what to do with unsafe co-workers?

[Zac]

How do people deal with unsafe co-workers?

Say you are relatively recent colege grad new at a company and don't want to tick of anybody just yet....

For instance, today the boss, another climber and myself were dead-wooding some oaks. Within five or ten minutes from each other both my boss and the other climber had cut their shirts while making one-handed cuts with their chainsaws; one on the arm, one across the belly. Luckily, neither made it to the skin, but both potentially serious injuries.

When the other climber showed me his shirt, he laughed and said "check this out." I was not impressed. He said "oh we've all done this before, haven’t you?" I replied no and his justification for my reply was that "well you always keep two hands on your saw." Interesting correlation....

I'm not completely anti-one handed chainsaw work, but I would rather take another 30 seconds to put myself in a position where I can use two hands rather than free hand it.

I don't know how to deal with people who know everything. Of course, nothing I say would ever change how they do things.

Needless to say, after three months at this business, I have accepted a position at a different company. Hopefully this will be a safer environment.

Any thoughts?
Zac

 

[Pete_in_Tassie]

I think that's a great move you made, Zac. It seems to me that it's very easy to lose your reputation, your enjoyment of your work and missout on the opportunity to learn if you work with people who don't really care about working well.

It's demoralising working with people who don't share our values sometimes, from my experience. And potentially dangerous, too. If their attitude was like that towards their own safety I doubt it would be much better in other areas and that's always going to lead to some kind of drama someday.
Your reputation is very valuable--why waste time in a situation where it will always be at risk ?
I hope you've found a better team.
Pete

 

[the_one]

well if ur company is sponsored by a bigger company like asphlund then what i would do is inform one of the higher ups about this but if not then just worry about your self and if something worse happens then that'll be their stupidity, and it's really stupid to run a chainsaw one handed

 

[the_one]

i would also try to correct the problem and if they dont lisiten to ya then it just goes to show how bad a leader ur boss is and what an idiot he and that other coworker are