I’ve heard those safety warnings for 50 years, no watches or rings in the printshop, but, short of putting a scratch or two on a few watches I’ve owned, I haven’t (yet) had a mishap. There have been plenty of opportunities. But, not even anything I’d call a close call.
I’ve seen ties on management geeks end up in rollers (no serious injuries, but, always a good laugh) long hair end up in turning shafts (never good) and a chunk of a guys palm go through a Heidelberg GTO, a printing press that has what is known in the industry as an inward nip. Bad news. I helped a second shift supervisor ( a woman, cool under pressure that day) pull three fingers out of a Speedmaster 6 color 40” press, that I then wrapped in cheesecloth and ice and delivered them to HCMC. They put them back on, and the black ink was still on them when the bandages came off.
None of the incident’s I remember involved watches or rings. Luckily.
When working on something mechanical, the watch comes off, 99% of the time, because I have to remove it to clean up my hands, and didn’t want crud on the watch. Probably an accidental save, as it goes.
I wear pretty low end quartz watches most of the time. The plastic quartz watch that comes free in a McDonalds Happy Meal will keep better time for longer then a new Rolex. But, a guy or gal with a skill set made the Rolex with care and precision, and I still respect that.
Same with guns.
Best,
Ted
