10/09/2025
*The Bolt That Changed Everything*
It was a normal Monday morning at the engineering workshop. Machines whirred, grinders sparked, and the air smelled of oil and steel. John, one of the younger machinists, was in a hurry to finish a job. He noticed a loose bolt on the lathe guard but thought, “I’ll tighten it later — just one small cut won’t hurt.”
The moment the machine started, the guard shook loose. In a split second, the spinning chuck grabbed John’s overall sleeve and pulled his arm forward. His heart raced — he could feel the unstoppable strength of the machine dragging him in.
Just as disaster struck, an older fitter, Thabo, hit the emergency stop. The machine screeched to silence, leaving John shaken but unharmed. The torn sleeve and rattling guard told the story of what could have been a life-altering injury.
Later that day, the workshop held a safety talk. John stood before his colleagues and admitted, with trembling hands, “I thought skipping one step would save time. Instead, it almost cost me my arm.”
From that day, the loose bolt on the notice board carried a new meaning: every shortcut hides a risk, and every risk hides a story you don’t want to live through.
