P Prentice Wrote:Originally Posted by P Prenticeits the 21st century and there is no excuse for work related injuries on an archaeological excavation.
Carrickavoy Wrote::face-approve: never a truer word has been spoken!! Less with the love of it and the vocation and more with the workers rights.
Hmmm, Although I agree that people should be kept safe from risks, and yes health and safety is very important (and very close to my heart.........ask Dino) A major part of the Health and Safety at work act is the word 'reasonable'
Not talking about carpal tunnel, but no one can eradicate all work-related injuries.
Eradicating all serious injuries and deaths is a noble pursuit, but are you talking about every scraped knuckle, cut finger, stubbed toe??
I may be being a pedant, but
..........using a muscle rips muscle tissue which later heals and grows more becoming stronger.
Is this a work-related injury.
Carpal tunnel seems (from what I've seen here) a long-term disease from repetitive action. So therefore should 100% be part of training/education.
Should all risk assessments include all the possible diseases/ injuries, conditions possible through manual work??
I feel not.
A risk assessment does not cover absolutely everything that could happen during a task, only the major identified risks (severity and likelihood)
So for instance, working on an excavation on a pipeline, death from plant is a severe and likely risk and should be mitigated against.
But being hit by a meteorite is a severe but so unlikely risk that it is not mentioned.
Neither is arthritis, white finger, bad back, dodgy knees (specifically).......But these are covered by the correct training in tool use/ manual handling etc.
More education, improved training, more tool-box talks, less pedantic paperwork