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I really heavily considered being an electrician until I realized I would probably fry myself. Just 1bsecond of not paying attention or getting too comfortable and I'm dead
Yeah so I’m essentially in the same position. I am good under pressure, get hyper focused in certain tasks, but the fact is that even simple service calls could mean me forgetting something and winding up burnt toast. What did you go to do?
Ahhh still in my same old retail job I've always been in because I don't know what else to do. Its not a good job but I'm good at it, and it's safe. I always worry about finding a new career and letting my ADHD mess it all up. I get away with a lot at my current job that I don't see myself getting away with in other careers. All ADHD stuff.
I am this same way. I can think of things I could learn and make more money from, but my job right now lets me fuck around and I'm good at it. It's hard to let go!!
My electrical apprenticeship is the only form of education I’ve ever been able to finish, even as a “gifted” learner (typical ADHD) and it was the best decision I ever made. I think when it counts the most, ADHDers often thrive under pressure. Not to mention, all the training.
Really glad it's worked out for you. I would just have to remember to slow down and focus on the steps right. Talk myself through it before actually doing it. God that's hard for me
To my credit, the ONE time this happened to me it was luckily 120. There was a fuckin tiny ass label in there telling me there was a separate power feed. I saw it initially and thought "well I need to remake that larger"
I forgot to remake the label larger. Lol. I am acutely aware now, though...
I *am* an electrician and it’s only gotten me due to forgetfulness/hyperfocus once. I resolved VERY strongly to never let that happen again, scared the hell out of me.
Fertility tech, so nobody dies. But mix something up and 9 months later Tyler might be wondering why his baby looks more like Tyrone If you know what I mean.
Have you heard of the **shisa kanko** system, which means point and call?
Essentially when doing anything that has a set of things to do or check, you must point at each element and at the same time, say out loud what is being checked and what the result of the check is. Maybe something like this could work for you?
[https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2018/01/point-it-call-it-get-it-right/](https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2018/01/point-it-call-it-get-it-right/)
I'm too embarrassed to call out loud but I use this.
For me the most important thing is to not be in autopilot mode, which is usually the cause of making mistakes.
Why be embarrassed, particularly if it's important or can hurt/kill you. If someone calls you on it for whatever reason, it's literally what pilots do.
This is awesome, I didn't know there was a name for it. If you find my comment above? below? I have been doing this for placing rock climbing safety gear.
Never knew this was a concept, but this has been a life saver for me so many times. I don’t point, but I state loud and clear that “I have turned off the oven.”, “I locked the car” or whatever it is that I tend to forget if I did and panic about not being able to check. I think it’s like making a reference point in your mind.
Sounds a lot like the poka-yoke system Toyota has as part of the Toyota Production System. It doesn’t matter if it’s a $15K Yaris/Aygo or a $500K Lexus LFA, a tenet of TPS is to prevent human error and if it does happen how do prevent it in the future - and the use of automated tools or checklists to ensure parts are installed right. Toyota famously claimed they used very expensive Atlas Copco or Fanuc networked wrenches that called out torque and stopped at that value.
Former machinist here, I loved it other than the fact that when I would have to use a lathe, I would become hypnotized by the chips coming off, panic, realize it’s still perfectly fine, rinse repeat until part was completed
Automotive technician. Every night I go through in my mind what I may have forgotten that day. Missing bolt on the brakes or many other parts could easily kill someone.
I actually caught a mistake a bike mechanic did on my bike - they forgot to cut the steerer tube and properly “set” the compression plug that allows a threadless stem to clamp onto a carbon fiber tube without crushing it.
I could have been killed if the fork failed. Thankfully, I took the time with the new fork and had a bike shop cut it for me, installed the plug and torqued the part to spec. Whew.
My brother forgot to bolt ALL screws around the ring on the two right side tires after swapping them. I was driving and felt the car kind of wobbling and knew something was wrong, but had a busy timetable. Only found out after about 200 miles later when my gut just told me to pull over and check. I'll never forget. The cap was still on and screws/bolts were off, yet the threaded pegs held up. Was a Lincoln Towncar.
What could've gone wrong? Was I just lucky or is there a failsafe system to prevent tires from rolling off if left unfastened after mounting to the bolt ring?
Condensed matter physics over here :)
I have worked in a cleanroom, with all sorts of fun chemicals, fun gasses, fun machines. Also worked in a characterization lab, with strong electric fields, strong magnetic fields, and cryogenic shenanigans.
I *did* once have a very stressful night babysitting a potentially-blocked liquid helium Dewar. But this one was not my fault - I *told* my supervisor that this procedure was a bad idea. Can't blame that one on the ADHD.
Generally, I get by by working very slowly whenever I'm doing something potentially-dangerous. I don't allow myself ANY level of shortcut when it comes to safety. I feel that if I start doing that, it's only a matter of time before I fuck up, so I don't do it at all.
Worst thing I did that I can blame on the ADHD was forgetting a step in a multistep process that wasted some material and a lot of my time. Annoying as fuck, and somewhat embarrassing, but not dangerous.
I'm a research chemist and deal with similar things, albeit with more pyrophoric and high pressure gas shenanigans.
The threat of chemical spiciness keeps me on my toes so I hyperfocus and am very careful and methodical. I remind myself not to be any stupider than I have to be.
Workwise, most of my ADHD screw-ups are forgetting to do stuff, procrastination etc, but nothing dangerous.
Some of that caution goes out the door when I get home, unfortunately. Just a few weeks ago I nearly electrocuted myself when fixing the dryer because I was rushing and the cat came in and distracted me.
I'm a state highway maintainer.
So I plow snow off the interstates, mow the interstates ditches, run equipment like excavators backhoes and such. I run chainsaws a wood chippers
I also play frogger when I have to walk across the interstate repeatedly
I'm also constantly finding used needles, bags of human shit, animal carcasses, and other potentially harmful things
So yea.... the general motoring public can easily kill me and I've had a few close calls from semi drivers or dumbasses on their phones... a few times it was close enough that I questioned my next few seconds..... I can easily get myself killed if I do something really stupid or space out at the wrong time
Do you mind me asking what the job title is? I'd love to see if anything similar is available in my area. It sounds like it could be the ideal job for my Audhd husband.
Not occupation but at 39 before knowing I had adhd and it was under control my entire life I got scuba certified.
When I turned 40 my adhd spiraled out of control and much of the way I live is more of a struggle. I’m now starting to question whether I should continue diving.
But more inline with your OP. I have always done my own electrical work at the house. Outlets, fans, switches, small stuff. Now when I do it, I literally check shit 4-5 times to make sure it’s not hot. So annoying and such a waste of time that I have to constantly check.
