Theo Gray on why "safety" is overrated

God bless him, and Make too.

Amen.

Experiments cannot and should not be perfectly safe. Every precaution to safeguard life and limb must be taken, but a certain degree of danger should be present. The danger is needed to make you aware of the danger present. I don't know if that makes sense or not. I think the total lack of danger gives a false sense of security and may expose you to potential dangers you may not have as yet encountered. Most of our experiences in life have been learned through dangerous situations. Take for example experiencing a burn after playing with matches, or feeling the pain from falling off a bicycle. Certainly there are areas where safety is paramount, like looking at a welding arc without safety goggles or touching exposed electric wires without suitable protection. There is only so much you can learn from vinegar and baking soda. I don't think the great scientific discoveries of the past would have been possible without the presence of danger, radium, nitroglycerin for example.

I think you are absolutely right. In my experience 'safety' equipment can very easily create an unsafe environment as operators begin to think that nothing can go wrong and then lose their fear of the very dangerous equipment or environment they are in which is when the accident happens and OSHA writes a new rule and manufacturers are required to put new stickers on their products... This doesn't benefit anyone. If people are educated on the risks associated with the activities they are participating in their 'fear' will serve as a much better safety device then any rule, law or device...

Besides, if we only perform the 'safe' experiments we'll never perform any experiments... how can you say it is safe if you don't know the outcome?