Everyone’s favorite guest poster tells me he wants lots of comments this weekend to give him something to do in is free time. Go for it, people!
YOU’RE INSANE!
By Paul Curran
T-2000 Kenworth with One Piece Windshield
When I had finished the run and was sitting in the truck completing my paperwork, I took the time to fill out a repair request on the big Kenworth T-2000. The windshield was cracked from the lower left driver’s corner, all the way across to the upper right passenger’s corner. Unlike most tractor-trailers, the T-2000 had a very expensive one-piece windshield. Every truck inspection station would pull the truck over for a complete roadside inspection when they saw a crack that size – assuming that the truck was not properly maintained. Also, occasionally a large, heavy object like an owl or a large rock or a piece of metal from the road would impact the windshield. If it was already weakened like this one, there was a good chance it would collapse into the driver’s face and potentially cause a loss of control. For that reason, I wrote up a repair request. In fact, over a period of a few months I wrote up the same truck for the same flaw 5 times. No comment and no repairs.
Cracked All the Way Across
Then came the fateful day when once again I was dispatched on the same truck. Seeing that the windshield still wasn’t fixed, I angrily marched into the terminal manager’s office and demanded to know why. I showed him copies of the five repair requests and said I was tired of writing up this truck. I asked if they intended to replace the windshield. Brian (the manager) was understanding, but he said that he had spoken to the head of maintenance and was told that until spring came the windshield would not be replaced.
Me: Why not?
Brian: Because they say that the salt and sand and gravel used on the roads in the winter pit the glass and that is an expensive windshield.
Me: Not only is that illegal, it is dangerous. What if it gets hit by something heavy like an owl or a rock? It would shatter in the driver’s face and he could lose control.
Brian: Look Paul I just follow orders – I can’t force them to fix anything.
In all fairness this company was usually very good about repairs and this was the first time I had had a repair refused.
Me: That’s bullshit, Brian – you do not have the right to refuse regardless of what they say. You know that at the Nuremburg trials, it was agreed that it was illegal to obey an illegal order. Most legal systems have incorporated that lesson in their legal systems.
Web Site: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/obituaries/military-obituaries/8350706/Raymond-DAddario.html
Nuremburg Trials
Brian was sitting on the edge of a dispatch desk now as he had left his office trying to escape my attack. His voiced raised and the office went silent as the dispatchers and administrators all watched.
Brian (loudly): Are you calling me a Nazi!?
Me: If the shoe fits, wear it – you are dispatching me with a truck that is unsafe and you know it.
I was getting angry now and could feel control slipping.
Me: That windshield has no value, it is broken and illegal. I could take a wrecking bar to it and smash it beyond use. Then you’d have to fix it. And you couldn’t charge me with destroying company property because it is worth nothing and is illegal.
Brian (sensing my anger): Would you really do that?
Me: Why not? It could save someone else a serious accident and even if I lost my job, preventing that accident would make it worthwhile.
Web Site: http://www.amazon.com/TEKTON-3324-18-Inch-Wrecking-Bar/dp/B000NPT684 (use of this photo is for story-line purposes only and is not intended as an endorsement of the product shown)
Wrecking Bar
With everyone watching, I left the office and went to my car, where I grabbed a wrecking bar and walked over to the truck. I walked around the truck a few times while I calmed down, and I realized that as much as smashing the windshield would feel great and likely not cause any legal issues, I would lose my job and I would have a hard time getting another job with the reputation as unstable.
As I walked back across the yard to my car, Brian appeared in his car and rolled up to me, winding down his window. He looked at me as if not at all sure what was going to happen as I stood there with the wrecking bar in my hand.
Brian: Did you?
Me: No. It’s not worth it.
Pause.