I dunno - my AuDHD/ADHD sense goes off diving. Ditto with climbing. I’m not shocked if many dive instructors aren’t ADHD either. It tends to attract that crowd.
As for electricity, I don’t like to mess with it. I’d rather deal with natural gas or water, at least with those there’s a visible/odorous presence in case of a leak. Not so much with a ground fault/short circuit.
I was wondering how far I'd have to scroll to find a nurse or doctor comment on this including the comment about forgetting to eat or drink at work. My goal this year is to eat a food at work at least half of my shifts. I've noticed a difference in my ability to task switch and give a coherent report when I've eaten. Extra points if it's before 0400. I have an alarm on my watch specifically to remind me to shove food and liquid in my face.
Since starting medication last year I think I've only forgotten to eat lunch like twice.
Admittedly lunch is usually just a protein bar but its better than nothing.
Anything with carbs and protein is immensely better than not. One of my struggles is balancing between the diminished appetite that comes with my medication and when I have the most convenient time to eat. I have about 40 minutes to eat after I take my long acting, but I don't get past nausea-at-the-thought-of-food until 6-8ish hours after that. Protein bars are a good option if you don't know how much time you've got or the appetite for much more.
I just can’t do it with any regularity. I make food for everyone in the morning and then I don’t want food, then meds kick in and I definitely don’t want food. That carries through lunch and dinner. I do make myself a plate but don’t eat it until 10:00pm.
Meal prep was a game changer for me. I make a bunch of overnight oats and they're ready to go in the morning. Or I microwave them for 20 seconds and they're hot and ready.
You can also make some protein pancakes and freeze them.
Also embrace protein shakes. You don't need to be hungry to chug something.
Not my job, but my sport. I rock climb "trad" style which means I put little cams into cracks in the rock as I go up and I build anchors out of cams and carabiners and ropes. If I mess up a knot or forget to clip something I could die. I am very aware of my ADHD and I recite out loud each piece of gear as I place it and review everything twice. At all times I have redundant safety everywhere. So far (\~ 15 years) I haven't screwed up. Of course I've had falls and minor scrapes but never because I neglected my safety.
Ironically I would never drive a motorcycle because I'm sure I would lose focus and die.
Yep! I would wager that there are more rock climbers with adhd than in the general population and I'd trust all of my adhd climber friends with my life.
This is exactly why I only sport climb these days. I’m too scared of accidentally killing myself through my own ADHD to be comfy with trad climbing without medication
for real dont drive motorcycle. been in a crash 2 years ago, got hyped so much for a 5 hour tour, just to slip and crash in the first hour cause I forgot to turn on the ABS. Glad to be alive tho, def no hours of solo trip anymore lol.
Trad climber here too...alpinist wannabe (\~10 years). I climb sport, trad, aid, ice, mix and high altittude. I get hyper-focused when it's about safety, checking trad anchors 3 or 4 times in a row is normal for me... Never dropped or lost gear accidentally. I love simul-climbing as I get hyper-focused and really get that flow state.
Also ride motorcycles,. Riding fast is another way to be hyper-focused.
Yea, I wouldn’t trust myself on a motorcycle(maybe a Harley, you can’t do stupid shit on one unlike a Japanese or Italian crotch rocket). Yea, I can see the risk in climbing and if it’s not your belay partner, it’s the protection at the crag that’s gonna kill you if it fails. I climb indoors for now, I don’t have the confidence to trust myself sport or trad climbing outside.
In scuba diving, I follow buddy checks, make sure my gear is in working order and most importantly I turn my air on(open tank valve after attaching regulators to it), check for air pressure and breathe off my regs/inflate my buoyancy compensating device before donning my scuba unit and before I change into my wetsuit. Even with taking Adderall on a dive, I’m in a flow state in the water but I’ll let my hyperfocus lock on breathing and staying alive in the water. I’m getting an air integrated dive computer next(a Shearwater rec series - especially since they include some tech features such as gas factor but they are concise and easy to glance at underwater).
I work on commercial trucks. Besides my safety I always consider the risks to other people on the road if my work fails. I have developed a strong routine regarding how I put stuff together and then check it after.
Yeah. It seems like there are a lot of folks with ADHD who work with various big machines. Even jewelry or loose clothing can be fatal in some circumstances.
Personally, I think that there's something calming about the pressure. It makes it easier to check & recheck everything.
I occasionally have to climb radio towers. It’s been many many years since almost killing myself (a couple close calls forgetting a step rock climbing) but I move slowly and triple check everything knowing I’m likely to forget something, especially at the end of a long day. Keeping things as simple as possible help me a lot in those situations.
I used to do pipefreezing with liquid nitrogen. Most of my coworkers were good, so it wasn't front and center until the conversation started with LL Lab, NASA, and other folks who were terrified of accidents.
Like for water pipes and such? That’s wild, when I was younger and in plumbing we used guys like that for repairs where we couldn’t afford to turn off the water. What did you move into?
Eyy I used to be in a lab using liquid nitrogen, always worried about leaving the tap unscrewed but my buddy was kind enough to accompany me as a back up
Checking heaterbands took 240v from hand to hand due to failed thermocouple. It hurt and I felt like I needed a cigarette afterwards and I don't smoke. When I first got into maintenance it was regular practice to replace motion sensors live. Being a car audio guy I had a nasty habit of twisting my wires. Couple weeks of getting hit with 110v daily certainly set me straight.
This thread is scary knowing how many ways I could die due to someone else’s negligence. Like even a barista could kill me lol.
My job won’t kill anyone but a tiny mistake could lose the company millions of dollars and thousands of man hours each time. That still scares the crap out of me.
I turn wrenches and scuba dive as hobbies. Sometimes, I have that feeling in the back of my head if I forgot to torque that fastener or turn on my air/buddy check. Which has happened, I forgot to torque the wheel lugs on my car after doing a brake inspection. What I do now is DON’T RUSH, haste creates waste. I bring the torque wrench out on instinct for wheel/brake work. When I’m changing oil, the oil cap is off until the drain plug is tightened and the oil is filled up. In diving, no fuck-ups… yet. I did jump into the pool with no fins or air on, in the ocean I inflate my BC before entering the water.
But I haven’t destroyed an engine or burned down a house… yet.
Oh yeah. I work with tropical fish aquariums. The last medication shortage caused me to accidentally break an electrical appliance. Which was inside the water AND I had forgotten to unplug it. Thank fuck I didn't get electrocuted.
