# Why I am so passionate about Safety!



## 51360 (Jun 9, 2014)

25 years ago I worked on another major project in Smooth Rock Falls, Northern Ontario. A process that used chlorine to wash the kraft paper in a large pulp and paper mill was being upgraded to a more environmentally friendly process.

The mills in those days were huge poured concrete buildings, with several floors, including basements. We, me and another 4th year apprentice, were preparing to install tray above a stainless steel tank that was about to be removed. We brought our material, and a few tools, down into the basement to do the work. When we got to the tank a young welder was already preparing to remove the tank. I talked to him for a bit, and agreed to come back later when the tank was removed.

We left, and not 30 seconds later, before we climbed the stairs from the basement, that huge concrete building shook to the point of dust flying and workers losing their balance.

Workers in that area were evacuated and finally told that the lid of that stainless steel tank blew off, killing the young welder. We later found out he was from Toronto, taking a call up north because that's all he had.

I still remember all those tough, tattooed construction workers outside after the accident, brought to their knees, sobbing and getting sick.

Several weeks later we were all explained that the powers that be, including our company's safety and management did not fully understand the situation. The tank had been emptied and purged for several days, but a spark caused by dissimilar metals ignited enough of the remaining gas to cause a huge explosion.

That poor young man did what he was told to feed his young family back home.

From that day forward I have always been passionate about Safety!

Thanks, Borgi


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## erics37 (May 7, 2009)

Was on a job about 7 years ago where an iron worker got his head crushed by an I-beam that was rigged improperly while being offloaded from a truck.

Hadn't ever seen anyone killed like that before. I was sick to my stomach for a week.

This sh!t is just a job, not worth risking life and limb over.


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## chewy (May 9, 2010)

I saw a wire rope snap at a wharf and cut a guys leg off at the knee when I was a kid.

Ive been down in a manhole when an undersized and inappropriate rope snapped in my second site 5 years ago pulling fibre and 200pr cables, it was a 1/2" poly rope and one strand broke first rubbing on the bell and I was yelling at them to kill the tugger then the other 2 went and whipped me quite bad on my side. 

I go freaking ballistic when I see people stepping over tensioned ropes or cables.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

There are , of similar note, many FF's and/or emts in this forum who can probably opine on safety related morbidity and mortality. 

My tenure was witness to it's share, we even tipped the stats with 5 occupational deaths within a two yr period in our county. 

It's always up close & personal working on them, you'd feel bad for them, and feel a real sense of loss not being able to save them. 

But there's a darker  side, and that's the insurance cabal's zeal to demonize decedents utilizing the safety cabal's findings 

They are both evil seething dregs of humanity in bed with each other rubbing their corporate salt in the wounds of the wives, brothers, fathers and sons of those who passed

~CS~


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## Ultrafault (Dec 16, 2012)

chicken steve said:


> There are , of similar note, many FF's and/or emts in this forum who can probably opine on safety related morbidity and mortality.
> 
> My tenure was witness to it's share, we even tipped the stats with 5 occupational deaths within a two yr period in our county.
> 
> ...


Agreed, the safety culture is geared toward shifting blame and liability from the corporation to the employee. I only see this getting worse.


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## 99cents (Aug 20, 2012)

I have never seen anyone get injured on the job other than bumps and bruises but I did see a pedestrian die. Guy ran out of the liquor store on a Friday night into traffic, car hit him, threw him into another car going the other direction and he was dead. It can happen that fast.


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## Vintage Sounds (Oct 23, 2009)

Borgi it looks like a very similar accident occurred in northern Ontario just a few years ago. Check this out. 


http://news.ontario.ca/mol/en/2014/04/terrace-bay-pulp-inc-fined-275000-after-workers-death.html


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## 51360 (Jun 9, 2014)

Vintage Sounds said:


> Borgi it looks like a very similar accident occurred in northern Ontario just a few years ago. Check this out.
> 
> 
> http://news.ontario.ca/mol/en/2014/04/terrace-bay-pulp-inc-fined-275000-after-workers-death.html


Obviously the powers that be are struggling with issues similar to these accidents. 25 years and still workers are dying around tanks not properly maintained.

What's sad is a fine means very little to huge corporations like this, but the families, friends, co-workers and obviously the dead and injured workers pay for that mistake the rest of their lives! 

Thanks, Borgi


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## FrunkSlammer (Aug 31, 2013)

Thanks for sharing Borgi! Always need a refresher on safety.


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## wcord (Jan 23, 2011)

As 99 said, it can happen so fast. I've been also lucky to have not been on a job where someone got disabled or died. 
What I find amazing is how so many companies don't realize the cost savings of a good safety plan. They only see the non productive hours that are spent doing the training or filling Hazard Assessment reports.
Once they have a major lost time or death accident, and they calculate their WCB premiums or fines, safety become a cheap insurance policy.
Guess, this won't happen to me, attitude is common.
Yes there are some seemingly dumb safety rules, but overall, the main criteria to keep the workers safe and going home with all their body parts.


