H and S

Dangermouse

Dangermouse

Squeaky Clean
Suspended / Banned
Messages
10,135
Edit My Images
No
Yes Health and Safety...when is the madness going to end
I used to play conkers at school
Eileen used to do Scottish dance

now if anyone mentions conkers ....your insurance is up to 1 million pound to host it

as for Highland dancing ...forget it, you may touch a sword and graze a toe needing a plaster so the insurance is 2.5 million in public liability

what the hell has this country come to

look at this from another TPer

http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=1145974#post1145974
 
Last edited:
Try working for BT, everything, and i do mean everything, is governed so much by H&S that as an engineer, it becomes harder by the day to do your job correctly, without risking a disciplinary for going against over zealous H&S rules:shrug: Their latest one is - we are only allowed one person in any vehicle because if we have an accident the passenger could sue the company. But, the company also wants us to be as green as possible, and cut down petrol costs at all times, how do we do that when you go to a jobsite where you need a Jointers van, a Hoist to reach the cable, a Poling Unit to ensure the pole doesn't fall over, and a Faultsman Van for the fixing of customer lines. This was the situation a couple of weeks ago, we ended up taking six vans, when three would have done the job with two people in each:shrug::cuckoo:
 
It's not H&S rules (they are just common sense ;) . it's all about Insurance companies vs InjuryLawyers.

I've got a client just now who has an employee sueing them for falling downstairs. He removed the guard rails & fell through the gap and is claiming it's their fault !!!!!!!!

He will probably be paid by the Insurance company as the compensation is cheaper than court costs :bang:
 
Had a couple of blokes deliver a new wardrobe yesterday, we've just had new carpets all up the stairs and through the bedrooms. My wife asked them to take their (muddy) boots off as they are light coloured carpets and we obviously dont want them getting dirty. "Sorry, not allowed, Health and Safety, we have to wear our steel toe capped boots at all times"
 
First time you drop a wardrobe on bare feet you'll realise why they wear steel toe caps.

As for the insurance costs in the op, nobody expects to pay 2.5 million, a typical premium for that would be a couple of hundred pounds a year and it would cover many activities, not just dancing round swords.
 
On the other hand, we haven't got babies dying because someone added melamine to the milk they drink, we don't normally get electrocuted in our homes, because the electrics are earthed, or poisoned because our boilers have a flue, and are regularly checked.

I have some sympathy with the view of a TV critic who said (with reference to Health & Safety inspectors) “never really got the furious pleasure gleaned from bullying people who do the tedious job of making sure we’re not killed, crippled, or struck by laziness, greed, stupidity and ignorance”.
 
newyorkaddict said:
Try working for BT, everything, and i do mean everything, is governed so much by H&S that as an engineer, it becomes harder by the day to do your job correctly, without risking a disciplinary for going against over zealous H&S rules:shrug: Their latest one is - we are only allowed one person in any vehicle because if we have an accident the passenger could sue the company. But, the company also wants us to be as green as possible, and cut down petrol costs at all times, how do we do that when you go to a jobsite where you need a Jointers van, a Hoist to reach the cable, a Poling Unit to ensure the pole doesn't fall over, and a Faultsman Van for the fixing of customer lines. This was the situation a couple of weeks ago, we ended up taking six vans, when three would have done the job with two people in each:shrug::cuckoo:
Click to expand...

Yeah know what you mean i dont work for BT, but we cant work on our own anymore, generally 2 vans is the bear min on sate for 2 engineers, generally always 3 vans though if theres gound works needed, every job takes twice as long as before the new rules. Not long ago we had 12 vehicles on a job, where before thered have be 3.

H&S has deffo gone bonkers due to idoits claiming for stupid things, people wonder why theres credit crunch, doing anything in the building trade to H&S rules pushes the cost of the work though the roof.

Wouldnt be so bad if all the rules stopped people getting hurt, infact at times it makes the job harder, and longer, longer poses other risks with irriate customers becoming even more irriate.
 
Les McLean said:
On the other hand, we haven't got babies dying because someone added melamine to the milk they drink, we don't normally get electrocuted in our homes, because the electrics are earthed, or poisoned because our boilers have a flue, and are regularly checked.
Click to expand...

That comes under building Regs really tbh, H&S will have its say in how the work is carried.
 
russdaz said:
That comes under building Regs really tbh, H&S will have its say in how the work is carried.
Click to expand...


No I don't think so, the example given was in respect of China, where, because of lack of H&S rules/inspections or H&S rules not carried out, melamine was added to milk supplies to falsely boost the apparent protein content.

