Thread: What do you do to dangerously careless workers?

People for instance who don't tighten the screws on a plug, allowing the equipment grounding wire to come out of it's screw down box and contact one of the 230V 3 phase lines. On the LOAD side, so it doesn't instantly arc and blow a fuse.....

Not ONLY did it cause two sequential control board failures in a prototype 200HP multi-phase motor drive (being run on reduced voltage for testing)........... I still can't figure out how it didn't make the whole control box hot...... the box that several of us were in contact with ..... Possibly us wearing rubber soles, and the box having paint..... could have kept us from being shocked.

My natural inclination was to seriously rearrange his face, but he wasn't at work today when I discovered it, and I am cooling down now...... I'm not that good at grudges and vendettas......

When I opened up the plug (one of those can-sized push and twist plugs, I forget the name) I found that I could pull all of the wires out of their screw-boxes. Ground was just the first one out.... It WOULD be, naturally, given the inherent cussedness of things.

Sorry , basically just venting.

Is this an on-going issue with this person? Some people are just careless, but sometimes there is a cause for shoddy work, that can be addressed. There are 2 things that make me "get careless". and I really have to buckle down and concentrate. One is having a customer or other person pacing the floor waiting for the job to be finished. Trying to get the job done in a hurry is a recipe for disaster. Another thing is the distraction of a helper or observer talking while work is being done... Just a few random thoughts from a person that works best alone..

Originally Posted by JST

People for instance who don't tighten the screws on a plug, allowing the equipment grounding wire to come out of it's screw down box and contact one of the 230V 3 phase lines. On the LOAD side, so it doesn't instantly arc and blow a fuse.....

Not ONLY did it cause two sequential control board failures in a prototype 200HP multi-phase motor drive (being run on reduced voltage for testing)........... I still can't figure out how it didn't make the whole control box hot...... the box that several of us were in contact with ..... Possibly us wearing rubber soles, and the box having paint.....

My natural inclination was to seriously rearrange his face, but he wasn't at work today when I discovered it, and I am cooling down now...... I'm not that good at grudges and vendettas......

When I opened up the plug (one of those can-sized push and twist plugs, I forget the name) I found that I could pull all of the wires out of their screw-boxes. Ground was just the first one out.... It WOULD be, naturally, given the inherent cussedness of things.

Sorry , basically just venting.

Are you in a management position over this individual?
If so document the incident and draft a proper method of making the repair or state that "only qualified persons" make this type of repair. Make the individual sign and date it and also have a provision in the draft that further deviations of this draft can be cause for termination.
After being in management for a while this is your safest recourse to take.
Be very specific and to the point and put everything in black and white. Do not allow him to deviate from the subject if he tries. Let him know that he created an extremely serious hazard to his co-workers and himself.

If not then all you can do is bring it up to management. Try to get them to see the safety hazard that it posed and the liability it put them in. Not to mention the financial burden that they have with replacing any zapped components. Be as adamant yet tactful as you can. The last thing you want to do is compromise your position with management.
If others witnessed this that would be good too. From a manager's stand point it is very difficult to ignore a group of workers with the same issue.
Good Luck.
The sad thing about idiots that do things like this is very seldom do they end up being the one that gets hurt.

careless workmanship is sort of a non-redeemable quality in workmen.

Just be sure it is the culprit you think.

Nothing worse than delivering an ass-chewing, and then finding out you
need to do it *again* to the person who really deserves it. And then
mending fences with the person who caught the collateral damage.

My rule with hubble cord caps, the screw have to be at about 50 percent
of 'strip out' torque.

Jim

When he shows up Monday, turn the breaker off while he's not looking, and make him lick the bare copper on the end of the wires. Tell him if he's got the balls to do that, he can still have his job!!!
Friggin' retards....that kind of HUYA is uncalled for.
We had a clean up boy strip the ends of a 110 plug in one time, and rigged it under a handle on a lathe. No one saw him do it, and he came to me and giggled as he told me what he'd done to the machinist..."he he watch this "
he said I made his stupid @$$ unplug it, then escorted him off the property.

Originally Posted by jim rozen

Just be sure it is the culprit you think.

My rule with hubble cord caps, the screw have to be at about 50 percent
of 'strip out' torque.

