Vegas & The Aftermath - Diary

[Nakor]

I will try and get a picture later but the new thing at my place of employ is covering steps with luminous paint or tape in a criss cross pattern to bring your attention to the fact that if you require to step up into a building or the like that a big piece of stone needs to be encountered first, just in case you don't notice.  They then put a very large sign above the step to warn you that a step is there, in case you miss the actual step or the vulgar luminous paint.

Prior to this we had 8 near misses on site and no "accidents" this year, an impressive record for 2300 employees.  Since the new H&S initiative we have had 2 serious falls and numerous near misses as people are distracted by the sign or startled by the bright yellow paint and fall off the step or trip over it.

But we are health and safety compliant . . . . . tis a mad world.

[Doobs]

I will try and get a picture later but the new thing at my place of employ is covering steps with luminous paint or tape in a criss cross pattern to bring your attention to the fact that if you require to step up into a building or the like that a big piece of stone needs to be encountered first, just in case you don't notice.  They then put a very large sign above the step to warn you that a step is there, in case you miss the actual step or the vulgar luminous paint.

Prior to this we had 8 near misses on site and no "accidents" this year, an impressive record for 2300 employees.  Since the new H&S initiative we have had 2 serious falls and numerous near misses as people are distracted by the sign or startled by the bright yellow paint and fall off the step or trip over it.

But we are health and safety compliant . . . . . tis a mad world.

People report nearly tripping over a step?

[RED-DOG]

I agree, on the bare facts presented by Mantis (in the Daily Mail of all things) it all looks rather ridiculous. But I bet if that article had better balance, and those responsible for refusing permission had contributed, it would at least make more sense.

Yeah.

It's not as if it's a matter of life and death.  Oh wait....   

[Rod Paradise]

Because, Geo - and IMO - it gives balance to the debate, it is the world's easiest thing to criticise, particularly from afar, but for those with responsibility for staff under their control, it is not as easy as we may think. If they get it wrong, just the once, in their entire life, or career, they could well face prosecution and even prison, not to mention the tin tack.

I agree, on the bare facts presented by Mantis (in the Daily Mail of all things) it all looks rather ridiculous. But I bet if that article had better balance, and those responsible for refusing permission had contributed, it would at least make more sense.

Everyone is an expert on everything these days. But they - we - are not.

The firemen in the area (wasn't that far from me) were outraged at the attitude of the bosses in that incident, and very embarrassed by it. The bosses responsible are now regarded as joke figures and have paper-pushing roles AFAIK the actual firemen wanted nothing to do with them after that.

[tikay]

Because, Geo - and IMO - it gives balance to the debate, it is the world's easiest thing to criticise, particularly from afar, but for those with responsibility for staff under their control, it is not as easy as we may think. If they get it wrong, just the once, in their entire life, or career, they could well face prosecution and even prison, not to mention the tin tack.

I agree, on the bare facts presented by Mantis (in the Daily Mail of all things) it all looks rather ridiculous. But I bet if that article had better balance, and those responsible for refusing permission had contributed, it would at least make more sense.

Everyone is an expert on everything these days. But they - we - are not.

The firemen in the area (wasn't that far from me) were outraged at the attitude of the bosses in that incident, and very embarrassed by it. The bosses responsible are now regarded as joke figures and have paper-pushing roles AFAIK the actual firemen wanted nothing to do with them after that.

Not to make light of a serious issue, but I'd say that was a fairly universal view of "bosses" Rod!

[Rod Paradise]

Because, Geo - and IMO - it gives balance to the debate, it is the world's easiest thing to criticise, particularly from afar, but for those with responsibility for staff under their control, it is not as easy as we may think. If they get it wrong, just the once, in their entire life, or career, they could well face prosecution and even prison, not to mention the tin tack.

I agree, on the bare facts presented by Mantis (in the Daily Mail of all things) it all looks rather ridiculous. But I bet if that article had better balance, and those responsible for refusing permission had contributed, it would at least make more sense.

Everyone is an expert on everything these days. But they - we - are not.

The firemen in the area (wasn't that far from me) were outraged at the attitude of the bosses in that incident, and very embarrassed by it. The bosses responsible are now regarded as joke figures and have paper-pushing roles AFAIK the actual firemen wanted nothing to do with them after that.

Not to make light of a serious issue, but I'd say that was a fairly universal view of "bosses" Rod!

I get what you're saying, but when the boss in question is ordering you into a burning building loss of trust is a major thing.

[Nakor]

I will try and get a picture later but the new thing at my place of employ is covering steps with luminous paint or tape in a criss cross pattern to bring your attention to the fact that if you require to step up into a building or the like that a big piece of stone needs to be encountered first, just in case you don't notice.  They then put a very large sign above the step to warn you that a step is there, in case you miss the actual step or the vulgar luminous paint.

