Or the idiots that can't go without a cigarette in a refinery and try and "sneak one" near the naptha crackers.  I'm so sick of working with idiots who think refinery explosions are normal, crane collaspes are just part of the job, confined space deaths are the risk you take, etc.  The only reason these things happen is people don't follow procedures and cut corners or are in a hurry or just don't CARE.  Once you've seen a death on the job caused by some ignorant, toothless, redneck, hick then you'll know what I mean. The wrecked family that this redneck loser destroyed are still suffering from his ignorant ways 10 years later.  But hey....these things are just part of the job you know.

And that deserves a stamp!

The idea is to stop the radiation from passing through the weld. I like the flashlight though. It is easier to see the "holes" when the inspection is done at night and the flashlight placed inside the pipe.

Calm down, I am just raising a little dust with you.

I have no doubt that you are a proficient welder, but you could enhance your image by using terminology that is accepted by industry rather than "hillbilly" vernacular.

Many of us that are regulars in the Forum are welders. If we are not now welding, we were at some time in our career. At some point a few of us have studied for and passed the CWI examination or an ASNT examination for NDT. Studying for the examination where a review of welding standards is part of the training is often times an eye-opening experience. The code requirements are usually based on “lessons-learned” from failures that occurred resulting in huge expense in terms of lost profits, injuries, and loss of life.

Those of us that work in the oil patch or construction should recognize the cost of these accidents. Many accidents could be easily avoided if the workers received better instruction and management followed industry safety standards.

Many of us have developed the concept that there is no such thing as a weld of little consequence. Every weld on every system plays an important role in the overall operation of the machine. When a system is down, it affects the safe operation of the entire machine directly or indirectly. Most accidents do not happen because of one minor indiscretion or failure, but by a confluence of small seemly-unconnected events. It is unnerving to discover so many accidents are associated with "quick-fixes" where industry accepted practices were circumvented in the name of "expediency."

Better communication is one-step that can be taken to minimize potential problems. How many times have you heard “I didn’t understand the immediacy of the problem because I didn’t understand what he was trying to tell me.”

One clear memory I have is of the passenger airliner that crashed a few years ago because it run out of fuel. The pilot called the radio tower, but failed to make it clear that the plane was about to run out of fuel. He asked for clearance to land, but the air traffic controller placed him in the standard rotation for landing not understanding the extent of the plane’s fuel problem.

Better communication is key to obtaining what we need. As professionals, welders and inspectors alike, it is important to use standard industry terminology for better communication. Colloquial speech might seem to set us apart from the rest, but it usually makes us look uneducated and unprofessional. The use of texting shortcuts; I place them into the "hillbilly" catergory.

Best regards - Al

Wait a minute! You didn't tell us you were a CWI. :)

OH stop just kidding!!