A Manufacturing Plant in Braddock went out of business in the year 2000 after running for many decades and going thru several owners.
Their primary focus was the rebuilding of the electric generators and engines used in Diesel Locomotives .
The plant employed 85 plus or minus highly skilled union workers who tore down and rebuilt the units in 2 large plants across from each other.
During the time the plant was open it was a constant battle of workers battles management.
Many of the Workers where constantly ripping the plant off stealing tools and other items they would then resale or use on there side jobs or they where deliberately destroying the plant and its machines or deliberately not properly rebuilding items making them have to be rebuilt again.
They could care less if some one got hurt when they did what they did it was all get back at the plant owners . It got so bad the plant owners had ADT come in and install alarms and cameras everywhere
to combat issues.
The problem as always when you signed on the line to work there and agreed to the contract you knew what you where going to be paid and what you where expected to do. If you have a problem with that leave and go find another job. Do not go out buy a car a house a boat and then have to keep coming back to this job you hate.
I have seen it time and again when you went into certain steel workers basements all the stuff they had ripped of from US Steel and J&L when I was a kid .
One of my neighbors when I was a kid was one of them telling me he deserved all the stuff for what the mill put him thru.
Well my father never took any thing from the mill he went to work and did his job and came home and when mill called and had an emergency he was right there. did he like the mill No but he liked the guys he worked with and did not steal or do damage like many of his co workers did.
But all too often the attitude of the worker in the plant was screw the company because the company is screwing us.
Its this same attitude which got workers hurt when those who did not give a crap about the company or people they worked with left dangerous situations for their fellow co workers.
I hear it all too often" I go to work do my job and I go home nothing more "
and I see it every day when they have this attitude how it effects the morale of their fellow workers and the general safety and condition of the plant for all involved.
Why should I clean my machine and take care of it F--K the company let them fix it when it breaks or buy a new one
Why should I keep a clear aisle way for my fellow worker screw them.
Yes I know some one bypassed that safety switch why should I care management does not .
My boss is a A hole and Dumb f--k and all he does is make things harder screw him I do not have to listen to him instead of letting management know to replace him.
Yes management is just as much to blame with their attitudes
Why should we get new machines if your just going to bust them.and not take care of them
when management knows these machines are vital
Not hiring enough people to do job properly etc/
How many times have I seen management make bone headed decisions which just waste money and make no sense because they have hired incompetent people to run their plants
Yes every emotion good or bad that plays out on the factory floor plays out in the office pool as well with those who are over bearing and incompetent .
Yes once this attitude gets into a plant it is doomed and thats what destroyed this country bad worker and bad management attitudes. Management not replacing and updating machinery and all every one is after is the almighty buck it is just a matter of time till the plant is obsolete and its products worthless pieces of crap no one wants to buy becuse any pride there once was is now gone.
I see it every day how American business just shoot themselves in the foot everyday and then cry and complain when they fail.
Sunday, December 27, 2015
Saturday, October 31, 2015
When it comes to Historic Sites and buildings in Pittsburgh area its Rip tear and destroy another Landmark torn out and destroyed . The Alcoa Powder Plant in Logans Ferry section of Plum Boro
Yes when it comes to preserving the past the Pittsburgh area does a horribly miserable job entire neighborhoods are gone as is most of anything from the steel era If you want to get a feel what Pittsburgh was like before the mills went down you have to drive to Johnstown Pa. or Weirton. WV.
So it was with great sadness while driving along Coxcomb Hill Road in Plum Boro and I saw them ripping into and removing the abandoned and dilapidated Alcoa Powder Plant
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places the plant at one time produced the powder for Fire works and
It is now being used by Allegheny Valley Railroad as an unloading yard for Fracking Sand for nearby gas wells
So it was with great sadness while driving along Coxcomb Hill Road in Plum Boro and I saw them ripping into and removing the abandoned and dilapidated Alcoa Powder Plant
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places the plant at one time produced the powder for Fire works and
explosives yet after Alcoa abandoned it no one came forward in any way to try and save it at all and use it as some type of teaching and social center etc.
and Alcoa has all but left Pittsburgh area and devastated New Kensington when the pulled out of the plant and research center
They could not as much as put a marker in place for the men killed their from explosions in the plant
So gone is another piece of history which when historians do give its history they will not get it right as usual just like many other historic exhibits you go to see in the area they often get fact and figures wrong because no one bothered to properly document sites before they where destroyed , and now you can add the Alcoa Powder Plant to the list.
