12th June 2012, 01:50 PM
I had the pleasure of working in factories prior to entering archaeology. In these situations RSI was defiantly on the radar. Your charge-hand made sure you got adequate breaks and changed jobs, because quite frankly they were scared of getting stung with a claim or the wrath of the union. The same in office jobs. However, when I moved into archaeology I didn't encounter this work environment. In some cases it was the opposite. When a site was under pressure and if you were a fast, good troweller then you hammered away at it. It was up to you to carry out your own risk assessment. The same when I researched at third level, straining for hours over a laptop trying to meet the required word out put with no one except my supervisor asking about stress or strain.
Although I fully support education and training. I do worry that these remove the burden of responsibility from the employer and place it on the employee. Mix this in with in the present economic climate where people are desperate for jobs and perhaps more accommodating of bad work practices, add in the unscrupulous employer (they do exist) and you have a recipe for disaster. The consequence is someone suffering from a work related injury long after they have left that workplace.
Defo support calls for less paperwork!!
Although I fully support education and training. I do worry that these remove the burden of responsibility from the employer and place it on the employee. Mix this in with in the present economic climate where people are desperate for jobs and perhaps more accommodating of bad work practices, add in the unscrupulous employer (they do exist) and you have a recipe for disaster. The consequence is someone suffering from a work related injury long after they have left that workplace.
Defo support calls for less paperwork!!