Me: You know I am sure you think I am crazy Brian, standing here with a wrecking bar in my hand. But just think about this for a minute. What if a driver takes that truck out loaded and while he is driving along, an owl hits the windshield, and with the crack already there, the windshield collapses into his face and he loses control. What if there is a school bus with 50 kids coming the other way and he hits the bus head on and the wreckage ends up in the ditch, where it leaks gas and explodes, killing all the kids, the bus driver and our driver. Imagine then when there is a lawsuit – and there would be – standing in the witness box when the opposing attorney says to you: And were you aware that the windshield was broken before the accident? And then: If you were aware why didn’t you get it repaired? And then: I have here 10 maintenance requests to have that windshield repaired over a period of three months, why was it not repaired? And then: Would you say that you acted with due diligence in executing the responsibilities of your position?
Think about that, Brian, because that is where this can go. Are you comfortable with that? And are you comfortable with 50 charges of criminal negligence causing death? And are you comfortable with the jail time that comes from not doing your job? I can hear their laughter now when you say: My boss said he couldn’t fix that. The response would just be “Guilty as charged.”
Courtroom in Session
Here I paused and then continued:
Me: If that happened, there would be no question who the world thought was insane, Brian, and it would be you for not doing your job. Breaking the windshield looks pretty good right now doesn’t it?
Brian did not respond to this, and I walked into the office still swinging my wrecking bar. I asked dispatch for another truck, and they assigned me a different unit. I told them that I would not drive the T-2000 until the windshield was repaired.
A few days later, the truck disappeared and when it returned, it had a new windshield installed. I said nothing – just heaved a sigh of relief. Later that week, Brian called me into his office. I was sure I was going to get a lecture on theatrics (not my normal state of mind, believe me) now that the truck was repaired. He asked me to close his door and take a seat – maybe he was going to fire me anyway. I did so and sat waiting for him to speak. He stayed behind his desk but leaned forward and looked directly at me:
Brian: I want you to be my Safety Director. I talked to the owner and he agreed to create a new position for you. Starting salary is negotiable. I would be honored if you took the job.
That is how I ended up as the insane Regional Safety Director for a tanker company.
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Paul Curran and I love to hear from our readers. You may comment on this post, comment on my Facebook or Twitter pages, or email me at cordeliasmom2012@yahoo.com
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Images are linked back to original source (source identified below image).
Cordelia's Mom, Still 
Sometimes you get punished for standing up for what’s right, but other times (the best times) you inspire others to do better and it makes the world a better place. Thanks for sharing your story 🙂
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DBA! Awesome to have you visit and comment. Thank you. Yeah, you know I had no intentions of using our discussion for any purpose other than to get the windshield repaired.I was very surprised and flattered by his offer. In fact i refused and he chased me for a year before I finally gave in. But I did end up as his safety director. Thanks again for the read DBA. Please drop by again.
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Every time 😉
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I nearly commented before reading the post just because, well, you ARE insane. Of course I would have continued to read it because I love your stories (where is your damn book????)
You did the right, admirable thing. You stood your ground, explained the danger in a way that Brian couldn’t help but appreciate (hey, this guy saved me from possibly killing 50 kids and going to jail!) No wonder you were offered the job. Damn good for you.
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Bwahaha! Hey Elyse, you’ve got me nailed. Ha! I’m sure that over the years that I worked as safety director, I did some insane things. Sometimes you just gotta do what works. I know that I surprised many drivers over the years with my perspective or comments. Thank you so very much for the visit. I am honored – please drop by again.
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Love this sort of doggedness, Paul. Great read.
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Hi Jean! I am pleased to see you here – I know you are busy in your life right now. Thanks for the compliment – doggedness is a nice way to put it – I’ve also been called stubborn, obstinate, single-minded, tenacious, relentless, ornery, intractable and so on, to name a few. ha! Thanks so much for the visit Jean, please drop by again.
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The pleasure is all mine, Paul. Loved the post.
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Sometimes, the magic works. Good!! And a very fine read, too.
