Author: John Grout
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A Range Finder Cam for Rock Climbing
The rock climbing equipment company, Metolius, produces this “range finder cam.” The cam anchors safety ropes into cracks in the rock. Notice the green, yellow, and red dots that run along the edge of the cam. The green dots indicate that the width of the crack is safe for use with this device. Yellow indicates…
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Ensure the Climbing Harness is Buckled Correctly
My safety harness buckle has a red mark indicating that it has not been locked (incorrect). When the buckling is complete, the red mark is covered.
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Medical Gas Connector Mistake Proofing
Medical gas outlets are designed so that the proper valves will only fit in their corresponding outlets. All of the gas valves have a pin at 12 o’clock the other pin differs in location. The second pin for medical air is at 4 o’clock.
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Preventing a Bartender from Overpouring
The devices that are attached to these bottles are liquor control systems. They insure that the right amount of liquor is dispensed for each drink It also tracks the amount so that receipts can be reconciled with inventory.
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Interoffice Envelopes – Are They Empty?
Even the lowly inter-office envelope has some mistake-proofing. In the photo at right what can you tell about the contents? First that there is something in there, second, that it is smaller than 8.5 x 11 inches, and third it’s white. Making sure a reusable envelope is empty before you send your memo can save…
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Copy Machine Door Mistake Proofing
This copy machine makes sure all the levers are in their proper position before the cover can be closed.
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Is the Record Playing at the Correct Speed?
Back before MP3’s, CD’s, cassettes, or even 8-tracks, there was an audio storage medium known as a record. Records were played on a “turntable,” as shown above. High fidelity audio required that the rate of revolution of the turntable be carefully calibrated. This was accomplished using a strobe light (shown as a red glow in the…
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Preventing Toilet Paper Excess
At Boy Scout Camp, some young men get a little carried away dispensing the toilet paper. Perhaps it is their digestive system’s response to the change in diet at the mess hall, or perhaps it is just for fun. These excesses sometimes lead to clogs the plumbing, other times the toilet paper ends up wet…
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Telling Metric From Inch-Series Fasteners
A company called Metric Blue offers metric bolts tinted blue. Why blue? So that when you have mixed metric and inch-series parts and fasteners it is easier to determine which standard you are working with. Company literature says, “By differentiating the metric fasteners (and tools) through our “blue” coating, we’ve eliminated the risk of failure…
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Time to Change Your Toothbrush!
When the forces of commercial self-interest and of dental hygiene combine, how can it not lead to mistake-proofing? This toothbrush has colored bristles that become clear at the tips of the bristles through use. When it starts to look like the brush on the left, it is time to buy a new toothbrush. Planned obsolescence at…