Thread: OHS GONE MAD

Originally Posted by Greatsouthernland

There's a good story from DuPont who are one of the biggest explosives manufacturers in history - the factories in the late 1800s early 1900s had many oh crap moments where an explosion here and there would wipe out a few dozen employees every other week. So senior management ended up making the radical decision to house the manager AND his family in the explosives manufacturing compound permanently. Pretty quickly work practices became safe and none of the families came to grief

Up until anti-trust proceedings in the 1950's, the Du Ponts owned 40% of General Motors. Pierre Du Pont was chairman of the board. That's a nice little investment.

Originally Posted by Greatsouthernland

The list was for those not tested at work. My parents and wife are teachers, doesn't happen.

Training is important as you wrote. Criminal to make someone do something that they are not properly trained ' and assessed ' competent to do.

If you employ someone would you not expect them to be able to do the job. Or do we need to all be treated as babies with no experience.

Originally Posted by boa

Perhaps if the people involved looked after their own safety the incident would not have happened.

Just because you have performed a particular activity a thousand times before without incident, doesn't mean the activity is safe. It may merely have been the case that you have been extremely lucky a thousand dangerous times.

As it was the thousand and first time that my builder company owner father undertook that proved the activity was unsafe and he found out with a broken neck. Which eventually killed him.

Originally Posted by boa

If you employ someone would you not expect them to be able to do the job. Or do we need to all be treated as babies with no experience.

I can see you've got this all worked out and any number of replies won't change your mind. You wouldn't expect an apprentice to be able to do 'the job'.

You won't last long as an employer in this country with that mindset, and you will become frustrated as an employee if you think you are too qualified and experienced to undergo further training and skills assessment. Telling your supervisor to back off and stop directing you because you know how to do it would be a hoot to watch, briefly.

I don't think people in the workplace are treated like babies, but I haven't been in your shoes to feel this way. I know that when I was younger and acted like a baby, I got treated like one.

Similarly to be treated with no experience, everyone starts off that way, maybe you feel yours isn't being recognised, again I don't know what you are experienced in or the level or the circumstance where your employer or parent hasn't acknowledged it.

Without some example, it's hard to be swayed by your generalisation.

Originally Posted by Lotz-A-Landies

Just because you have performed a particular activity a thousand times before without incident, doesn't mean the activity is safe. It may merely have been the case that you have been extremely lucky a thousand dangerous times.

As it was the thousand and first time that my builder company owner father undertook that proved the activity was unsafe and he found out with a broken neck. Which eventually killed him.

I understand your loss. But it is the same as mandatory tagging of electric leads the only time the lead is safe is after the first use. If a worker looks at a tag that is 11 months old and thinks that extension lead is safe is stupid. That's the problem we are duming down society.

Originally Posted by boa

I understand your loss. But it is the same as mandatory tagging of electric leads the only time the lead is safe is after the first use. If a worker looks at a tag that is 11 months old and thinks that extension lead is safe is stupid. That's the problem we are duming down society.

I take your point on test and tag, especially where RCDs and circuit breakers exist. I'm not an electrician either, I'm sure one may chime in on this.

While there may 'appear' to be too many layers of protection, the concept is valid. Without a state run system, there are going to be inconsistencies and perceived overkill.

When you experience the tragedy workplace fatalities/injuries cause families, colleagues and community, you will understand what I'm trying to convey.

Originally Posted by boa

I understand your loss. But it is the same as mandatory tagging of electric leads the only time the lead is safe is after the first use. If a worker looks at a tag that is 11 months old and thinks that extension lead is safe is stupid. That's the problem we are duming down society.

Agree with you about leads but if used correctly and visually checked for external damage or arc burns on the socket/plug before use you at least know that the lead was good at the beginning of the year.

I had a friend who was the electrical safety officer on major construction sites, if he found a lead on the ground across a driveway or where wheeled equipment was passing, he would snip the end off the lead and put it in his pocket. The workers on those sites soon learned to protect their leads.

Originally Posted by Greatsouthernland

I can see you've got this all worked out and any number of replies won't change your mind. You wouldn't expect an apprentice to be able to do 'the job'.

You won't last long as an employer in this country with that mindset, and you will become frustrated as an employee if you think you are too qualified and experienced to undergo further training and skills assessment. Telling your supervisor to back off and stop directing you because you know how to do it would be a hoot to watch, briefly.

I don't think people in the workplace are treated like babies, but I haven't been in your shoes to feel this way. I know that when I was younger and acted like a baby, I got treated like one.

Similarly to be treated with no experience, everyone starts off that way, maybe you feel yours isn't being recognised, again I don't know what you are experienced in or the level or the circumstance where your employer or parent hasn't acknowledged it.

Without some example, it's hard to be swayed by your generalisation.

Where did I say any unskilled worker should be told to do a job. I was an uneducated worker who learnt very quickly to look after my self.