A safety guy in Gary made me rethink my grinder disc habits

I was on a shutdown job outside Gary last month, swapping out these 9 inch wheels on a boiler wall. The site safety rep, older fella named Dale, watched me for a minute and said, 'You're treating that 80 grit like it's free, but it's your fingers that pay the price.' He pointed out that I was leaning into the cut instead of letting the tool do the work, and that over the years that wears down your feed rate and your patience. It hit me that I've been grinding the same basic way since my apprenticeship in 2009, never really questioning the angle or the pressure. I spent the next two days trying his method, lighter touch and shorter bursts, and honestly my arms felt way less shot by Friday. Has anyone else had an old timer call out a habit you'd carried for years without thinking about it?

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oscarwright1mo ago

Question whether Dale was just bored and wanted someone to talk to. Sounds like solid advice but Ive been grinding the same way for years and my fingers are still attached. Maybe you just needed a break from the monotony more than a new technique.

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