Painter fuming over fine for smoking in own van

[lamaros]

http://news.sbs.com.au/worldnewsaustralia/index.php?type=category&a=painter_fuming_over_fine_for_smoking_in_own_van_552875

Tee hee?

But seriously, what a stupid fucking fine.

[schild]

The fine isn't as bad as being submitted to that headline. 'Painter fuming.' Jesus, someone thought himself hilarious.

[Lantyssa]

Is smoking near a bunch of paint cans a smart thing to do?

[Mrbloodworth]

No, but god gave man free will, And Darwin wrote down what happens.

[angry.bob]

Is smoking near a bunch of paint cans a smart thing to do?

Latex paint? Sure. Oil based house paint? Probably, though fumes from the solvents would be troublesome. Any sort of vehicle paint? No.

In high school I worked in a garage with an old mechanic who would weld gas tank punctures, but only if the tank was full. Of gas. He said that the lack of fumes and the large amount of gasoline would keep it from exploding. We also used to shoot gas tanks in the junkyard with an old Model 100 .308 and none of those blew up either.

Making stuff like that catch on fire or explode seems to be a lot harder than generally believed.

[Lantyssa]

Making stuff like that catch on fire or explode seems to be a lot harder than generally believed.

This I know, but you only need conditions to be wrong once.

[Merusk]

Is smoking near a bunch of paint cans a smart thing to do?

Latex paint? Sure. Oil based house paint? Probably, though fumes from the solvents would be troublesome. Any sort of vehicle paint? No.

In high school I worked in a garage with an old mechanic who would weld gas tank punctures, but only if the tank was full. Of gas. He said that the lack of fumes and the large amount of gasoline would keep it from exploding. We also used to shoot gas tanks in the junkyard with an old Model 100 .308 and none of those blew up either.

Making stuff like that catch on fire or explode seems to be a lot harder than generally believed.

There was a Mythbusters based around this.   

[bhodi]

Interestingly enough, and on similar lines, linemen who repair natural gas leaks will weld new pipe directly onto old, or cut into pipe while the gas is flowing inside. They don't turn the gas off before doing so.

It almost never explodes. (The almost part is why the welders make about $100 an hour). In fact, the primary danger is suffocation, since the leaking gas can displace normal air and the welders can easily asphyxiate. Since natural gas requires a very specific mixture to combust (similar to gasoline), it's very difficult to get it to ignite at all, and nearly impossible in a situation where there is too little gas (well ventilated area) or too much (gas leak from a pipe).

In fact, just before the welders start, as a safety precaution, they actually turn UP the gas flowing through the pipe to give the welders a bit of extra safety margin.

[Righ]

Not a good precedent for smokers who work from home.