How about a safety thread?

[Pete in MI]

I think each of us have had some kind of experience related to safety we could share. In sharing it would help both the new people to know that all isn't a field of dreams when detecting and also to remind us ol' guys and gals of things we forgot about. (A mind jogger so to speak).

I'll start with this one:

On one hunt in a county park, I was detecting along side a basketball court. There was a few coins I found but mostly there was LOTS of trash. Broken alcoholic beverages bottles, those sharp edged screw off caps, pulltabs and more - lots of trash.

I got a signal and knelt down to dig (I do use knee pads with hard plastic - just so I don't kneel on glass or something). So I dig a little ways down and found a hypodermic needle (the plunger, barrel and the metal needle) with the needle still intact. Scary to think what might have happened had I poked myself with that needle.

One never knows what will be dug up. Others might share their 'nasty' finds so you get an idea. I always wear gloves. I have to be more careful now that I am on blood thinners that I do not get cut or scratched.

Be careful when digging.

 

[warthog]

..A couple of years ago;I was water detecting in chin-deep water with my mask on-There were some teen-age girls out in the water near me;I was heading out to mask-deep water;and it was windy and wavy....WELL:One of them girls gave out a loud shreik at one of her friends-Nothing serious,but it distracted me from my task at hand-I turned my head toward the sound;and then back again...RIGHT INTO A WAVE THAT WASHED OVER MY HEAD;AND INTO MY OPEN MOUTH(didnt have my snorkel with me-BIG mistake!!)I felt like I inhaled half the lake in one breath-NOT a good thing to do in neck-deepH20.....

 

[Greg from Mi.]

detecting on the "bad side of town" take along a buddy so you can keep an eye on each other.
Greg

 

[Mike from MI "Iron Brigade"]

Always wear surf shoes of some kind while water or beach detecting.
The things I dig on the beach or in the water scare me to think that some little kid might cut his foot real bad!

 

[MI$$OURI BETTY]

and dogs are friendly but there are the few we need to be watchful about and if we feel like we shouldn't be there or shouldn't go there to detect than listen and don't go.....go home or somewhere where it is safer! God's Holy Spirit has warned me about areas and also He has shown me some good areas that have treasure! God is goooooood, as me son, Mike, always says!

God Bless!
Betty (Ma)

 

[TuckyTector(InezKY)]

I'm most always by myself huntin old homesites in secluded spots. I always take my cell phone with me so I can call fer help if needed ( When I have a signal in these hills). I also tell my wife the area of the county I plan on huntin in. You never know what might happen. You could fall and injure yourself etc and lay there until someone finds you. My wife knows the area to hunt fer me if I don't come home in a certain time frame. The only problem is she has to decide the time frame because I get carried away in detectin and lose track of time. In the summer she never knows what time I might come draggin in.
And keep a keen eye out fer these fellers.
God Bless
HH
KY Bud

 

[TuckyTector(InezKY)]

You've got both ears covered with earphones, your eyes on the meter/scale and your mind on the great find. Also a lot of hazards lurking while diggin.
God Bless
HH
KY Bud

 

[TuckyTector(InezKY)]

that takes those things out with you so injuries don't happin. I Dooo. I don't have the beaches to hunt but when I find that stuff in playgrounds etc I can just picture a little kiddie gettin hurt and it goes out with me. Good MD'ers will always make the extra effort to take that trash out with them and dispose of it properly. It also makes us look good in the publics eye.
God Bless
HH
KY Bud

 

[Mike from MI "Iron Brigade"]

I always take every piece of trash I dig out with me!