Health and Safety...

[Fozzer]

...the bane of our lives!... >:(....>>>>

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-11454241

Quote:
".....But the Tory peer told the Daily Mail: "Frankly if I want to do something stupid and break my leg or neck, that's up to me. I don't need a council to tell me not to be an idiot. I can be an idiot all by myself."
End Quote.

The daft rules and regulations and fear of litigation were starting to affect my work of my trade as an Electrical Engineer some time ago, and encouraged me to Retire.

Playing Conkers is not allowed without wearing Goggles...
Rolling Cheese down a hill...Not a good idea...You may fall over...
Cutting hair with Scissors...Far too much blood...
...etc...etc...etc...
...all far too dangerous... ...!

Finally, a Minister, or two, with some "Common Sense"... [smiley=thumbsup.gif]...!

Paul....must take my Slippers off, before proceeding down my stairs!... :-/...!

A lot of these "organisations" are getting out of hand...
..the RSPCA for example...Prosecution for accidentally treading on a Snail?....Cruelty to Animals?

...what do you reckon?... ... ...!

[H]

Prosecution for accidentally treading on a Snail?....Cruelty to Animals?

...what do you reckon?

For the snail, a slow recovery... the defendant, a court case that drags on at a snail's pace.

8-)

[Steve M]

I remember working in the 60s and playing in the 50s. None of this health and safety stuff exsited then, yet I still live on. Lead paint on tin toys with sharp edges, DDT on the lawn, and no seat belts in cars. No supervision at the playground, If our best friend hopped off the teeter tawter because he was heavier, we couldn't sue him. All we could do was plan a way to get even. 
Construction work has changed massively over 40+ years. Even little Sally planting Petunias in the park has to wear a bright traffic vest, a hardhat, kneepads, safety shoes, long sleeve shirts and must carry an emergency plan along with directions to the nearest Trauma center. 
Finally, as a long time construction supervisor.. If any one in my crew gets injured serious, and wasn't wearing all this , I might be the recipient of a fine that could cost me my home. And I just work here.. I don't even own the company!    

[patchz]

Right. The Government protects us from ourselves, but who protects us from the Government?

[ozzy72]

I always think of the fantastic Gary Larson cartoon of the pig and the wolf in court, and the lawyer saying "So that is when you decided to light the fire Mr. Pig? Do you realise my client is an endangered species whilst you are no more than a walking side of ham"
Sums up the system brilliantly 8-)

[beaky]

Parasites, encouraged by "the best intentions". Perhaps a special H&S officer should be assigned to every child, on 24-hour watch, to issue summonses for running with scissors or licking flagpoles in below-freezing weather.

People routinely are NOT stupid and careless despite the absence of enforcement of a government decree against stupidity and carelessness, and more importantly no force in the universe is stronger than human stupidity, so it's all futile, anyway... all the green vests, goggles, and crossing guards in the world cannot stop the relentless march of idiots, whose "creativity" is always many steps ahead of the "progressives" who want to shield us from any possible hazards.

[beaky]

[quote]I remember working in the 60s and playing in the 50s. None of this health and safety stuff exsited then, yet I still live on. Lead paint on tin toys with sharp edges, DDT on the lawn, and no seat belts in cars. No supervision at the playground, If our best friend hopped off the teeter tawter because he was heavier, we couldn't sue him. All we could do was plan a way to get even.

[Fozzer]

...The latest one...

From my nephew who works in the building trades for the local council...

Everyone who uses a Ladder, or Step Ladder, has to enter a comprehensive course on; Ladder Selection, Operation, and

[Hagar]

I believe the concept of Health & Safety was well-intentioned. Unfortunately it hasn't worked like that in practice. I can only speak for the UK. Since restrictions on solicitors advertising were lifted in the 1980s a new industry has evolved where none previously existed & a lot of people are profiting from it. This was the start of the litigation culture in this country. In the end it all comes down to greed.

I think this comment from the chairman of the National Trust sums it up perfectly: "Victims of an accident nowadays have it somehow hardwired into them that someone must be at fault," Sir Simon told us. "They've got used to the thought that there might be some money in it. The combination of this concept of fault, blame and money is toxic."

Sir Simon said the concept of common sense has vanished. It has been replaced, he added, by an army of people in the business of over-assessing risk and profiting from the very health and safety advice that they offer.