Developers would rather have a clean pad to develop than work with existing structures they claim cost too much and are impossible to renovate which each and every contractor knows is bull shit if you really want to save a property it can be done Carlow University proved it when they rescued a house everyone said had to go. it all comes down to one word GREED and thats what it is all about nothing else when it comes time to renovate or destroy a historic structure .
It is now being used by Allegheny Valley Railroad as an unloading yard for Fracking Sand for nearby gas wells
Illegal Party Site along a Natural Gas Transmission Line in Plum Boro Pa. A potential for problems ignored by Authorities and Gas Company
I was driving up Cox comb Hill from New Kensington one night around 11PM when I saw lights from a open top Jeep loaded with teenagers and a keg of beer go up a mud lane path along a High Pressure gas Transmission line in Plum Boro.
Now besides the dangers the driver put him self and passengers in climbing this 2 rut goat path there is the serious issue of hitting the pipelines various valves etc located along its path If they start a fire there is always danger of it spreading and some one getting hurt.
When I saw them going up I called Allegheny County 911 who said they would notify Plum PD and it was like no big deal . I never heard back from Plum or 911 and had something happened up top of that hill how where police and medics going to get up there .
I notified the gas company and heard nothing either. These lines come under Dept of Homeland Security rules they provide essential gas service to Power plants Business and homes. Yet no one seems concerned. Just a bunch of kids partying or maybe next time some one intent on causing damage. all thats needed is a simple barrier of some type and yes they are trespassing and it is a serious manner to be looked at. But its business as usual till something goes wrong. then its duck cover and wait for the lawsuits .
UPDATE: the party site is no more since a well pad has been established on property
Tuesday, October 27, 2015
A very Dangerous Situation on Highland Park bridge Motorists using a non lane which is actually a road shoulder and nearly colliding with on ramp traffic from Aspinwall
I see it almost every day motorists coming from Pa 28 onto the Highland Park bridge and instead of forming one lane they think there are 2 due to bad markings and they run down it right into the full speed on ramp I have seen numerous close calls and it is just a matter of time till some one is seriously hurt or killed .
As you can see in above picture what looks like a lane to the left it is not Penndot needs to put stripes across it or rumble strips and do not use shoulder signs to stop this dangerous practice. Because if you do you this unauthorized lane you end up directly in the path of the car you see to the left coming up the ramp full speed from Freeport road from Aspinwall .
There are wrecks daily with the on and off ramps to this bridge and this is just one of the dangerous situations due to people speeding onto and off of this bridge and not properly merging and driving like pigs and it needs to stop. before there is another fatal wreck
There are wrecks daily with the on and off ramps to this bridge and this is just one of the dangerous situations due to people speeding onto and off of this bridge and not properly merging and driving like pigs and it needs to stop. before there is another fatal wreck
Sunday, October 25, 2015
Missing / Stolen Model 1910 Mauser 6.25 mm 25 caliber fire arm - Do you collect or own old guns did you get them checked out if not you could face serious consequnces if it is stolen like one below that belonged to me
A man my wife knew Jeff who who did some wood work on our house about 20 years ago and
did gun smithing as a hobby and lived on School Street in Penn Hills Pa
and is now deceased . He either lost ,sold or was otherwise stolen from
him a Mauser 1910 25 caliber 6.25 mm hand gun which I had given him
to repair . aprox. 20 years ago . It was Reported Stolen to Penn Hills
Police and not seen since.
Not a particularly expensive or historic gun my late uncle picked it up
while in Europe during the war and millions where made and many Germans
carried them for personnel protection. When my uncle died my
grandfather took possession of it and knowing I was working as a guard
gave it to me on my 21st birthday.
Though the gun was well made it had one fatal flaw and that was the flat springs in the gun which would frequently break and which Jeff was going to fix for me. Well he never did and kept putting me off finally admitted to me lost it in his house. I immediately called Penn Hills Police who took a report .
You can still buy these guns at any gun show for around $150-$500 depending on condition and certain models could go much higher if you had case etc. mine was closer to the $150.00 dollar more of a family heirloom than a practical gun to carry and I would like to get it back so I can pass it down .
This is a problem with these old guns are still applicable to all state and federal firearms laws just like a brand new gun and if you bought one and did not run a back round check on it and are found in possession of one of the many stolen guns like mine you will be charged with a felony and can face 5-10 years in prison weather you knew it was stolen or not If you inherent or buy or other wise find an old gun and decide to keep it run it thru the local police and or gun shop and make sure it is not stolen or prepare to face the consequences. Better to turn in a gun with no consequences than face legal and jail time .
Though the gun was well made it had one fatal flaw and that was the flat springs in the gun which would frequently break and which Jeff was going to fix for me. Well he never did and kept putting me off finally admitted to me lost it in his house. I immediately called Penn Hills Police who took a report .
