It's pouring, it's raining; you really should be training.
Really you could be getting your OSHA 10 card today. The entire northeast will be wet for the next few days and many jobsites will slow down operations because of the weather. So why not do something productive -- like get trained. This would real nice for the guys slaving over at Belmont Ridge Road.
What a coincidence -- the least safe job site I have ever seen in my life is actually right next to the bike trail!
On Belmont Ridge Road, there is a new Mini Storage place going in: they've done extensive excavation and blasting, lots of grading and clearing, started paving and started masonry. Today, on my way home from the trail, ABSOLUTELY NO ON WAS WEARING A HELMET!!!!!
Mini Storage = not sexy; which means the guys are probably really low-paid; and the job is being run on a really tight margin. But what the eff? Shouldn't someone step in a get these guys some basic PPE even just some helmets? I couldn't tell from the road, but I'm guessing there was no hearing protection, eye protection or steel-toed boots either.
So our chums at
Safety Watch are keeping the world safe one respirator at a time. I wish we had a similar statement to make about the status of construction here in Northern Virginia or the status of the W&OD bike trail.
Why do people get speeding tickets or drunk drivers spend time in jail? Is it because speeders and drunks will get in accidents? No, it is not. These idiots get tickets and jail time because they are creating the conditions that allow accidents to happen; and when the accident actually happens, that's when the bad things start -- loss of money, loss of life, bad things.
So why doesn't the construction company that sends people into the field without helmets, hearing protection, gloves, boots or training get a ticket? A little financial pinch to get their attention? Well, I guess there the never-present OSHA inspector to slap a little fine on ne'er-do-well employers.
And what about the bike trail -- eek! Lots of safety issues. Look them up at
Safety Insite.
"Find something you love to do and you'll never work a day in your life."I don't know who said it, but man, is it true.
Basketball practices never seemed like work; band practices never were a burden. But unfortunately, I am 6' 1", can't jump, tone-deaf, and, well, generally not well-suited for the NBA or a Grammy award. Enter cycling and safety; but how and where do those interests intersect? On the W&OD Trail.
RunFast.net is now in the process of using its Safety Insite product (hand held inspection SW) to inspect the length of the W&OD trail in Loudoun County VA. You can check out the results to date at
www.safetyinsite.com, username and password are 'trailuser'.