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Welcome Marilyn! Great to have you visit. Thanks so much for the compliment – I am honored. I am pleased that you enjoyed the post. Please drop by again.
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How about that? More often than not, it seems, people are not rewarded for being passionate about what is right. I am glad you did not break the windshield but bravo for standing up. 🙂
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Hi Victo! Thanks so much for the read and comment and compliment. It was close to that windshield ceasing to exist. i rarely get that worked up but I was used to them
taking care of any reasonable complaints in short order. They really did work hard to maintain a safe fleet – even when it was not to their financial advantage. And I am anal about windshields – over the years my life has been saved countless times by nothing but the windshield. I’ve had owls, rocks, metal form the road, seagulls, blown tire remains from the truck ahead, mudflaps and hangers for other trucks, etc – all hit the windshield at one time or another. At 60 or 70 mph, any one of those would be sufficient to kill the driver or cause loss of control.
thanks for the read – I am honored,please come by again.
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I used to jokingly tell the programmers that worked for me that “if you complain about something, you are simultaneously volunteering to fix it.” You made a compelling argument and it paid off (for them, I hope for you too). You have to think like that if you want to achieve as safe an environment as you can, My wife is a master of worst case scenarios. We joke about it, but sometimes, she makes a very valid point.
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Hi Dan! Great to have you drop by – thank you. Yes, risk management is always a concern. I don’t do a lot of “what if’s” but when a potential outcome – no matter the low probability – is so horrendous, then I am obliged to engage in what if. It is like nuclear power plants – they have a much better safety rating and are more reliable and cost effective than coal or petroleum fired power plants,but the potential horror in case of a massive failure is so unthinkable that many object vociferously. Such is the case of a weak windshield for me. Safety programs usually treat all failures or repairs as equal in importance – which they are for the administration and costing – but for the driver some systems carry much more importance than others.
Thanks so much for the read and comment – I am honored.
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Keeping the driver safe is important. Not only is his life important, but he’s in control of a large, potentially destructive force.
You chose a funny example Paul. The company I work for insures nuclear power plants. They are indeed deeply immersed in a safety culture.
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That’s cool Dan. I am actually pro-nuclear although we have to pay more attention to disposal of depleted nuclear material here in Canada- we need a plan. This business of storing waste at the plants greatly increases risk and is such a short-term solution, Any kind of major external event – such as powerful storms, earthquake, plane crash or in worst case terrorist attack or act of war – would affect the waste as well as the plant , a double whammy that is not necessary. The less radioactive material that is present in any given location, the better.
Anyway, that’s a pretty hot topic Dan,i’m sure you don’t make a habit of identifying your job. My ex worked as a director for Canada Post and she hated telling people in a social situation what she did – everyone has a comment or complaint and everyone figures the world would be better off if only she knew of their problems. I’m sure your work in the nuclear field is the same.
I actually am a big fan of nuclear in many ways. From an early age I wanted to be a nuclear physicist. In university I took physics courses and also non-credit courses in nuclear safety and operations. I also had the honor of operating the little experimental reactor that the university used for scientific research. I also loved quantum mechanics. But I ended up pursuing chemistry instead and then becoming an entrepreneur.
Anyway, cool job you have Dan. Thanks again for dropping by – great comments.
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I was also a chemistry major, Paul. I understand the dangers of nuclear but oil and gas and coal are far from clean and safe. We aren’t advocates for the industry, but it has a remarkable safety record. I love my job, except for when it drives me nuts, but that’s any job. I’ve been there over 28 years. That little experimental reactor probably had insurance from us 🙂
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I think I’m bringing you to our next company safety meeting. You’d have a field day, and so would I watching you. Great job standing up for others while also standing up for yourself. You’ll never know for sure how many — if any — lives you saved. But that in itself is a testament to the fact that your “insanity” was the right choice 😉
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Hi Ned! Thanks so much for dropping by. Yeah, some safety issues are just no brainers – like inadequate lighting or need fire extinguisher. No one objects, no complaints about cost, no argument, no delay – just do it. Others issues are very hard to address because they are not typically discussed or deemed important. it is not always easy for others to see the potential danger inherent in the situation unless you give them some what if’s.
