Safety Issue
These devices, (OK communication ones like phones) these tools, may be one of your greatest safety features that you will have. This can be incredibly important, can save lives, rescue from injury.
These gadgets
Computers, phones, the internet, these electronic gadgets are really just tools. OK, they may be toys for some as well. They are now relatively robust so you probably won‘t break them by experimenting with using them.
I’ve just been going through learning some of complications of this with our telephone and the change from the “old” wired system to “new”, Voice Over Internet Protocol, VOIP.
Telephone systems
Telephone systems: We went through the landline change to VOIP and temporarily lost our old long standing phone number for a few weeks. Even some temporary numbers didn’t always work. A bit devastating for a small business. It was impossible to contact us by phone. Were we still alive, still open, we hadn’t skipped town with the £12.50 cash float from the till?
OK, we did put some information about a temporary phone number here on our website, sometimes that number worked, just not always.
We were without our phone number at the shop for a few weeks. This was all due to this changeover from telephone landline to Voice Over Internet (VOIP) and a very frustrating time.
Phones generally are important for our business. Phones or cameras are also useful for recording details of items to make or how something is put together when dismantling for repair.
Computer systems
With computers I started back in the dark ages of DOS before PCs, moved to buying a complete PC then realized the IBM PC were effectively assembled from standard components so started putting my own together to build what I wanted.
It’s not difficult, but it’s not what you do to save money (at the start, yes, it saved money now costs can be about the same) it’s to put together the bits you want. Ready built ones can be a compromise on quality, on specifications, and, OK, not as much fun.
Using computers mainly comes down to the software. This has changed drastically over the years. Now with fancy graphics using much of the processing power making it more visually appealing whether its playing games or working on text, databases, photos or spreadsheets. They have become much more robust so some slight user error generally isn’t catastrophic.
Of course one can get into the arguments over Apple versus Windows, versus unix like operating systems, Linux, and which iteration. I’m not going there. After DOS I was using IBM OS2 which was great but lost the wars .. now using Windows.
Now That Safety Issue
In the workshop or using tools have some sort of working phone actually with you, I carry mine in a belt pouch, others carry in a bum bag around the wast or back pocket just don’t rely on it if it’s up on the wall or just in a nearby room. Just make sure it’s actually working. The ability to call for help should be actually with you at all times when alone in the workshop.
Yes, OK, particularly with power tools but say tripping with a chisel it might be useful if can’t get to some other contact device. Of course this applies equally outside a workshop just something to think about and not often mentioned.
Hand tools are naturally much safer to use then power tools, but safety extends beyond this. This might well be THE most important tool in your collection. Often in home workshops, but many other places, you may be working alone. No one else immediately to hand if anything goes wrong.
A totally separate safety item to have with you a some sort of very small touch / flashlight. Can be stuck in a workshop or anywhere in the dark, just that bit of light can prevent a trip or fall.
Adapting the new landline replacements
I’ve tried to put together some information on how to transition landline phones to the new internet based phone systems. What to watch out for and what to question and think about. Telephones are changing