Its a mad, mad, but ultimately safer, world!!!

Today, myself and 4 other Lock-tec colleagues attended a Health & Safety training course at the picturesque hamlet of Crewe Alexandra Football Club!!!

Its a mad world....

Yes, it was informative and we learnt a lot about our legal obligations as an employer to employees and yes it was a day well spent.

However, the upshot is that Health & Safety can consume one. In particular, Risk Assessment. With Risk Assessment, we are meant to lay out guidelines of what work we will do, where it will be done and identify potential hazards and risk as part of the process.

Where does risk assessment stop? Basically, it doesn't, I could produce one now for working at this computer identifying the potential dangers of operating a keyboard in a poorly lit, warm environment with little natural ventilation and identify the hazards of extended use causing carpal tunnel syndrome and the dangers of falling asleep at the job and getting a nasty keyboard shaped dent on my forehead.

I could even score it on a scale of between 1-25 using the tried and tested method of Risk=Probability*Consequence. (Just in case you are interested, the score is 1 which means Low Risk....note, not No Risk, just Low Risk!!).

So a huge legislative industry is born on the back of this, an industry that does not exist anywhere else in Europe where it is fine to take a set of ladders onto a building site without a witch hunt occurring.

The only thing more barking mad than the subject matter was the enthusiasm with which the man delivering the session did his job. He knew his subject well and it is an area not to be mocked at.

Here is a real example from today -

Trainer - So Mike, have you had any previous Health & Safety training?
Me - Well no, however, I do own a hard hat, hi visibility vest and a pair of boots.
Trainer - And are you aware of why you need to use them?
Me - Hang on, I didn't say anything about using them....

Everyone laughs, except him!!! Although he does reply....

Trainer - Well Mike, by the end of today, you will know what that hard hat is for and why you need it.

That was the last time a hard hat was mentioned for the day. Anyway, I passed and will shortly have a certificate to prove it!!!