Health and Safety

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by garinda

...and it might be someone, an apprentice say, or someone just starting a job after being unemployed for a long time, without the confidence to tell their employer that they can 'stick their job'.

Dole or death seems a nobrainer to me

[garinda]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Dole or death seems a nobrainer to me

Er..obviously.

But if someone's young or inexperienced, and told to do something, they might not have the knowledge to make an informed decision.

I suspect if new people fall for going to get 'tartan paint' or whatever, being told to work in what might be an unsafe way, isn't thar far-fetched.

[Barrie Yates]

There used to be an organisation called "The Factories Inspectorate". Not enough power but did do a worthwhile job. It was replaced by H & S Executive I believe, which, along with the "No win, no fee" lawyers has become an ever growing cancer within our society. It has even extended to children's games - conkers banned and the latest being sponge balls only, to play football in the school playground.
I do agree with some aspects but not with a lot of others, however, we are all required to conform with all aspects of H & S directives, I am afraid we cannot choose what we will adhere to and what we won't.

[Barrie Yates]

Originally Posted by garinda

Er..obviously.

But if someone's young or inexperienced, and told to do something, they might not have the knowledge to make an informed decision.

I suspect if new people fall for going to get 'tartan paint' or whatever, being told to work in what might be an unsafe way, isn't thar far-fetched.

I was sent for tartan paint, sky hooks and miscellaneous other apprentice wind-ups. But, my safety was always looked after by my mentors - worked at heights above 25' without safety harness, in confined spaces under machinery and below workers above me and no hard hat.
Perhaps I was lucky, a few cuts, lots of bruises, more than enough electric shocks, but a great deal of experience in how to look after myself.
The example that Jay quotes is a classic - i would have had a size 12 buried in my posterior for doing that - wrong type of ladder and he was totally wrong in his posture for drilling a wall, whether on a ladder or on the ground, and no safety man holding the base of the ladder - but of course we have to allow for artistic licence

[cashman]

Originally Posted by jaysay

That's totally appalling G. I think this kind of incident happens when an outside source is asked to provide this type of equipment, luckily when I was employed and scaffolding was required I either erect it myself or the company had its own scaffolders i.e. John Laing Construction (they had H & S officers way back in the 60s) but the boss of this firm seems a bit of an iffy character to say the least

Yeh got me beat wi that,to the best of my recollection the H.@S. at work act,was not introduced until 1972??

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Neil

yes

Sorry for the short reply, I was in the car driving along the M74 in Scotland at the time and was trying not to type to much while needing the new posts.

I meant to write, yes I do

[cashman]

To my mind the H.S.W.A. was introduced cos change was drastically needed to many working practices n therefore was a good thing, the problem to me is simple, many things are introduced usually fer the better, the moment they are, in no time the "Wise Guys" find a way to get around it, therein to me is the main problem, those that are meant to regulate/uphold this new act, do sod all to rectify these loopholes. so the abuse of such acts grows n grows. anyone care to dispute my theory?

[Neil]

Originally Posted by cashman

do sod all to rectify these loopholes. so the abuse of such acts grows n grows. anyone care to dispute my theory?

What loopholes are you talking about because I am not sure I can think of any straight away?

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates

There used to be an organisation called "The Factories Inspectorate". Not enough power but did do a worthwhile job. It was replaced by H & S Executive

Have to disagree Barrie the Factory Inspectorate were either Corrupt or Useless ! you decide which cap fits from this example- i worked at a large local company, when the Factory Inspector was gonna make a visit, at least 3/4 days before they rang the company and told em the purpose of the visit, so as yeh can imagine "Everything" in that section including employees, looked shipshape @ Bristol Fashion, explain please how yer arrive at worthwhile?

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Barrie Yates

I was sent for tartan paint, sky hooks and miscellaneous other apprentice wind-ups. But, my safety was always looked after by my mentors - worked at heights above 25' without safety harness, in confined spaces under machinery and below workers above me and no hard hat.
Perhaps I was lucky, a few cuts, lots of bruises, more than enough electric shocks, but a great deal of experience in how to look after myself.
The example that Jay quotes is a classic - i would have had a size 12 buried in my posterior for doing that - wrong type of ladder and he was totally wrong in his posture for drilling a wall, whether on a ladder or on the ground, and no safety man holding the base of the ladder - but of course we have to allow for artistic licence

Yes, but while you were young, and gaining knowledge, and asked to do something dangerous, would you have told your boss to stick his job, as Jaysay suggested is the choice?

I doubt most would have the knowledge to make that decision, or the nerve.

Though much of it seems obvious, Health & Satety legislation was introduced for those who don't have 'mentors' watching their backs, and for the small minority of employers who don't rate the safety of those in their pay very highly.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Neil

What loopholes are you talking about because I am not sure I can think of any straight away?

Perhaps loopholes was a poor choice of word on my part, hard to remember 40 yrs back, perhaps should have said ways around the act, cos i know fer fact if they were informed about such things, was never even followed up. even if they were informed in writing.

[Alan Varrechia]

Originally Posted by cashman

Have to disagree Barrie the Factory Inspectorate were either Corrupt or Useless ! you decide which cap fits from this example- i worked at a large local company, when the Factory Inspector was gonna make a visit, at least 3/4 days before they rang the company and told em the purpose of the visit, so as yeh can imagine "Everything" in that section including employees, looked shipshape @ Bristol Fashion, explain please how yer arrive at worthwhile?

Worked at a care home in M/C as recently as 5 years ago, the council have to make periodic spot checks to make sure every thing is in order.
They would phone up to a week in advance to say they were calling to make a unanounced check, by which time evrything was shipsahpe and bristol fashion and any of the residents who may have kicked up a fuss were suddenly taken for day trips to the seaside.
And it happend on more than one occasion.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by cashman

Yeh got me beat wi that,to the best of my recollection the H.@S. at work act,was not introduced until 1972??

John Laing had a safety officer resident on every site cashy, In fact I did have an accident when I worked up Shad, I stepped down of a ladder and caught my heal on the skirting board though I'd broke my ankle, I was of work for about 10 days (I had sprained it) the Safety officer visited me at home twice whilst I was off. there might not have been a H & S act passed in 72, but Laings held great store by safety at work well before the act came in

[Ken Moss]

I'm in the middle of recording a series of training films for a firm in Preston and by far the biggest headache has been the Health and Safety programme.

Despite the fact that the film is only a guideline on how to use the firm's own cleaning products safely, we have had to incorporate a huge raft of unrelated European guidelines in the script in order to meet regulations just so that if some silly sod watches the film and then decides to drink a pint of bleach anyway we don't get sued for it.

[Benipete]

Some years ago I bought a new fridge and of course along with It came a list of Does and Dont's.Ican't remember them all but one was.Do Not Use The Open Fridge Door As A Stepladder When Painting Your Kitchen Ceiling.:

What a bummer!!