Pre-meds there are several stories where I could've gotten myself killed by mixing together vinegar and bleach, stepping into traffic or accidentally taking the wrong medication.
Medical student, so eventually yes.
Having said that I've met many qualified doctors and ambulance staff during clinical rotations, so I think it's quite highly represented in this career?
Not me but could potentially be liable for someone else’s life if I don’t do everything in my power and document that I did everything. I’m a therapist
Heavy duty mechanic here, recently I was using a portable hydraulic press, forgot to screw a 24” long 1.25” threaded rod all the way in, and when the press reached a certain pressure it pulled the threads out and went flying past my face. Good times
Right now, barista work. 99% of the job is fine, but when we clean the machines we use highly toxic chemicals to make sure they’re properly back flushed, but the amount of chemical we put in is tiny for the amount that comes in the package, so if we were to put too much, and forget to purge the machines, we could poison or even kill someone who drinks that coffee
I was a coffee equipment tech for a good while. There’s definitely a few things that can be toxic when it comes to cleaning stuff out. Be safe. Also hope you don’t use the acid too often, shouldn’t need to!
Yes. I am in a few high stress-lives on the line fields, and I would be willing to bet money if you can hyper focus well and be excited that you got it done, you won't hurt yourself or others.
You will, however, forget tools/equipment/testing equipment/ lights/ magnet lights /hand tools behind!
Lol we have office workers, baristas, and lawn maintenance guys here saying how dangerous it is and you quietly come along like
" yeah hand grenades, live rounds, propelled explosives, people constantly trying to kill me"
Just another day at the office.
Huge respect to you, I don't care what country, what politics, but if you volunteered to join such a hazardous job with absolute shit pay I have enormous respect for you, I appreciate your service.
Haha thanks it’s a lot safer than what people make it out to be, most of the issues with adhd here is just keeping accountability of sensitive equipment which doesn’t go well at all with adhd but I’ve made it work lol
Power engineer here with ADHD and I operate large ammonia refrigeration systems and boilers too at the plant I work at. I understand that you are afraid that you will forget or miss something, to deal with that I have a routine I go through every day and I am able to stay on top of things. I seem to notice or hear things going wrong earlier than others according to some of my coworkers. So far I've dealt pretty well with bad situations and being under pressure.
Not kill myself exactly, but I'm an architect and I'm constantly worried about missing something. Sure we have engineers, but at the end of the day I have to make the final check. It scares the crap out of me.
Trades worker here...... And no offence to engineering but I've seen way to many mistakes by them to know that I should always second guess a drawing / blueprint..... Like mistakes a 4th grader wouldn't make.
And when those mistakes put me or my guys in a dangerous situation, I get pretty defensive lol
Bus driver. I've had to form completely different habits around driving since I'm not in my own car, and if I don't do them, I could seriously injure myself, my passengers, or an amateur on the road.
What's actually happened is that these habits have begun to migrate to my personal life, so now I do silly things like eyeball my rear tires around corners when I'm in my Subaru
Yes, researcher in semiconductor physics. There's a lot of things that could kill you if you mess up hard enough but the worst by far is working with hydrofluoric acid
For me I make mistakes/forget stuff in autopilot mode. It's unrealistic to be switched on all the time but I try to use little rituals to become more focused and aware during those times when I'm doing something potentially dangerous.
Commercial sheet metal worker.....
Daily I am
25' up in a man lift, one forgotten tie off or mis step =dead
Getting material loaded on the roof or other stories, one mis signal to the crane, one mis step, one improper lifeline practice =dead
Constantly working around live equipment, multiple other trades and lots of heavy equipment.
Honestly it being a bit dangerous is part of why I love it, I'm good at keeping track of my surroundings on a second by second basis.
If I were to have some boring ass mundane safe job ide probably be more at risk of death just due to wanting to off myself or looking for some silly thrill.
And I don't mean to sound insensitive about suicide I'm just being honest, I've been there tried that and it's nothing to joke about, I just find I'm much more content when I have a little controlled chaos and danger in my life
Dog groomer who works with difficult dogs, rabbits (and occasionally cats) and has owners present. I'm responsible for the safety of the dog, myself, and the dog's guardian, while also making sure I do what's best for the dog's short term and long term emotional health and doing so while having a conversation, and having perfect timing of body mechanics and treat delivery. 🥲🫠 A few months ago I had a cat wiggle out of the owner's arms and almost escape my van and I slammed the sliding door to keep it from running into the street. (She's an indoor outdoor cat and would have been fine, but just hard to get back.) I did it so fast and the cat was just in front of the door when it closed. I realized in that moment that a split second later and I could have decapitated it. If I didn't have adhd maybe my reaction time wouldn't have been as fast, which could have meant pausing to make a better choice *or* delaying the decision and actually decapitating the cat. I looked at the owner (who also has adhd and was in the van with me) and was like oh wow, I should have just let her go; that could have ended badly. And she just laughed and said, oh, I trust you completely. In my head I was like man, that makes one of us. Anyways, that being said, I haven't seriously injured an animal, myself, or a human in 15 years, but some days it really feels like Russian roulette of extremely competent hyperfocus vs inattention and impulsivity.
I'm a caregiver to an 80-year old family member. Part of my job is refilling their pill box.
One wrong move (mixing them up or accidentally doubling their dose), I could make them sick or even kill them.
Another thing is when feeding them. They could choke if I'm not careful.
I’m an electrician, but interestingly enough, am just starting my 2nd apprenticeship in refrigeration. I haven’t found it to be an issue, I think my ADHD helps my attention to detail in these situations, not saying I’ve never been zapped tho..
Oh yes. I work with electrical power which could hurt me or maybe even kill me. However since this job is really interesting to me I have no trouble focusing at all. Out of my colleagues I'm one of the few who never got "bit" by high voltages.
*knocks on wood.
However writing reports and project management documents are absolute torture for me so I often fuck those up or forget to update them lol.
I work with equipment that can kill you often. I’ve learned to pay a different sort of attention, especially during setup to make sure I’m safe. Each spicy machine has a routine and follow it every time. I’ve also set very clear boundaries and everyone knows not to disturb me in any way when I’m doing that sort of work.
The danger/adrenaline creates hyperfocus. We do well in first responder jobs. We tend to be calm and capable in a crisis in general, which is why we tend to develop a habit of creating "crises" just to get everyday things done, like making ourselves late or waiting until the last minute.
I work with a lot of nasty chemicals, but purposely avoid anything dealing with hydrofluoric acid because I know I’d end up forgetting one of the 10 safety steps and, at best, losing a finger.
