle. Low oxygen had made him start losing his senses - he wasn't even in my group so I've no idea how long he'd been there.
Other people I know? One lad took a lighter into an old coal drift. His reasoning being that if it doesn't light then there's no oxygen and he should get out - he was serious. I had the video but a PC failure saw me lose it. Some people really are clueless.
Not cheap but it's your life. If you venture where I do then without one you'll die.
 

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