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Re:Safety Meeting by nimbius on Saturday February 01, 2020 @09:07AM (#22210553)
>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.

Re:Safety Meeting by kjsthree on Saturday February 01, 2020 @12:01PM (#22211558)
I’m just glad there are diesel mechanics contributing on HN.
Re:Safety Meeting by bumby on Saturday February 01, 2020 @01:36PM (#22212261)
> A rather childish way to see it

I think that’s part of the point. This isn’t a journal article. It’s art, as the author says. It’s meant to in part reflect the emotional space of the experience, not necessarily speak to some objective truth.

I’ve been part of these types of safety meetings/safety standowns for much of my career. And while maybe not the most mature interpretation of the meeting intent it definitely reflects many or most attendees attitudes towards them. As art, I think the author did a fine job capturing that sentiment.

Re:Safety Meeting by oblib on Saturday February 01, 2020 @04:18PM (#22213302)
I read this like I would read Mark Twain, or Vonnegut, or Steinbeck.

It's not about what I do for a living, or have done for one. It's a collection of thoughts and feelings based on the experiences of a character's life.

This work stands quite well with some of their short stories.

Re:Safety Meeting by paddy_m on Saturday February 01, 2020 @12:45PM (#22211852)
Nimbius. Awesome to see mechanics here. I'm a programmer working on a startup in the heavy equipment space. I would like to talk to you, my email is in my profile.
Re:Safety Meeting by solidist on Saturday February 01, 2020 @09:17AM (#22210599)
"A rather childish way to see it."

Defends a meeting, defends a process. Brillance.

Re:Safety Meeting by kens on Saturday February 01, 2020 @02:50PM (#22212779)
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
Re:Safety Meeting by jonahx on Saturday February 01, 2020 @04:25PM (#22213343)
These videos are absolutely fantastic. I've recommended them to many people, including non-technical friends.
Re:Safety Meeting by nolroz on Saturday February 01, 2020 @09:48AM (#22210747)
When I worked in light construction "safety meeting" was code for smoking weed in the trailer.
Re:Safety Meeting by HeyLaughingBoy on Saturday February 01, 2020 @01:13PM (#22212068)
That's exactly what I thought this was going to be about :-)
Re:Safety Meeting by stanferder on Saturday February 01, 2020 @12:24PM (#22211683)
Smoking weed while wearing a hardhat seems out-of-whack.
Re:Safety Meeting by gbmor on Saturday February 01, 2020 @02:08PM (#22212512)
That's the meaning I'm familiar with as well
Re:Safety Meeting by spchampion2 on Saturday February 01, 2020 @04:09PM (#22213250)
> 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.

Re:Safety Meeting by bobbiechen on Saturday February 01, 2020 @02:45PM (#22212745)
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.

Re:Safety Meeting by e40 on Saturday February 01, 2020 @10:34AM (#22211026)
This reminds me of a zine from the 90s called Dishwasher. Exceptional people working regular jobs and writing about it.
Re:Safety Meeting by ydnaclementine on Saturday February 01, 2020 @10:54PM (#22215040)
>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.

Re:Safety Meeting by oblib on Saturday February 01, 2020 @04:08PM (#22213246)
Wow... I got sucked entirely into that.

Thank your for the share mstats!