Tag Archives: Race

General Safety Issues

KNOWING THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A DIFFICULT WORK ENVIRONMENT AND A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT

Most of us at one time or another has worked with someone who makes part or all of the workday miserable.  There’s usually at least one employee who has a negative outlook on everything – can’t see the glass half-full, only half-empty.  Good supervisors should know how to turn this environment into a productive one, but it isn’t always easy.

Managers need to ensure that the person focuses on tasks or projects instead of negative personality traits.  Maybe they don’t understand exactly what their job responsibilities are, or threatened by the abilities of their co-workers.  Some of these employees are against management and won’t cooperate.  Bringing the problem to the attention of the supervisor may have to be done by other employees.  Everyone wants to get their job done, and doesn’t need a bad attitude from someone else to deter them. 

A “hostile work environment” is a different matter.  Here are some signs of hostile behavior: (which is against the law).

  • Harrassment –  Whether it is because of race, religion, origin, age, disability, military and veteran status, this behavior is discriminatory under federal law.
  • Unwelcome behavior – Intimidating, humiliating, offensive, or making threats to employees or a group of employees is also discrimination.
  • Verbal sexual advances – Bullying, telling cruel jokes, or sending negative emails or text messages – again, discrimination.
  • Hostile behavior is pervasive over time.  It should be reported to Human Resources , who can intervene in a timely fashion, because it must be addressed by the employer.
  •  Actions or communications being repeated over a period of time defines discrimination. 
  • If the work environment interferes with an employee’s career progress, resulting in failure to receive a job rotation or promotion, this is considered discrimination.

An employer can be liable for the creation of a hostile work environment if they knew about the behavior and did not sufficiently try to remedy the situation.  The hostility can be started by a boss or another workers whose actions or behavior make doing your job impossible.  If the unreasonable work situation can not be a comfortable work environment for others and is disciminatory, this is a situation that must be fixed.

In other words, if a coworker does annoying things to bother their coworkers, and demonstrates rude or obnoxious behavior, that is not considered being hostile, as much as being a distracting pest.  However, if that person tells untruths about a worker or tells sexual or racial jokes, makes fun of your background or age,  the person is creating a hostile environment.  If someone belittles you about your religion, gender or race, you are working in both a hostile work environment, and one that you are being discriminated against.  This should be reported to your supervisor. 

No matter where you work, something we all need to know, is that we do not harbor resentment against anyone.  Maybe you have a better education than others, but does that make you better than them?  Many persons have talents that far outweigh a formal education.  It takes workers with all types of skills to make a company successful.  Life is too short to make it miserable for others who want to do a good job and go home at the end of the day, feeling good about the work they have accomplished.

Let’s treat others as we want to be treated.  It takes the whole team to accomplish the goal of their employer.

General Safety Issues, Hearing Protection, Uncategorized

COMING UP – THE INDIANAPOLIS 500!

It’s almost time for one of the biggest car racing events in the U.S., the Indianapolis 500!  The largest single-day sporting event in the world, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway has a permanent seating capacity of 257,000 and additional infield seating, which raises the capacity to approximately 400,000.  Thousands more race fans look forward to watching it on television during the Memorial Day holidays.  This year’s race will be held Sunday, May 24th.

The Indianapolis 500 was first run May 30, 1911, which drew an astonishing 80,200 spectators, who paid $1 each to see this open-wheel race.  The winner of the race was Ray Harroun, who drove a Marmon “Wasp”, which was equipped with his invention – a rear-view mirror!  He was the only driver in the race to drive without a riding mechanic.  It was the responsibility of the mechanic to let the driver know when traffic was coming and keep a check on the oil pressure of the car.  The “Wasp” sits on display with approximately 75 other interesting and historic race vehicles at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway Museum, on the grounds of the speedway.

There is a fascinating history behind the race.  Here are two of the many traditions of the Indy 500:

  • Gasoline Alley.  The garage area is still known as Gasoline Alley, even though gasoline hasn’t been used since a 1964 terrible crash that killed drivers Dave MacDonald and Eddie Sachs.  In 1965, they were fueled with safer, less volatile methanol.
  • Milk.  This tradition began in 1933, when winner Louie Meyer hurried to his garage and grabbed a bottle of buttermilk from an icebox.  A photographer just happened by and snapped a picture of Louie enjoying the milk.  Indiana dairy people thought this would be a great publicity idea and sold the idea to the speedway, who has let them provide a bottle for the winner every year since then.

Speedway historian Donald Davidson believes that the pace car was introduced in the 1911 race.  According to Mr. Davidson: “they thought there were too many cars for a standing start, that it would be safer to lead them with a passenger car and release them with a flag.  We think that’s the first mass rolling start for a race anywhere.”

This year’s pace car (safety car) will be a Chevrolet Camaro, to be driven by Josh Duhamel.  The pace car or safety car limits the speed of cars during a caution period, which is caused by debris, collisions, or weather.  At the end of the caution period, the pace car exits at the proper place on the track and the cars may resume racing.

If you are among the lucky ones to see this great event, be sure to take some noise protection earplugs and sunscreen!  Probably one of the most exciting parts of the day will be the traditional “Lady/Ladies and Gentlemen, Start Your Engines!”