
Safety Meeting - mstats
https://thepointmag.com/literature/safety-meeting/
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nimbius
>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.

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

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kens
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](https://www.youtube.com/user/USCSB/videos)

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

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

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

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spchampion2
> 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.

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bobbiechen
_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.

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e40
This reminds me of a zine from the 90s called Dishwasher. Exceptional people
working regular jobs and writing about it.

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ydnaclementine
>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.

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oblib
Wow... I got sucked entirely into that.

Thank your for the share mstats!