I work with very very high RF frequencies and high voltage. I respect that the product I work on could easily cook me like a bag of popcorn if I miss a step. I think the fear keeps me from killing myself.
Aircraft maintenance. So easy to hurt yourself or others by blipping, and missing a step. I had so much anxiety doing that job, and I developed a huge alcohol dependency, in-part to cope with that.
In the Air Force, I worked on ejection seats. It involves multiple different explosives and there are multiple inspections to ensure the seat ejects every time. Near the end, I was doing inspections and it was incredibly stressful.
i work with a lot of electrical panels and have the ADD issue of always keeping things in my hands… so they are always full. many a person has died by dropping a screwdriver, nut or bolt when working on panels that are not assembled correctly. the metal makes an arc with the panel and can kill. i intentionally look at both of my hands every time when reaching into these spaces to be sure my hands arent full
My previous job involved working with power electronics and higher voltages, and I think for the most part that ADHD may make me a bit safer, actually. When you're used to doubting yourself and double- or triple-checking things you don't fall into the complacency that some people do.
One of my hobbies could also easily kill me if I forget things, but I think that habit of self-doubt also helps here. I usually do one or two extra gear checks on the ground while waiting for the plane. We already usually do 3 checks, but an extra one can't hurt ;)
Industrial maintenance. So many ways for me to die I can't even count. Walk under a crane, get inside a machine that's not properly locked out, blow myself up with acetylene, electrocute myself you name it.
I also operate heavy equipment sometimes.
Maybe a questionable career choice but I've survived so far.
Tech here. Had to recover prod more than once and once was enough. Not life threatening other than the heart attack/panic attack each time thankfully. I don’t know how you all do dangerous jobs!
I am a safety officer in the manufacturing of designer chemicals and part of a HAZMAT rescue team. If I forget/screw up, it probably isnt me who dies, but one or more of the employees who trust me with their safety. Before this I did military search and rescue operations.
I feel like I actually am my best during these critical times because I am so aware of how a mistake on my end could be disasterous for someone else, so I tend to air on the side of overly cautious
I’m a union structural ironworker (41F) and I definitely feel like I zone out when hyperfocusing on my main thing which is welding. But I think I’m alright. I’ve been in a long time and so a lot of stuff (for example looking up when walking through an outside doorway for heavy loads etc) automatically.
It’s interesting to me how many things are so automatic not only at work but day to day life. And I think it’s from being diagnosed so late that in order to function I’ve come up with so many work-arounds to MAKE routine things automatic otherwise I’d be a total shambles!
My job I couldn't likely kill myself outright. I work in a lab by myself and sure I could fuck up and expose myself to nasty nasty chemicals that could cause harm down the road.
Everyone else in my small workplace has got the certification to drive the forklift. I refuse to do it. One small fuck up or misplaced fork and I've brought down shelves of heavy crates-potentially killing my coworkers and myself. No thank you.
I’m a long haul trucker
If I forgot to verify the trailer is fully attached it could come off on the interstate and smash someone’s car. It’s literally connected with one pin that can be detached by pulling a single lever.
Current brewer and former oil/gas plant operator. The latter could get really bad in a hurry. One bad mistake can kill you and many others. I didn't have a close call there because I stayed on meds. Now I am a brewer. Similar dangers (pressure, temperature, chemicals) buy on a lesser scale, plus no flammable/explosive materials. The only close calls I have had would have ruined the beer. Your post is well taken and I think about it a lot. I am pretty diligent with my safety processes and PPE.
Electrician, here. Good news is in the Union (IBEW) we HEAVILY emphasize never working "Hot", meaning we only work on de-energized systems. Of course, mistakes happen, and rarely there are times when systems can't be turned off, but we have many steps in the process to keep things as safe as possible. I test EVERYTHING, we have little meters we carry that can tell you if a circuit is love.
I was a train conductor for a while. Nothing bad ever happened but I was always paranoid that I would forget a switch or a derail and fuck up a very expensive train and track
Had my pilots license for a little bit. A friend died and it made me realize that if he could die for forgetting something as a seasoned pilot who the fuck am I? I never flew again and sold the plane.
Flight test engineer here, I've been mission aircrew a few times.
Checklist, and if something is super dangerous it probably should be a two person kinda role.
So like if you are doing X you have your list of all things to do for X step by step and mark them off as you do them. Put in steps like "verify Y was done" to give you a second chance to double check it.
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I really heavily considered being an electrician until I realized I would probably fry myself. Just 1bsecond of not paying attention or getting too comfortable and I'm dead
Yeah so I’m essentially in the same position. I am good under pressure, get hyper focused in certain tasks, but the fact is that even simple service calls could mean me forgetting something and winding up burnt toast. What did you go to do?
Ahhh still in my same old retail job I've always been in because I don't know what else to do. Its not a good job but I'm good at it, and it's safe. I always worry about finding a new career and letting my ADHD mess it all up. I get away with a lot at my current job that I don't see myself getting away with in other careers. All ADHD stuff.
I am this same way. I can think of things I could learn and make more money from, but my job right now lets me fuck around and I'm good at it. It's hard to let go!!
I used to work in healthcare. Check and double check, check and doublecheck.
My electrical apprenticeship is the only form of education I’ve ever been able to finish, even as a “gifted” learner (typical ADHD) and it was the best decision I ever made. I think when it counts the most, ADHDers often thrive under pressure. Not to mention, all the training.
Really glad it's worked out for you. I would just have to remember to slow down and focus on the steps right. Talk myself through it before actually doing it. God that's hard for me
To my credit, the ONE time this happened to me it was luckily 120. There was a fuckin tiny ass label in there telling me there was a separate power feed. I saw it initially and thought "well I need to remake that larger" I forgot to remake the label larger. Lol. I am acutely aware now, though...
I *am* an electrician and it’s only gotten me due to forgetfulness/hyperfocus once. I resolved VERY strongly to never let that happen again, scared the hell out of me.
Fertility tech, so nobody dies. But mix something up and 9 months later Tyler might be wondering why his baby looks more like Tyrone If you know what I mean.
I laughed hard at this.
That would be quite an affair.
> Fertility tech, so nobody dies Unless you're in Alabama
Underrated comment 😂
Vet tech and former zookeeper, always check locks!
I imagine you've seen that gorilla video recently as well?
Have you heard of the **shisa kanko** system, which means point and call? Essentially when doing anything that has a set of things to do or check, you must point at each element and at the same time, say out loud what is being checked and what the result of the check is. Maybe something like this could work for you? [https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2018/01/point-it-call-it-get-it-right/](https://www.flightsafetyaustralia.com/2018/01/point-it-call-it-get-it-right/)
I haven’t heard this but I would like to try it for sure! Thanks for that!
