[AT] OT - How a steam locomotive gets built in 1935

[Mike Sloane]

I have seen it both ways. I worked in a machine shop back in the late
'60s where they got cited because one of the operators used the fire
extinguisher for a coat rack, completely hiding it. At a paper mill I
worked at in the early '60s, the operator of a huge shear managed to
defeat three different safety devices and cut both of his hands off. Not
to long ago, I spotted a lawn mower at our town DPW garage with rope
tied around the "dead man" lever on the handle. Some people are
determined to do stupid things in the workplace.

As far as the inspectors being determined to find something, that is
pretty much standard - they are under pressure from their management to
produce results. Don't ever think you are going to get out of an IRS
audit or a highway truck inspection clean for the same reason.

Mike

On 11/19/2012 7:07 AM, charlie hill wrote:
> Oh there's no end to it Richard.  Luckily I've never been through an
> MSHA inspection personally but some of the companies I've worked with
> have. They'll write you up for nonsense if they can't find anything
> else.  It seems they are determined to fine you for something when
> they show up. I am a firm believer in work place safety.  There is no
> reason for a workman to go to work in the morning worrying if he will
> make it home alive and in one piece but these folks go overboard and
> as others have said, most of worker safety has to do with worker
> training and common sense and not rules.
>
> Charlie