Health and safety.

[gordondaviesmoustache]

The reasons employers are so stringent is as a result of the various pieces of legislation that govern them as employers.

Employers are just trying to cover their backs against the litigious nature of society!

Not neccessarily.

I run the installation department of a company that works with high pressure gas cylinders (200-300 Bar), and the reason that I am stringent on H&S is because I don't want to get a phone call one day telling me that one of my engineers or a member of the public is badly injured or dead as a result of our works.

Litigation doesn't come into it, if we are careful and thorough with the procedures we have in place to prevent accidents then we (should) avoid ever being exposed to legal action in the first place.

The Health and Safety at Work Act came about as a consequence of the appalling Aberfan disaster and more broadly as an attempt to try and make workplaces in the first instance less lethal.

People forget that work related deaths, especially on building sites, were quite common 40 years ago. I wonder how many people died building the old Wembley stadium compared to the new, for example.

I think that the Health and Safety at Work Act is one of the best pieces of post-war legislation and it has saved counteless lives. On that basis I can put up with a few silly rules and cunts with clipboards as a result of it.

It has made life for the people of this country immeasurably better.

 

[Ducado]

The problem is not really Health and Safety Law and legislation, but when the regulations are badly applied by people who really don't know what they are doing so take a very risk averse approach

 

[2sheikhs]

The factory where I work constantly gives leaflets to sign and videos to watch regarding h&s but it's just to cover their arse, nothing more. We were told not leave your workplace more than 5 mins before your shift ends and hang around near the clock machine. I pointed out that h&s law allows you 15 minutes at the end of shift to wash and change. They weren't interested. In winter the place is fooking freezing cold. Someone pointed out that h&s have rules about minimum temperatures to work in. Again, not interested.

 

[hjohn]

The problem is not really Health and Safety Law and legislation, but when the regulations are badly applied by people who really don't know what they are doing so take a very risk averse approach

I think your right to a degree but where it really starts to fall down is the application of Legislation vs the claims culture which is made worse by the no win no fee system.

 

[yerwot?]

The factory where I work constantly gives leaflets to sign and videos to watch regarding h&s but it's just to cover their arse, nothing more. We were told not leave your workplace more than 5 mins before your shift ends and hang around near the clock machine. I pointed out that h&s law allows you 15 minutes at the end of shift to wash and change. They weren't interested. In winter the place is fooking freezing cold. Someone pointed out that h&s have rules about minimum temperatures to work in. Again, not interested.

those are issues covered by the factory acts.Firms are quite capable of cherry=picking bits of the H&S to suit themselves,quite often using the rules to sack an employee,but ignoring other rules they dont like,for instance the most commonly abused law is drivers hours,if you abide by the law you will be up-the-road without a job. Any legislation from Brussels,our government gold-plates it to suit their own wishes and then blames the EU,or seeks a loop-hole,the working time directive being a classic case.For every case that goes to court the lawyers get royally rewarded win or lose,it's the legal parasites who are to blame for the state we are in

 

[johnmc]

The legistation here is a joke. In our office we have to getting a company in to move filing cabinets across the room

However the lack of legistation in some countries is also a joke.

 

[stonerblue]

The reasons employers are so stringent is as a result of the various pieces of legislation that govern them as employers.

Employers are just trying to cover their backs against the litigious nature of society!

bang on the money. Throw the dirty bastard insurance companies into the mix and bingo, it's aleways someone else's fault.

 

[Carstairs]

The reasons employers are so stringent is as a result of the various pieces of legislation that govern them as employers.

Employers are just trying to cover their backs against the litigious nature of society!

Not neccessarily.

I run the installation department of a company that works with high pressure gas cylinders (200-300 Bar), and the reason that I am stringent on H&S is because I don't want to get a phone call one day telling me that one of my engineers or a member of the public is badly injured or dead as a result of our works.

Litigation doesn't come into it, if we are careful and thorough with the procedures we have in place to prevent accidents then we (should) avoid ever being exposed to legal action in the first place.

The Health and Safety at Work Act came about as a consequence of the appalling Aberfan disaster and more broadly as an attempt to try and make workplaces in the first instance less lethal.

People forget that work related deaths, especially on building sites, were quite common 40 years ago. I wonder how many people died building the old Wembley stadium compared to the new, for example.

I think that the Health and Safety at Work Act is one of the best pieces of post-war legislation and it has saved counteless lives. On that basis I can put up with a few silly rules and cunts with clipboards as a result of it.

It has made life for the people of this country immeasurably better.

I couldn't agree more.

And if the few cunts with clipboards make people think a little more about the tasks that they are doing, well, that is a good thing for everyone.

 

[ifiwasarichfan]

In my last Job as a Shift Manager for a Distribution Company I was fortunate to be "seconded" to the role of H/S Manager for two lengthy periods. I loved the change from my regular job and I have lots of qualifications in the area and therefore know what I am on about.

H/S is their for a reason and that is to protect you and to protect your workmates.

As far as Society and the "Human Condition" go however it is now far to often seen as an easy route towards financial gain.

More worrying however is the "Lip Service" attitude given to H/S by the most senior levels of Management.

I use this as an example to illustrate the last point. The FA are in charge of Girls Football at under 15 level but where is it on their list of priorities? - and H/S has the same "ranking" in most major outfits and up to now I have only worked "Blue Chip". I would imagine in the smaller sized Buiness enterprises the situation is far worse.

 

[BimboBob]

Re: Re: Health and safety.

I look after the Health & Safety where I work, and I have to keep telling people not to walk round the office barefoot for H&S reasons, but they just think you are being fussy.

It is minging though, why would you take your shoes off at work?!!

Sorry lass but this marks you out as a jobsworth.