OOP (Only On the Philipines) -- The Safety Issue!!

No doubt safety is critical aspect of nearly everything we do. That doesn't apply just to Americans, but I think everyone considers safety extremely importance. What may differ from person to person and country to country is how we define "safety" and what we determine to be "safe". Take for instance riding on the roof of a car. Not something I would do, but I suppose as long as you are sitting down, it's not the most dangerous thing you could be doing.

When using heavy equipment, most would say to only use it for its intended purpose. Using a forklift to pull a barge into place is not something I would suggest, but there if you are able to hook the two together, then at least be sure you use a strong enough chain.
My idea of safety head gear, when working around large machines or when something could fall on you, would be a hard hat of some sorts. The gentleman in this picture decided that a towel would be sufficient. I suppose the rational was that if he did experience massive head trauma, at least the towel would soak up the blood.
Safety shoes are critical in just about every manual labor type of operation. Steel-toed shoes are ideal, but I suppose that at least tennis shoes cover your feet completely. When you are really in a pinch though, go with flip-flops as they at least protect the bottom of your feet should you step on something sharp, but not big enough to pinch the 1/4 inch thick foam. Also in this "two-for" you see that a baseball cap can sub for a hard hat, but only if you have tennis shoes. If you are wearing a hard-hat though, it appears flip flops are okay.
Closer inspection reveals that wearing the flip flops is in fact optional.
Again, I think safety is part of everyone's work and lives. I doubt most people intentionally do unsafe things. How we determine what is safe is really up to interpretation. Keep it safe, everybody!

Fun Times in the Philippines (with Pictures!)

Okay, since my last blog was all words (a lot of them), and no pictures, I thought I would add some color to this entry with some fun pictures I've taken over the past month. I use my camera pretty frequently for work, so when I see something that could be considered a "Kodak Moment", I have my camera handy. ENJOY!

This is a Jeepney, an all too common feature of Manila and throughout the rest of the PI. This is the cheap method of transportation in a city with no subway. Although I've never used them, I've been told its easy to hop on and hop off as they go on their designated routes. I'm not sure exactly how they are made, but i think it involves stretching out a vehicle chassis and attaching whatever sheet metal happens to be handy.

Despite the ubiquity of the Jeepney, much like a subway, they can get crowded during the rush hour periods. When that happens, you cram as many as you can into the Jeepney, and the rest just hang on. Notice the Jeepney in front of the other Jeepney with people hanging on it as well.

For those "too fancy" to ride a Jeepney, there are other modes of transports. Fairly common are motor bikes with "side carts" attached to them. Most have been constructed of sheet metal and I've seen as many as 3 in them plus an extra passenger also riding on the motor bike. They must have been short on sheet metal when this one was constructed. Don't worry, the chair is attached to the side with bungees.
When you don't have a vehicle for your necessary operations (say refueling a plane), you do it the old fashioned way, by hand. As I watched this I was SO THANKFUL that when our C-17 rolled in, they actually used a truck to refuel it. Also, although this may look is unsafe, the plane is properly grounded, AND there is an ENORMOUS Fire Truck just out of the picture, that probably would have obliterated the plane if they turned the hose on it.
The last one is of me, just enjoying scenic Subic. It was super bright outside, but the picture still turned out nice (aside from the fact that I have no idea what's up with the bottom of my shirt)
Just a few snapshots of the past few weeks of my life. It's fun being out and about in the Philippines. It's also funny to see that OOG (Only On Guam) Moments also exist elsewhere (I guess they would be OOP moments here). I hope you enjoyed them, there will surely be more to follow.