Safety Notes

I have always considered myself to work in a pretty safe manner. What I mean by that is I wear safety classes, gloves, and ear plugs as second nature. My father, a oil refinery machinist, preached safety to me when growing up and as my career developed in the oil and gas industry, safety has always been first and foremost. As we do at work, when we have a near miss, we tell others and hope that we can all learn from it.

This past week I was assembling the rear brake assemblies. As I was trying to install a spring that holds down a brake shoe to the backing plate, the spring slipped loose and hit me square in the eye. The spring came off with such velocity that I felt the impact before I realized that I had lost it. I came off with such force that it left a pretty good groove in the glasses. I have to say I was stunned. If I were not wearing my safety glasses, it's likely that I might have had some serious eye damage.



So here is my safety thought for the day; Always wear your safety glasses when working with springs. It doesn't matter which way the spring is pointed, it can ricochet off of something else and come back at you.

Remember, it's a hobby. Don't force yourself to work on something. If it is frustrating you becuase it doesn't fit like you want it to, walk away. Come back later when you have a clear head.