2nd March 2005, 02:33 PM
I think this is the crux of the matter. If the conditions that diggers work under are unacceptable in 90% of cases action is needed and action is needed fast.
The point is that standards are relative in any event. The phrase ?best practice? is used a lot in these kind of discussions. I take this cynically to mean ?normal practice? as opposed to the highest standard possible given an infinite amount of time and money. I say a clear cut agreed practical and achievable standard which can easily and objectively be measured is required.
The first step is surely to establish what the norm is and then decide how it can be improved if improvement is necessary. I would draw attention to recent joint EH/Church of England document on the treatment of human remains as an example of this. (I would note that there is also a licence system in place already for the treatment of human remains.) While I support about 90% of what is in this document some of it is impractical and I thus doubt if it will be followed.
Peter