Industrial work possesses a lot of risk, from the environment to the use of the tools involved. Unskilled or uneducated implementation can result in serious injuries or high costs; if the worker is knowledgeable about their tools, then the danger lies in quality. Worn and outdated machine tools can pose just as much risk in the hands of a professional as in those of a greenhorn.
Take this accident in Midtown, NYC as a reminder that it’s time to get your tools (including small material hoists and beta max hoists) serviced to ensure they’re in tip-top working condition.
Two construction employees were hard at work when their scaffolding suddenly broke away from a Manhattan building. One of them was able to pull himself back inside on his own, but the other needed to be rescued by firefights who arrived on the scene shortly after the pair called 911.
Although no one yet knows what caused the scaffolding to malfunction, it was reported that it had been there for more than five years. That kind of time will cause even the strongest supports to weaken, especially if they don’t see a lot of use and grow stiff. Though top-notch tech like a beta max hoist may have been used to construct the scaffolding in the first place, time had worn down the safety and functionality of the structure.
Time does that to most things, people included. Though your bodies may not be able to be “serviced” in the same way machine shops can perform machine tool repairs, taking care of your equipment is vital to successful, safe jobs. The two in Midtown got lucky; they escape the risky situation with no injuries, sparing them from becoming another statistic (construction injuries in the Big Apple have increased 17% already this year).
Don’t take the same risk and be vigilant: keep an eye out for unusual machine tool noises, which indicate that they need to be serviced or repaired, and pay close attention to their physical state. If they begin performing in ways different to what you’ve come to expect, even if it’s minimal, visit The Werks C and C ASAP.