I hope common sense will prevail but somehow I'm none too confident. Too many people are making too much money out of this nonsense.

[eno]

The joys of  H+S ......... Made more interesting by the young lad sent to give the lecture on ladder safety, who upon walking into the room  and taking one look a the gathering of every theatre technician employed by Glasgow city council and the combined  ages of the older members of the team announced "I can't really say anything about ladders that you won't already know. You have all passed. Now let's goto the pub."
Common sense prevailing.

From the sublime to the completely stupid.

The next door neighbour was having her kitchen resculptured by a contractor for the Housing Association, during the brief "summer" hot weather we had here in the UK. The ONE guy doing the work was wearing his flouresent jacket religiously despite the 30 degree heat. I asked him why as I knew there was no one else in the house.
Him: "It's company policy."
Me: "But there is no one else working with you."
Him: "That don't matter if I don't wear it and the gaffa comes round I will get thrown off the job. Also if the ceiling is over 9ft I  have to wear a hard hat."

I hope common sense prevails in the governments' attempt to overhaul the stupidness that has come to cloud what should be a useful and informative service.

[Sir_Crashalot]

Same here. I work for Strukton Rail which is the largest railroad contractor in Holland. For as long as I can remember railroad personell has to wear a yellow vest to make themselves visible to traindrivers. I have nothing against that.

Since two years we are also obliged to wear a hard hat. I can understand you have to wear such a contraption when working near cranes (like I did last night) or digging equipment. But can someone please explain to me why I have to put the damn thing on my head when I leave the car and walk to my mobile office unit? This is company regulation. I actually have to wear my helmet on every working location. That means also inside the shed we use to drink coffee (there is nothing there besides a coffeemachine and a couple of chairs), the mobile toilet, in the open air where nothing but birdshit can fall on your head.

Best of this all is that when you get caught not wearing your helmet, you get a 250 Euro fine. Get caught a second time and it's bye bye... Until now, nobody has been fined and nobody has been fired. Cause our supervisors also think it's a stupid rule (they have to wear a hard hat too...). But one day some smart ass will come along and try to brown nose the management. We are waiting for that...

Carlo

[beaky]

[quote]...The latest one...

From my nephew who works in the building trades for the local council...

Everyone who uses a Ladder, or Step Ladder, has to enter a comprehensive course on; Ladder Selection, Operation, and

[eno]

Here's another one that I find rather strange ...... Bus drivers wearing reflective jackets ..... WHILST DRIVING!!!
In and around the depot when walking about ...... yes ...... if moving around the outside of the bus when out on the road..... yes..... whilst driving NO!! ....... unless you want to make yourself an easier target for the yobs in certain parts of some cities in the UK.

[expat]

...the bane of our lives!... >:(....>>>>
Paul....must take my Slippers off, before proceeding down my stairs!... :-/...!

Quiet Paul, it is not yet over. If you let on that at your age you have stairs at home, you will find stairs roped off and access denied. Can't have people of your age dicing with death using stairs. A stair lift will be out too, just in case you fall out of it half way up. You will spend you remaining days sleeping on the sofa dreaming of that nice soft bed a matter of feet above your head............and a draw full of clean fresh underwear

Matt

[Fozzer]

...the bane of our lives!... >:(....>>>>
Paul....must take my Slippers off, before proceeding down my stairs!... :-/...!

Quiet Paul, it is not yet over. If you let on that at your age you have stairs at home, you will find stairs roped off and access denied. Can't have people of your age dicing with death using stairs. A stair lift will be out too, just in case you fall out of it half way up. You will spend you remaining days sleeping on the sofa dreaming of that nice soft bed a matter of feet above your head............and a draw full of clean fresh underwear

Matt

... ... ... ...!

Shhhh....

There are times when I have fallen out of Bed, and feared that there may be a Health and Safety Official watching me from inside my Wardrobe, ready to ban me from ever using my Bed, ever again... ...!

I suffer similar confrontations, involving my various Gas appliances and Gas Fitters... ....Health and Safety again!

My own Health and Safety has kept me alive for the past 76 years. I don't need to be threatened by it, by some daft Official!

Paul... ... ... ...!

I wonder of there are Health and Safety Officials resident on Alpha Centauri...waiting for us to arrive?.... .... ...!