19th November 2005, 01:36 AM
Quote:quote:Originally posted by kevin wooldridge
<blockquote id="quote"><font size="1" face="Arial" id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"> Maybe they should be made to speak to a bunch of ex-field types who can't dig any more because their bodies are knackered.
There must be another side to this coin though. Surely there are some old lags out there who have been digging since the dinosaurs and are still fit (and enthusiatic) enough to continue doing it. Would they care to share their secret?
It must be down to something. Luck? Diet? Yoga? Small blue pills? Celibacy?
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good fortune, good health, sensible exercise, sanity, and fun help. but luck (bad), diet/health (bad), yoda, small blue pills, and no fun will not help in the long run.
as for the discussion of all matters relating to the poor aspects of health and safety relating to archaeology on site - yes, it happens, often, and well known. what can be done? my thoughts - first, ensure that a level playing field is provided on which tenders can be proferred, and monitor that. second, ensure that absolutely noone pays lip service to health and safety specified in the those tenders through the referral to an authority outside the whole process (difficult?) who has the legal power to check their previous records. third, ensure that once the tender(s) has/have been allotted that the responsible party/ies is/are monitored on a frequent basis by that authority as the nature of that/those project(s) inevitably change(s) - and thus provide dependable statistics of health and safety industry wide.
who fits the profile of that authority? any ideas? with lasting impact? if only there was such a body as an omnbudsman for archaeology...then it's possible that shabby and disrespectful attitudes to health and safety in archaeology would vanish...what people can get away with in our profession is laughable, and it's good it doesn't happen as often as it could: what's not funny is that they know they could get away with it with relative impunity.
or is it better to hit them where it hurts - their wallet? though that would not help anyone save the pursuer - unless actions are brought against employers in common towards the same end, to keep us all safe and healthy.
think that the unions involved should carry on the good job they're doing of informing and challenging - as much as our employers inform and challenge us - not forgetting those consultants who work to ensure that such results are not wasted.