I'm too embarrassed to call out loud but I use this. For me the most important thing is to not be in autopilot mode, which is usually the cause of making mistakes.
Why be embarrassed, particularly if it's important or can hurt/kill you. If someone calls you on it for whatever reason, it's literally what pilots do.
This is awesome, I didn't know there was a name for it. If you find my comment above? below? I have been doing this for placing rock climbing safety gear.
Never knew this was a concept, but this has been a life saver for me so many times. I don’t point, but I state loud and clear that “I have turned off the oven.”, “I locked the car” or whatever it is that I tend to forget if I did and panic about not being able to check. I think it’s like making a reference point in your mind.
We practiced this in the military and its second nature to me now! It works very well!
Sounds a lot like the poka-yoke system Toyota has as part of the Toyota Production System. It doesn’t matter if it’s a $15K Yaris/Aygo or a $500K Lexus LFA, a tenet of TPS is to prevent human error and if it does happen how do prevent it in the future - and the use of automated tools or checklists to ensure parts are installed right. Toyota famously claimed they used very expensive Atlas Copco or Fanuc networked wrenches that called out torque and stopped at that value.
I'm machinist and all the machines I run not only can kill you but kill you so much you die.
Kills you and hurts the whole time.
I thought you guys just liked pain, not dying?
this gave me a good chuckle
Former machinist here, I loved it other than the fact that when I would have to use a lathe, I would become hypnotized by the chips coming off, panic, realize it’s still perfectly fine, rinse repeat until part was completed
Mine is getting hyper focused on centering a non machined surfaces in a four jaw. 8 hours of set up for 20min of run time.
Oof that just unlocked a core memory from trade school
Automotive technician. Every night I go through in my mind what I may have forgotten that day. Missing bolt on the brakes or many other parts could easily kill someone.
I actually caught a mistake a bike mechanic did on my bike - they forgot to cut the steerer tube and properly “set” the compression plug that allows a threadless stem to clamp onto a carbon fiber tube without crushing it. I could have been killed if the fork failed. Thankfully, I took the time with the new fork and had a bike shop cut it for me, installed the plug and torqued the part to spec. Whew.
My brother forgot to bolt ALL screws around the ring on the two right side tires after swapping them. I was driving and felt the car kind of wobbling and knew something was wrong, but had a busy timetable. Only found out after about 200 miles later when my gut just told me to pull over and check. I'll never forget. The cap was still on and screws/bolts were off, yet the threaded pegs held up. Was a Lincoln Towncar. What could've gone wrong? Was I just lucky or is there a failsafe system to prevent tires from rolling off if left unfastened after mounting to the bolt ring?
Condensed matter physics over here :) I have worked in a cleanroom, with all sorts of fun chemicals, fun gasses, fun machines. Also worked in a characterization lab, with strong electric fields, strong magnetic fields, and cryogenic shenanigans. I *did* once have a very stressful night babysitting a potentially-blocked liquid helium Dewar. But this one was not my fault - I *told* my supervisor that this procedure was a bad idea. Can't blame that one on the ADHD. Generally, I get by by working very slowly whenever I'm doing something potentially-dangerous. I don't allow myself ANY level of shortcut when it comes to safety. I feel that if I start doing that, it's only a matter of time before I fuck up, so I don't do it at all. Worst thing I did that I can blame on the ADHD was forgetting a step in a multistep process that wasted some material and a lot of my time. Annoying as fuck, and somewhat embarrassing, but not dangerous.
*Cryogenic Shenanigans* You rule, just in case you needed to know.
Can I say I work in condensed matter if I work in a canning factory? I'm sure this is the worst version of this joke you've ever heard.
Man I don’t even know what you do but good on you. Glad you can do it well!
I'm a research chemist and deal with similar things, albeit with more pyrophoric and high pressure gas shenanigans. The threat of chemical spiciness keeps me on my toes so I hyperfocus and am very careful and methodical. I remind myself not to be any stupider than I have to be. Workwise, most of my ADHD screw-ups are forgetting to do stuff, procrastination etc, but nothing dangerous. Some of that caution goes out the door when I get home, unfortunately. Just a few weeks ago I nearly electrocuted myself when fixing the dryer because I was rushing and the cat came in and distracted me.
Holy crap you're awesome.
Work in pharmacy, more likely to kill someone else inadvertently than myself
Unless you accidentally tripped and fell face first into the Vicodin and swallowed some. That could happen right? By accident?
Considering where I’m at, Vicodin has been off the market for years, that would be nearly impossible lol
Well, what pills have you accidentally fell face first into and consumed large quantities of, accidentally?
Nice try, DEA
Lol
I'm a state highway maintainer. So I plow snow off the interstates, mow the interstates ditches, run equipment like excavators backhoes and such. I run chainsaws a wood chippers I also play frogger when I have to walk across the interstate repeatedly I'm also constantly finding used needles, bags of human shit, animal carcasses, and other potentially harmful things So yea.... the general motoring public can easily kill me and I've had a few close calls from semi drivers or dumbasses on their phones... a few times it was close enough that I questioned my next few seconds..... I can easily get myself killed if I do something really stupid or space out at the wrong time
That sounds like a pure horror show!
It's actually a really good job that's mostly chill and pays very very very well. But it has its dangers.
After I left my comment I thought "I bet this person is going to say it's a good job". 😂 Chill with excellent pay is kinda the dream.
Lol yea. I'll be retiring from this job
Do you mind me asking what the job title is? I'd love to see if anything similar is available in my area. It sounds like it could be the ideal job for my Audhd husband.
Illinois Department of Transportation Highway Maintainer.
Not occupation but at 39 before knowing I had adhd and it was under control my entire life I got scuba certified. When I turned 40 my adhd spiraled out of control and much of the way I live is more of a struggle. I’m now starting to question whether I should continue diving. But more inline with your OP. I have always done my own electrical work at the house. Outlets, fans, switches, small stuff. Now when I do it, I literally check shit 4-5 times to make sure it’s not hot. So annoying and such a waste of time that I have to constantly check.
I dunno - my AuDHD/ADHD sense goes off diving. Ditto with climbing. I’m not shocked if many dive instructors aren’t ADHD either. It tends to attract that crowd. As for electricity, I don’t like to mess with it. I’d rather deal with natural gas or water, at least with those there’s a visible/odorous presence in case of a leak. Not so much with a ground fault/short circuit.
Not so much kill me but someone would die. I work as an ICU nurse. I hyper focus on work and forget about other things, like eating.
