do I have muppet written on my forehead?

[mercenary]

quote:To test for contaminants to have to dig holes. If you dig holes you need archaeologists.

In theory true, but many of the sites I see have JCB bucket shaped geotechnical holes in them without any arch being present.

I for one would gladly sacrifice any lost archaeology to have prior warning about contaminants so the dangers of exposure could be mitigated.

[1man1desk]

Presumably the geotech crews doing the sampling know how to do the work safely and apply appropriate H&S precautions. If an archaeologist were carrying out a watching brief on such work, he/she would be working essentially as part of the geotech crew and could be covered by the same risk assessment etc. All that is needed is a bit of advance liaison to make sure it can be done safely.

Of more concern are sites where an archaeological evaluation is done separately from the geotech work, potentially with less knowledge of risks/precautions.

I have one of my staff researching this issue at present, to make sure that we can cover it better in specs.

1man1desk

to let, fully furnished

[troll]

Greetings 1man1desk.Yours is still the only pro-active resonse to this issue so far.In terms of responses, I asked some time ago whether the IFA/Prospect/Unit managers would take HS seriously enough to train HS managers to a nationally recognised qualification standard.HS officers/managers on construction sites and in industry require such.As yet, you may have noticed-not one response.Apologies to Dr Wardle-another positive response.

..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)

[troll]

Most professional HS positions require NEBOSH/COSH and MIOSH certificate/diploma/validation.As a matter of interest,here is an opportunity for any units out there to show us how it`s done in a professional world.How many HS officers/managers hold any/all of these in professional British archaeology-academic or commercial?

..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)

[Galaxsea]

The problem with this is that you don't need any formal qualification to call yourself Health and Safety Advisor or Manager.
All the legislation requires is for an individual to show a "competance".
All the time this is the case then company's can get away with not having a fully qualified Health and Safety individual.
A "competance" in Health and Safety can mean as little as a one day course in the basics and buying a subscription to Croner's or a similar publication.
The re-writing of the Management Regs (1999) was supposed to address this but just made it more complicated.

Sorry for the length of this bit but the easiest way to let you see was to lift this from the reg.


Health and safety assistance
7. - (1) Every employer shall, subject to paragraphs (6) and (7), appoint one or more competent persons to assist him in undertaking the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions and by Part II of the Fire Precautions (Workplace) Regulations 1997.

(2) Where an employer appoints persons in accordance with paragraph (1), he shall make arrangements for ensuring adequate co-operation between them.

(3) The employer shall ensure that the number of persons appointed under paragraph (1), the time available for them to fulfil their functions and the means at their disposal are adequate having regard to the size of his undertaking, the risks to which his employees are exposed and the distribution of those risks throughout the undertaking.

(4) The employer shall ensure that -

(a) any person appointed by him in accordance with paragraph (1) who is not in his employment -


(i) is informed of the factors known by him to affect, or suspected by him of affecting, the health and safety of any other person who may be affected by the conduct of his undertaking, and

(ii) has access to the information referred to in regulation 10; and


(b) any person appointed by him in accordance with paragraph (1) is given such information about any person working in his undertaking who is -

(i) employed by him under a fixed-term contract of employment, or

(ii) employed in an employment business,


as is necessary to enable that person properly to carry out the function specified in that paragraph.



(5) A person shall be regarded as competent for the purposes of paragraphs (1) and (:face-thinks: where he has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities to enable him properly to assist in undertaking the measures referred to in paragraph (1).

(6) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to a self-employed employer who is not in partnership with any other person where he has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities properly to undertake the measures referred to in that paragraph himself.

(7) Paragraph (1) shall not apply to individuals who are employers and who are together carrying on business in partnership where at least one of the individuals concerned has sufficient training and experience or knowledge and other qualities -

(a) properly to undertake the measures he needs to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon him by or under the relevant statutory provisions; and

(b) properly to assist his fellow partners in undertaking the measures they need to take to comply with the requirements and prohibitions imposed upon them by or under the relevant statutory provisions.


(:face-thinks: Where there is a competent person in the employer's employment, that person shall be appointed for the purposes of paragraph (1) in preference to a competent person not in his employment.




Galaxsea - Proud to be the illegitimate son of Troll.

[troll]

Galaxsea!Greetings dear sir! Many , many thanx for your input.Speaking of which, can I invite you formally to keep an eye on this thread? As a man who does this for a living-you are surely far more qualified than my little self to oversee such an important thread! A couple of us have vowed to see 2006 as the year that HS in archaeology takes a much needed toe in the ass.Sir-again, many thanx-BAJR needs you!!!
p.s my love to the family xxxx

..knowledge without action is insanity and action without knowledge is vanity..(imam ghazali,ayyuhal-walad)

[Galaxsea]

I am, as ever, at your disposal Sir!!

Seriously, more than happy to. If ever anyone needs my input on any subject I'm more than happy to help.
You might bear in mind that as a Health and Safety bloke you will get "the ideal situation" type answers from me but I will try to be practical and not quote to much crap legislation!!



Galaxsea - Proud to be the illegitimate son of Troll.

[BAJR Host]

Have spoken to Kate Brayne - the secretary of SCAUM. She has agreed to canvass members of SCAUM on thier feeling about making the (revised) manual on H&S available (I suggested even a summary version) online through BAJR. There is no printed copy, it comes on a CD ROM now - price ?41 or free if you are in SCAUM - price ?40

If a cut down version was available for everyone to see.... how would that sound?

Another day another WSI?

[Galaxsea]

I for one would be very interested to see it.

Galaxsea - Proud to be the illegitimate son of Troll.

[achingknees]

Not sure about the benefits of a summary - what gets missed out? Please keep canvassing for a complete on-line copy!

Just got me wondering again about who has actually seen the updated version. A BAJR poll might be interesting...

Have you seen the SCAUM H&S manual?

Yes, an original copy is on each site

Yes, an original copy is in the main office (but not on site)

Yes an updated copy is on each site

Yes, an updated copy is in the main office (but not on site)

Yes, we have an updated copy CD but it's in the unit manager's desk drawer

No, what's that then?