Jim

Good point, it COULD have been the boss, he wasn't there today either......

Connectors like an older version of Hubbellock, but 50, not 30, amperes.

Actually a stupid design, the screws directly contact the wires, and they are slot-head, not socket...... Should have a non-turning plate in between.

They aren't gonna loosen again, those suckers are as tight as a screwdriver with a wrench on it can get them, especially with a T-O'd guy pulling the wrench.

A few years ago we hired someone for some renovations. He didn't last long, but anyway one evening a few months later I lost power on a circuit of the house. Traced it back to a new outlet he had installed and none of the wires were tightened.

Luckily I have some a slight case of OCD and triple check everything, and then come back to check it again an hour later and then wake up at night thinking " did I tighten that???"

Originally Posted by bluechipper

No one saw him do it, and he came to me and giggled as he told me what he'd done to the machinist..."he he watch this "
he said I made his stupid @$$ unplug it, then escorted him off the property.

If anyone ever did that in my shop, jokingly or not, I'd have him arrested and press charges. Security camera tapes would make for some mighty fine evidence.

Originally Posted by JST

People for instance who don't tighten the screws on a plug,

I wonder if they are related to the guy who thought finger tight was good enough for the lug nuts on one wheel of my car.

Steve.

(being run on reduced voltage for testing)...........

I’ve noticed over the years in certain individuals that things set up temporarily for test or try out automatically do lack lustre work when its in the back off their mind that its only temporary. Machines in exhibitions for example. Don’t do things up tight, because we only have to pull it apart in 6 days. I’ve seen it numerous times in guys that normally do great work.

Regards Phil.

Originally Posted by Airborne

If anyone ever did that in my shop, jokingly or not, I'd have him arrested and press charges. Security camera tapes would make for some mighty fine evidence.

That thought did cross my mind, but evidently the kid had been zapped with a coil in the past by that machinist, and I figured it'd be best to put an end to the deadly prankster's "carreer" at my shop right then. No one had yet been zapped, and I didn't give him an opportunity to explain...just clocked him out, and walked him off. He tried telling me the coil story on the way out, but I told him I didn't need an explanation.

This is actually sort of a classic injury, you are cranking the heck out of a cord
cap screw, and your screwdriver slips, the blade nails you right in the wrist...

Ouch.

Jim

If they are dangerously careless, fire them, right away, walk them to their car and send them their things via UPS.

Originally Posted by JST

People for instance who don't tighten the screws on a plug, allowing the equipment grounding wire to come out of it's screw down box and contact one of the 230V 3 phase lines. On the LOAD side, so it doesn't instantly arc and blow a fuse.....

I've noticed that a lot of things electrical loosen up after a while. Especially with stranded wire.

Things I wired up myself and I do screw things down tight.

Don't blame your workman yet.

We have a machine that we have to go over the connector blocks periodically because the mechanical shocks seem to loosen things.

FWIW, on terminal block applications, the spring loaded stuff that I once thought a pita, is the cats ass. Never loosens.

Clutch

Yep they loosen, but usually not to the point they can be tugged out with your pinkie finger...............

Originally Posted by JST

What do you do to dangerously careless workers?

I light them on fire.

SM

Originally Posted by bluechipper

That thought did cross my mind, but evidently the kid had been zapped with a coil in the past by that machinist, and I figured it'd be best to put an end to the deadly prankster's "carreer" at my shop right then. No one had yet been zapped, and I didn't give him an opportunity to explain...just clocked him out, and walked him off. He tried telling me the coil story on the way out, but I told him I didn't need an explanation.

I would go ask the senior machinist if he used a coil to zap some people. If he admitted it I would warn him if he ever did it again he would be immediately fired.

This is a classic case of pranks getting out of control.

If he admits it under direct questioning, you have to
fire him on the spot as well, given the example you've
set with the young guy. Remember folks are watching.

So if you suspect he did, then don't ask him the
direct question. Just take him aside, explain that the
young kid did a dangerous thing and got fired for it,
and that he should never ever do such a thing or he will
be get the same treatment as the young man.

Jim

If they are in fact dangerouc=s even if just to themselves you are best of to get rid if them befor they hurt themselves and sue you for damages resulting from there workplace acident