Workin and dying

Yeah he had the mill going CW so it just put a dent in the motors can cover and dropped his end mill. But with the lathe, the chuck key put a whole in the roof of the place.

It was at school, and the teacher made him tie the key/wrench to his hand the rest of the semester.

 

When I was falling for the BCFS and other timber companies, the risk was higher than most jobs. Most likely cause was helicopter crashes (generally there would be a crash every few years). There was one one a fire I was working on in Northern Alberta. We weren't on the helicopter for the most dangerous job (anything involving long-lining). The next most dangerous gig was falling. I had two bad encounters. One was refalling a tree that a trainee had sit back on him. The other I misread the tension in a log while bucking (which can be pretty tricky to read) and had a log pivot on me and clip me pretty good. I also had a completely random tree fall about 6 feet from where I was standing (it was rotten and wind blew it over).

I've also had a few pretty nasty encounters with bears on the job, but I've never heard of anyone getting killed by one. I've never really come close to a burnover either.

Why would people risk their lives for money? Shit, I love falling trees and I love helicopters and I love big fire. The fact that there is danger makes it exciting, and the adrenaline rush is often worth it alone.

 

I work with machinery; however, safety is first, quality is second, and productivity is third. I feel pretty secure at work.

 

I operate this at work sometimes:



^It's a 54 foot reach forklift. I had to drive it across the air force base I'm working on to pick up a gang box full of stuff from another jobsite there (about ten miles away).

My escort said I was going under the speed limit (25 mph) on the way there to pick it up. The engine was screaming as if it was going to blow up, even though I was in high gear. I'd never been on the road in a forklift before. The monster took up every inch of the road too. It was scary passing cars along the way and trying not to hit curbs at the same time.

On the way back I punched the gas (floored it) to get to the speed limit. The escort told me I was doing 25 to 30 mph then. It had a governor so that was as fast as it would go, thankfully.

I had to keep the load low too so my vision was impaired the whole way back. And the gang box was bouncing around on every bump too. There are no shocks on those things, lol.

The box almost bounced off the forks into a car that I passed. It was tied to the forks with a piece of electrical wire instead of a proper strap thanks to my escort planning ahead.

I remember seeing one driver in a car that I passed had a hat on with leaves on the brim (probably a General). Missed him by inches.

The steering is so tight on those things, all I'd have had to do was sneeze and turn the wheel to the left one inch and I could've squished someone like a bug.

My nerves were shot by the time I got back with that damned gang box.

 

+rep......That Was A Very Interesting Read...



Cheers Glen.

 

Impressive.

I don't know much about forklifts. What is your opinion on the technique these two people are using to lower a tank?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=gGGYoZ5vp7A

 

Hillbilly. :juggle:

Also, I don't know about Nam, but Larry didn't put his seatbelt on.