One of the greatest challenges that people have to deal with on a daily basis is technological incompatibilities between object design and the users of those objects. Occasionally, people are to blame for hazard occurrence due to poor storage or interactions with technical substances. The story Peppermint Twist is among a collection of stories that warm people against technological risks that may result from human error. Peppermint was a famous night club that had earned its fame from the introduction of a new music genre. The club was famous for its quality services and had its regular customers ready to enjoy the night. However, there was a twist of events in Topeka, Kansas when the poisonous dish washing detergent was mistakenly served as a drink.
The dish washing machine in the club required the use of specialized detergents as it has been the case with most technologically developed dishwashers. However, that Saturday night when the accident happened the soap was placed in one of the bottles that were located so close to the bartender. The pink color of the detergent seemed like one of the tropical drinks that were being served and so it was also served. This resulted in numerous injuries and permanent damages to most customers. The occurrence of this hazard could have been stopped if the employees prioritized the dirty dozen steps that are essential for safety and minimization of mistakes. Lack of communication was evident in the story since the bottle was not labelled and the bartender was not notified of the presence of the caustic cleaner. Secondly, complacency should have been avoided through confirmation of whether the substance was a tropical drink or not. The bartender, as well as other employees, should follow the twelve steps to avoid damage.
Work cited
Casey, S,. Set phasers on stun: and other true tales of design, technology, and human error. Santa
Barbara : Aegean. 1998
