Safety Meeting

https://thepointmag.com/literature/safety-meeting/

by mstats • 6 years ago

61 17 6 years ago

nimbius• 6 years ago

We have safety meetings every Monday and Friday after lunch. Statistically, most accidents happen right after lunch, so the idea is to talk about it before it happens, as if talking is a kind of protective spell, a hex against fiery death, or crushing death, or the whirring blades of amputation, or decapitation.

A rather childish way to see it, but fair. Speaking as a full time "heavy" diesel engine mechanic for a small chain of midwest shops, I've been part of these meetings and ive even organized a few. talking about the issues, or identifying the risks, helps break you out of the 40 hour a week, hammer swinging, wrench turning hypnosis of shop work for just a minute.

I once started a meeting with an emergency contact form and a few dice. Everyone got to roll a dice, and that number 1-5 corresponded to a finger they couldnt use while completing the form. 6 meant they couldnt use their dominant hand. Needless to say, the point was made. You dont always get to choose what you lose when you play with safety.

solidist• 6 years ago

"A rather childish way to see it."

Defends a meeting, defends a process. Brillance.

kjsthree• 6 years ago

I’m just glad there are diesel mechanics contributing on HN.

paddy_m• 6 years ago

Nimbius. Awesome to see mechanics here. I'm a programmer working on a startup in the heavy equipment space. I would like to talk to you, my email is in my profile.

bumby• 6 years ago

A rather childish way to see it

I think that’s part of the point. This isn’t a journal article. It’s art, as the author says. It’s meant to in part reflect the emotional space of the experience, not necessarily speak to some objective truth.

I’ve been part of these types of safety meetings/safety standowns for much of my career. And while maybe not the most mature interpretation of the meeting intent it definitely reflects many or most attendees attitudes towards them. As art, I think the author did a fine job capturing that sentiment.

oblib2• 6 years ago

I read this like I would read Mark Twain, or Vonnegut, or Steinbeck.

It's not about what I do for a living, or have done for one. It's a collection of thoughts and feelings based on the experiences of a character's life.

This work stands quite well with some of their short stories.

nolroz• 6 years ago

When I worked in light construction "safety meeting" was code for smoking weed in the trailer.

stanferder• 6 years ago

Smoking weed while wearing a hardhat seems out-of-whack.

HeyLaughingBoy• 6 years ago

That's exactly what I thought this was going to be about :-)

gbmor• 6 years ago

That's the meaning I'm familiar with as well

e40• 6 years ago

This reminds me of a zine from the 90s called Dishwasher. Exceptional people working regular jobs and writing about it.

bobbiechen• 6 years ago

I wanted to quit the little league team, but I was too young to realize that I could just quit anything. I think I was waiting for WWIII to break out so all of Earth would die in nuclear fire so I didn’t have to be catcher on the little league team.

Love this quote. Corollary is something I first heard at marching band leadership camp - despite any title you may have, you actually have no power over anyone else. So you'll have to convince them somehow that it's worthwhile.

kens• 6 years ago

The mention of oil refineries and safety brings to mind the US Chemical Safety Board videos analyzing various chemical plant disasters. These videos are surprisingly well done and I recommend them if you have any interest in this sort of thing: https://www.youtube.com/user/USCSB/videos

jonahx• 6 years ago

These videos are absolutely fantastic. I've recommended them to many people, including non-technical friends.

oblib2• 6 years ago

Wow... I got sucked entirely into that.

Thank your for the share mstats!

spchampion2• 6 years ago

Art isn’t something you should protect from yourself. Just run towards it full sprint and embrace how ridiculous your ideas are, how unguarded, how close to something a child might think up, lying on their back in a field overgrown with weeds. The sights and sounds of the rotating world revealing itself to you, or not.

What a wonderful thought from a wonderful set of stories.

ydnaclementine• 6 years ago

Sometimes people say things like, “It’s cool that you work a real job, working with your hands…”. The guys I work construction with all talk about working “real jobs” too, except they’re talking about “not working here.” It’s the polar opposite.

That's the realist thing I've ever read.

Definitely getting this guy's book.

Safety Meeting

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