Of Humming Sounds, Human Errors, and Helping Hands

Key Points – 9th April

  • Humming sound heard in the town, possibly from the plant—needs checking

  • Mensah led the morning prayer, user hummed along

  • Emphasized safety of non-participants in meetings and reiterated Five Cardinal Rules

  • Process HOD explained the Hierarchy of Safety Controls

  • Replied to a mining engineer on LinkedIn regarding job inquiry

  • Wrote and shared an article on job search guidance for self-help

  • Clinker crusher issue repeated due to lack of detailed checking

  • Frustration over repeated avoidable failures and negligence

Some mornings begin with the unfamiliar. Today, it was a faint humming sound in the distance—a low, persistent tone somewhere between a whisper and a vibration. Standing outside, I paused.
Could it be from the plant? A motor? A fan?
It’s subtle things like these that demand attention, not because they’re loud—but because they’re not.
We’ll need to check. Better a small curiosity today than a big problem tomorrow.

Morning: Prayers and Promises

In the morning meeting, Mensah sang the prayer beautifully. I joined in—La la la—because I still don’t know the words. But I sing anyway. Sometimes melody is more important than lyrics. It's the intent that resonates.

Then, as always, I reminded the team:
“Safety is not just for those present here. It’s for everyone.”
I urged them to look out for their colleagues and to keep repeating the phrase I introduced:
“Always Be Careful, dear Friend.”

We also repeated our Five Cardinal Rules—the foundation of safety in our plant. If everyone just followed these five, most accidents could be avoided. But safety isn’t a memory game; it’s a behavior game.

Today, the Process HOD explained the “Hierarchy of Controls”—a vital concept in industrial safety.
From elimination to PPE, this hierarchy teaches us that controlling hazards at the source is always more effective than protecting the person at the end.
It’s like putting a lid on a boiling pot rather than handing out umbrellas to everyone nearby.

Helping Hands: Digital and Real

On LinkedIn, a mining engineer reached out for a job. I replied using my standard response format, complete with helpful links.
But it reminded me—I had been wanting to write something more comprehensive for job-seekers. So, today, I did.

Wrote an article, shared a few links, and posted it in a couple of groups.
The idea is simple: Don’t just wait to be helped. Learn how to help yourself.
And if my article helps even one person find a direction, it’s worth every second I spent writing it.
I'll continue writing more on this theme—it’s needed, and it’s close to my heart.

Link: https://sawanjasoliya.blogspot.com/2025/04/how-to-use-linkedin-smartly-as-job.html

Clinker Crusher: A Study in Stubbornness

Now let’s talk about the clinker crusher.

I have said it repeatedly: Check it thoroughly. Inspect the chute. Look for accumulation. Don't ignore it.
And still, they don’t.
And so, once again today, the crusher got filled up, V-belts failed, and the plant stopped.

Worse, someone opened the door above the DBC (Double Roll Crusher) and released accumulated material, which only made the problem worse by increasing the downtime.

And yes—Einstein was right when he said,

“Two things are infinite: the universe and human stupidity… and I’m not sure about the universe.”

We talk about preventive maintenance, root cause analysis, and ownership—but all of it falls flat if the mindset doesn't change.
If we do not develop the discipline to check, inspect, and question our own work, these stoppages will become our norm.

Closing Thought: The Two Sides of Today

Today had two very different faces.

  • One was of frustration, where repeated mistakes became roadblocks to progress.

  • The other was of purpose, where writing an article and helping someone reminded me why I do what I do.

Both are real.
Both are part of leadership.

You don’t get to choose only the inspiring parts.
You deal with the mess, fix the sink, answer the messages, and keep walking.

Because someone, somewhere, still needs your la la la to keep the song going.

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