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CAN DO ATTITUDE
DANGER
Volume 50, No. 10, June 14, 2007 |
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A ‘Can Do’ attitude may be considered one of the strengths of the Navy but it must always be tempered with an appreciation of the risks. Last year six civilian workers in Hong Kong sustained serious burns related injuries partly as a result of their ‘Can Do’ attitude.
Five of them later died.
The incident occurred when compressed oxygen used for oxy-acetylene cutting was used to start a diesel generator when the compressed air supply ran out. The continued attempts to start the generator filled the engine and immediate area with enriched oxygen. On their final attempt to start, an exothermic reaction occurred with the diesel fuel and lubricants which resulted in an explosion.
The personnel in this instance were trying to get the job done but were unaware of the hazards associated with the use of compressed oxygen and were poorly trained and supervised. Perhaps they thought that compressed oxygen and air were the same thing?
The lessons learnt the hard way here can be applied in our work environment. When using your initiative to get the job done make sure you understand the inherent dangers associated with it. Possessing a ‘Can Do’ attitude is a very valuable resource to have, but make sure it is ‘Can Do Safely.’ |
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