H&S gone mad

[Yv]

I feel I should point out that I'm a Health and Safety Consultant.......


The HSAW act has been in place since 1974 & until recently the world was a happy safe place.....


Then some idiot let Lawyers advertise !


I've got a client being sued just now because a worker forgot he was on a stepladder & stepped backwards, fell off & broke his arm. My Clients Insurance company will pay out as it's cheaper than going to court to defend the claim...

If Joe Public took responsibilty for his own stupid actions then our Insurance premiums would go down, "Ambulance Chasers For You" would go bust and we could all get on with making money...... SAFELY

Totally agree, the compensation culture we now have is far more responsible for some of the claimed lunacy than any H&S laws. Regardless of what happens, there is an atmosphere of someone HAS to be blamed, many people no longer take responsibility for their own actions. There is very much a place for H&S in life [as Marks shower incident shows] and I sometimes even feel sorry for the people that have to regulate it, because they get blamed for everything when in reality, most accidents could be prevented by the application of our long lost friend, common sense. Of course its not just in relation to H&S, ambulance chasers/no win no fee lawyers have insinuated themselves into every area of our lives. You will all be very pleased to know, that apparently, it is no longer your responsibility to actually read the handbooks and service guides you receive with your new cars, because if you forget to do some important maintenance that is advised therein, the insurance company will pay out when it all goes wrong, because it's cheaper than a trip to a court to defend it. :bang:

 

[gman]

builders sitting in the pub with his 4th pint of wifebeater

lol

complaining that the polish Stole his work... Sorry they didn't steal it, we gave it to them on a silver platter.

We've got loads of Polish workers because they'll do an 80 hour week without complaint and actually work those 80 hours. The majority of our Scottish workers do a little over 39 hours, moan like **** and want paid far more. I'm all for keeping immigration under control but we don't really help ourselves much either.

the immigrants who have taken all our well paid jobs

It's not so much immigration but women. As more and more women work full time these days it means there's a massive increase of people looking for roughly the same amount of jobs.

And before people start mouthing off in some ubiquitous bid to impress the female members or for any other asinine reason, there's nothing sexist in my comments; it's just the way society is changing from times of old. Maybe in 100 years all the men will stay at home and the roles will be fully reversed

Obviously immigration still has an impact as well as automation.

Back on topic, H&S is like many other things these days. Started off with good intentions and the princple is sound, it's just ended up being made a mockery by far too many officials who have to find problems to justify their jobs continuing to exist.

 

[DemiLion]

It's not so much immigration but women. As more and more women work full time these days it means there's a massive increase of people looking for roughly the same amount of jobs.

And before people start mouthing off in some ubiquitous bid to impress the female members or for any other asinine reason, there's nothing sexist in my comments; it's just the way society is changing from times of old. Maybe in 100 years all the men will stay at home and the roles will be fully reversed

That's more a factor the change in attitudes following WWI, WWI and the sexual revolution of the sixties and seventies than a modern phenomenon though isn't it?

 

[big soft moose]

Wooohoo, I'm in the money

While at school, I was attacked by a known nutter (6 weeks in hospital with moved Intestines & torn Kidneys)
Broke my Collar bone slipping on a known icy playing field (4 weeks of school)
Caught Dysentary from the Head Teacher (6 weeks in an isolation ward)


Should be worth a few pounds from Ambulance Chasers for You

I broke two fingers playing cricket at school - all i got was told not to be such a big jessie and to take it like a man - do you think i can sue for the emotional trauma of such remarks :nuts: I could do with a new camera

 

[woof woof]

I could do with a new camera

Rubbish! You can't do better than a 20D!!!!!!!!

 

[big soft moose]

Rubbish! You can't do better than a 20D!!!!!!!!

If they were still making 20Ds i'd agree - but shutters dont last for ever, and mine's on 142 thou at the moment.

I think I'll take my massive windfall - sorry 'deserved compensation for the awful trauma suffered' - and buy a 7D

 

[DorsetDude]

, moan like ****

How come you havent been told off for bypassing the swear filter?

 

[DemiLion]

How come you havent been told off for bypassing the swear filter?

Because it's not directed at anybody, and seems to be reasonably well placed in this case?

Have a look at how many people use FFS and WTF as abbreviations - it's exactly the same.

