Reprinted from the ACJ - April, 1994
Ladies and gentlemen, if I may have your attention please. We would like to begin pre boarding of flight 421 to Washington, DC, at this time. Any passengers with small children, passengers needing special assistance, or those of you carrying convention displays the size of a house may board at this time.
That's how my NARSA National Convention adventure began. As the trip proceeded, the obvious hazards and health concerns began to present themselves, proving that even outside of the shop the life of a radiator man/woman can be dangerous. This is illustrated by the perils of this year's show. Please keep these tips in mind for future events.
If you were lucky enough to beat the traffic, remember the tickets and make it to the ticket counter six hours early like they request, you still had to board the plane and cram your carry-ons into the overhead compartments that are invariably full, even if you were the first passenger on the plane.
Shoulder and upper arm trauma may have resulted. The boredom associated with a long plane ride can lull you into a state of complacency when searching for hazards. You may even have forgotten to ask for the MSDS when they served your in-flight meal.
Skipping the hazards of the cab ride to the hotel, we can jump right to the anxiety danger associated with deciding which show ticket package is right for you at the registration desk. Then there is the near panic you feel as someone calls out your name from across the hall and heads toward you with his arm outstretched. You know the guy, you have seen him at countless other shows, he even knows the name of your wife!
The stress can be devastating. Naturally you remembered his name the minute you boarded the plane back home. Speaking of that outstretched arm, an entire weekend of hand shaking has been linked to acute cases of carpal tunnel syndrome. In the future you may want to alternate the hand shake with the flick of your hand off of your eyebrow in a mock salute gesture to save on the wrist strain.
Prior to the show starting, numerous exhibitor injuries occurred during booth setup. It is a unspoken rule among exhibitors that you should never bring the tools you will need to set up. Cuts, bruises, scrapes are all worn as badges of honor among these brave souls.
Smashed fingers as a result of the "use your shoe as a hammer" technique are common. Just think of the possibilities for injury when the closest thing to a screwdriver on the trade show floor is a pocket knife. This is high adventure!
As the show begins, try to take the necessary precautions to have a safe show. Chafing of the neck from extended periods of tie wearing was a common exhibitor hazard. An acute danger among trade show visitors is what is commonly referred to as "Freebie Shoulder." That is the drooping of one side of your body due to carrying large amounts of free stuff around in your shopping bag.
In the future, always try to trade off between arms as you wander the floor. It was easy to spot the folks with many years of convention experience. They either have a permanent (chronic) slope to one side or they brought the kids to help serve as pack horses.
Both the exhibitors and the visitors are likely to have experienced the most common trade show ailment: feet that have swollen so large that one foot wouldn't fit in both shoes. My method to combat this was to not take my shoes off between the trade show and the evening's activities.
This does keep you from having to buy larger shoes before the dinner/dance, but increases your risk of spontaneous footwear explosion, not only putting yourself in danger but everyone at your table as well. I mention, only in passing, the broken bone danger associated with dancing at these functions. I am sure that all of us suffered the late to bed, early to rise malaise common with hospitality suite visits.
Feeling like a battle weary soldier but having survived these hazards, you woke up Sunday morning, stumbled around to find your tickets, said farewell to the District of Columbia, and made your way back home. Back to the toxins, corrosives, lead fumes, physical hazards and irate customers that can really make a person feel safe and secure. But we are no worse for wear, and armed with these helpful tips we can all begin looking forward to the regional shows. Is everybody's seat back and tray table in the upright and locked position?
The above article was written by David M. Brown, Chief Engineer of Johnson Manufacturing Company, Inc. and is published by JOHNSON with the expressed approval of the National Automotive Radiator Service Association and the Automotive Cooling Journal. Other reproduction or distribution of this information is forbidden without the written consent of JOHNSON and NARSA/ACJ. All rights reserved.
JOHNSON MANUFACTURING COMPANY
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Phone 563-289-5123 or Fax 563-289-3825