Re: Health and Safety
 

Dole or death seems a nobrainer to me

Re: Health and Safety
 

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.

Re: Health and Safety
 

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.

Re: Health and Safety
 

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

Re: Health and Safety
 

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

Re: Health and Safety
 

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 :rolleyes:

Re: Health and Safety
 

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.:rolleyes: so the abuse of such acts grows n grows. anyone care to dispute my theory?

Re: Health and Safety
 

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

Re: Health and Safety
 

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?:confused:

Re: Health and Safety
 

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.

Re: Health and Safety
 

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.;)

Re: Health and Safety
 

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.

Re: Health and Safety
 

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

Re: Health and Safety
 

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.

Re: Health and Safety
 

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.:rolleyes::

What a bummer!!:eek::D:D