Thread: OHS GONE MAD

Originally Posted by tonic

It's hard to get people motivated when they're scared. I work at for 2 companies who in the last 2 years brought in mandatory long clothing. As a contractor you say boo or get out. I tried my best to explain to the company people that there was no way in hell that the company could operate their business without them so just say no. They all have mortgages etc etc so the company has them.


They just couldn't see that the company could not overnight find 1000 employees to take over their jobs without hiccup. They had the power and let it go.


I have among other things a Diploma in Marketing and am looking at lobby type web site. Hell minority groups seem to get their way in this country, I am looking at a majority group.


I am also looking at getting a legal group involved. A lot of safety these days is about companies attempting to protect themselves from litigation. With the amount of people against being forced into uncomfortable longs clothes, there has to be an "equal and opposite" position.


The big problem is time and money, most of us have no time and are too busy trying t o make money to live.

Go for it and good luck.

I hated it when they bought in longs and I was working in middle of WA in 45 degrees (open pit mine). But I guess they were worried that someone was gonna claim for skin cancer, but it's impossible to prove its from work, so where's the logic? Especially when the companies supply sun screen which would be ample PPE for a legal defence of such a claim...

Workplace agreements make it hard to defy a 'safety direction' such as clothing, company could commence disciplinary action or just dismiss you for deliberate misconduct. I'd be interested in how you go with your plan.

I see both sides, where OHSE has gone too far, then step over a gangway and it's non existent.
The results are very different though. One you get delayed or have to wear closed shoes from the car to the changeroom ,with the other people get killed or seriously hurt , they even go so far as wearing Face masks or balaclavas so they can't be identified if they stuff up!

Originally Posted by tonic

It's hard to get people motivated when they're scared. I work at for 2 companies who in the last 2 years brought in mandatory long clothing. As a contractor you say boo or get out. I tried my best to explain to the company people that there was no way in hell that the company could operate their business without them so just say no. They all have mortgages etc etc so the company has them.


They just couldn't see that the company could not overnight find 1000 employees to take over their jobs without hiccup. They had the power and let it go.


I have among other things a Diploma in Marketing and am looking at lobby type web site. Hell minority groups seem to get their way in this country, I am looking at a majority group.


I am also looking at getting a legal group involved. A lot of safety these days is about companies attempting to protect themselves from litigation. With the amount of people against being forced into uncomfortable longs clothes, there has to be an "equal and opposite" position.


The big problem is time and money, most of us have no time and are too busy trying t o make money to live.

You are totally correct. The more paperwork (paper trail) and the more people that they can spread blame towards then more chance of the insurance companies paying up and not contesting. Risk management is what it is all about (to minimise each persons risk).
In my work I now lose a lot of control of projects due to 'specialists' having to do certain tasks I used to design thus held to ransom by their time frames and not mine.
The system now produces people with pretyped SWMS (which means no one takes note of them) and everyone on site is in a hivis shirt so we don't notice each other as it is now just a uniform so no real use in dangerous situations as was the original idea.

Was at dinner with some friends tonight. One of them mentioned a new OHS rule where they work. Can no longer carry a cup of tea or coffee unless it is in an insulated cup with a fixed lid. They have all been issued with the type of coffee cup you use in your car on a journey to keep your drink warm. This is to deal with the potential trip and spill hot liquid danger posed by an open china mug. There have not been any such instances in the company living memory.

Originally Posted by 3toes

Was at dinner with some friends tonight. One of them mentioned a new OHS rule where they work. Can no longer carry a cup of tea or coffee unless it is in an insulated cup with a fixed lid. They have all been issued with the type of coffee cup you use in your car on a journey to keep your drink warm. This is to deal with the potential trip and spill hot liquid danger posed by an open china mug. There have not been any such instances in the company living memory.

Originally Posted by Rurover

Our friends across the Tasman have tackled this issue by adopting a national "no fault insurance scheme which basically prevents the lawyers from cashing in on accidents whether in the workplace, at home, on the roads or wherever.

Quote: The ACC Scheme is administered on a no-fault basis, so that anyone regardless of the way in which they incurred an injury, is eligible for coverage under the Scheme. Due to the Scheme's no-fault basis, people who have suffered personal injury do not have the right to sue an at-fault party, except for exemplary damages.

Here's a link to the Wikipedia page that explains the scheme in much more detail.
Accident Compensation Corporation - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

No you may wonder why those smart Kiwis do the adventure tourism thing better than anybody else in the world. Well, when you have a no fault insurance scheme, you don't have to worry so much about expensive and prohibitive regulations preventing you from having fun (and making money).

Alan

The other side of the coin is that you can be taken to court, both the employer/ operator/ employee as deemed by ACC, the difference is that only ACC can take you to court. And many have been taken to court and not only fined but jailed as well.
The money side is different as well. If I recall correctly. if you are off work you get 80% of your wage. until you return to work or are retrained etc etc.
non work accidents are also covered by ACC, in the same way. the only difference is that there is a 2 week stand down on wagers paid. IE if the accident happens at work your employer pays the first two weeks wages then ACC takes over. a non work accident you have to wait out those first two weeks.

Originally Posted by rangietragic

He was there three days till the roo was found!!

Why was he there three days till teh roo was found?
Did he have to go looking for it him self?

Originally Posted by tonic

In the good old days you called that bloke for what he was and he never came back. The job got done and we had a great economy.

And who cared less for the guys killed and maimed on the worksite, it was all part of doing business.