do I have muppet written on my forehead?

[troll]

The calls I have received recently seem to be in response to my agenda for the forthcoming BAJR conference. Eggy makes a number of good points, I will try to answer them here....
It has been said before that there is a problem of attitude on the part of many employers who see those who flag up HS issues as nothing short of whistleblowers. Those who contact me have, for the most part, been through the line manager route and frankly, been laughed at. I posted a thread here a while ago asking for examples of HS contraventions and they just keep coming. The recent calls-ones that prompted my last post, are from people working for the same units over and over again. Some contraventions could be sorted by going along the line manager route but, others, where there is a cross-over between developer/archaeologist risk assessments (or total lack of) are not so straight forward. If it`s proof we`re after, I recommend that field staff carry a disposable camera at all times. I agree, following the line manager route is ideal however, not all field staff work in an environment where that would result in positive action. Just positive unemployment. I am contacted because I want to document the current state of HS in modern archaeology. I would like at this point to ask some simple questions again....How many of you who write risk assessments hold health and safety qualifications? How many field supervisory staff hold health and safety qualifications? How many units have a quality control system in place where risk assessments are checked over? Why does`nt our industry train dedicated members of staff in HS? Why has`nt IFA/Prospect come up with appropriate HS courses? Why is there an overwhelmingly large number of sites out there without a risk assessment? Eggy-I think you have a superb idea-it is indeed high time that the HSE were introduced to our industry...it`s patently obvious that we are either incapable or simply unwilling to deal with this issue internally.

[troll]

Just as a reminder..
Employers have an obligation under the Management of Health and Safety at Work Act 1999 to
1. identify and assess risks to their employees and others
2. introduce effective arrangements to implement appropriate preventative and protective measures to control risk
3. ensure that risks are periodically reviewed and the effectiveness of control measures are regularly checked.

This is not an optional extra and frankly, excuses like "to mitigate this risk is too expensive" or "that would put us weeks behind schedule" is both illegal and nauseating.Pass the cost on.......much cheaper than being hammered in court........

[Cautionary Tale]

I feel truely ill reading through the list of points you make Troll, not because I disagree but because these are issues that can be really easily addressed. For one thing the IFA provides FREE standard risk assessment forms, so to not even have one is unforgivable: see http://www.archaeologists.net/modules/ic...hp?page=15[url][/url]

This is obviously only a start, but maybe all site staff should have a look so they know what they should be signing as they start work. If a suitably qualified H&S person (who could I be thinking about Troll? ) has a look, there might be a little mileage in discussion and maybe having something like it on BAJR?

(I really have worked in the field)

[Tim]

quote:Originally posted by troll

I know of no fatalities in British archaeology yet.

I'm sure there was somebody killed in a trench collapse in Colchester(?) and another squished flat by grader on the Channel tunnel project both in the 90's.

Little Tim

[troll]

Hi Tim.Many thanx for your off-line email sir. If there is any way of researching the facts contained in your last post, will let you know.Stomach turning if true.....
I heard recently of a unit that went to the trouble of shoring deep trenches (to industry standards) but left the excavators down the hole while lifting huge sacks of spoil out by sling.People were pinned to the sides a couple of times before someone noticed this large but obvious gaff. The overall HS culture desperately requires a re-appraisal. One of the most recurrent themes is where archy teams working on live construction sites have no control over the behaviour of builder types. I` v said this before but no-one picked up on it...there`s no point in having one risk assessment for us and one for the developer if the two don`t tie in. There are plenty of developers out there who employ cheap crud (as we do) many of whom are not licensed to operate the machinery they abuse in order to chase some pubescent machismo agenda. Whilst this thread has been read by many and, has resulted in a better than average number of responses-things are not changing on the ground.Simple questions are not being answered either. We`re no where near finished on this yet guys and girlies and until we are, if it aint safe-walk away until it is.If you recieve a pubescent response to your concerns-call BAJR hotline.If still not satisfied-do two things...call the IFA and while your at it, take photos and call the HSE.Lets see if a few huge fines can sort the sexually handicapped from the professionals shall we?}

[the invisible man]

If H&S concerns on a "live construction site" arise they should immediately be taken up with the site manager. Obviously you cannot have "control" over builder types. I don't know how you know whether operatives possess the relevant licence for the plant they are operating but if you believe something is occurring which is adversely affecting H&S, then you, or whoever is in charge of you, should go to the site manager.

Before starting your work on a construction site your firm will have been provided with the Risk Assessment for the site and asked to provide your own, for your bit, together with your Method Statement, insurance details and so on. This will happen even though you're not a subcontractor but directly employed by the Employer (presumably) as the "builder type" - the Main Contractor - is in possession of the site.

I must admit that I do not recognise the image that you portray. Of course contracts are awarded to the lowest tenderer (almost always) and certainly many operatives are, err, big and ugly. But most of them know what they're doing. I suspect that in fact it is your employer that is not keeping you informed.

Today, Bradford. Tomorrow, well, Bradford probably.

[troll]

Thankyou Invisible.I think you`re hitting the nail on the head, our employers are simply not meeting their duty of care responsibilities.

[sniper]

I was reading through a recent book purchase yesterday and came across a chapter about health and safety in archaeology, specifically related to burial archaeology. There was a full page black and white photograph included, taken as a general working shot of a whole site (by a very well known unit may I add), and it asked the reader to identify potential safety problems in the photo. According to the book, there were 8, just in this one photo. It doesn't say how old the photo is, but it does seem to display a total disregard even to hide the evidence for bad H&S practice in an official photograph...

++ i spend my days rummaging around in dead people ++

[troll]

Greetings Snipey-yes, illustrates a good point...not only is HS in our discipline verging on the pathetic, blatant seems to be the order of the day.I emphasise again guys and girlies...if it aint safe, leave.And PLEASE-carry a disposable camera with you and send to little old me.....Time for me to play the cynic again (no effort required on my part) I think I know the very photo. Seems to form the entire meat and two veg of HS lectures/training in our profession.Once you`ve seen the photo and-lets not forget the video about ladders and hot doors- you`re qualified to write risk assessments and be responsible for staff on site.Huzzah!

[sniper]

thought the video was about photocopiers and high heels myself...would love someone to make a video about the health hazards of mouldy skeletons and smells emanating from wood treatment tanks, would make my job a little easier.

++ i spend my days rummaging around in dead people ++