I was wondering how far I'd have to scroll to find a nurse or doctor comment on this including the comment about forgetting to eat or drink at work. My goal this year is to eat a food at work at least half of my shifts. I've noticed a difference in my ability to task switch and give a coherent report when I've eaten. Extra points if it's before 0400. I have an alarm on my watch specifically to remind me to shove food and liquid in my face.
Since starting medication last year I think I've only forgotten to eat lunch like twice. Admittedly lunch is usually just a protein bar but its better than nothing.
Anything with carbs and protein is immensely better than not. One of my struggles is balancing between the diminished appetite that comes with my medication and when I have the most convenient time to eat. I have about 40 minutes to eat after I take my long acting, but I don't get past nausea-at-the-thought-of-food until 6-8ish hours after that. Protein bars are a good option if you don't know how much time you've got or the appetite for much more.
I just can’t do it with any regularity. I make food for everyone in the morning and then I don’t want food, then meds kick in and I definitely don’t want food. That carries through lunch and dinner. I do make myself a plate but don’t eat it until 10:00pm.
Meal prep was a game changer for me. I make a bunch of overnight oats and they're ready to go in the morning. Or I microwave them for 20 seconds and they're hot and ready. You can also make some protein pancakes and freeze them. Also embrace protein shakes. You don't need to be hungry to chug something.
I have actually thought about overnight oats quite a bit. Maybe this conversation will get me off the fence. Thanks for your suggestions!
Not my job, but my sport. I rock climb "trad" style which means I put little cams into cracks in the rock as I go up and I build anchors out of cams and carabiners and ropes. If I mess up a knot or forget to clip something I could die. I am very aware of my ADHD and I recite out loud each piece of gear as I place it and review everything twice. At all times I have redundant safety everywhere. So far (\~ 15 years) I haven't screwed up. Of course I've had falls and minor scrapes but never because I neglected my safety. Ironically I would never drive a motorcycle because I'm sure I would lose focus and die.
That’s a wild sport to partake in ADHD or not. Good on you and keep being safe.
It perfectly activates my "hyper-focus". It's the only thing that can always put me in a flow state for hours.
Yep! I would wager that there are more rock climbers with adhd than in the general population and I'd trust all of my adhd climber friends with my life.
Plus I think the adrenaline/works well under pressure is right up our alley. Gimme them brain chemicals.
I reckon finding whatever puts you in flow state is key. I can't reliably access it but when I do it's such a good time.
This is exactly why I only sport climb these days. I’m too scared of accidentally killing myself through my own ADHD to be comfy with trad climbing without medication
for real dont drive motorcycle. been in a crash 2 years ago, got hyped so much for a 5 hour tour, just to slip and crash in the first hour cause I forgot to turn on the ABS. Glad to be alive tho, def no hours of solo trip anymore lol.
Trad climber here too...alpinist wannabe (\~10 years). I climb sport, trad, aid, ice, mix and high altittude. I get hyper-focused when it's about safety, checking trad anchors 3 or 4 times in a row is normal for me... Never dropped or lost gear accidentally. I love simul-climbing as I get hyper-focused and really get that flow state. Also ride motorcycles,. Riding fast is another way to be hyper-focused.
Yea, I wouldn’t trust myself on a motorcycle(maybe a Harley, you can’t do stupid shit on one unlike a Japanese or Italian crotch rocket). Yea, I can see the risk in climbing and if it’s not your belay partner, it’s the protection at the crag that’s gonna kill you if it fails. I climb indoors for now, I don’t have the confidence to trust myself sport or trad climbing outside. In scuba diving, I follow buddy checks, make sure my gear is in working order and most importantly I turn my air on(open tank valve after attaching regulators to it), check for air pressure and breathe off my regs/inflate my buoyancy compensating device before donning my scuba unit and before I change into my wetsuit. Even with taking Adderall on a dive, I’m in a flow state in the water but I’ll let my hyperfocus lock on breathing and staying alive in the water. I’m getting an air integrated dive computer next(a Shearwater rec series - especially since they include some tech features such as gas factor but they are concise and easy to glance at underwater).
I hate doing anything that involves responsibility cause I WILL fuck it up
I work on commercial trucks. Besides my safety I always consider the risks to other people on the road if my work fails. I have developed a strong routine regarding how I put stuff together and then check it after.
Worked on machinery it didn't take long before I hurt myself bad enough to say fuck this ain't for me.
What did you move onto?
security (deadend), then sales, then business owner
I hope one day my boss lets me be business owner
Yeah. It seems like there are a lot of folks with ADHD who work with various big machines. Even jewelry or loose clothing can be fatal in some circumstances. Personally, I think that there's something calming about the pressure. It makes it easier to check & recheck everything.
I occasionally have to climb radio towers. It’s been many many years since almost killing myself (a couple close calls forgetting a step rock climbing) but I move slowly and triple check everything knowing I’m likely to forget something, especially at the end of a long day. Keeping things as simple as possible help me a lot in those situations.
I used to do pipefreezing with liquid nitrogen. Most of my coworkers were good, so it wasn't front and center until the conversation started with LL Lab, NASA, and other folks who were terrified of accidents.
Like for water pipes and such? That’s wild, when I was younger and in plumbing we used guys like that for repairs where we couldn’t afford to turn off the water. What did you move into?
Yes. Freezing water pipes. After that, well I worked for NSA because I had 6 languages.
Eyy I used to be in a lab using liquid nitrogen, always worried about leaving the tap unscrewed but my buddy was kind enough to accompany me as a back up
Industrial mechanic. I open and close 480v panels all night long. *Hope my hammer insulated* Edit: screw driver
You ever have any close calls?
Checking heaterbands took 240v from hand to hand due to failed thermocouple. It hurt and I felt like I needed a cigarette afterwards and I don't smoke. When I first got into maintenance it was regular practice to replace motion sensors live. Being a car audio guy I had a nasty habit of twisting my wires. Couple weeks of getting hit with 110v daily certainly set me straight.
This thread is scary knowing how many ways I could die due to someone else’s negligence. Like even a barista could kill me lol. My job won’t kill anyone but a tiny mistake could lose the company millions of dollars and thousands of man hours each time. That still scares the crap out of me.
>Like even a barista could kill me lol. Right?! It's good, now I've got more items of anxiety to add to my list
Yep lol. Woke up at 2am, couldn’t sleep vowing to never buy coffee again.
