Safety

safety is one of the most talked subject in any industry. And glass industry is also not an exception. There are not many but a few things that can create an unsafe situation or accident in a work place.
Mere negligence or ignorance are the contributors most of the time.
But here I would like to mention one real incident happened in a glass industry that might not have happened because of the above said reasons!
That was a night shift somewhere around 20 years back. Brightness of the falling gobs, music of IS machines and the white fumes generated by swabbing were accompanied by the whistling of some funny operators!
At some point of time, almost closer to the midnight, the incident happened...
Mr.Operator was sitting in a chair infront of the machine with half or fully closed eyes!
One gob missed the delivery!
Other operators from nearest machines raised alarm...
Mr.Operator opened his eyes ... Unbelievable...
Fallen gob on the deflector bracket becoming a fire...
Mr.Operator become panic and searched here and there...
There was a bucket full of liquid under a table. With great relief Mr.Operator tried to put off the fire with the help of the liquid.
Unfortunate!
The liquid was not water ... It was some kind of lubrication oil!
Nothing to say more... The fire ate everything!
By the time the fire fighters put their step in, the so called IS machines became skeleton.
Further investigation into the incident revealed that Mr.Operator was drunken.
What to say, it is very easy to say Safety... But very difficult to practice safety unless and until we are dedicated to it.

Glass Every day Life

During winter, when we are sleeping under a woolen blanket, with utmost comfort…

the alarm ringing…

what a nuisance!

But I have to wake up… I have to go for office…

I stopped the alarm.

Then the light in the room is ON! My wife is there with a cup of coffee… she want me to come out of the bed!

I looked on the alarm… I looked on the lights… I looked at the coffee cup…all are made out of Glass!!!

I went to the bath room…Oh there is Mirror!!! Another piece of Glass!

I was sitting beside the dining table. There is a big glass sheet over the table to beautify or to protect it?

I looked for the remote to start the Television…  the screen! The screen of my TV is glass!

My wife was busy in the kitchen. she was doing something in the oven. doing something with Glass Bowls! I looked into the kitchen. A good number of Glass jars...oil bottles...glass plates...glass tumblers! Kitchen is full of glass!

The door bell is ringing!

I looked through the peep hole. I can see somebody outside in bigger size! Thanks to the lens fitted in the peep hole. Lens! Again glass.

I found the milk boy outside, with a long big glass bottle!

The daily newspaper was also there on the door step. I sat on the chair to read it. But I can’t!

The letters are too small!

My little daughter was watching all these things. She came to me with my Spects!!

Again a piece of glass, which helps me to read!

I saw bangles on my daughter’s hand! I saw some beads on her hair, which is attached to some clips to tie up her long hair! All are Glass!!

My phone is ringing. New Samsung touch screen!!

Touch screen! Also a piece of Glass!

I was ready for office. Took my favorite perfume…Isamiyake… Really it is a glass bottle!

About to start my car. Oh! The car is full of Glass! All windows are made with Glass!

On the way, I was watching the city. I was watching the buildings. Everywhere there glass! Windows, decorating pieces!

There was an aquarium in the reception. With Glass!

The big lamps hanging from the roof of the visitors area! Are made out of Glass!

My office table has big Glass sheet!

After a days tiresome work, I joined my friends in nearby bar…

Amazing! A gallery of Glass! Different size,Shape,Colour…

My friend was squeezing the neck of a Black Label Bottle….Glass!!!

After a long time of enjoyment, I looked at my watch…

Time 12 midnight. The watch dial cover is again Glassss!!!

First Impression

When I joined in a glass industry, one of my senior colleague was telling me about his first day experience. As you know, the forming department is always a little different, considering mostly about the working environment!

The temperature, sound of blowers, fast moving equipments , scene of falling Gobs!!!

My friend was entering into the forming area. He found the same things! He heard the same noises!

Any amount of protective equipment will not make too much difference for a new comer, because he has to stay there for a long time… to finish his duty hours atleast!

Over and above my friend saw somebody on the top feeder platforms!

A man standing in the midst of Smoke and Flames!

He asked somebody. “Who is that man?”

The answer was… ‘That is the Production Manager’

My friend was laughing when he explained this to me…

He said me about his first impression, “If this is the case of a Production Manager, imagine how I will be here!!!”

Most of the new comers to the industry, especially to Forming department will face similar type of experiences; not because of work load or something. But because of the environment they are supposed to work.

However the situation I described here happened years back…

Now the modern plants are far better! Thanks to the Technology and Safety awareness!!!

Why this blog

Why a blog for container glass? Ever since I started thinking about a blog of my own, this question was in my mind.
We have enough number of Experts, consultants, service providers, glass sites and even to some extent books which include the manuals supplied by the manufacturers to enhance our knowledge, performance, skill or whatever!!!
But I never come across something like that which shares the experience of people faced during their career!
Looking back to my career which started 21 years ago, I faced a lot of challenges, lot of funny incidents, gained quite a good amount of knowledge from glass industry.
Then I started thinking again!
Why I should not start a blog of my own?
To share my knowledge...
To share my experience...
And finally to help the new comers to come out of the hardships they face during the start up of this extremely hard job. When I say Extremely Hard... it does not mean the physical or mental hard work!
It means the extremely difficult situation in the glass industry for a new comer to gain knowledge!
So let it be a small step!
Every journey starts with a small step!!!