Last week one of the facilities guys came into the art room turned on the large laminator that had a 24 inch roll of film in it, then proceeded to begin trimming an 8.5x11 inch page into tiny 1x1 inch slips on the paper cutter.
I looked over and asked what project he was working on. He said he needed to laminate a ten copies of a list of codes that each member of his department could then tuck into their wallets for future reference. I tried to envision him poking his 1x1 inch scraps of paper into the big 24 inch wide roller of the laminator...and all the wasted film that was sure to result.
"Hey, I have an idea," I said. "How about we use our little laminator that makes ID badges. You can put two of those little slips into one sleeve each, then trim them down to size. It's really fast and you won't even have to wait for the machine to warm up 15-20 minutes like the big laminator."
"Oh, ok. I was just going to do it the way I done it the last 17 years," he said. "Let's give this a try, and you'll see how easy it is," I encouraged him, wondering just how much film had probably been wasted over the course of the past 17 years.
I pulled out the small ID badge laminator, plugged it in, and let it warm up while my facilities friend trimmed out all the lists on the paper cutter. While he was chopping away, he got interrupted by a call on his cell phone. "I'm laminatin' and choppin' these lists," he repeated a few times into his cell phone. "Yeah, laminatin' and choppin'. Safety meeting? Okay. Right now? Okay. Be right there." He turned to me and said he'd come back to finish right after his facilities safety meeting. Since I already had the little laminator ready to go, I offered to finish the laminating and trim them out, two-to-a-single card size. They'd be ready for him by the time he returned. He thanked me and headed out while I began folding the lists, placing them two-to-a-plastic sleeve, and poking them through the laminator. When they were all laminated, I unplugged the laminator and turned to carry it with me over to the paper cutter where I could finish trimming the newly laminated lists.
What I saw when I turned around was this: the paper cutter blade positioned exactly as you see it above. I couldn't help but to see the irony in it: Facilities Guy Leaves Paper Cutter Arm In Up Position During Hurried Dash to Attend Safety Meeting.
I had a good chuckle at it, but this is the kind of mentality many people have when they come into the art room to do a project. They pull out all the materials they need to do their project, then when they're done, they just leave it for someone else to pick up after them...that "someone" being me I guess. Never mind that it wasn't my project nor my mess. I find myself both cleaning up, and when I next see them (or hunt them down immediately after) I let them know that part of the creating process includes the cleaning up step afterwards too. Art room etiquette, my friends!...and oh yeah...SAFETY too!
Thank you very much for being mindful of this public service announcement. =)
I looked over and asked what project he was working on. He said he needed to laminate a ten copies of a list of codes that each member of his department could then tuck into their wallets for future reference. I tried to envision him poking his 1x1 inch scraps of paper into the big 24 inch wide roller of the laminator...and all the wasted film that was sure to result.
"Hey, I have an idea," I said. "How about we use our little laminator that makes ID badges. You can put two of those little slips into one sleeve each, then trim them down to size. It's really fast and you won't even have to wait for the machine to warm up 15-20 minutes like the big laminator."
"Oh, ok. I was just going to do it the way I done it the last 17 years," he said. "Let's give this a try, and you'll see how easy it is," I encouraged him, wondering just how much film had probably been wasted over the course of the past 17 years.
I pulled out the small ID badge laminator, plugged it in, and let it warm up while my facilities friend trimmed out all the lists on the paper cutter. While he was chopping away, he got interrupted by a call on his cell phone. "I'm laminatin' and choppin' these lists," he repeated a few times into his cell phone. "Yeah, laminatin' and choppin'. Safety meeting? Okay. Right now? Okay. Be right there." He turned to me and said he'd come back to finish right after his facilities safety meeting. Since I already had the little laminator ready to go, I offered to finish the laminating and trim them out, two-to-a-single card size. They'd be ready for him by the time he returned. He thanked me and headed out while I began folding the lists, placing them two-to-a-plastic sleeve, and poking them through the laminator. When they were all laminated, I unplugged the laminator and turned to carry it with me over to the paper cutter where I could finish trimming the newly laminated lists.
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| In an ironic twist, the user ran off to a safety meeting, leaving the paper cutting arm up in this position. |
I had a good chuckle at it, but this is the kind of mentality many people have when they come into the art room to do a project. They pull out all the materials they need to do their project, then when they're done, they just leave it for someone else to pick up after them...that "someone" being me I guess. Never mind that it wasn't my project nor my mess. I find myself both cleaning up, and when I next see them (or hunt them down immediately after) I let them know that part of the creating process includes the cleaning up step afterwards too. Art room etiquette, my friends!...and oh yeah...SAFETY too!
Thank you very much for being mindful of this public service announcement. =)
You're right...there is an irony in this. I've seen the same thing happen in hospitals, bookstores, grocery stores, etc. It took only one job...at Monsanto where safety was of the highest concern I'd ever seen...to show me how important "being aware" should be everywhere. If not for you, then for your coworkers. Thanks for sharing this public announcement! js
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