Those were the first words out of his mouth, as this bear of a man clamped onto to me with a bone crushing handshake… his paw dwarfing mine.
His name was Clive. Foreman Clive… and I was the new kid assigned to his sheet metal crew.
Clive was an old pro, a no-nonsense individual, with little tolerance for “stupid.”
He made it clear right from the get go, that if one of his crew were injured, it reflected poorly on him, and that, he said, “YOU don’t want.” (Gulp!)
While the man scared the crap out of me, he may have saved me from serious injury… or worse!
I was to work hard… but smart! “A mistake you make may not take YOU out” he said, “but it could injure or kill someone else.”
The most important “muscle” I had, was between my ears… “use it!”
I’m happy to say that my tenure as a sheet metal worker was uneventful. I survived unscathed, and to my knowledge didn’t contribute to anyone else’s misfortune.
Since 1990, 405 workers have been killed on Ontario construction sites, including four who plunged to their deaths from 13 stories, when scaffolding failed at a job in Toronto last Christmas Eve.
The subsequent investigation has resulted in charges that could lead to lengthy jail sentences, and fines totalling up to $17-million!
The tragic mishap has also sparked a long overdue safety blitz on construction sites across the province.
Was this an “accident”?
Was it “accidents” that took the lives of the other 401 workers?
I know what Clive would say.
By the way, if you’re still kickin around out there… Thanks Clive, the industry could use a lot more like you.
Listen to The Motts (Paul and Carol) weekdays… 11 til noon at… themotts.ca