ESL Podcast 852 - Working in a Factory
plant manager - the most important supervisor of a factory; the person who is responsible for the operation of a factory and the work of the other employees
The current plant manager is very difficult to work for, but fortunately, she's leaving the company next month.
line worker - a person who has a low-level job on an assembly line, performing the same tasks again and again
Kazuo is taking night classes so that someday he can quit his job as a line worker and find something more interesting.
workstation - the place where a person works when it is only a small area and/or a desk, but not a full office
A lot of the employees here decorate their workstation with photographs and small plants.
output - what a person, machine, or process produces; what is made
Our maximum output is 3,000 units per day, but we usually operate at about half of that.
productivity - a measure of how much work someone can do or how much of something a machine or person can produce with a certain amount of time or other resources
Our company is concerned that employees are spending time on personal emails and phone calls, reducing their productivity.
forklift - a machine with a large, strong piece of metal in front with two long parts that lifts very heavy objects up and down, taking them from one place to another
These boxes are too heavy for us to lift, so we'll need to use the forklift.
safety record - the history of how many accidents, injuries and/or deaths have occurred within a particular department or company over a period of time
The safety record shows that there were dramatic improvements once we started requiring that everyone wear hardhats and protective gloves.
machinery - large pieces of equipment operated by electricity and/or gas
Many little boys are fascinated by the machinery used in construction, like excavators and dump trucks.
assembly line - a process where many people or robots work together to build or create something, but each person or robot repeats a single task many times on each unit as it moves from one person or robot to the next
Troy likes working on the assembly line, because he doesn't have to think about what he's doing, so he can listen to music at the same time.
to mass-produce - to produce a very large number of items when those things are identical, not customized for the buyers
Once scientists create and test the medication, how long will it be before the drug companies can mass-produce it?
to pay attention - to focus on what is being said or shown, without being distracted by anything else
It's hard to pay attention to Cherise when she talks non-stop about her hobbies.
quality control - a system for testing products and making sure that they meet certain standards; a system for making sure that items are good enough to be sold
Our quality control specialists test each piece of equipment before it is packaged and shipped to the customer.
to hear about (something) - to be made aware of something in an obvious way, especially when it is bad news or has bad consequences
In this school, when parents are unhappy with their kids' teachers, they make sure the principal hears about it.
taken off - removed; separated from the rest of the body or object
The top part of the tree was taken off to make room for the new power lines.
factory - a large building where things are made for sale, especially when many machines are involved
This factory produces paper and cardboard.
every other minute - very often; very frequently and repeatedly
It's hard to concentrate on anything when the phone is ringing every other minute!
rookie - a person who is new in a job or organization; someone who does not have much experience doing something; the newest member of a group, especially when talking about sports
The company tries to pair rookies with more experienced employees who can help them learn to do their job well.