You can still buy these guns at any gun show for around $150-$500 depending on condition and certain models could go much higher if you had case etc. mine was closer to the $150.00 dollar more of a family heirloom than a practical gun to carry and I would like to get it back so I can pass it down .
This is a problem with these old guns are still applicable to all state and federal firearms laws just like a brand new gun and if you bought one and did not run a back round check on it and are found in possession of one of the many stolen guns like mine you will be charged with a felony and can face 5-10 years in prison weather you knew it was stolen or not If you inherent or buy or other wise find an old gun and decide to keep it run it thru the local police and or gun shop and make sure it is not stolen or prepare to face the consequences. Better to turn in a gun with no consequences than face legal and jail time .
Saturday, September 12, 2015
Have you noticed many old buildings no longer have Fire Hoses in their Fire Hose cabinets? There is a good reason why
At one time it seemed almost every commercial building, school , civic center etc. over 1 story had a Fire Hose Cabinet in it where you found a fire hose and fire extinguisher.
but more and more you will find the cabinet empty.
It comes down to the fact many hoses where never being properly inspected and replaced as needed
they where just ragged and tagged as its known and also came down to the fact Fire Officials would rather you flee a building instead of trying to fight a fire with an inadequate hose especially if you are not properly trained.
the 1 -1/4 hose is far smaller than the 2- 1/2 inch hose firefighters carry in there High Rise Fire Fighting packs and the other problem is adequate water supply as many of the pipes supplying these hoses where not maintained and are all barnacled up and corroded causing blockages. improperly tested and not replaced fire hoses also present a very significant danger to a user as well if they attempt to use it.
Fire Officials would much rather you flee a building and allow them to go in and fight the fire than them having to worry about locating and rescuing you.
Also since firefighters are connecting to 2 1/2 dry pipes in buildings where with there high rise hose packs where water is pumped in from a fire engine and pipes must be rigidly inspected on an annual basis there is a much better chance a fire will be knocked down faster than citizens using old 1- 1/4 hoses. and less danger to firefighters.
The other problem is the actual fire load in buildings has dramatically increased with modern plastics etc and being able to fight the fire with a hose and avoid dangerous fumes is all but impossible if you can not stop it with a hand extinguisher then its time to flee and get out .
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but more and more you will find the cabinet empty.
There is a very good reason why these cabinets no longer have a hose and new buildings are being built with out them..
It comes down to the fact many hoses where never being properly inspected and replaced as needed
they where just ragged and tagged as its known and also came down to the fact Fire Officials would rather you flee a building instead of trying to fight a fire with an inadequate hose especially if you are not properly trained.
the 1 -1/4 hose is far smaller than the 2- 1/2 inch hose firefighters carry in there High Rise Fire Fighting packs and the other problem is adequate water supply as many of the pipes supplying these hoses where not maintained and are all barnacled up and corroded causing blockages. improperly tested and not replaced fire hoses also present a very significant danger to a user as well if they attempt to use it.
Fire Officials would much rather you flee a building and allow them to go in and fight the fire than them having to worry about locating and rescuing you.
Also since firefighters are connecting to 2 1/2 dry pipes in buildings where with there high rise hose packs where water is pumped in from a fire engine and pipes must be rigidly inspected on an annual basis there is a much better chance a fire will be knocked down faster than citizens using old 1- 1/4 hoses. and less danger to firefighters.
The other problem is the actual fire load in buildings has dramatically increased with modern plastics etc and being able to fight the fire with a hose and avoid dangerous fumes is all but impossible if you can not stop it with a hand extinguisher then its time to flee and get out .
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Additions added onto buildings can be a Death Trap for Firefighters
Building additions are common as a business grows but they can pose significant risks to firefighters when not properly thought thru. especially when it comes to covering over old Windows and Doors
from the existing structure as you can see in the pictures below.
When this building was added onto the window was left in place and not properly covered over a firefighter trapped during a fire inside the old building could be feeling around in the smoke trying to find a way out feel the window ledge in the above photo think he has found a way out when in fact he has not even if he successfully breaks thru it all he has done is broken into the addition.
This is exactly what happened when 3 Pittsburgh Firefighters where killed in a Home in Brushton when a window was covered over with heavy Plexiglas and they thought they could make there way out when they felt the window ledge and could not when the steps collapsed and trapped them in a basement.
Take this building in the picture below looks like a normal building right?
You would be wrong on the left side of this building underneath is an old Boron gas station this building on the left is a shell built over the original structure I would be willing to bet if I went down to local fire station not one of the fireman there would know this as it was done over 20 years ago.
