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.

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!!!