T.J. Lyons, who previously worked for Gilbane Building Co. and Turner Construction, runs Lyonetics, a consulting firm that provides expert wit- ness services. He can be reached at tj@lyonetics.com.
When we need to reach a little higher, we strap extensions—stilts—on workers’ legs. When fearing a fall, we tie workers to buildings with a length of rope, and then we hope.
I once attended training for fleet drivers who frequently tow trailers. During discussion of attaching the trailer hitch to the truck, the instructor asked if the operators crossed the safety chains under the tongue when connecting.
Above my desk hangs a picture of a woman born in 1869, Alice Hamilton, the mother of industrial hygiene and the ultimate safety professional. I recommend that every safety manager read her autobiography, "Exploring the Dangerous Trades," in which Hamilton details her investigative work in armament factories, mercury mines and lead smelters.In her book, Hamilton recounts a much-needed lesson she learned from a friend: Harmony and peaceful relations with one's adversary are not, in themselves, of value unless they accompany a steady push for what one has been trying to achieve.She had to learn to force herself to say "the
Photo courtesy of T.J. Lyons An image of Alice Hamilton (left), alongside a quote from her autobiography, hangs above the author's desk. Above my desk hangs a picture of a woman born in 1869—Alice Hamilton. She is the mother of industrial hygiene and the ultimate safety professional. I recommend that every safety manager read her autobiography, “Exploring the Dangerous Trades,” in which Hamilton details her safety investigations of armament factories in New Jersey, mercury mines in the southwest and lead smelters in Wisconsin. The first poisonings of some good people.In her book Hamilton recounts a conversation with a close friend
