Frustration

[David68]

Why health and safety is SOOOO frustrating

This morning I told one of the lads that he needed to put his safety boots on as he was working in an area and on a task that requires them.

His first comment was the unit is not heavy and not really a carcass – True it was relatively light but it was a carcass.

Then he said he was not working on it – He was next to the unit, in a zone that was clearly marked off as requiring safety footwear.

Then he said his boots were at home – I politely told him that he needed to clock out and go and fetch them or tell his supervisor why he could not do the work he was tasked to do because he would not be working in that area without them.

Ten minutes later he is walking around in his safety boots.

He knows that he must wear safety boots in the area where he works, so what was the point in the lies and BS that he came out with! I love my job, but it is so frustrating.

Dave

[bernicarey]

You have my full sympathy. The effort that some put into making excuses instead of just getting on with the job.

[SKD]

One excuse I hear a lot is "It's not happened in the ** years I've been here". But when something does go wrong, the wrongdoers are the first to complain

[David68]

I used to work in a factory with an old fashioned machining area - full of very experienced engineers who thought PPE was for wimps. I did hear the "it's not happened to me in the last 30 years" line more than once. One from a chap with the tip of at least 1 finger missing!

I still would not change my career choice, I love being the safety bloke!

[bernicarey]

Dave, you should check out this video on facebook.
I have no idea how this company haven't had their collar felt be HSE...
https://www.facebook.com/BBCRadioDerby/ ... 3NDkwODE5/

15 seconds in "You're not a Cutter unless you've cut yourself..."

[David68]

They treat cuts as part of the job, an occupational hazard that just happens!

Not good but all too common I am afraid

[stephen1974]

This is why so many H&S managers are vindictive gits, they love staff members like this so they can make their lives miserable. They hate an environment where everyone is good.

But no, I agree entirely. Some people just cant be helped and you walk around doing audits where issues raised havn't been touched. Safety shoes is a big one in environments where people dont have to wear them all the time, just for certain tasks. They cant be bothered to change in and out of shoes for a few minutes work.

Shock sticks are the answer.... or formal warnings, yeah, HR would probably want you to do the later.

[David68]

And three guesses who I had to tell about safety shoes this morning.

IF the area was not his normal place of work I would give him a little latitude, but he works there every day.

I have passed the issue to his manager, I am not holding my breath!

[bernicarey]

The reason I love being an outside consultant.

I can go in, audit and inspect, give them a list of all the things that need sorting out, offer to do some bits if needed, like some training, but at the end of the day, what they choose to do isn't my worry.

[David68]

Honestly Berni, it is becoming more and more attractive!

[Blackstone]

A lot of the time the H&S person isn't integrated with the rest of the management team. Either H&S is not seen as essential to the business, more of a paper exercise or the managers just think H&S is the job of the H&S manager.

The H&S manager shouldn't be the policeman but the person that raises issues to the managers for them to deal with.

[bernicarey]

Honestly Berni, it is becoming more and more attractive!

But it's really hard work if you're doing it for yourself; I'm lucky enough to have a certain amount of financial independence .