Comments on: The unacceptable face of health and safety

By: SadButMadLad

SadButMadLad — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 18:04:46 +0000

An indication of how H&S can make people think in totally wacky ways (taken from the Daily WTF website):

Colleagues,

While on travel last week a member of our staff got up at 3AM to go to the
bathroom. He tripped over a chair and fell into a coffee table, hitting
his head. He suffered a significant head injury and blood loss. He was
taken by ambulance to a local hospital emergency room. He had surgery at
the hospital at his travel site last Thursday. He came home Friday.
Sutures were removed Monday and he is due back to work tomorrow. He is
doing well and in fine spirits.

He and we have done a root cause analysis and make the following
recommendation to travelers: before retiring for the night review the
path to the bathroom in new hotel rooms and move any tripping hazards, if
possible. Further, consider leaving a light on in the bathroom with the
door slightly open or packing a portable night light in travel gear to use
in your hotel room.

Evin L——-
Safety Directory

By: Spartan

Spartan — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 14:46:26 +0000

Seems when firemen do use their own initative and save a life that very same Fire Service Authority try to discipline him.

http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article1567322.ece

By: John Pickworth

John Pickworth — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 03:18:52 +0000

“As I

By: wrinkled weasel

wrinkled weasel — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 00:53:32 +0000

Thank the late, great recently stiff Michael Foot for the genesis of this nonsense, for it was he who introduced the elf n safety at work legislation.

By: John-Henry

John-Henry — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 17:48:57 +0000

I heard this story on the news yesterday with a growing mixture of incredulity and horror. The thought that a 44 year old woman could die in great distress under the noses of those who were meant to save her must surely represent another low for the so called ‘emergency services’. Although, having said that, they now seem to routinely allow children to drown without another thought – save for Health and Safety.
I hope the fact that no one there had the balls to set aside this ridiculous ruling and do their duty as a human being let alone as a ‘professional’
haunts these firemen until the end of their career.
Strathclyde Fire and Rescue Service would be well advised to buy some longer fire tenders – so the words ‘Fire and Rescue – providing no Health and Safety Guidelines are breached and no member of the service or bystanders are put at risk’ – can be added.

By: Spartan

Spartan — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:17:30 +0000

A few years back now, l was driving down a country lane and l saw this child about 10 years old very distraught by the side of a ditch. l stopped and rushed over and there in the ditch in fairly fast running water was another child of about the same age. He was holding on to god knows what and virtually up to his neck in water. He couldn’t climb out because the bank was quite steep and slippery even though it was only about a 4-5ft slope.

l went over the edge, holding onto a thick branch, and lowered myself in. The water was just over my knees. The kid then used me to climb up. He was no worse for wear … just cold and wet and a bit frightened. l then wrapped him up in my coat and took him and his mate home to his parents.

l dread to think of what l’d be accused of nowadays! Still, l’d do the same again regardless.

When the full details of this sorry affair by the rescue services comes out, those guilty of cowardice (yes, l do mean cowardice) should be named and shamed. As for the asshole that issued this H&S directive, he should be thrown down the very same mineshaft!

Fuck Health and Safety! … it was supposed to be for the construction industry …. not implemented into every facet of our lives! l hate these bastards!

By: Specky

Specky — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:10:49 +0000

If I had made a mistake of that callous a magnitude I would have been sacked.
Private industry the “Pubic sectors” cash cow.
I deliberately mis spelt public.
Have that one for free.
Problem is these public servants are unsackable ,and don’t they just know it.
I hope the pratt who set the edict and the fireman and paramedics who failed to do their duty are named .
But they won,t be of course.
Drones dont carry human names.
Not when they have human rights.

By: Vimes

Vimes — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 16:07:17 +0000

As I’m not a firefighter, or a paramedic, I prefer not to criticise those whose jobs are infinitely more dangerous than mine – it also means that I won’t feel like a hypocrite, if I’m ever unfortunate enough to need their services.

By: sickofit

sickofit — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 15:21:10 +0000

I’m with JohnRS on this. Either the rescue workers to give them their politically correct non offensive, non racist, non sexist title are just as much to blame as the fuckwit who issued the edict and the greedy Law Society members whose behaviour led to the the fuckwit issuing their decree and the sane but cowed rescue workers allowing this poor lady to die.

Until people stand up for themselves and use the common sense they were born with and take responsibility for their own actions people will carry on dying needlessly like this.

By: JohnRS

JohnRS — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:59:55 +0000

Are these firemen (sorry firefighters) and paramedics not responsible adults with minds of their own?

Why didnt they just tell the box-tickers to go f*** themselves and save the woman anyway?

Never mind the chairwarmer, I wonder if any of those there on the day feel any shame at being involved in this?

By: elephant never forgets

elephant never forgets — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 14:51:31 +0000

It is not so much as people getting hurt but more the “ambulance chasing” blaim game lawyers and the threat of litigation. Health and Safety “AT WORK” (where most of these cases occur) is a two way street and the individual is as responsible (common sense / joined up thinking) for their H&S as is the “firm”

Perhaps even worse is that the real problem is the potential legal costs involved in defending the spuriouos claim that may finally be thrown out but which in the interim may cost more than the final claim could ever have done