Thanks so much for the visit and I am pleased that you enjoyed the post. Please drop by again. By the way my trip out west is still alive and well – it has been delayed a bit by repairs being done to the rental unit in Vancouver. Should be within the next month – i’ll drop you a line with an eta when I get going.
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My pleasure, Paul — and keep me in the loop should you find yourself near the coast the Great Northwest!
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Jesus, Paul, what a harrowing tale! It could’ve all gone horribly wrong for you. You could’ve been summarily toss out on your hind quarters. Instead, you got a career and might’ve saved a life or two. See that…sometimes the good guys DO win.
My brother was dating a stripper with a volatile temper. During one particularly grueling exchange while in his car, she kicked his windshield with her stripper stiletto heel and put a crack in the glass. It slowly spread. A souvenir.
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Ha! Great story about your brother’s windshield Mark. I was once in another driver’s truck at a hotel with his girlfriend when he came out drunk. He threw a beer bottle at his own truck and broke his windshield. Ha!
It is great to have you drop by for a visit Mark – I am honored. Sometimes when you are sure you are right you just have to do what is necessary regardless of the consequences. That’s not something I do often – I could count the number of times in 50+ years on the fingers of one hand – but when it i needed it is needed.
Thanks for the read and I am pleased you enjoyed the post. Please come again.
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Great read, Paul.
By the way, what do you mean you need something to do?
You’re busy rocking the internet to its core, aren’t you?
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Ha! Welcome Hook! Awesome that you dropped by. Oh yeah the interwebs keep my little brain busy but my body needs some exercise.You go out and do productive work while you collect stories Hook. I’ve so far been mostly writing memories, with the occasional character story about the local residents. There are limits to that whereas as long as you are working there are no limits to your stories. It is difficult with my handicap but i have to improve my physical activity. i actually went to see a doctor a while back about a health problem.he acknowledged the problem and then told me that at my age and condition i would be better off to avoid the problem and he would not fix it ( it requires surgery but doesn’t cause me any pain). Pisses me off but what can you do? I need to find a solution.
Thanks so much for dropping by Hook – it is a pleasure and an honor to have you come for a read and comment. Please drop by again
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Will do, good buddy.
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Good for you, Paul, for standing up for the right thing! And for creating the descriptive scenario for Brian to see what might happen if he didn’t do the right thing!
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Thanks magickmermaid for the compliment and for the visit. Sometimes you have to paint a picture for others so they can see more clearly. I’m pleased that you enjoyed the story and am honored that you dropped by. Please come again.
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Not how I thought that one was going to end! Who knew owls caused such problems?
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That’s right, you’ve hosted owl families in your trees before – I forgot about that. Ha! Thanks so much for coming by Kerbey. I am pleased that you enjoyed the post. Years ago when I worked in Nova Scotia, one of our Mack trucks came back to the yard with the whole passengers side windshield smashed inside the cab. The dashboard was covered with blood and the gauge faces broken. The driver had struck an owl and it had come right through the windshield – thankfully the passengers side. It was still alive and spread its wings and began thumping around inside the cab. the driver pulled over and opened the passengers door and the owl jumped out and strutted into the trees.It did about $5,000 damage inside the truck. So yes they do hit trucks sometimes.
The ending surprised me too when it happened. One of those OMG moments i life. Thanks for the visit Kerbey. Please come by again. 😀
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I cannot begin to imagine how frightening that must have been!
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Ha! Great story, Paul. Now if that had been me, yep, she’s quite insane and I would have been fired for sure. Would have been worth it however, there are simply some things you have to stand up for. 🙂
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Absolutely IB, absolutely. Brian was a very passionate man himself and although he may not have agreed with me he would certainly would support my right to get passionate. That saved me. Thanks so much for the visit IB, please come again.