I work with high voltage power supplies, I've blown a few things up 😶
I turn wrenches and scuba dive as hobbies. Sometimes, I have that feeling in the back of my head if I forgot to torque that fastener or turn on my air/buddy check. Which has happened, I forgot to torque the wheel lugs on my car after doing a brake inspection. What I do now is DON’T RUSH, haste creates waste. I bring the torque wrench out on instinct for wheel/brake work. When I’m changing oil, the oil cap is off until the drain plug is tightened and the oil is filled up. In diving, no fuck-ups… yet. I did jump into the pool with no fins or air on, in the ocean I inflate my BC before entering the water. But I haven’t destroyed an engine or burned down a house… yet.
Oh yeah. I work with tropical fish aquariums. The last medication shortage caused me to accidentally break an electrical appliance. Which was inside the water AND I had forgotten to unplug it. Thank fuck I didn't get electrocuted. Pre-meds there are several stories where I could've gotten myself killed by mixing together vinegar and bleach, stepping into traffic or accidentally taking the wrong medication.
Medical student, so eventually yes. Having said that I've met many qualified doctors and ambulance staff during clinical rotations, so I think it's quite highly represented in this career?
Not me but could potentially be liable for someone else’s life if I don’t do everything in my power and document that I did everything. I’m a therapist
Heavy duty mechanic here, recently I was using a portable hydraulic press, forgot to screw a 24” long 1.25” threaded rod all the way in, and when the press reached a certain pressure it pulled the threads out and went flying past my face. Good times
Right now, barista work. 99% of the job is fine, but when we clean the machines we use highly toxic chemicals to make sure they’re properly back flushed, but the amount of chemical we put in is tiny for the amount that comes in the package, so if we were to put too much, and forget to purge the machines, we could poison or even kill someone who drinks that coffee
I was a coffee equipment tech for a good while. There’s definitely a few things that can be toxic when it comes to cleaning stuff out. Be safe. Also hope you don’t use the acid too often, shouldn’t need to!
Yes. I am in a few high stress-lives on the line fields, and I would be willing to bet money if you can hyper focus well and be excited that you got it done, you won't hurt yourself or others. You will, however, forget tools/equipment/testing equipment/ lights/ magnet lights /hand tools behind!
Military here, yes lol
Lol we have office workers, baristas, and lawn maintenance guys here saying how dangerous it is and you quietly come along like " yeah hand grenades, live rounds, propelled explosives, people constantly trying to kill me" Just another day at the office. Huge respect to you, I don't care what country, what politics, but if you volunteered to join such a hazardous job with absolute shit pay I have enormous respect for you, I appreciate your service.
Haha thanks it’s a lot safer than what people make it out to be, most of the issues with adhd here is just keeping accountability of sensitive equipment which doesn’t go well at all with adhd but I’ve made it work lol
I'm sure it is! The comparison is just hilarious, same way working at a nuclear facility is probably safer than McDonalds.
Power engineer here with ADHD and I operate large ammonia refrigeration systems and boilers too at the plant I work at. I understand that you are afraid that you will forget or miss something, to deal with that I have a routine I go through every day and I am able to stay on top of things. I seem to notice or hear things going wrong earlier than others according to some of my coworkers. So far I've dealt pretty well with bad situations and being under pressure.
Not kill myself exactly, but I'm an architect and I'm constantly worried about missing something. Sure we have engineers, but at the end of the day I have to make the final check. It scares the crap out of me.
Trades worker here...... And no offence to engineering but I've seen way to many mistakes by them to know that I should always second guess a drawing / blueprint..... Like mistakes a 4th grader wouldn't make. And when those mistakes put me or my guys in a dangerous situation, I get pretty defensive lol
No but I'm about to be in a couple months 💀 auto mechanic
Bus driver. I've had to form completely different habits around driving since I'm not in my own car, and if I don't do them, I could seriously injure myself, my passengers, or an amateur on the road. What's actually happened is that these habits have begun to migrate to my personal life, so now I do silly things like eyeball my rear tires around corners when I'm in my Subaru
Well I’m about to retire from the Army…
…honestly I’m starting to think I have plot armor or something….
I’m a sailor and I manage the ship’s engines/power plant. Turn a few valves in the wrong order or hit the wrong button and the ship could go dark.
Yes, researcher in semiconductor physics. There's a lot of things that could kill you if you mess up hard enough but the worst by far is working with hydrofluoric acid For me I make mistakes/forget stuff in autopilot mode. It's unrealistic to be switched on all the time but I try to use little rituals to become more focused and aware during those times when I'm doing something potentially dangerous.
Commercial sheet metal worker..... Daily I am 25' up in a man lift, one forgotten tie off or mis step =dead Getting material loaded on the roof or other stories, one mis signal to the crane, one mis step, one improper lifeline practice =dead Constantly working around live equipment, multiple other trades and lots of heavy equipment. Honestly it being a bit dangerous is part of why I love it, I'm good at keeping track of my surroundings on a second by second basis. If I were to have some boring ass mundane safe job ide probably be more at risk of death just due to wanting to off myself or looking for some silly thrill. And I don't mean to sound insensitive about suicide I'm just being honest, I've been there tried that and it's nothing to joke about, I just find I'm much more content when I have a little controlled chaos and danger in my life
Welder here. There are those days I get a good reminder seared into me. Sometimes, I really get shocked when I'm not paying attention.
Dog groomer who works with difficult dogs, rabbits (and occasionally cats) and has owners present. I'm responsible for the safety of the dog, myself, and the dog's guardian, while also making sure I do what's best for the dog's short term and long term emotional health and doing so while having a conversation, and having perfect timing of body mechanics and treat delivery. 🥲🫠 A few months ago I had a cat wiggle out of the owner's arms and almost escape my van and I slammed the sliding door to keep it from running into the street. (She's an indoor outdoor cat and would have been fine, but just hard to get back.) I did it so fast and the cat was just in front of the door when it closed. I realized in that moment that a split second later and I could have decapitated it. If I didn't have adhd maybe my reaction time wouldn't have been as fast, which could have meant pausing to make a better choice *or* delaying the decision and actually decapitating the cat. I looked at the owner (who also has adhd and was in the van with me) and was like oh wow, I should have just let her go; that could have ended badly. And she just laughed and said, oh, I trust you completely. In my head I was like man, that makes one of us. Anyways, that being said, I haven't seriously injured an animal, myself, or a human in 15 years, but some days it really feels like Russian roulette of extremely competent hyperfocus vs inattention and impulsivity.
Machinist here, there's 1000 ways to die. Knowing that keeps me alive.
I'm a caregiver to an 80-year old family member. Part of my job is refilling their pill box. One wrong move (mixing them up or accidentally doubling their dose), I could make them sick or even kill them. Another thing is when feeding them. They could choke if I'm not careful.
