Productive Day, Or Destructive Day?

Yesterday started out as a normal work day. I started it out on the load line, down and at the bottom loading break drums for a cars about escort size. Which is cool, they are about 10lbs and you can fling them up no problem. After our lunch break we switched parts to break rotors. They are I believe for full sized pickup trucks. They weigh at least 25lbs, maybe more. I switch positions to 'the hill'.

On the hill you pull the parts off the hooks that they where loaded on to, and place them on to a conveyer. Once on the conveyer the are cleaned again, painted, inspected then packed. When your on 'the hill' the pace is a bit faster. If you let a hook go by while loading it's not a big deal. But you can't miss them unloading. I'd been on the hill about 45 mins when it happened.

I picked up a part off the hook, and it slipped. When it started to come down I tried to save it. If a part hits the floor it's scrap, you can't pick it back up. So I tried to stop this 30lb break rotor from hitting the floor. When it came back down on the hook my finger was between it and the hook.

imagine if you can a break rotor coming down on your finger, while your finger is pinned against another piece of metal. My finger was bloody, I showed it to the line leader, he bandaged it up, told me I could go to the clinic, or back to work. I went back to work, finishing out my time on the hill with 1 hand. After that my finger was killing me so I decided to go to the clinic. What the hell, I'd rather sit in an air conditioned office on the clock then hang out loading parts.

The good news is, my finger is ok. I ripped some skin but that's about it. I headed back to work. I'm on light duty, because I'm not supposed to use the finger for a week, I have to go back Thursday and have it checked out. Now on to the other part.

When I got back, they set me to sorting parts. We where checking the inside of the break drums for overspary. I would pull a drum out of the bin, inspect it, and if needed hand it over to the guy who was cleaning it. About 10 mins before the end of shift I pulled one out, it needed to be cleaned. So I handed it over to him. At the same time he decided to bend down and grab one for him self.

Now imagine if you will, the drums are 10-15lbs. I swung it to get it up so he could catch. So it was moving fast, he was bending down to grab one. He was in motion too. About mid way down my break drum connected to his forehead, right between the eyes. It hit him hard enough to knock him on his ass. He had a nice little scratch, and was sent to the clinic to check for a concussion.

And that was my day. Finger hurts. Trillium staffing has me off duty until Monday, when I will return to 'light duty' work for March Coating. My finger is swollen and hurts, but other then that it is ok.