Appreciation post: A guy at the hardware store changed how I see my own work

I was picking up some paint for a job site sign last week, and the clerk, Dave, asked me to check a color swatch for him. He said, 'My red-green colorblindness makes these little squares all look the same mud color.' I helped him find the right one, and he told me he always has to ask for help with anything that only uses color to show info, like wiring diagrams or some of our safety labels. It really hit me that even the simple signs I make for my crew could be a problem. Has anyone else had a moment like that, where you realized a basic part of your job wasn't working for someone?

3 comments

3 Comments

reeseanderson1mo ago

Oh man, that's a good point about safety labels too, not just signs.

bailey.xena1mo ago

Right? Like, have you ever really looked at a ladder's warning sticker? It's not just "be careful." They have to show exactly how to set it up, the angle, even where not to stand. I read that they test those labels with regular people to make sure the message gets across. It's wild how much thought goes into a tiny piece of paper stuck on a tool.

joel28018d ago

Used to think warning labels were just lawyers covering their butts. But seeing how much testing goes into one little ladder sticker actually made me reconsider. If a label can prevent one person from falling off a ladder or using a tool the wrong way, that's a win. Never really thought about the angles and stuff they test either. Guess there's more to those things than just a generic "be careful" message.