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What a great story Paul! Credit goes to you for being willing to risk your job to do what was right. And credit also to Brian, who was able not only to listen to the points you made, but to take them back to HIS boss, and to both of them for seeing your actions as an opportunity and not an obstacle (that might need to be removed). The ripples from your actions were certainly widespread.
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Hey Barb! I wasn’t expecting to hear from you today as i knew you were at the annual Bloggers Ball in London. Yeah Brian was the best boss I ever had – he could handle passion easily. When I got sick i screwed that relationship – my fault. But, he was cool. I try to do what I see as right but you know it is seldom easy or simple. Thanks so much for dropping by Barb, especially since you are so busy today. When I heard y’all were going to the Blogger’s Ball, it triggered this memory for Dr. Hook – Ha! :
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Paul – you are a Dr. Hook fan? I got the album this song is on (Sloppy Seconds) on my 13th bday. Good taste, my friend!!!
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Bwahaha! Love their music Sadie – Sylvia’s Mother, Queen of the Silver Dollar, etc.
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Me, too!!! Actually I was listening to it the other day, so was really surprised when it popped up on your post 🙂 Not everybody knows who they are!
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Enjoyed the read. And it actually makes me take stock of some things that have been bothering me at work for safety reasons. Thanks, Paul.
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Great to see you here Fromscratchmom. Welcome. Yes, some safety items are difficult to address. I will be honest FSM, there are things that cannot be changed, that have to involve education and warnings. For instance we had fuel delivery to a privately owned gas station that was leased to a major oil company. The owner had had damage done to his fill pipes by cars hitting them,so he put a guard rail across in front of the fills. It was about 30 inches high and ran for about 100 feet. It was a major tripping hazard for our drivers and we had at least two drivers injured from falls. The rail was too long to run the hoses around, so they had to go over it. In winter there was snow and ice on both sides. We actually took it to the labor board and they said they were powerless as it was private property. It was a big contract for the company so they would not refuse delivery. They did allow whatever time it took for the delivery, so the drivers were not rushed.
It gets pretty grey sometimes FSM. I wish you the best of luck – it is always worth the effort but the outcome is not always the desired one.
Thanks so much for dropping by,.Please come again.
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I did take a pinchbar to the windscreen (=wrecking bar to the windshield) figuratively on several occasions which got me into hot water. Perhaps our employment laws here provide better protection in cases like this? Firing someone for refusing to break the law is likely to be an expensive exercise for an employer here.
Most of my working life I worked for a multinational I.T. company and I had no hesitation in rendering equipment incapable of being connected to the electricity supply if I believed to to be a potential hazard. I’ll never know if I saved someone’s life, but I know I would have difficulty living with myself if someone was killed because of my inaction.
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Hi Barry! Oh, indeed I have made some late night adjustments myself – absolutely. The windscreen though was a bit big to sabotage. 😀 We have strict laws here too but the problem is that it is easy to blackball an employee. Giving them a bad reference or circulating what they did would have all employers backing away.No one wants to inherit someone else’s problem. If I found a fault that I could have worked with but did not feel comfortable it would be addressed, I would help it along. But that said, if something broke on a trip I would do everything in my power to effect a temporary repair to get the truck back. It would have to be a major fault for me to call for help – fair is fair. I’ve chained up axles (empty) when brakes seized on, I’ve bypassed suspension valves so the wheels just sat on the ground and carried no weight, I’ve temporarily repaired fuel tanks to get back, I’ve bypassed electrical panels to get back, and so on. In each case I made sure it would not go back out until repaired.
I tried to be fair Barry and if that meant refusing an unsafe truck or finding a way to limp it back on a trip, it was a challenge.
Thanks so much for dropping by and charging up a comment. Please come again.
