Submitted by Steve Winicker.
LAST WEEKENDS SHOP ACTIVITY
Friday, John spent a lot of time measuring pins a bushings. We also brought in the last of the trailing truck parts. I measured out some additional spring rigging parts on the engine. Joe cleaned up the trailing truck casting outside. It still needs to be washed and some measurements on the bushings made. The big project on the 765 was to top off all the driver bearing boxes with oil which Bill, along with an assortment of oil crank turners, was completed. Chris Zahart worked on the Feed water heater getting the water valve set for clearance but not getting the valve back together due to some clearance issues with a keyway.
UPCOMING ACTIVITIES
Chris Z threatened to come back and work on the feed water heater. I am not sure we will have enough folks with the proper skills to move much else forward on the 765. There are always cleaning projects around the shop. Managers will send out updates in regards to the other projects around the shop.
SAFETY SENSE
Pallets are frequently used for material storage, receiving materials and shipping parts out for repair or servicing. Here are a few safety tips when working with pallets.
· When handling wood pallets, always use heavy, cut resistant gloves. This helps to prevent cuts and slivers.
· Look at a wooden pallet before you pick it up to ensure there are no nails sticking out. Rusty nails that are typically found in wood pallets can puncture the skin causing Tetanus which can be fatal.
· Never walk over a wood pallet as there may be nails sticking up from the slats. Additionally, you never know what shape a single deck board may be in as you put your weight on it.
· It is not recommended to store a pallet up on its side. Always lay pallets flat on the ground as intended. A falling pallet, especially the plastic pallets can hurt someone walking or working by it.
· Because they are heavy and awkward to carry, move a pallet by standing on its edge and sliding it.
· Don’t throw pallets because you can injure yourself and damage the pallet.
· Don’t manually stack pallets more than 7 or 8 high; use forklifts to make stacks higher.
· The recommended method to properly stack pallets is to slide the pallet to one side of the stack. Then, using proper lifting motion, slide the pallet up the side of the stack and onto the top.
· Broken pallets should be taken to the recycle area where they won’t get used for anything other than kindling wood to light off the 765.
Each month we get near misses about slipping on pieces of wood from pallets that have broken off during use. If you see a piece of pallet on the floor, don’t just kick it away, pick it up and dispose of it. Damaged pallets should be disposed of in the kindling wood pile so that an accident does not occur.
SAFETY IS JOB 1
SAFETY FIRST ALWAYS
