Knowing when to give up

[Steve M]

Do you ever get the feeling that you are the only one who cares about the Health Safety and wellbeing of people in your company?

[Messy]

Oh yes. Almost weekly!

This week has been hell. Two years ago I flagged up concern that an estates strategy involving moving staff about and 'rationalizing' the estate(closing buildings) would lead to unacceptable overcrowding.

I am a tiny and apparently irritating cog in a machine where the size of the cog is proportionate to the ability to hear and use common sense. Senior managers belittled my report and me, dismissing it out of hand as the project had to be a success and they had no time for my concerns

23 months on, a report from another source raised concerns about occupany levels. The project is almost complete and yes the building is dangerously overcrowded

They had sat on this other report for a while until this Wednesdays thr Grenfell disaster pricked their conscious. The same managers were lining up to kick my bottom all the way to the dole queue for allowing this to happen until I reminded them it was they who had blocked my report 2 years ago

I am furious but also feel quietly satisfied they had to back down thereby admitting they were wrong

Now my diary has been wiped to sort their cock up and save their careers. However I am not sure I can fit a quart in a pint pot so I predict the estates project will stall and heads will roll. Not mine though thankfully

Keep calm and carry on. Stick to your beliefs and do not allow yourself to be bullied or threatened

[Steve M]

Thanks for the support Messey.

I think I have dropped into a deep depression at the moment, I think I have the skills to get out of it, I have done so before and sure I will again.

[Dodds]

I go through the same thing every so often, you feel like walking away and doing something completely different instead.
It normally doesn't last too long though as I feel that we're doing the company the greater good, some people will never listen, you just have to block that out and focus on the bigger picture. You can only advise/manage to the best of your abilities.

Keep your chin up and use us as a sounding board to get things off your chest.

[Coolcat]

I'm really fortunate now as I work for a company where they really care, it has taken me years to find the right place and there has been times where walking away would have been easier but like me you care, keep going the right job is there somewhere

[toecutter]

Having a bit of a morale slump myself these days. It sort of feels like the job's not actually about keeping people safe anymore, it's just endlessly filling in supplier H&S questionnaires and preparing for audits. Maybe we're just at a bad spot in the audit cycle or something, but it feels an awful lot like our focus is purely on achieving audit results instead of doing any meaningful nuts-and-bolts H&S stuff. What I wouldn't do for a nice juicy Near Miss to spend my time on!

[QHSS]

I had the same issue and just whistle blowed on them and got the situation sorted out, Hmmmm. its always strange how managers and owners dont listen to H&S managers/advisors under their control ie because your on the payroll or have no actual authority, but when the HSE turn up, things happen straight away when these managers/owners melt with fear!!!! Dont give up !!!

[David68]

Steve M, YOU DO HAVE THE SKILLS. YOU DO HAVE THE SKILLS

I was in a major down a few months ago because a manager was undermining me and I was not getting the back up I expected and deserved. The manager allowed a robot to be installed with one of the interlocks disabled because the whole process was not adequately designed. Every time i visited the site, the door was locked and it was made to look perfect. Only a unexpected visit allowed me to identify the issue. He want mental when I shut the machine down and stopped production. I bit of a row then took place and the interlock was replaced and I allowed work to continue.

I was told that 2 Managers would investigate the issue and report back - both of them were involved in the procurement, installation, commissioning of the machine and I was not allowed to have any input and no investigation was ever conducted.

Needless to say I left.

I now work for a company who have a senior management team that care and will listen. I tried to spend a couple of hundred quid on some basic test equipment and my Director told me that he was not convinced they were good enough and to go away and find better stuff! There are some good companies out there and if your current one is not the right one for you, you will have no problems finding one that deserves your passion and expertise

[QHSS]

Just whistle blow on them to the HSE.

[Steve M]

Thanks for the support it really is appreciated.

My company is an excellent company and I want to do the best for them.

I have sent my Boss an email (massive) explaining what my issues are, his reply was excellent but showed a lack of understanding of mental health, his reply has spurred me on to educate him and my team, he is aware and very interested in mental health but lacks the knowledge.

My boss is a great man, he is not the issue, my problem with him is his lack of support for me dealing with the real issue, my email has certainly got him thinking.

[Elf&Safety]

Approach your senior and express safety concerns; try and get minutes for the meeting, or express concerns via email. Try to get "buy-in" from everyone; probably one of the most underrated necessities of a safety professional but one of the most important to any safety system.

Lastly, if you genuinely can't progress the situation and are concerned for health and safety of people; report it to the HSE. It's anonymous.

Edit, Who is vicariously liable for your company? Explain to them the consquences for THEM PERSONALLY if and when something happens.

[QHSS]

Just whistle blow on them to the HSE.