EVERY WORKER

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4 WorkplaceSafetyNorth.ca BY MIKE MITCHELL
"Six hours, 25 minutes on the operating table, an incision over 28 inches long, nine six-inch screws, 97 staples, and generous amounts of pain later" It would seem only right to first apologize for not practising what I preach, I made the poorest of poor decisions. At the same time, let me explain how easy it was to “talk myself” into getting where I am now. The job was to develop a lockout for piping changes during a mill shutdown. About a dozen valves, some would be used every five years or so but a couple probably had never been used since they were installed. In order to help the lockout go smoothly, I decided to lubricate these valves before the shutdown. I chose the easiest one to start with, on a pipe about eight feet off the ground. Ladders were being furiously collected at this time for the shutdown and I was left with the bottom half of a 16-foot extension, a little beat up but still functional with decent feet. Because of cable trays and other piping, I could not get the ladder as vertical as needed – little better than 45 degrees. It looked ugly and I knew it. Worse, there was no place to tie off the bottom. I examined the options, walking away, finding a better ladder, waiting for help or taking a chance. Being the patient type I am, I looked again at the height and chose the last one. I figured at best I’d be six feet off the ground and I could jump if anything happened. How could I get hurt? From here my day went downhill. I bounced on the third rung a couple of times. It did not move so I decided it was good to go. I’d just got eye level with the cable tray and was transferring tools when I heard/felt the ladder start to slip. Instinctively I grabbed the ladder tighter (fat lot of use that was!), next I was on the ground. That fast. The plan to jump, you ask? Not a hope. Not even time to think about it. So, to return to the question six feet can’t hurt, can it? Six hours, 25 minutes on the operating table, an incision over 28-inches long, nine six-inch screws, 97 staples, and generous amounts of pain later, I can assure you it can! The picture says a thousand words. Bottom line, I’m sworn off ladders for life and my thought process has changed dramatically. (Closing the door on an empty stable?) Faced with countless similar choices workers meet regularly, I hope you would contemplate what happened to me when making your decisions. This is one example you don’t want to follow. Oh, by the way, that valve I was so “gung-ho” to grease? I later heard it closed like a “piece of cake” without it. Go figure. Mike Mitchell, of Sault Ste. Marie, “(eventually) walked away with no ill effects” and is now retired. <strong>EVERY</strong> <strong>WORKER</strong> 5
Page 1 and 2: WINTER 2013 EVERY WORKER A WSN HEAL
Page 3: EVERY WORKER A WSN HEALTH AND SAFET
Page 7 and 8: Many of the companies that particip
Page 9 and 10: HAZARD ALERT! PAPER, PRINTING AND C
Page 11 and 12: HAZARD ALERT! MINING SECTOR Worker
Page 13 and 14: HAZARD ALERT! FORESTRY SECTOR Routi
Page 15 and 16: Free ‘Home’ Delivery Available

EVERY WORKER

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