My eyes strain. I can barely see the other end of the warehouse. It couldn’t be brighter than 3 foot-candles in here. I can feel the foundations of a headache start to build up in the back of my neck. I have to leave this place before I get hurt any further.

A door opens. The sound of metal scraping the floor coats the dimly lit room. A figure appears in the distance.

“Can I help you, friend?” I sheepishly call out

No reply. Just a blank stare. That’s when I notice the chainsaw in their hands. Before I have time to speak again, they raise the chainsaw above their head, and it roars to life. It takes a maniac to start a chainsaw off the ground like that, so I knew I was in trouble.

I scan the room for an exit. Three doors flank behind me, but none of them is clearly marked as an exit. The figure starts to walk toward me. I can’t even hear myself think over the deafening sound of the chainsaw. The first door leads to a supply closet, the figure creeps closer. The second is a restroom. The figure is about 20 feet away now. That leaves door number three as my only chance for salvation. I burst into a bright, long hallway.

I’m having a hard time seeing in front of me as I adjust to the lighting. I fumble my way down the hall, tripping over some paint cans left on the floor. As I am getting up, the figure appears at the door. This is my first chance to get a good look at them.

I cannot believe the horror I am seeing before me. There they stand, waving the chainsaw above their head with one hand, wearing just a T-shirt, basketball shorts, and a Jason mask.

No eye protection, no hearing protection, no chaps, no gloves. This person has absolutely no respect for any aspect of safety.

That’s when I noticed their shoes. I open my mouth to scream but am unable to produce any sound. This madman is wearing open-toed sandals!

Now I’m back on my feet as I continue down the hallway. I can’t let this thing catch me. If they put themselves at risk like that, I don’t want to find out what the plans are for me.

Then the inevitable happened. The very same paint cans that caused me to take a fall claimed the maniac as well. A gravelly yell rings throughout the hall. The chainsaw that would have caused me to meet my end lodged itself in the killer’s foot, ending the chance of a massacre. I keep running down the hall and don’t stop until I am outside. I leave and never look back.

I realize I got lucky. The warehouse was filled with safety hazards: the dimly lit room, the lack of signed exits, the killer with a chainsaw, the paint cans in the hall. Had the killer used any sort of PPE, I may not be here today.

The police never caught the masked marauder. Rumor has it that it goes from town to town, looking for the next target.

Only … this foe has learned from their mistakes. They now don full PPE - leather chaps, steel-toed boots, eye and ear protection.

Heed my warning. Take time to make sure your workplace has clearly labeled exits, good housekeeping, and adequate lighting. Because no one knows when the Safety Demon can attack again. Your workplace could be next…

Policyholders can check out our many safety checklists on MEMIC’s Safety Director or ask your “not so scary” MEMIC safety consultant.