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## Hmacanada (Jan 16, 2014)

Vintage Sounds said:


> Borgi it looks like a very similar accident occurred in northern Ontario just a few years ago. Check this out.
> 
> 
> http://news.ontario.ca/mol/en/2014/04/terrace-bay-pulp-inc-fined-275000-after-workers-death.html




I don't have a problem with the safety stuff it's what happens after a accident , yes a accident.
When you fine a huge corp. 275000 where does that money go?
To the injured worker, or his family ? 
No.
Then there is the other side where a guys has a minor injury because he miss stepped and broke an ankle.
I know a fella here who was carrying a ladder stepped in a hole rolled his ankle and broke it.
Self employed , so he chose not to make a accident claim.
Received a fine from ministry of labour for not reporting it .
$12500 . 
Hospital turns you in.


Sent from my iPhone using electriciantalk.com


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Hmacanada said:


> ...I know a fella here who was carrying a ladder stepped in a hole rolled his ankle and broke it.
> Self employed , so he chose not to make a accident claim.
> Received a fine from ministry of labour for not reporting it .
> $12500 .
> Hospital turns you in....


Your laws are set up so you could potentially get punished for hurting yourself? That's completely absurd. 

I will say that's one thing OSHA has right in this country. There's no oversight for self-employment. If you put yourself in jeopardy, it's on you, but what they care about is when your company could cause _others_ to be injured.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

I have to agree with that John

Still, if i broke my ankle , in the long run i'd be better off paying my own way, than going through my WC.....

~CS~


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## NacBooster29 (Oct 25, 2010)

I've had a 5/8" steel cable dropped from about 80 feet above me. While standing mid level on a hrsg at a power plant the loop grazed my shoulder. But very easily could have cut my head off. After the loop grazed me the end whipped past me as a co worker pulled me to the side. 
This was 2 easters ago during a shutdown. Really shook me up.


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Just remember every time one of us buys it, a safety nazi gets their wings fellas

~CS~


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## 51360 (Jun 9, 2014)

chicken steve said:


> Just remember every time one of us buys it, a safety nazi gets their wings fellas
> 
> ~CS~


So every time a worker *dies*, not sure what you mean by a *safety nazi*, gets a promotion!

Not sure what you're trying to say here?

Explain it to us. Yes, I have seen the movie! 

:laughing:

Thanks, Borgi


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## glen1971 (Oct 10, 2012)

Was working in a PLC during a turnaround when another electrician came running in asking for help... An apprentice was working on a ten foot ladder grounding some cable tray, and got pinned between the tray and pipe when a picker truck was driving across site with his boom up and struck a pipe (6") that wasn't guided down.. The pipe rolled, pinned him causing him to lose consciousness and quit breathing.. We got to him, stabilized him, and they moved the pipe off his shoulders... He was taken to the hospital and recovered. I met him on another job about 5 years later and he knew exactly who I was and what had happened.. He was very lucky... 

That company made a policy change about pickers with their booms up.. About 6 years later, I was on another site (same client) walking with my consultant and saw a picker driving with his boom up... I said to him, "I thought there was a policy in place about that?" He said "I think so.. But there is nothing around him.." I replied "It's a good thing none of my guys are here yet or we'd be stopping our work and writing it up..." He was speachless when he heard that and remembered what I was referring to...

I've seen guys break their own leg with a hammer wrench.. Try and walk on pipe that they just put on the rack and then wonder why it rolls.. Guys drill into their own finger while working on a junction box... Saw a guy get a cold cutter blow up in his face, because a line was not properly purged.. Buckets of methanol on fire and no one doing anything (can't see the flame).. 

Safety is not only in a manual.. It is starts at the top and is engrained in the day to day work of everyone in the company... It is an attitude and a responsibility of everyone on site.. Personally, I have no time for those that like to take short cuts that compromise safety and put others at risk..


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Borgi said:


> So every time a worker *dies*, not sure what you mean by a *safety nazi*, gets a promotion!
> 
> Not sure what you're trying to say here?
> 
> ...


Safety is a top down _business_ predicated on morbidity, mortality Borgi

This is relevant in the majority of doctrine being decided for the worker ant, _vs._ the worker ant being empowered to make decisions his/herself

Yet the _focus_ of blame will many times be on that worker ant, with the various entities circling the corpse like hungry sharks , looking to impart and/or create bureaucracy that lines their pockets

_Doubt me? _Here's your 12 cal suit, go work on ABC inc's antique switchgear , don't 'eff up!

~CS~


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## 51360 (Jun 9, 2014)

Morning:

I have been asked to put on a type of " bomb suit " to pull a starter, rapper, tub, whatever, from a MCC in an older install. Company policy, as there were fears the bus bars wouldn't let go when you tried to pull it out. I have done this many times on quality MCC equipment! :thumbsup:

Never heard of putting on a " bomb suit ", it actually made me nervous. So, I did what all workers should do if you don't feel comfortable. I politely declined! 

Thanks, Borgi


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## chicken steve (Mar 22, 2011)

Be a good worker ant, and learn to love the bomb Borgi....:jester:~CS~


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## glen1971 (Oct 10, 2012)

Most places up here won't allow bucket/cubicle removal or installation while the gear is live.. Just not worth the risk in the event of a failure...


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## Big John (May 23, 2010)

Even if you don't kill the guy doing it, congratulations you just disabled your whole MCC, where's your continuity of service now?


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## JW Splicer (Mar 15, 2014)

Racking in a bucket is the most dangerous thing in the trade in my opinion.


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