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Loved it! I’ve been thinking lately of the “Is this going to be the hill I die on?” type of thought process– it is good to know what fights are worth fighting, and to what extent. As usual, Paul, a lovely read. 🙂
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Thanks so much Rara for dropping by. It is always a pleasure to have you comment. I hope that things are looking up for you – you could use a break. Your posts are amazing as usual – the nasty sack was so neat that you turned it into a flower. Bringing light and beauty into such a dark and dangerous place astounds me. You remind me of the Air Supply song “Making Love out of Nothing At All”
Thanks so \much for visiting Rara. Take good care. Thud!
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you clearly have grit )
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Hi Beth! Thanks so much for dropping by. You know my self-image does not contain the concept of grit. I’m just a chicken at heart. I’ll give the benefit of the doubt, I’ll choose arbitration over negotiation, I’ll help more than I should, i have a hard time enforcing deadlines, and so on. It’s just that every now and then when all else fails, my Mr. Hyde pops out. It’s not grit believe me.
Thanks so much for dropping by Beth. Please come again.
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We need the insane person to leaven the otherwise stultifying homogeneity of society. People are sheep, they congregate and “baa” the same things. It’s the outliers who provide the agitation to stir the pot.
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Thanks so much for dropping by shimoniac – I am honored. What you say is true – we get complacent and expect the same thing over and over and seldom think about bucking authority. When someone comes along who says clearly – NO MORE – we often see it as insane. that is often the job of the safety director – upsetting the apple cart to improve conditions. I say Down With the Nazis. Ha! That job truly brought out the insane on me – quite refreshing.
Thanks so much for the visit and comment.Please come by again.
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Proof once again that sticking to your principles is the right way to go, Mr. Paul Curran!
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Thanks so very much Marek! I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
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LOL! You’re insane, Paul! But for a good cause. Good job and congrats on a well deserved promotion!╭( ･ㅂ･)و ̑̑
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Hi NBC! Thanks a heap for strolling over for a read and comment. I’m pleased that you liked the post and thanks for the compliment. Do scratch your way over again. 😀
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Sure, Paul! （*’∀’人）
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Well done, you!! I got fired, but I’d do it again. Maybe you should have a customer patch with a straightjacket on it for the insane Safety Director!!
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Bwahaha! Well said Jeffrey – there were days in that job when I was sure it was a job requirement to be insane. Ha! In so many ways. I ended up with all the responsibilities that didn;t fit into anyone else’s job. We had about 30 B-train tankers (two trailers totaling 80 feet long with 30 wheels and weighing 140,000 when loaded) and our head office was 300 miles away. All major maintenance was done at HO but we had a lot of business in that area so it wasn’t a problem getting the units there for repairs. I sent a driver up (with a load) for an inspection and the next day the fleet manager called me. He told me that he was looking at the truck and there was a dent the size and depth of a quarter on the rear bumper. Now these bumpers were solid steel for impact purposes (so a rear end could not hit the tank itself) and painted battleship grey. They were not chrome or decorated or in any way there for appearances. i told him I was not aware of that – no one had reported it and it could easily have happened without anyone knowing.In fact the maintenance garage in our terminal was public and other trucks came and went and could have easily touched one of our tankers while turning in the yard. The fleet manager went ballistic and told me I was personally responsible for every mark on every truck and that if I didn’t know then I had better find out how it happened. And failing that i might find my job in jeopardy. I went ballistic (I remember standing up from my desk I was so angry). i told him that there was no way to discover how that mark had gotten there and if he was going to fire me he had best do it right now because the situation wasn’t going to change. I then asked if he was firing me and I pushed and pushed and pushed and he backed down with a mumble about i had better find out. I put in my resignation that afternoon and requested to be allowed to go back to trucking.
It was insane for sure Jeffrey.
Thanks so much for dropping by – please come again.
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Remind me to never p!$$ you off!! And have I told you how much I like you?
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We wanted a cut scene with that crowbar!
