Don't do this at work!

Empire_2

My propane grill does that every time upon lighting....I thought it was normal....;-)

Mike T.

Larry (from OSHA)

The things we see

I have enjoyed seeing all the great installs that show up here regularly and thought I'd provide a glimpse of what we see at the places that I and my co-workers go to. Check out several more at:

http://www.doli.state.mn.us/05photo_main.html

I guess this pic is sort of heating related!

Larry

Mark Hunt

Larry


I do not envy you.

YOU stay safe!

Mark H

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Uni R_2

What?

That looks like me starting my BBQ on one of the better nights!

Timco

Did you get an analyzer on that flame?

Darrell

Sniff Test

Is this the flame we are supposed to adjust by sniffing it!

Pinball

Watch what you say,. He looks like a REAL HOT HEAD!

Al

singh

You got me!

Gotta wonder what's in the drinking water in Minnesota ; )

Thank's for the photos.



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Larry (from OSHA)

Mark

Thank you for thinking about My Safety. While I and my co-workers go into a variety of funky places, we don't have to do the jobs that those folks do. Mostly, we are just observing a snapshot in time of these worksites. Sometimes the hazards jump out at us and are obvious, but many times the challange is to help employers find ways to prevent the most common injuries that are happening at their places. That is not always easy.

Just like learning here on the Wall, I feel very fortunate that I can go into so many different types of places and see stuff that I don't see every day. I get a chance to learn something new all the time. This is a good thing.

Larry

Larry (from OSHA)

Readings

O2 - 8%, CO2 - 12%, C0 - 1000. Needs some tuning...........

Larry (from OSHA)

Sniff Test

THIS IS NOT THE FLAME TO ADJUST BY SNIFFING!!!

Larry

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Looks to me like true industry. Always inherent danger. Impossible to protect people against their own foolishness but in my experience people are quite smart--particularly when it comes to protecting their own ****...

Accidents just happen--even to the most careful and most experienced--and in environments as these those accidents are likely to be life-ending. If government tries to "protect" us from our own stupidity or worse tries to turn deadly accidents into ones that "merely" disable for their rest of their life, such is much of the reason that our true industry is leaving this country for places where nobody cares about such things and "safety" is the sole concern of the worker.

ANY competent person learns their own abilities and establishes their own "comfort level" for ANY inherently dangerous task. Personally I can't stand to work on any roof with a slope higher than 6-12 yet I have to turn my eyes to those who scamper across 10-12 roofs with no fall protection. But when it comes to powered woodworking machinery, I have no problem with "unsafe" operations that make the roofers turn their heads...

Larry (from OSHA)

inherent danger

Hi Mike,

I think I understand where you are coming from and to a point, don't disagree. What we (OSHA) enforce are minimum safety requirements. If I could get employers to abide by the ground floor safety regulations, there would be a lot fewer injuries. Please remember I live in the state where our former governor (Jesse the Bod) said we can't legislate against stupidity. I don't think we try to do that.

What I've found when talking to employees that for one reason or another have lost body parts in a machine, is that they were just trying to do their job. I find that people if given the ability to, will put their hands in places that they shouldn't merely because they could.

I try to look at safety of machinery in a holistic fashion. For example, on mechanical power presses, there are requirements for guarding, inspections, training and supervision. Start taking pieces away from any of those aspects and at a certain point, an injury will occur.

Training is crucial. Earlier this year there was a fellow that started a forklift operating job at 9:00 in the morning. At 10:30 the same morning, he was dead. Even if employees have responsibility for their own actions, (which OSHA recognizes that they must) employers have responsibility to provide the training and safe equipment so that they can do their jobs safely.

The reasons for jobs leaving our shores are many and the cost of protecting workers is only one piece of that.

Thanks for your perspectives. I always enjoy them.

Larry

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Hi Larry,

I ALWAYS appreciate and FULLY respect your comments. You seem rational--much like the "The Bod" who [seemed] to be a truly rare breed of politician--honest, straight-forward and not afaid to tell people things that they might not want to hear...