Like Francis Brannigan always said " THE BUILDING IS THE ENEMY KNOW THE ENEMY"
So what buildings do you have in your district which have been built over layer after layer that are waiting to get you? this is why it is important to do company tours and know how buildings have been modified or be prepared to suffer the consequences.
from the existing structure as you can see in the pictures below.
This is exactly what happened when 3 Pittsburgh Firefighters where killed in a Home in Brushton when a window was covered over with heavy Plexiglas and they thought they could make there way out when they felt the window ledge and could not when the steps collapsed and trapped them in a basement.
Take this building in the picture below looks like a normal building right?
Like Francis Brannigan always said " THE BUILDING IS THE ENEMY KNOW THE ENEMY"
So what buildings do you have in your district which have been built over layer after layer that are waiting to get you? this is why it is important to do company tours and know how buildings have been modified or be prepared to suffer the consequences.
More Examples of Church Elders not caring to folow Building Codes and putting Public at Danger
Yes once again a glaring example of putting the public at danger and this time it involves children
The First case involves a church in South Hills of Pittsburgh .
Where an elder lets call him Mr. Smith has taken it upon himself to fix a problem where children are swinging on a outside handicapped railing.
And he was worried they could fall and get hurt .
his solution instead of putting in a metal strip to stop them from swinging under the railing. the proper way code requires he takes some plastic fence pieces left over from a project and uses indoor rated plastic tie wraps and attaches the fence pieces to the railing. which now leaves 8 inch gap[ underneath a child could be impaled on and blocks use of the hand rail by a handicapped person so not only is Mr. Smith putting children at danger he is violating Federal handicapped accessibility rules. when I offered to fix it properly for cost he said whats the problem. Well Mr Smith the problem is a child can and will get hurt the tie wraps will eventually break and some one is going to get hurt and the church sued. It is just a matter of time till a building inspector riding buy sees this monstrosity and the church gets cited. But they never do learn they have been cited in the past and if they last another 5 years it will be a miracle but this is what happens when you allow untrained in building codes and construction knowledge and unethical individuals into a position of power in a church which drives good members away and ends up killing a church because there are not enough donations to maintain it.
The First case involves a church in South Hills of Pittsburgh .
Where an elder lets call him Mr. Smith has taken it upon himself to fix a problem where children are swinging on a outside handicapped railing.
his solution instead of putting in a metal strip to stop them from swinging under the railing. the proper way code requires he takes some plastic fence pieces left over from a project and uses indoor rated plastic tie wraps and attaches the fence pieces to the railing. which now leaves 8 inch gap[ underneath a child could be impaled on and blocks use of the hand rail by a handicapped person so not only is Mr. Smith putting children at danger he is violating Federal handicapped accessibility rules. when I offered to fix it properly for cost he said whats the problem. Well Mr Smith the problem is a child can and will get hurt the tie wraps will eventually break and some one is going to get hurt and the church sued. It is just a matter of time till a building inspector riding buy sees this monstrosity and the church gets cited. But they never do learn they have been cited in the past and if they last another 5 years it will be a miracle but this is what happens when you allow untrained in building codes and construction knowledge and unethical individuals into a position of power in a church which drives good members away and ends up killing a church because there are not enough donations to maintain it.
Monday, September 7, 2015
More Stupidity from NFPA why do residental R 13 systems not have valve shut off tampers? Especially when used in Small Apartment Houses and Personnel Care Homes etc.
Yes right along with the Daisy Chain Smoke Alarm debacle NFPA has caused there is an even bigger issue and it involves the one thing they have been pushing on there agenda and thats residential sprinklers .
In small apartment houses and town homes etc. where sprinklers are tapped off the house water line there is no requirement for a tamper switch to warn the sprinklers are shut off . I have even seen this with small office buildings and personel care homes.
Anyone can just walk up and turn off the water valve to the sprinkler system and ou would never know.
As you can see in the above pictures there is not even any kind of markings telling you the lien and valve are feeding a sprinkler system and all too often these valves are located where the public can easily come upon them and turn them off.
There are thousands of small apartment units Personnel care homes and offices set up this exact way and all a potential disaster waiting to happen. As you can see this room is jammed full of boxes and junk and a valve could easily be turned off by a box falling against it. Yet codes do not call for these valves to be at least chained off and better yet electrically tampered. But because often these small places do not require a fire system just daisy chain smokes code makers feel it is a burden on owner to install dedicated panel for this purpose .
