Comments on: Aftershock

By: Fined by OSHA « live apartment fire

Fined by OSHA « live apartment fire — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:47:29 +0000

[...] noted that Ho posted a follow-up a day or so later (wherein he interviewed Tom Jones, similar to a post on this site) — but the post mysteriously disappeared. I’ve tried to ask Ho if Cox [...]

By: DeadBeatBert

DeadBeatBert — Fri, 04 Dec 2009 14:30:35 +0000

Unfortunately this has nothing to do with the corporate beast unless the safety systems were disabled by their directive.

The safety systems in the truck are a secondary failsafe. The fact that they were covered and/or disabled is irrelevant.

However, both of the previous statements are irrelevant. The operator (and reporter) are the primary safety systems with a live truck. “Look up and live.” We all learn it, we all teach it.

There is station wide fault with operation, training and safety management. The operator should be fired for negligence, the reporter at least suspended (everyone is responsible for safety on a live shot) and the engineer/s in charge of keeping the live truck in operating condition should be fired for allowing the safety systems to be deactivated by operators.

By: Jerod

Jerod — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:40:52 +0000

Looking at the posts above I would add this:

We have basically 2 options:
1. play the blame game
2. take responsibility both individually and corporately for the safety of ALL persons we work with; not just ourselves.

With option 1 nobody wins and we are doomed to repeat our mistakes. With option 2, there is hope that we may learn from our mistakes and the mistakes of others and corporately watch out for one another.

Everyone is a link in the chain of safety. When just one link fails, people get hurt. Operators need to be properly trained to operate the equipment and understand the safety systems in place. When a problem with the equipment arises, they need to communicate that with engineering who needs to fix the problem promptly. And management needs to make sure there is financial backing for the engineer to do his job. We all need to ask ourselves, “am I a weak link?” If the answer comes back a YES, then it’s time to take responsibility and do something about it besides complain and blame others.

I too am glad these operators are OK.

By: live apt fire

live apt fire — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 12:42:35 +0000

Without justifying the disabling of the alarm, the answer to your question is: A bright flashing light inside a live truck could be a challenging distraction while driving at night, perhaps while navigating with a map book.

By: Baylink

Baylink — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 18:49:48 +0000

What tvb said.

I’m thinking about maybe something you have to take off to reach the mast switch which you can *clip to the steering wheel*. Interlocks are the proper solution, though; but you have to maintain them properly.

By: butch winn

butch winn — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 03:30:46 +0000

as a harlan county native, i hope mr. raglin and jones are both safe and alright, god bless to both families!

By: tvb

tvb — Mon, 23 Nov 2009 22:56:03 +0000

Wow. Have you considered anger management at all, dcb?

By: dcb

dcb — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 11:43:42 +0000

Give us a break tvb. Blaming it on big business for not providing a dedicated driver when this was not so simply a matter of operator oversight for failing to retract the boom in the first place is lame. It sounds as if you’d also be first in line to expect government intervention and the establishment of a czar position and new federal department to oversee the operation of all trucks that have booms on them in the future.

By: tvb

tvb — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 01:25:04 +0000

Incredibly frightening and unfortunate.

It’s yet another fallout of cost-cutting measures in local news. There was a day when trucks had a dedicated operator who didn’t have to juggle a million tasks such as shooting, editing, dealing with a cranky AE and producer, setting the shot, dialing IFB, and get the microwave tuned in.

In no way am I trying to cast blame but it’s just another example of how the almighty corporate cost-saving maneuver almost cost two people their life.

I’m happy to know that the crew will live and I further hope that this unfortunate event is an important lesson for newsrooms everywhere.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:08:03 +0000

That is some SCARY stuff. It’s really concerning that someone took the time to disable the audible alarm AND THEN DUCT TAPE THE LIGHT. How can a light POSSIBLY be that annoying?

Just like my chief photog from back in Columbus, GA used to say: LOOK UP AND LIVE!