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Jason! Awesome to have you drop by. A pleasure to hear from you as always. I trust all is well in Colorado. Ha! Yeah we typically carried the wrecking bars to open frozen or twisted in-ground tank fill pipes. They were also handy for breaking off padlocks when someone neglected to give us a key for delivery. I didn’t typically use mine on my truck – but, hey, whatever works. HA! I really did intend to break out the windshield, it’s just that I cooled down a bit before i got to the truck. Good thing it wasn’t parked closer. 😀
Please drop by again Jason – I’m glad you enjoyed the post. Take care.
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When you are right, you are right. So few have strength of their convictions.
Have a feeling you save the theatrics and guilt trips for when it’s important – and windshields are definitely critical.
Gotta love some who doesn’t blnk in a staredown.
great story
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Hi Phil! Glad you got chance to drop by – I know you are pretty much off-line this month. I hadn’t thought of it in terms of a staredown, but in a way you are right. Interestingly enough I also didn’t recognize it as theatrics until after the fact. Ha! I just wanted it to get the windshield fixed. I hope that the weather is improving down your way – you guys sure need a break, I’m sure HRH is starting to mold. ha!
Thanks again for dropping by Phil – I am honored.
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You got the point across…channeling your inner predator cat or alien or something. Instinct and knowing what you are up against worked – and spotlighted your talent/abilities.
It is nuts here for the next few weeks.
Storms yesterday – and more today. On the bright side, RC is thrilled with the lantana outside her window where the new birdlings hop around the branches and nibble.
Hope your summer is hopping, too
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You certainly did the right thing. Indeed, you may have saved lives. Glad you stuck by your guns.
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Thanks so much lbeth. It’s great to have you drop by and I’m pleased that you enjoyed the story. Please visit again.
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Well done Paul you prove again and again you are an honest , brave and deeply good person!! ❤
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As an aside CM I just did a guest post over at Mark Bialczak’s and I would be honored if you had the time to drop by. Thank You. https://markbialczak.com/2016/06/19/janices-bicyle/comment-page-1/#comment-80839
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You are exactly the kind of guy I would love to work with – love that you pulled that “Nuremburg trials” comment out – sometimes we have to throw strong words around to get people’s attention. I used to work for a guy who was a Ph.D. in Psychology, Safety, Warnings & Human Factors – he consulted as an expert testimony witness in many lawsuits over the last few decades. I would review all the discovery and pull out what he needed into one report, saving him many hours of work. I have to admit, most of it was fascinating work, and I learned a lot! I would love to work in safety, but I have learned, employers typically don’t want things pointed out unless in their mind it is something big . . .
As usual – enjoyed the read 🙂
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Thanks so much Sadie for the compliment and the read. I’m glad you enjoyed the story. health and Safety are a challenge for sure – I’ve seen more H&S people burnt out or no longer caring The only way to look at it is that when you get even one thing changed, you may have helped someone or saved someone from injury or death. Trying to approach it like other jobs – by fixing everything – is a sure death sentence. Your boss was right – many companies do not want to hear it or are so biased that they don’t see what they are doing. My boss always said safety came first. We had a set of fuel tankers where the saftey valve was broken open. They were still usable as the delivery vales were fine. The safety valves sit indented into the bottom of the tank and in case of an accident involving the delivery piping and /or delivery valves, they can be used to stop the flow of fuel. Obviously of thye are broken open then deliveries can go on as normal but in an emergency there is no backup. Anyway these trailers were going up and down the road and being written up regularly. I finally went to see the boss and told him he did not put safety first – he put operations first. He disagreed. I told him that if those safety valves were broken closed so the tank couldn’t be used that it would be fixed before the end of the day. Now that it was broken open and did not affect operations but only safety – he had put off fixing it for weeks.He had it fixed by the next day.
Honestly Sadie,many folks don’t even think about safety. Thanks so much for the visit – great to see you here.
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