Tuesday, November 25, 2008

The Seminar

It's amazing how tiring it is to sit still all day.  

Today was Day One of a seminar on Health and Safety in the Workplace, which I have to attend as part of my job.  I'm learning about important regulations, such as...  let's see...

*consults handbook*

Oil and Gas Offshore Rigs, Regulation 855, Section 81, Clause a),

"A cathead shall be operated by a competent person."

Ah.  Yes.  If only I'd known that last week, when our offshore oil rig's cathead was being operated by an incompetent nincompoop!  So much trouble could have been averted.

*flips to the section on logging*

Reg. 851 - Industrial Estab., Section 109, Clause c)

"A tree shall be limbed, bucked, or topped only when the logger is in a position so that the limb, log, or top, when severed, cannot roll or drop on the logger."

Next week, when that big logging project starts, I will be SO READY.  It's great that this material is relevant to my workplace.  It really makes getting up at 5:30 am to get there on time and wading through all the legalese totally worth it!

Anyway, when I wasn't overcome by the struggle to keep my eyelids elevated, I did learn a thing or two that might be useful.  I also enjoyed a spectacular view from the seminar room windows. It was the prettiest view I've ever seen from a classroom, let alone that most conference rooms don't even have windows.

Ironically, this room with a view was located within the building which is entirely devoted to serving Toronto's blind and visually impaired community.  In fact, the whole building was gorgeous.  If I ever lose the rest of my vision (I'm close to being legally blind without my prescription lenses), I'm not sure if it would make me feel better or worse to know that the organization providing helpful services to me was so visually pleasing.  It could be construed as adding insult to injury.  Maybe I'd rather have an ugly facility, so I could comfort myself with the thought that I wasn't missing anything.

Actually, I hope if it happens that I don't end up that bitter.  It's just one of those things I can't help thinking about.

*All regulations quoted above are from the Ontario Safety Association for Community and Healthcare's 2008 pocket guide to the Ontario Health and Safety Act and Regulations.  I didn't make them up. You can see them for yourself if you like.

8 comments:

desi said...

OMG. No wonder. Keep downing the Smarties. You'll make it.

Warped Mind of Ron said...

I've been to those seminars before. I learned about how important it is to have bracing for trenches that we dig deeper than four feet, however we don't dig trenches. Still very important info to somebody. Try to sleep with your eyes open.

Anonymous said...

So, are you now qualified to operate an oil rig or not?
I hear they're looking for people in Saskatchewan.

Anonymous said...

Paragraph 12 Subsection 5: Office employees should not run with scissors. If they do the should shout "danger I'm running with scissors!"

You'll shoot your eye out!

Anonymous said...

Urgh - I hate times like that ;)

And I remember when that blind Italian Opera singer - I forgot his name - stayed in our Hotel and our manager insisted on switching the room from one site of the Hotel to the other.
We asked "Why" it's the same room.
"Yes, but it has the better view".

After he got it, he had to laugh about himself ;)

Maybe the architect of that building was a bit slow too?

Sparkling Red said...

Desi: I saved some of my Smarties for this afternoon, and they got me through the worst of it.

Ron: Gosh, we never dig a trench less than five feet deep. Because, you know, if you're only going to be shallow, why bother?

Whatigotsofar: I think I'd have to take about three more years' worth of boring seminars before I could be qualified to operate an oil rig. Which is fine, because Saskatchewan is colder than Toronto, so you'll never convince me to move.

Unsigned: I'm running with scissors right now! In the privacy of my own home, I can do whatever I want.

Nicole: That's funny. Here's something: in the cafeteria today I overheard the blind people making jokes about blind people. One of the men said "And then I said to him 'what are you, blind?'" and all his friends, who had white canes and guide dogs, laughed uproariously.

Jameil said...

i can't stand seminars!! immensely!! mtgs either. anything that req. me to sit quietly while people are paid to bore me is bad for business!!

Emma Gorst said...

It makes sense that sitting still is tiring. You have to hold all your muscles in one place. Ack. Little kids have to spend years learning how to sit still!