Health and safety on the way to work act
On Wednesday morning I encountered the other side of our ludicrous Health and Safety culture - tackled in David Cameron's speech yesterday, and on Newsnight last night.
I too hate our modern safety environment, dominated by silly health and safety forms and petty bureaucratic rules, all designed, it seems, to protect people's backs rather than their genuine wellbeing.
And yet, in contrast, the public and the state are often pretty powerless to act when it comes to quite serious breaches of health and safety rules.
This morning I was walking past a building in Lavender Hill, south London - opposite the main Post Office.
Four men were dismantling scaffolding from around the building, and as I passed underneath a bucket which was dangling from a rope, and overloaded with scaffolding bolts, suddenly fell past me and hit the ground, scattering bolts over the pavement.
"That scared you, didn't it?" laughed one of the men working on the site.
It had indeed made me flinch. Had I bit a bit nearer, and the bucket a touch higher, I could have suffered serious head injuries.
But the workmen weren't worried. None were wearing safety hats, and to me, a layman, their work looked pretty slipshod.
What DID worry them however, was when I voiced a complaint, and then started taking notes, promising to refer the incident to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).
"Haven't you got anything better to do?" one jeered.
I doubt if they, or their bosses, need worry that much. When I rang the HSE a nice woman took down the details, and promised she would try and contact the company responsible, but she said they wouldn't be able to visit the site to do anything about the safety breaches.
The HSE simply does not have enough inspectors for that, she admitted.
I'm Michael Crick, and I'm Newsnight's political editor. My guiding rule is that in any story there's usually something the politicians would prefer the world not to know. My job is to find that out. Follow me on
Comment number 1.
At 2nd Dec 2009, SheffTim wrote:The real reason why there is so much H&S red tape are all the ‘No Win, No Fee’ legal companies like this:
[Unsuitable/Broken URL removed by Moderator]
Plus the number of people that as soon as something happens to them think '‘How can I profit from this? Whose fault is this?' rather than just picking themselves up and getting on with life.
Unfortunately local authorities and big companies know that many people see them as an easy target (and can afford payouts) and are overcautious as a result.
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Comment number 2.
At 2nd Dec 2009, jauntycyclist wrote:the law is there to exact fees.
building sites are highly dangerous places. as for scaffolders they do have a bravado tradition as they throw pipes and locks around.
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Comment number 3.
At 2nd Dec 2009, barriesingleton wrote:AND JUSTICE IS THERE TO BE IGNORED AS TOO DEMANDING. (#2)
Today we hear that a man, told by his partner she was leaving him, doused her in petrol and left her with terrible burns from which she died.
The Jury found 'murder' - in two hours. The Judge vilified the man. (That seems to be a perk of the job?)
ONLY THEN WAS A PSYCHIATRIST'S REPORT ORDERED. (I am relying on the ³ÉÈËÂÛ̳ here.) From the description of the man's actions and utterances, he was a long way from the centre ground. But how much more difficult to come to a verdict when ALL the relevant faxts are known.
Job's a good'n. Civilisation R us.
PS To fast readers of posts: I am NOT taking sides in the unspeakable event; my point runs deeper.
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Comment number 4.
At 2nd Dec 2009, largeramsden wrote:All this user's posts have been removed.Why?
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Comment number 5.
At 2nd Dec 2009, Gareth wrote:"Four men were dismantling scaffolding from around the building, and as I passed underneath..."
'nuff said. If not walking underneath was an option you could have exercised more caution. If not walking underneath was not an option contact the council.
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