Wacky Warning Labels

[the_sandman_454]

I think the funny thing about the label is that people shouldn't need to be told to "avoid death". One would think it should be common sense.

I wouldn't mind seeing such warnings go away, in favor of letting evolution do it's job. For example, if you don't understand that a mower uses a rotating blade, you have no business using one.

 

[Gatorboy]

Perhaps an indication that none of us have any common sense anymore??

No, rather to keep attorney's from taking them to court.

 

[N80]

I'm serious when I say this but I'm having a hard time understanding why so many peopple think this is a "Wacky Warning". Would anyone care to elaborate?

It's the caption. The large print. Sure, in a small skid steer an uninformed person might lean forward and get wacked by the loader. But, to say "Avoid Death". That's wacky. For those folks who don't believe in a higher power, avoiding death is the primary principle in life. Must we be told to do so? The point is, it is just too non-specific a warning. I'm sure the small print elaborates, but wouldn't "Crush Hazard" have been a better caption? Of course it would. But you know what? "Crush Hazard" makes the legal dept. squirm. It implies that the unit has hazards associated with it, and that just looks bad in court. So what can they put on the warning label that removes any hint that the machine has any dangerous qualities at all.....shazam!: Avoid Death! What great advice and totally legally neutral with no hint of culpability.

So yes. Its wacky.

On the other hand, as a new user I felt like my user manual got so bogged down in absolute legaleez warning minutia that it failed to prepare me for the things I was really ignorant of. I might intuitively guess not to put my hand in the fan belt or that diesel fuel actually burns. But I did not understand how a raised loaded bucket affected tractor stability. And that warning got the same bold type and emphasis that putting my hand in the fan belt did. I had to learn that part. Fortunately without accident.

My point is, when the warnings against things that any moron should know get the same level of emphasis as the real important stuff that you might not intuitively know, its easy to blow the important stuff off along with the 'wacky' stuff.

I didn't need a warning that diesel fuel is flammable at all, and yet I would have appreciated a chapter on tractor ballast and stability.

 

[chh]

The first 4 wheeler I bought (Polaris) owners manual had NOTHING about maintaince, very little about operation(a numbered photo showing all the levers and shifters) and untold pages if warnings. Looked to have been written by a lawyer who had never seen the 4 wheeler and was told to cover all the bases.

 

[chh]

I think it's being stripped out of our kids by the public school system, with the liberal NEA/Dept. of Education at the root. And MTV and all that other similar crap doesn't help either.

I also think it's the ultra protective society that we're living in right now. We don't let kids go out and experience life and learn things the hard way. I've got an 11 year old nephew that until this past summer, I don't think has ever used a lawn mower. His mom won't make him go outside and mow the lawn, so that he doesn't get hurt on anything. I don't know about him, but when I was a kid, I usually didn't LEARN anything unless it drew some blood or left a blister on my fingers! How are our youth going to get prepared for the world when they're so "protected" from it as children?[/QUOTE

Basically; They don't. They call mommy and daddy to come fix it. Talk to a high school teacher or a someone who works at a university. Many 16 to 21 year olds don't have a clue about how to handle money, auto maintaince, or anything of the practicle nature. I am a "mean" parent that gave his kids jobs on the farm the same way I had them. All 3 (1 girl, 2 boys) learned about dirty fingernails, sweat, and blisters. Can't tell it hurt any of them. All have jobs and take care of themselves.

 

[North Dakota]

One of the contractor's employees got hurt on my project by a flying Grease Zert. The had a small bobcat mini excavator with tracks. The track on one side kept coming off. To get the track back on you loosened a Zert one quarter turn which let a ram back up (the ram held the track tight) put the track back on and tighten.

I show up and the guy is laying there having a hard time breathing. He had been hit right on the boney sternum of his chest. He was alright later but had a bruise the size of a dinner plate. I asked what he had been doing and they told he was putting the tracks back on. I went over and looked at the machine and a right above the hole where zert was supposed to be was a big warning label that said do not loosen more then 1/4 turn serious injury or death may occur and showed a head siloutte with a chunk of head missing and a flying zert symbol that had obviously bounced off the head. There was dashed line showing the path of a flying zert from part to head.

The man was lucky it did not hit his eye, soft stomach, or head. What a fool. The label was not dirty or damaged and showed exactly what happened.

 

[turbo36]

, but wouldn't "Crush Hazard" have been a better caption? Of course it would. But you know what? "Crush Hazard" makes the legal dept. squirm. It implies that the unit has hazards associated with it, and that just looks bad in court. So what can they put on the warning label that removes any hint that the machine has any dangerous qualities at all.....shazam!: Avoid Death! What great advice and totally legally neutral with no hint of culpability.

If you look closely there are further warnings on this label.
There is always two ways to look at the same thing, I would probably pay less attention to a sign that says "crush Hazard" then one that mentions "Death".
When we write safety rules in my shop we tell the employees what the expected outcome is if they violate the rules, so a lot of our signs may say something like "this will kill you if you fail to discharge the stored energy and lock it out before working on this unit" or "this platform will fall without warning and kill you if you fail to use the stop blocks before entering the machine area". I think a straight forward warning is the best and should not be used lightly.

Being a Doctor you are probably overwelmed with all the legal mumbo/jumbo on the drug inserts but really how much is needed or should be there?
In my opinion if Vioxx had a warning that said " If you are overweight or have a preexisting heart problem this product could kill you" perhaps the doctor prescribing it or the patient thinking of taking it might have done a better risk assessment before going down that road.

Personally I wish it was still on the market as anything else I've tried doesn't work as well and I believe the benefits of Vioxx outweigh the risk for me.

 

[patrick_g]

I came to this forum to post the whacky label about tractors that started this post and realized I was a bit slow to be first.

I had a tube of Model plane glue in the 70's that said, "Not to be taken internally... and we don't know why anyone would." A manufacturer wouldn't get caught joking like that now.

Ever notice how everything bought at Harbor Freight requires the use of ANSI approved safety glasses. Makes me nervous just going into their store for fear of being inadvertantly blinded. With some of the products accompanied by the safety glasses warning I have trouble understanding how it would be dangerous to your eyes but I guess it is a standardized disclaimer that some lawyer wrote to reduce liability. I'm not sure how an extension cord or carved mallard decoy constitutes a particular eye hazard but oh well.

This topic reminds me of a comment by folk singer and actor Arlo Gutherie (Alice's Restaurant), you know Woodie's boy, got arrested and incarcerated where they took his belt and shoelaces and removed the toilet lid in his cell. His guess was they were concerned with suicide and didn't want him to hang himself with his belt or laces. As far as the toilet seat was concerned he thought they were concerned that he might put his head in the toilet, knock himself unconscious with the seat and drown.

So, where are all the warning labels on toilet seats?

Pat

 

[Richard]

1. This isn't really the kind of wacky warning label that's being generally discussed here.

2. I think we all know what it is really saying, but I especially like the top sign which, to me, can be construed as to illustrate what the bottom sign is talking about


That said, I can't STILL help but to smile every time I see this sign (which is on the road I live on so I pass it daily)

 

[SkyPup]

That's the first public wildlife refuge I ever heard of where backpackers are considered legal "game"!