Yes the very systems designed to save lives daisy chain smokes and sprinklers can be fully interrupted and no one knows and no one cares. Dam shame how little code makers care about those who live in small apartments and personnel care homes .
In small apartment houses and town homes etc. where sprinklers are tapped off the house water line there is no requirement for a tamper switch to warn the sprinklers are shut off . I have even seen this with small office buildings and personel care homes.
Anyone can just walk up and turn off the water valve to the sprinkler system and ou would never know.
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| Water Line tapped for sprinklers and no tamper in Small Office Building |
There are thousands of small apartment units Personnel care homes and offices set up this exact way and all a potential disaster waiting to happen. As you can see this room is jammed full of boxes and junk and a valve could easily be turned off by a box falling against it. Yet codes do not call for these valves to be at least chained off and better yet electrically tampered. But because often these small places do not require a fire system just daisy chain smokes code makers feel it is a burden on owner to install dedicated panel for this purpose .
Yes the very systems designed to save lives daisy chain smokes and sprinklers can be fully interrupted and no one knows and no one cares. Dam shame how little code makers care about those who live in small apartments and personnel care homes .
Sunday, August 30, 2015
Do you have 120 VAC Daisy Chain Smokes Alarms in your Home or Apartment Unit ? is your Home or Building Built Before 2004 ? THEY MAY NOT WORK - Better ? why is UL and NFPA still approving there use
It was all the rage back in the 80's when 120 Volt AC Powered Daisy Chain Smoke Alarms came out then then with a 9 volt DC battery back up in case you lost power in your new home.
Considered the finest in new home fire safety technology every new home had them installed on every level .
NFPA codes even allowed them to be used in small apartment buildings and town homes under 6 units a very big and deadly mistake .
Because there is one major problem If you have a home with 120 VAC smokes built before 2004
will the smokes even go into alarm?
This is because it has been found that smoke alarms which utilize Ionization technology can fail to operate after 10 years
Personally I have never liked Ionization detector and alarms of any type I have always tried to install Photoelectric smokes which when properly maintained can last for decades.
But because Ionization units are cheaper thats what builders installed by the millions and many home and apartment owners have no idea the 120 VAC Daisy Chain units they installed over 10 years ago may no longer work ,because they mistakenly believe it only applies to stand alone 9 Volt Dc smokes not daisy chains.
The bigger problem to is it often takes the additional cost of an electrician to replace them because they utilize 120VAC
There are hundreds of thousands of home owners who think they are being protected when they are not. It still amazes me how many homes and places I walk in and no smoke alarms period.
But to add to this deadly problem is all the small apartment houses and town homes where these 120 VAC units where used that never get checked or inspected . Because these small buildings do not have a fire alarm system .
It was seen as a burden to make small apartment buildings put in a fire system yet these typically have more fires than large buildings and are often built of much more flammable construction than a regular brick apartment building.
But as usual NFPA and UL has been short sighted in there thinking and have exposed millions of people to fire hazards because they allowed a less stringent code for small apartment buildings.
and have made it worse by not emphasizing that 120 VAC smoke alarms need changed after 10 years also.
Considered the finest in new home fire safety technology every new home had them installed on every level .
NFPA codes even allowed them to be used in small apartment buildings and town homes under 6 units a very big and deadly mistake .
Because there is one major problem If you have a home with 120 VAC smokes built before 2004
will the smokes even go into alarm?
This is because it has been found that smoke alarms which utilize Ionization technology can fail to operate after 10 years
Personally I have never liked Ionization detector and alarms of any type I have always tried to install Photoelectric smokes which when properly maintained can last for decades.
But because Ionization units are cheaper thats what builders installed by the millions and many home and apartment owners have no idea the 120 VAC Daisy Chain units they installed over 10 years ago may no longer work ,because they mistakenly believe it only applies to stand alone 9 Volt Dc smokes not daisy chains.
The bigger problem to is it often takes the additional cost of an electrician to replace them because they utilize 120VAC
There are hundreds of thousands of home owners who think they are being protected when they are not. It still amazes me how many homes and places I walk in and no smoke alarms period.
But to add to this deadly problem is all the small apartment houses and town homes where these 120 VAC units where used that never get checked or inspected . Because these small buildings do not have a fire alarm system .
It was seen as a burden to make small apartment buildings put in a fire system yet these typically have more fires than large buildings and are often built of much more flammable construction than a regular brick apartment building.
But as usual NFPA and UL has been short sighted in there thinking and have exposed millions of people to fire hazards because they allowed a less stringent code for small apartment buildings.
and have made it worse by not emphasizing that 120 VAC smoke alarms need changed after 10 years also.