And a number of children died, with thousands ill because of the lack of basic health and safety.
 
Les McLean said:
And a number of children died, with thousands ill because of the lack of basic health and safety.
Click to expand...


You'll probably find that poisoning children is illegal in China as well :nono:

All over the world people ignore law/common sense just to make an extra few pence profit, that's what killed the children :thumbsdown:
 
mrgubby said:
You'll probably find that poisoning children is illegal in China as well :nono:

All over the world people ignore law/common sense just to make an extra few pence profit, that's what killed the children :thumbsdown:
Click to expand...

But if they had reasonable H&S rules (like we have in the UK), then it's unlikely that this would have happened.

The point I'm making is , although some H&S rules are an easy target for mockery, without them, the world would not be as safe as it is.

In the examples given by a couple of posters, relating to BT, I worked for BT many years ago, when it was called 'The Post Office' (i.e. post and telecoms were not separate) and I used to drive a green morris van. Climbing telegraph poles, a safety harness was optional, no requirement to secure the ladder (to climb the pole), and the only advice I was given in respect of climbing a pole-a union shop steward told me that if I saw any linesman fall off a poll, the first thing I should do is make sure his safety belt was placed next to him because he wouldn't get sick pay if it wasn't.
 
Last edited:
Les McLean said:
But if they had reasonable H&S rules (like we have in the UK), then it's unlikely that this would have happened.
Click to expand...

I'm a H&S consultant, I never underestimate the ability of a grown adult to ignore Laws, Guidlines or Common Sense when they can save money.


Rules / Laws only matter when somebody gets caught :bang:
 
mrgubby said:
I'm a H&S consultant, I never underestimate the ability of a grown adult to ignore Laws, Guidlines or Common Sense when they can save money.


Rules / Laws only matter when somebody gets caught :bang:
Click to expand...

Exactly-I rest my case :)
 
to add a different perspective, where i live the council are painting the woodwork on some houses, now because some fool fell off a ladder and sued as he 'hadnt been trained to use it' the coucil are sending in one of these:

GENIEZ4522-b.jpg


to block up the carpark entrance, so that council man can paint the houses. So far he has damaged 2 cars and a fence with this thing, luckily though, he hasnt fell off yet. Oh its taken him a good 4 weeks so far...
 
matty said:
to add a different perspective, where i live the council are painting the woodwork on some houses, now because some fool fell off a ladder and sued as he 'hadnt been trained to use it' the coucil are sending in one of these:

GENIEZ4522-b.jpg


to block up the carpark entrance, so that council man can paint the houses. So far he has damaged 2 cars and a fence with this thing, luckily though, he hasnt fell off yet. Oh its taken him a good 4 weeks so far...
Click to expand...

A scafold tower correctly built would be just as safe as one of those, but theres idoits that dont fit them correctly hence H&S deem them unsafe if those MEWP's can be used. Does the guy not have another 4 people there to watch him one to stand on each side to make sure he doesnt hit anything. Then maybe another to watch them all to insure that none of them leave there post whilst work is carried out. I kid you not that is the way my company would work now based on our H&S works.
 
This is legal in china
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xxT-f-hb8Sg
That press looks to be 800 to 1000 tonnes, it will squash a limb to nothing and obviously kill if your head is caught in the press tool.
In the UK the press would be enclosed by guarding. Opening the gate to enter the enclosure would break the circuit meaning the press could not turn over. The gate also has to be locked in an open position to prevent closure so no one else can close the gate and cycle the press.
I have built press tools (the green thing in the video which is producing panels) for 25 yrs and for the last 17 yrs working on them in presses. Safety is common sense as far as I'm concerned. But I know a couple of idiots without common sense. One has been lucky, the other lost the top of his finger.
To be honest I find H&S at work a right pain. It slows my job down and makes it harder at times.
 
russdaz said:
Yeah know what you mean i dont work for BT, but we cant work on our own anymore, .
Click to expand...


See, BT have no issues sending out Faultsmen on their own, even in the dark, we then have what are called WITHOD lights, Working In The Hours Of Darkness, which are useless!!!!

MrGubby, as a H&S Consultant, can you tell me if the regulations behind working belts still apply. We were told about 3 years ago, BT had 18 months to replace the work belts we use with rigid platforms (Scaffold) or mechanical hoists, but we are still using them, even though BT had admitted they are dangerous if you fall wearing one, something to do with falling, and the belt cutting off the circulation to your upper body because of the pressure from the belt around your lower limbs.
 
I'm saying nowt , InjuryLawyersMaximumClaimersDirect stalk me on the net trying to catch me out :D
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top