ghostntheshell
Well-Known Member
My Dad worked in a mine / smelting facility. He started when he was around 18 (loooong time ago) and he walked off the job on his first day because of unsafe working conditions. The job they put him in involved almost zero visibility and there was unprotected moving machinery and was pretty much disaster waiting to happen.
His boss told him that he would be firing him. His boss never ended up firing him, and he later became one of the major driving forces for work place safety in his company. They promoted him, about the middle of his career to management - and he did the job briefly - but then resigned to his old position and continued his efforts in making the workplace safer. Giving up his nice raise and office job.
During the years growing up, I remember he would come home very sad. My mother would tell me that one of his friends died at work. More people died in those mines than the police and fire services in our city combined.
I remember hearing stories.
One guys job was to take an iron pole and try to unjam a chute. Every so many seconds, a large hammer would come down the chute to do whatever it did. The trick was timing it.
Well, it wasn't timed properly this time for whatever reason, and the pole got jammed by the hammer - and the pole shot straight up. Through the guys head. From the bottom of his chin to the top.
Another guy was running over pots of molten metal of sorts - and he knew after a certain amount of time - they crusted over - although still hot to the touch, they were solid enough to support the weight of a human. Normally, you couldn't break through the crust if you were trying to. Guys did this all the time. It would save you 15 minutes of detour walking - and you could extend your breaks accordingly.
For whatever reason, this pot in particular didn't crust hard enough - and as the guy jumped in, he sunk waist deep in molten metal. Needless to say he didn't make it.
My own father lost his index finger. It was crushed by a large pot of sorts. A chain broke - and he was standing directly underneath it. His finger took the blow. Thank god. Had been standing in any different location, he could just as easily have been killed.
As the story goes they gave him a case of beer for his troubles.
Closer to my dads retirement, he had lunch with an old friend. The guy was working well past his retirement age. During lunch mu father asked him why he was still working - and he advised he still had a daughter in University and he was paying the way.
45 minutes later, the guy was checking an oxygen line. The line/valve blew and he subsequently was doused in flames. He died a few days later.
Those are just a couple of the stories I remember. Those were his friends. Many other died, either on different shifts, or their stories have slipped my mind - as I was a lot younger when I heard these stories.
Only as an adult can I appreciate the risk my father endured to provide his family with a good life. My school was paid for. I always had a car (even if they were on their last legs
. The same goes for my sisters.
He and his co-workers have changed the face of that company with their own blood and sweat. Yes, it's still a dangerous job - but there are many policies and equipment protections available now.
That was a long and somewhat off topic post.
His boss told him that he would be firing him. His boss never ended up firing him, and he later became one of the major driving forces for work place safety in his company. They promoted him, about the middle of his career to management - and he did the job briefly - but then resigned to his old position and continued his efforts in making the workplace safer. Giving up his nice raise and office job.
During the years growing up, I remember he would come home very sad. My mother would tell me that one of his friends died at work. More people died in those mines than the police and fire services in our city combined.
I remember hearing stories.
One guys job was to take an iron pole and try to unjam a chute. Every so many seconds, a large hammer would come down the chute to do whatever it did. The trick was timing it.
Well, it wasn't timed properly this time for whatever reason, and the pole got jammed by the hammer - and the pole shot straight up. Through the guys head. From the bottom of his chin to the top.
Another guy was running over pots of molten metal of sorts - and he knew after a certain amount of time - they crusted over - although still hot to the touch, they were solid enough to support the weight of a human. Normally, you couldn't break through the crust if you were trying to. Guys did this all the time. It would save you 15 minutes of detour walking - and you could extend your breaks accordingly.
For whatever reason, this pot in particular didn't crust hard enough - and as the guy jumped in, he sunk waist deep in molten metal. Needless to say he didn't make it.
My own father lost his index finger. It was crushed by a large pot of sorts. A chain broke - and he was standing directly underneath it. His finger took the blow. Thank god. Had been standing in any different location, he could just as easily have been killed.
As the story goes they gave him a case of beer for his troubles.
Closer to my dads retirement, he had lunch with an old friend. The guy was working well past his retirement age. During lunch mu father asked him why he was still working - and he advised he still had a daughter in University and he was paying the way.
45 minutes later, the guy was checking an oxygen line. The line/valve blew and he subsequently was doused in flames. He died a few days later.
Those are just a couple of the stories I remember. Those were his friends. Many other died, either on different shifts, or their stories have slipped my mind - as I was a lot younger when I heard these stories.
Only as an adult can I appreciate the risk my father endured to provide his family with a good life. My school was paid for. I always had a car (even if they were on their last legs
. The same goes for my sisters.He and his co-workers have changed the face of that company with their own blood and sweat. Yes, it's still a dangerous job - but there are many policies and equipment protections available now.
That was a long and somewhat off topic post.