Hard for to believe though that employers in inherently dangerous industries typically push employees to do things with which they're not comfortable.

If such happens I find it a true failure on the part of labor. Weren't labor unions mostly and originally about safety concerns? Both for truly unsafe ENVIRONMENTAL conditions for EVERYONE and for forcing inexperienced workers to perform dangerous tasks?

Larry (from OSHA)

Mike

Hey Mike,

Thanks for your assessment of my mental state! I like to think I am mostly rational.

The Bod had some very good points, but was in spite of all his bulk, much too thin skinned.

Fortunately, MOST employers care about their employees and recognize the value of functional workers. I have often thought that I and my co-workers are so lucky to be in a state where that is the case. When I have talked to some of my Federal counterparts, the stories are just incredible. In some parts of our country workers are expendable.

The employers that I deal with are mostly appreciative of our efforts to prevent injuries, and while I haven't had the welcome mat waiting for me at workplaces, the adversarial nature of our roles are mostly kept in a very positive perspective. I suspect the Minnesota Nice thing might have something to do with that.

In any case, I'll wait anxiously for the day that voluntary compliance puts me out of a job.

Mike T., Swampeast MO

Hi again Larry,

With all respect, I find this statement HIGHLY troubling:

What I've found when talking to employees that for one reason or another have lost body parts in a machine, is that they were just trying to do their job. I find that people if given the ability to, will put their hands in places that they shouldn't merely because they could. [emphasis added]

Sounds to me like these are idiots who cannot be protected from their own stupidity. I spent years--YOUNG YEARS-- working with printing presses--granted not the huge ones--but certainly powerful enough to cause serious bodily harm with the FIRST thing done to a new press being removing the stupid OSHA-required guards that made normal work EVER more difficult and time-consuming. Even without pressure from "above", or even from the "bottom line", I believe it human nature to want to get simple, repetitive, mechanical things done as fast as possible.

Larry (from OSHA)

There are so many reasons why people do things

that seem to defy logic. As far as protecting idiots from themselves, what should employers do? They need workers and workers need work. But we (OSHA) feel that preventing employees from being able to easily contact hazardous moving machine parts is a minimal thing to do and if done right, won't negatively affect production.

As far as "stupid OSHA required guards", I truly understand that many people feel that some of this stuff just gets in the way and it certainly may be the case on some types of equipment. But, how do you or I make the call on what gets guarded and what doesn't? (I'm kind of stuck with enforcing regulations)

I've seen lots of old and new printing presses and it is amazing how the technology has improved. Many of the make-ready tasks are completely automated and remove the pressman from getting into rollers, etc.

Your last point on human nature is so very true and goes to my point about what people will do if given the opportunity.

This conversation could drag on forever but quite frankly, I'd rather talk about Vitodens and other mod-cons, lowest temps for baseboards and stainless steel vs. PVC.

So, thanks for indulging my particular ventings.

Larry

Unknown

as my brother from

As my brother from NASA, said after learning about a guy had his fingers cut off from lifting a running lawnmower to trim his hedge bushes,( that's where the bs blade handle control comes in) he said, " no matter how much safety we have in any equipment, nothing is idiot's proof."
Where the hell the idea having EVERYONE have to pay the extra cost of the " explosiveproof" water heaters come from? Anyone know?

singh

The eyes have it.

Over the years I've done and still do many stupid and unsafe things at work and home. At the time I did not think they were stupid, as a matter of fact I did not think at all, I don't know what you call it, inherent human stupidity syndrome.

Two trips to the ER, A fall off an extension latter, nearly electrified, debris in the eyes.( and I must have a dozen safety glasses, usually they're on the top of the head, not over my eyes)
When someone does something on purpose to harm themselves , then there is no doubt that person is a moron, or jack **** like that movie. But you ever see funniest home videos, most of those mishaps, the person truly did not forsee the consequences, except us the viewers.

OSHA , makes us stop and think!! Its a good thing, without those guards and signs and such, the ER's and funeral parlors would be overrun .

my .02cents

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Guy_6

Accidents