KillinTime

How's the new job going?

tareed94

It's going great! I actually finished my first designed product yesterday. I designed an x-frame (single lift point up top, adjustable points under the 4 legs) that picks 2,000 pounds. It's small, but it's the first of many. I had one of the guys that turned me down for a position as a drafter/lift planner gave my dad a call on Wednesday asking if I was still looking for work because he thought I would be a good fit for department head of their engineering department. He is on his way out and wanted to help find a replacement. I told my dad to see what kind of pay and job requirements there would be. I wasn't real interested in leaving, but department head I figured would make a good bit more than I do now. Well, he said they would be looking at $75K with a vehicle allowance, gas card, etc. However, that job wouldn't be strictly 40 hours per week like this one is. So between the extra hours, the $5K increase per year (vehicle allowance would've came out to another $10K, but then I'd be burning through tires more), and leaving this job where they desperately need someone else, I decided to turn it down. Plus I would've hit traffic both directions.

I haven't done anything outside this week because ITC (Intercontinental Tank Co) had a tank of Naphtha catch fire. That then somehow spread to 13 of the 15 tanks in that farm, and burned for 3 days. Since then, it has flared up twice, has released Benzene into the air triggering a shelter in place, their containment wall breached yesterday and indefinitely closed Tucker Bayou, which caused the Houston Ship Channel to get closed while they try to clean/contain the chemicals that they aren't even sure what made it to the water. As of now, they are working to remove the remaining chemicals from the compromised tanks (there's only like 4 still standing), which caused a flare up yesterday and has since slowed them down. The smoke was seen from at least 50 miles away. This has been going on since last Sunday. So far, I've managed to be outside of any shelter in place orders, and the wind has mostly been blowing the smoke the opposite direction of my house. I am taking extra precautions and being overcautious. This is definitely a better safe than sorry situation.

Firerunner

iTrader: (3)

Holy cow.....I saw that on the news & was wondering if you or some of the other guys were in that area. Glad the new position is working out to your satisfaction.

Stay safe Taylor!

KillinTime

I saw it on TV as well. I'm glad the new job is going well.

tareed94

Yeah it's wild y'all. So far the only injuries I've heard of have been two deer park police officers were admitted to the hospital with Benzene exposure. I haven't seen that confirmed by any news outlets yet though.

Thanks y'all. I'm happy here, and feel like my job is going to be secure for a while.

andrewdod

Glad you're feeling comfortable man. I'm sure it feels good. Stay safe down there bud those chems are no joke.

tareed94

Me too man. The VP of that company called yesterday and said "Man, I'm honestly not sure why you aren't working for us because you came highly recommended. If something changes with your job situation give me a call." So that was pretty cool.

Yessir. That Benzene ain't no joke. One person claimed to detect H2S in their house, but I've only heard of that one guy having that issue. I've got an H2S monitor from a previous job (last company didn't keep track of them and I legit forgot to turn it in) that I've had inside just in case.

This weekend I'm going to start doing siding on my house, and on the 6th I'm looking at going to Houston Performance Trucks Shootout in Baytown. The local speed shop posted they were getting "Black Betty" finalized for it (may be their shop truck) and the dyno numbers were like 1243hp. If that's how the other trucks will be, it should be a good time.

andrewdod

Sounds awesome. I sure wish my industry was like that. I feel like I'm on the outside of a fence looking in sometimes. I'm highly recommend but the forces that be will not hire me because of the repercussions that may come from my current company since it is such a tight an close knit industry and all the companies are kinda like "partners".

tareed94

It's funny you mention that because in college I got turned down from Mammoet Crane because I worked for Bigge Crane one summer and my dad worked at Bigge Crane. Like they had me drive 2-2.5 hours (from College Station to Rosharon) to tell me that they weren't going to hire me because they didn't want to train me and then I take their methods back to Bigge.

andrewdod

It's still different. When one shop does a lot of insurance work and has nationwide Accts things get sticky