In a Split Second

. In a split second, that is all it may take- one brief moment of inattention and you are finding yourself in trouble.












Early this morning one of my co-workers paid the price for not following protocol. We work in a yarn manufacturing plant. We create specialty yarms for all manner of purposes. In my department our yarn can be for anything from uphoulstery to clothing to hand craft yarns. It is important that you pay full attention to what you are doing. Working around machinery there are rules. You can't wear certain types of clothing. You can't wear dangly jewelry. Long hair had to be pinned up carefully, no pony tales flopping loose. Authorized personell only can use knives. Mostly we are told, be careful. Practice work place safety. No open toed shoes...watch where you put your hands and fingers. Don't wrap any yarn around your hand or fingers when working on an end. Don't hold waste in your hand when putting up an end.



It only takes a second.







When you are working, running any sort of the machines in our plant- you must..must pay 100% attention. You can't let your mind wander. You can't come in without sleep or feeling sick to where you can't concentrate or focus. You can't blindly reach into a machine, grab for an end that is messing up without thought. You can't use a knife or worse a blade to cut laps off a frame. You can't leave your job in a mess, air hose tangled and waiting for a mistep. You have to concentrate and pay attention..







Today, early in the shift a co-worker was injured. A technician for the machines that share the room in which I work. I was up at the farthest machine from the office when I heard my name..I could tell when I looked that what ever it was they were calling me for- it wasn't good.



I won't go into the details, they aren't pretty. But he had broken the cardinal rule, he had waste in his hand when he was putting up an end and the fast turning roller grabbed it. We got him an ice pack, we got his hand wrapped up along with the parts that were supposed to be attached...I cleaned up the floor..we ended up sending one who had helped and then went into something akin to shock home.







In the space of a second.







And it isn't just about a manufacturing job. No matter what you are doing, concentration and full attention is key to staying safe. Don't start cooking and wander off. Don't start running water for a bath (and not check the temps) and wander off to do --a quick something--only to come back to a flooded room. Or a tub of water scalding hot. Don't get in your vehicle and drive down the road sending text messages, talking to your best friend or family. Don't do anything that is going to take your attention off what you are doing.







It only takes a second.







For an accident to happen. For a fire to start, for a wreck to occur, for a hand to get caught in a machine.







Most accidents can be prevented.....if we pay attention, focus, concentrate, stay awake. Because it does only take a split second...



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