Out of the Ashes: The True Story of How One Man Turned Tragedy into a Message of Safety

As this stirring combination of memoir and safety manual records, author Morecraft's former way of life ended over three decades ago, when he went up in flames at the Exxon refinery in Linden, New Jersey. Young, hard-drinking, and not lacking for machismo, "Cool Charlie" had never expected an accident to occur to him, priding himself on a casual attitude towards safety regulations. Having endured burns over more than 50% of his body and five years in a hospital, Morecraft works today as a walking cautionary tale, touring the country to talk to employees about keeping safe on the job and at home. Knowing that his macho attitude was not rare at his former company, he addresses his message to anyone like those tough-guy work friends of his who flippantly greeted his accident by gifting him with a toaster oven and the nickname "Krispy Kritter." He addresses workers as easily as managers and plant owners, employing candor, honesty and his own story to show that safety is not an inconvenient obligation but everyone's most important responsibility, whether to your employer, your loved ones, or yourself. (Oct.)