General control line discussion > The Suggestion Box

Perhaps a column devoted to SAFETY ISSUES? "SAFETY IS NO LAUGHING MATTA-OUCH!"

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Shultzie:
How many times have we been out to the flyin site....and have taken notice of soooooooo many safety issues that U KNOW...THAT N' ACCIDENT IS JUST ABOUT TO HAPPEN.

Years ago (1981!) at Boeing....each week at a safety at an all managers meeting, I would make up a quickee' 4 hour airbrush illustration into a slide that would illustrate the bumbo-dumbo safety issue of that week.
The toon caught on but became a monthly cartoon strip that would illustrate what accidents had taken place.

Although we KNOW THAT SAFETY IS NO LAUGHING MATTER...at least this was one way to "DRAW" ATTENTION to poor work practices that some unfortunate soul...could end up taking a few extra hours, days or the rest of their lives away from the work place.

attached are a couple of old fading polariods that I found in my old 16 drawer Kennedy journeyman's tool box that I used during my "Flutter model daze days at the Wind Tunnel.

With that in mind...WHAT SAFETY ISSUES THAT MAY CONCERN YOU...N' SHARE YOUR US YOUR "OOPS!!! STORY OF THE DAY WITH THE REST OF US STUNT GRUNTS...here on STUNTHANGER?
(perhaps Sparky could pick one to be "Illustrated as the blunder-busted saftey boo-boo-hooo of the month?"

Bill Heher:
I saw the action depicted in the 1st cartoon today at work.
One of the install Engineers from Japan was trying to loosen a 26mm jam nut on a leveling fixture, using a short handled adjustable wrench and leaning into it with all 101 lbs of his weight.
As I was telling him that I would get a longer wrench and he should not be pushing with all his weight - BANG! the nut breaks loose, he slams his hand into the fixture and almost cracks his noggin as he lurches forward. Luckily no injury, but I made all 3 of them stop work for a few minutes and discuss what happened.

Then I saw your post and thought- what would you guys see if you watched me prep and start a plane for flying? I have enough scars on my fingers to know that I am prone to forget about safe practices, and am never upset if someone takes the time to say- Hey- you might want to watch out there!

Shultzie:

--- Quote from: Bill Heher on October 17, 2008, 04:20:15 PM ---
Then I saw your post and thought- what would you guys see if you watched me prep and start a plane for flying? I have enough scars on my fingers to know that I am prone to forget about safe practices, and am never upset if someone takes the time to say- Hey- you might want to watch out there!

--- End quote ---

Guess we've all done some pretty dumbolddo things...around the staging areas..
For example...
I saw a friend (Bob Parker) give the starting signal to the judges...
Gave that prop a beeeeeeeeeeuuuuutiful first flip start...(then he didn't like the needle setting, so he carefully reached over the front of that rippin'snarlin' engine....
gave it a careful small "tweak" but in the process...he NICKED HIS LITTLE PINKY FINGER AGAINST THE PROP.......THEN HIS REFLEXES TOOK OVER HIS BRAIN...[glow=red,2,300]KAAAAAPOWSKI!!![/glow] "FLINCH NOT..UNTO UDDERS!!!!!!!!!
I COULDN'T  BELIEVE MY EYES......AS BOB YANKED HIS HAND BACK THROUGH THAT SPINNING PROP!!!
YES!
As his lauch helper...I WAS COVERED WITH HIS BLOOD!!! ON MY NICE WHITE SWEATER, WHITE PANTS, AND WHITE BUCK SHOES!!!!!
Lucky for BOF US!!!!
...I had in my  back hip pocket...a nice white wiping rag...that I wrapped his FLIPPIN FLIPPIN BLOODY FINGERS.
Although he was through for the day...he managed to heal pretty quickly...although he did have a pretty difficult week or two.

How could that have been prevented??? Perhaps a flexible needle valve extension...but thinkin' back...I can remember seeing quite a few "flexible extention springs...that when released...would SOMETIMES...SPRING BACK INTO THE SPINNING PROP...(often with amazing flying projectals that would rival a 22 long rifle shot. SH^ %^

Shultzie:
When I saw the comment about using common workshop sense in another post....I couldn't help but think of one of my old 2004  UNFINISHED BOEING SAFETY POSTERS...(that was suddenly put on hold...(due to a VERY SIMILAR workplace injury  that took place  in our Boeing workplace..that VERY SAME DAY  that I was in the PROCESS OF FINISHING THIS "SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT POSTER!
A young new hired facilities worker was grinding off a short piece of aluminum door trim on  our Phantom Works General managers new office door---WHEN SUDDENLY a small very sharp shard of metal...parted waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaays...and hit one of the office employees in the back of the head. Although she bled profusely..and was taken to the Boeing Medical...she was not seriously injured.
However she was LIVID...AND WANTED THAT YOUNG MAN WITH THE GRINDING WHEEL.."HUNG UPSIDE DOWN" in that door way with a sign reading SAFETY IS NO ACCIDENT hung around his neck.
That young offender was sooooooooooooooo fortunate that his Dad was a VP for New Airplane Development at the time... so thankfully he didn't lose his job, but was  quickly transferred to the Auburn. sheet metal shop. (for some reason...we heard that he was appointed Shop Safety coordinator a few months later...
The young lady in this UNFINISHED POSTER.....was the one that received that flying metal object!  
BOTTOM LINE!
YES! SAFTEY IS NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO ACCIDENT!" ~^

dirty dan:
I think safety is over-rated. Things happen, we talk about it, in many cases joke about it, and then move on.

While Don was not there, it was a couple years ago Mike Haverly literally inserted a digit directly into a spun-up three-blade CF prop--on loan from David!--being twisted by a PA 65 on pipe. Wow! It was really spectacular! A blade on the prop was broken! Chunks of Mike were seen flying!

Okay, those things were negatives. But Ted and Randi got to demonstrate much higher than average post-finger-insertion first aid skills, the doctor at the hospital was given justification for having been selected to Memorial Day duty, CL Stunt was shown to be a hazardous activity in which milquetoast types need not be involved.

And nobody puked. Not even Mike.

Best of all, Mike and about 30 people had and still have a great story to tell as they were right there in the immediate vicinity. Another 50 or 60 on the field heard all about it and so also benefitted in a measurable way.

Remember, nobody talks about almost getting a hand in the prop arc. Way too boring...

Dan

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