re: fire extinguisher mount

["Hardwick, Robert C" <Robert.Hardwick@PSS.Boeing.com>]

Regarding the structural integrity of mounts, Nathan Wong expressed
concern of injury from a flying fire ext. in case of an accident.  A
good friend of mine was injured just before Christmas when he was struck
in the driver's door by a truck.  His little Isuzu wasn't damaged that
badly, but the propane canister on the passenger seat flew into his leg
with amazing violence.  The sheet steel handle sliced through his thigh
muscle and shattered his femur.  He's back at work now on crutches.  

Now, a small fire extinguisher won't weigh as much as a 30 lb propane
bottle, but the peak g-loads during accidents can be startling high.
According to a Race Car Eng. article last year, G-meters in CART cars
routinely measure 30 Gs peak or more in accidents that drivers walk away
from.  Just multiply that number by the weight in lbs to get force.
Sorry for the grizzly account, but it made an impression on me that it
doesn't take much to hurt us.

robert hardwick, seattle usa