 

[big soft moose]

How come you havent been told off for bypassing the swear filter?

mods probably havent noticed - use the rtm button if it bothers you

 

[DorsetDude]

mods probably havent noticed - use the rtm button if it bothers you

Doesnt bother me in the least.

 

[Grendel]

There we go I've sorted it. As you were

 

[Doog]

lol




We've got loads of Polish workers because they'll do an 80 hour week without complaint and actually work those 80 hours. The majority of our Scottish workers do a little over 39 hours, moan like **** and want paid far more. I'm all for keeping immigration under control but we don't really help ourselves much either.

No! We've got Polish workers because even at the pittance of a wage these people get it's still a better way of life than in their own country. I happen to think they're being exploited by the money grabbing firms that pick them up on street corners. Surely that's not what we want for the people of Scotland (Britain). If that's the way it ends up we'll be emigrating to Poland because the standard of life is better there. There's also a reason why we moan for better pay and conditions and that's because we're forced continually to play catch up with the fat cat bankers who get thousands, no millions of pounds in pensions and severance pay even though they have failed to do their job properly. If I get the sack, I get the sack. There is no big payouts for me.:razz: In fact as a public service worker who's served the community well I think, I'm more likely to be loosing my pension entitlement.:bang: With only a few years to work till retirement, how am I supposed to plan for that. After all, that's what successive governments have been asking us to do:shrug: You just can't win.

 

[gman]

That's more a factor the change in attitudes following WWI, WWI and the sexual revolution of the sixties and seventies than a modern phenomenon though isn't it?

I agree, wasn't really meaning to go into why it's happening more a case of that it is! lol

How come you havent been told off for bypassing the swear filter?

Wasn't intentional but looks like it has been sorted

No!...[snip]....
.....I'm more likely to be loosing my pension entitlement.:bang: With only a few years to work till retirement, how am I supposed to plan for that. After all, that's what successful governments have been asking us to do:shrug: You just can't win.

I do agree that there must be a lot of exploitation happening, although I must admit we actually pay quite a good wage for what most of them are actually doing.

The whole bankers thing is something which I believe nothing can be compared to to be honest. I'm still amazed at it all but it's a huge topic and probably not worth starting on here! lol

Pensions...I've only got one private pension which I work contribute to and I don't. I'll never contribute to it and invest in long-term and probably safer shares. Pensions always seem to be in the news about being messed about with that I simply don't trust them and therefore have little interest of knowledge of them.

As far as I'm concerned any pension you have and the associated terms & conditions should be set forever unless YOU agree to any changes. If they want to make changes to pensions it should only affect newly created ones and they certainly shouldn't be able to take someone's pension away. :shake:

 

[Oggy]

...H&S has nothing to do with lawyers!

Not per se, but the rediculous antics carried out in the name of H&S (my favourite eaxmple was as I left BOC Edwards they were putting up posters "Instructions on how to use the stairs safely") are as Flossie says, a backside covering excercise.

Bring back Darwinian selection says I.

 

[Splog]

Not per se, but the rediculous antics carried out in the name of H&S (my favourite eaxmple was as I left BOC Edwards they were putting up posters "Instructions on how to use the stairs safely") are as Flossie says, a backside covering excercise.

Bring back Darwinian selection says I.

Indeed!

 

[DorsetDude]

As far as I'm concerned any pension you have and the associated terms & conditions should be set forever unless YOU agree to any changes. If they want to make changes to pensions it should only affect newly created ones and they certainly shouldn't be able to take someone's pension away. :shake:

Absolutely. Scandalous behaviour otherwise and yet it still goes on.

 

[DemiLion]

As far as I'm concerned any pension you have and the associated terms & conditions should be set forever unless YOU agree to any changes. If they want to make changes to pensions it should only affect newly created ones and they certainly shouldn't be able to take someone's pension away. :shake:

Absolutely. Scandalous behaviour otherwise and yet it still goes on.

Legally the terms your pension can't be changed without a new contract of employment being signed and the new contract should include some form of remuneration to reflect those changes. Laying off somebody for refusing to accept an altered contract would count as Constructive Dismissal.

However there are ways around this for the employer. If your pension is based on final salary, for example, your company can institute a pay freeze for all those who refuse to to accept the new conditions.

If in doubt, and if threatened, head to the CAB immediately - or your Union if you are a member (preferably both). Although it's obviously more difficult if you are in the public sector and this happens!