Prior to this we had 8 near misses on site and no "accidents" this year, an impressive record for 2300 employees.  Since the new H&S initiative we have had 2 serious falls and numerous near misses as people are distracted by the sign or startled by the bright yellow paint and fall off the step or trip over it.

But we are health and safety compliant . . . . . tis a mad world.

People report nearly tripping over a step?

Not really, if you fall and it does not result in injury or more importantly time off it is a "near miss" an accident is only an accident if you actualy hurt your self or cost the company time.
Why do people report almost hurting themselves - well if you don't report a "miss" that later results in time off you don't get paid, I guess encouraging reporting these things.

[Machka]

I'm working for one of the largest Utilities in the UK at the moment and H&S there is something I've never seen taken to such a degree.  Some enforcement is entirely understandable and not enforcing it would be madness.  Some other aspects are mindblowingly patronising and treats the employees almost like mindless children.

Don't you hate it when someone patronises you?  (that means talk down to you)

I'm sure there is a happy medium in there somewhere but until the law and the blame / sue culture changes, which it probably will but only for the worse, I can only see H&S invading everyday life more and more.

We'll all be walking down the high street in Hi-Vis jackets and protective goggles before you know it.

One aspect of my current employer I do think it fantastic though is the H&S reporting.  They have a report everything culture, that way every "hit", "near miss" or accident is reported on and analysed.

By doing this no one gets the blame for doing something wrong (unless negligent), but educated and all those "hits", "near misses" and accidents are used to alter training and prevent the same thing happening in the future.

People learning from their mistakes, whatever next!

[henrik777]

If you work for/with Shell they insist you hold the handrail when using stairs and get upset if you are seen not using it !

Sandy

[TightEnd]

Thought you might enjoy this from the best cricket writer around

http://www.mikeatherton.co.uk/2012/kps-power-struggle/#.UAkTqcUX5Yk.twitter

[tikay]

Thought you might enjoy this from the best cricket writer around

http://www.mikeatherton.co.uk/2012/kps-power-struggle/#.UAkTqcUX5Yk.twitter

What an amazing gift for eloquent writing he has. How can one man be so talented in two completely different fields?

I met him recently, in the office, & I was utterly starstruck, mesmerised by his force of personality & gravitas. I'll try & find the photo I took.

In his Goldman Sachs analogy, he might have extended it one stage further. A year or so after Goldman Sachs went cap in hand to the Fed for the TARP money, they repaid the lot, with interest.

Incredible article, great find, thank you.

 

[tikay]

Click to see full-size image.

[MANTIS01]

My gym gets H&S audited by an independent company every year and it's very extensive. Meh, I'm responsible for a lot of people and accept that I've got a duty of care towards my members and staff so I just crack on with it. However some of the stuff is insane. For example there is a big steel girder running through the middle of the boiler room, it's about 2ft thick and about 30ft long and it is painted bright pillar box red. If you don't duck under it you will walk into it. However, H&S law requires me to put a small A4 size sign on the girder telling people to watch out for the girder. My personal opinion is people who walk into that massive bright red girder thoroughly deserve to do so.

By contrast I've been watching 'Hunters of the Lost World' on Nat Geo, and this week the presenter Hayden was living with the Jahai jungle people, an ancient tribe who range over an area larger than London hunting monkeys with blowpipes. These guys use their heightened senses to track their prey through the forest, spotting footprints that are days old. They have developed acute eyesight, acute hearing and an acute sense of smell. They can run up the tallest tree like a monkey. They are skilled at avoiding danger because they share their environment with tigers and crocs. They hunt for their food everyday and use poison darts made from draining poisonous sap from certain trees. They are awesome people.

Watching the survival capabilities of people when their senses are heightened was great. Impressive to see how ingenious and resilient people are when put to the test. But in this country we have people dribbling on the ground as they walk into bright red steel girders and then crying about it because no one told them to duck. H&S does deaden the senses and that can't be a good thing. We are all the same people and we are clearly capable of better.

[AlunB]

Office looks nice...  

[tikay]

Watching The Open, & I'm not sure what is most delicious, the wonderful scene, theatre, drama, golf, or the amazingly wry commentary of Peter Alliss. He is, quite astonishingly, 81 years old, & seemingly still completely on top of his game.

apropos something & nothing, he was just musing on one of the golfers who was due to become a father for the 5th time.

He added "I was officially the heaviest baby in Europe for some 90 years, I was born weighing 14lbs 10 ounces".

Is there any proof of that recorded anywhere?

He seemed serious enough.

Click to see full-size image.