This morning was orientation day for going to work at Toyota. They portray this great safety image. I actually didn't have to watch the 20 minute safety video, as I watched it a month ago when I was there working during shutdown. Safety is such an intricate machine. There is no such thing as a completely safe working environment. The very nature of work means doing something unsafe. If you were to pick a spot and stand perfectly still, not touching or being touched by part of your job, you would still not be completely safe. There could be a bolt flying out of a mounting bracket to the landing gear of a jet passing overhead that is careening toward you. To be safe, you would have to be one foot to the left. You cannot assess every possibility and create a safe working area.
I know that my job (Electrician) entails risk. I do everything possible to eliminate the risks that can be eliminated, and use caution in doing those things that bring risk. My problem is with Safety Engineers or Safety Directors. Give me credit for a modicum of sense. I am not coming to work looking for a way to get hurt and collect compensatory damages from my employer for not creating a safe working place.
One such incident that emphasizes my point was during the shutdown. We were wrecking out the Toe Tester in final assembly. This created an open area in the floor. It was a large open area. There were 3 electrical cabinets mounted on the floor about 15 inches in front of the pit, opening to the pit side. There were electrical terminations that had to be made in these cabinets. The Safety people were concerned that the electrician doing this work might forget about the pit and step back into the hole. To rectify this situation, they erected a handrail to prevent him from falling.
Handrails (by OSHA standards) must be 42 inches with a rail on the top, one in the middle, and a toe board to prevent things being kicked down on guys working inside the pit. It must be able to sustain 200 pounds of force against it. Makes sense, a person stumbling against it would carry at least that much force.
The handrail that was built, and approved by contractor safety and Toyota safety, was built with 1/2" angle iron welded to the metal lip of the pit with a piece of unistrut welded across the top. No middle rail, or toe board were attached. This created a false sense of safety. The worker would have thought he was safe. If he has stumbled against it, both he and the rail would have tumbled. The doors on the cabinet were about 24" wide. The rail was 14" from the face. This prevented the doors from opening fully, causing the worker to have to work in a strained position. This is not safety.
I have been asked several times to sign safety sign off sheets on equipment that I was unable to ascertain whether it was safe or not. I refused (much to the chagrin of that companies safety director).
The idea of all these safety measures is not because the company loves you. It is because they get a reduced rate for insurance by implementing them. They are not in the business of safety. They are in the business of deflection. They want to deflect the blame for any accident from themselves and therefore reduce their liability. It is about money. It isn't about the money they pay you to do your job. It isn't about the money they pay the safety director. It isn't about the money they spend on safety devices. It is about the money they pay for insurance.
Don't try to tell me you are concerned about my safety. Your concern for my safety ends where it does not affect your purse strings. Let's understand this. You are not fooling me. I am not trying to get hurt. I want to go home with all my fingers and toes. I want to see my kids and grandkids grow. I do not want to put up with your stupidity about these facts.
OK. Safety aside, it was a fairly good morning. The printer at the security gate broke and would not print out badge pics. We went to the other security entrance to have our pics taken. Then it was back to the companies trailer for more safety talks and paperwork. The company had the same idea about the safety orientation as did the plant. I just saw it all a month ago. Here are my vitals and my contact info should any of these safety features fail to keep me from being injured. Here is my tax info. See ya.
Kyle is impressed that my badge will open gates. He asked if I were like a secret agent. I told him I was more like a secret electrician.
I know that my job (Electrician) entails risk. I do everything possible to eliminate the risks that can be eliminated, and use caution in doing those things that bring risk. My problem is with Safety Engineers or Safety Directors. Give me credit for a modicum of sense. I am not coming to work looking for a way to get hurt and collect compensatory damages from my employer for not creating a safe working place.
One such incident that emphasizes my point was during the shutdown. We were wrecking out the Toe Tester in final assembly. This created an open area in the floor. It was a large open area. There were 3 electrical cabinets mounted on the floor about 15 inches in front of the pit, opening to the pit side. There were electrical terminations that had to be made in these cabinets. The Safety people were concerned that the electrician doing this work might forget about the pit and step back into the hole. To rectify this situation, they erected a handrail to prevent him from falling.
Handrails (by OSHA standards) must be 42 inches with a rail on the top, one in the middle, and a toe board to prevent things being kicked down on guys working inside the pit. It must be able to sustain 200 pounds of force against it. Makes sense, a person stumbling against it would carry at least that much force.
The handrail that was built, and approved by contractor safety and Toyota safety, was built with 1/2" angle iron welded to the metal lip of the pit with a piece of unistrut welded across the top. No middle rail, or toe board were attached. This created a false sense of safety. The worker would have thought he was safe. If he has stumbled against it, both he and the rail would have tumbled. The doors on the cabinet were about 24" wide. The rail was 14" from the face. This prevented the doors from opening fully, causing the worker to have to work in a strained position. This is not safety.
I have been asked several times to sign safety sign off sheets on equipment that I was unable to ascertain whether it was safe or not. I refused (much to the chagrin of that companies safety director).
The idea of all these safety measures is not because the company loves you. It is because they get a reduced rate for insurance by implementing them. They are not in the business of safety. They are in the business of deflection. They want to deflect the blame for any accident from themselves and therefore reduce their liability. It is about money. It isn't about the money they pay you to do your job. It isn't about the money they pay the safety director. It isn't about the money they spend on safety devices. It is about the money they pay for insurance.
Don't try to tell me you are concerned about my safety. Your concern for my safety ends where it does not affect your purse strings. Let's understand this. You are not fooling me. I am not trying to get hurt. I want to go home with all my fingers and toes. I want to see my kids and grandkids grow. I do not want to put up with your stupidity about these facts.
OK. Safety aside, it was a fairly good morning. The printer at the security gate broke and would not print out badge pics. We went to the other security entrance to have our pics taken. Then it was back to the companies trailer for more safety talks and paperwork. The company had the same idea about the safety orientation as did the plant. I just saw it all a month ago. Here are my vitals and my contact info should any of these safety features fail to keep me from being injured. Here is my tax info. See ya.
Kyle is impressed that my badge will open gates. He asked if I were like a secret agent. I told him I was more like a secret electrician.
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