Safety Fifth

Desiree started a smallish remodel of her house in Makati (the city in Metro Manila where she lives).  Though not extensive, the remodel will prove a pretty bullish prospect.  Her house was constructed from concrete and concrete block to make it structurally sound enough to withstand the typhoons that on occasion make landfall there.  And construction might be haphazard in the Philippines under the best of conditions.   

The most substantial part of this project is the demolition of a poured-in-place concrete stairway inside Desiree’s house.  Three men showed up for that project.  After watching them fluffing around with hammers and a small drill in efforts to break apart the stairway, Desiree rented them a full-fledged jackhammer to speed up the work.

“They would be here for a year at the rate they were going,” she said.  “And it is so dusty!”

I asked her to send me some photographs of the men working.

“Aaayyy!” I exclaimed after I looked at the photographs.  “They are barefoot and wearing shorts!”

Desiree is always telling me to be safe when I work at the cabin.  “Remember,” she will say, teasing me, “safety third!”

“Bare feet,” I repeated to her.

Desiree giggled.  “With this crew, it’s like, safety…fifth.”

We both laughed.

I am sharing two photographs Desiree sent.  In one you will see a barefoot man prying tile off the concrete steps.  In the other, a man—wearing what are apparently “safety” thongs—wields the jackhammer while spalling apart the concrete steps.

—Mitchell Hegman