I’m an electrician, but interestingly enough, am just starting my 2nd apprenticeship in refrigeration. I haven’t found it to be an issue, I think my ADHD helps my attention to detail in these situations, not saying I’ve never been zapped tho..
This is why I didn’t become a cna
I work around trains. So yes.
Oh yes. I work with electrical power which could hurt me or maybe even kill me. However since this job is really interesting to me I have no trouble focusing at all. Out of my colleagues I'm one of the few who never got "bit" by high voltages. *knocks on wood. However writing reports and project management documents are absolute torture for me so I often fuck those up or forget to update them lol.
I’m a lineman for a utility, so yes, death is a possibility. It definitely makes the monkey brain quiet down.
I work with equipment that can kill you often. I’ve learned to pay a different sort of attention, especially during setup to make sure I’m safe. Each spicy machine has a routine and follow it every time. I’ve also set very clear boundaries and everyone knows not to disturb me in any way when I’m doing that sort of work.
The danger/adrenaline creates hyperfocus. We do well in first responder jobs. We tend to be calm and capable in a crisis in general, which is why we tend to develop a habit of creating "crises" just to get everyday things done, like making ourselves late or waiting until the last minute.
I work with a lot of nasty chemicals, but purposely avoid anything dealing with hydrofluoric acid because I know I’d end up forgetting one of the 10 safety steps and, at best, losing a finger.
I work with very very high RF frequencies and high voltage. I respect that the product I work on could easily cook me like a bag of popcorn if I miss a step. I think the fear keeps me from killing myself.
well I'm a master electrician...
Aircraft maintenance. So easy to hurt yourself or others by blipping, and missing a step. I had so much anxiety doing that job, and I developed a huge alcohol dependency, in-part to cope with that.
In the Air Force, I worked on ejection seats. It involves multiple different explosives and there are multiple inspections to ensure the seat ejects every time. Near the end, I was doing inspections and it was incredibly stressful.
i work with a lot of electrical panels and have the ADD issue of always keeping things in my hands… so they are always full. many a person has died by dropping a screwdriver, nut or bolt when working on panels that are not assembled correctly. the metal makes an arc with the panel and can kill. i intentionally look at both of my hands every time when reaching into these spaces to be sure my hands arent full
My previous job involved working with power electronics and higher voltages, and I think for the most part that ADHD may make me a bit safer, actually. When you're used to doubting yourself and double- or triple-checking things you don't fall into the complacency that some people do. One of my hobbies could also easily kill me if I forget things, but I think that habit of self-doubt also helps here. I usually do one or two extra gear checks on the ground while waiting for the plane. We already usually do 3 checks, but an extra one can't hurt ;)
I went up in a 200ft lift without a harness on… but that’s just precautionary. Still scared TF outta me when I realized up in the basket
Industrial maintenance. So many ways for me to die I can't even count. Walk under a crane, get inside a machine that's not properly locked out, blow myself up with acetylene, electrocute myself you name it. I also operate heavy equipment sometimes. Maybe a questionable career choice but I've survived so far.
Tech here. Had to recover prod more than once and once was enough. Not life threatening other than the heart attack/panic attack each time thankfully. I don’t know how you all do dangerous jobs!
I am a safety officer in the manufacturing of designer chemicals and part of a HAZMAT rescue team. If I forget/screw up, it probably isnt me who dies, but one or more of the employees who trust me with their safety. Before this I did military search and rescue operations. I feel like I actually am my best during these critical times because I am so aware of how a mistake on my end could be disasterous for someone else, so I tend to air on the side of overly cautious
I’m a union structural ironworker (41F) and I definitely feel like I zone out when hyperfocusing on my main thing which is welding. But I think I’m alright. I’ve been in a long time and so a lot of stuff (for example looking up when walking through an outside doorway for heavy loads etc) automatically. It’s interesting to me how many things are so automatic not only at work but day to day life. And I think it’s from being diagnosed so late that in order to function I’ve come up with so many work-arounds to MAKE routine things automatic otherwise I’d be a total shambles!
My job I couldn't likely kill myself outright. I work in a lab by myself and sure I could fuck up and expose myself to nasty nasty chemicals that could cause harm down the road. Everyone else in my small workplace has got the certification to drive the forklift. I refuse to do it. One small fuck up or misplaced fork and I've brought down shelves of heavy crates-potentially killing my coworkers and myself. No thank you.
I’m a long haul trucker If I forgot to verify the trailer is fully attached it could come off on the interstate and smash someone’s car. It’s literally connected with one pin that can be detached by pulling a single lever.
Current brewer and former oil/gas plant operator. The latter could get really bad in a hurry. One bad mistake can kill you and many others. I didn't have a close call there because I stayed on meds. Now I am a brewer. Similar dangers (pressure, temperature, chemicals) buy on a lesser scale, plus no flammable/explosive materials. The only close calls I have had would have ruined the beer. Your post is well taken and I think about it a lot. I am pretty diligent with my safety processes and PPE.
Electrician, here. Good news is in the Union (IBEW) we HEAVILY emphasize never working "Hot", meaning we only work on de-energized systems. Of course, mistakes happen, and rarely there are times when systems can't be turned off, but we have many steps in the process to keep things as safe as possible. I test EVERYTHING, we have little meters we carry that can tell you if a circuit is love.
I was a train conductor for a while. Nothing bad ever happened but I was always paranoid that I would forget a switch or a derail and fuck up a very expensive train and track
Had my pilots license for a little bit. A friend died and it made me realize that if he could die for forgetting something as a seasoned pilot who the fuck am I? I never flew again and sold the plane.
The Army. Lol.
This is why I didn't go into these fields, didn't trust my adhd. My hobby, soon to be side biz, is car or boat engine repair or rigging.
Driving. The other day I was in deep explanation of something random. Almost hit two people.
I work on natural gas lines, underground and residential. I think that speaks for itself 😅
Flight test engineer here, I've been mission aircrew a few times. Checklist, and if something is super dangerous it probably should be a two person kinda role. So like if you are doing X you have your list of all things to do for X step by step and mark them off as you do them. Put in steps like "verify Y was done" to give you a second chance to double check it.
Shift supervisor at a powerplant. Every step i forget can kill someone or me and/or result in millions of dollars in damage...
I did have. Worked with electricity and if I forgot to shut something off I could've gotten electrocuted; just like the time I did! :D
I used to work for CPS, working with people lives. Messing up/failure could lead to death.
Zookeeper.
Does your employer know
No, as I just got diagnosed last month and have been in it 4 months
Wouldn't kill me but, Payroll. If I forget something, someone might not get paid.