yobarr wrote:

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dorian wrote:

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It seems that every other day I see a post from you decrying the lack of regulation in caravanning. Specifically you argue that caravanners should have specific towing licences and should undergo courses of instruction to teach them the safety issues. However, when it comes to workplace safety, you ridicule it as an unnecessary imposition by a nanny state. In fact you seem to be suggesting that anyone who is killed on the job is an idiot who deserves their fate. The fact is that many workers are dead because of the mistakes of others, or due to accidents that were beyond anyone's control. The Australian wiring rules, for one, are constantly being updated in the light of lessons learned from workplace accidents.

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 Pray tell me how you think that a pretty hard hat, 'safety' goggles, steel capped work boots, earmuffs, long trousers, long sleeved shirts and having to carry, clipped to his belt a pair of gloves "just in case" would be of any use to anyone working under "Australian wiring rules" .. And when you've done that perhaps you could then give me an idea of how all this crap is of any use to a man working alone in the middle of a desert? But some Tin God says I've got to  use it all for my own "safety". Spare me. They should get a real job. Whilst I agree that some workers die at work because of the mistakes of others, many more are authors of their own fate. Forkhoist driver lifting a load at the extreme height of his forks can't see load so puts head out front of cab, but behind mast (uprights),so he can look up. THEN tilts mast back and squashes his head between mast and front of cab. Only did it once. Grader driver lies down between rear axles of grader for a snooze at lunchtime. Mechanic doesn't know he's there, starts grader to move it and runs over grader driver's head. There are many more that I could relate and not one could have been prevented by using all this "safety" rubbish we now must wear. Back to the caravan courses to teach safe loading procedures and towing practices. When a van goes RSup the accident is likely to negatively impact other innocent people going about their business, or indeed travelling with the caravanner. This is a real danger as opposed to the often imagined dangers that all the protective gear I've listed is forced on us in order to "protect" us from. While we've got laws in place that allow Corolla drivers Ma and Pa Kettle to retire, trade the Corolla on the flash twin-cab ute or some such, with its alleged "3500kg towing capacity", hook up the flash 3500kg ATM van, overload it and the car to the point of stupidity and set sail to "Do The Lap" we always will have trouble. Unfortunately, the situation seems out of control as I rarely see a fully compliant setup, not because the owners don't care, but because they simply don't know, having never been taught or tested. These people usually are receptive to advice, although you get the occasional dipstick who doesn't care. Perhaps he'll care when he discovers that he has no insurance? There is little doubt that on some occasions some of this "safety" gear" is of benefit to some workers,but blanket rules that force all workers to wear all of the gear all of the time are ridiculous. Cheers.

-- Edited by yobarr on Saturday 9th of July 2022 08:20:04 PM

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 Interesting.

Everyone expected to abide by the requirements regarding weights. Abide by all road law, no exceptions.

BUT 

Stuff the OHS ACT.

What hypocrisy.

Manly (Sydney) CBD has been 30kph for a couple of years.

Reduction of traffic speeds are being replaced by distracting phone conversations in the car.

In the last week or so we have noticed an increase of mask wearing in the shops. Up from about 5% to about 15% roughly.

We have swapped asbestosis for silicosis, dry stone cutting for kitchen bench tops. I also seem to see more dry cutting of ceramic tiles & have commented to trades people in front of residential properties, 'where is your mask'. The answer, 'it won't affect me', I don't get it.

dorian wrote:

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Mike Harding wrote:

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There is a happy line in all of this but currently we are well on the silly side of it.

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I think the "happy line" changes over time. Take road rules, for example. Cars have become safer over the years, but speed limits have decreased. Is this a reflection of a change in perception of the value of human life? It seems to me that speed limits are a compromise between safety and traffic flow, and we set the limits to accommodate a road toll that we can accept.

 

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I think speed limits have decreased and fines have increased because its an easy "fix" for a government that wants to be seen to be doing something.  Personally I don't think either works because it addresses a symptom (speeding) not the root cause.  And before you ask IMHO the root cause is impatience.  Too many people seem to want to be wherever they're going ASAP and if they think that running red lights, speeding and driving like a moron will do that for them then they're going to do it.

Simon

dorian wrote:

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This could have been an embarrassing way to go.

Workers rescued after tumbling into vat of chocolate at Mars Wrigley factory:

https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jun/10/workers-rescued-falling-chocolate-tank-pennsylvania

"A Mars a day helps you work, rest and play" ... or not.

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 I wonder if it was "Light" or "Dark" chocolate......?  ("....better call for help.....but tell them there is  no need to rush...!")    KB

Wannabe nomad wrote:

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OH&S has it's place, for example knowone wants to see 4year olds going down a coal mine, or workers being forced to climb heights at work without a safety harness. But as with most (improvements?) things these days, I think it's gone to far.

Why do children have less resilience today, because they are not given the opportunity to build it.

I'm an retired children's worker and this overprotective  (and the resulting extra paperwork) approach to child care finally convinced me it was time to retire. Eg. Child was hurt (mildly) by a ball that missed the net. Fill in accident report, 'what can be done to stop this happening in the future' only solution was to stop playing casual ball kicking games. IRONY is that one of the purposes of the kids club was to build confidence and resilience and 'self regulation'. The answer should have been child learns not to walk behind goal posts  when ball is being kicked.

Oh well, the world's gone mad and there is nothing I can do about, so I'll 'keep calm and go camping'.

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 Great post with lots of commonsense evident. The laws to "protect" people from their own stupidity are now well out of hand. Back in the early 1980s I worked in the Pilbara on construction sites where the riggers were working 15-20 metres above the ground, walking around on steel beams  250mm wide, and not a harness in sight. (or site) It was as if they were still on the ground, but that was before the do-gooders got in on the deal,  making the afore mentioned laws. Suddenly there is a severe shortage of workers. For many years I drove semis interstate, often carting steel beams, but I gave it all away when some clown made it a rule that when I got up onto the trailer to secure the load I had to have a harness, connected to a gantry, in case I fell off the trailer. Created more problems than it solved, so I told them to shove it, and left. Cheers

P.S Perhaps these guys had not been warned about the dangers of smoking? Certainly would have been more deaths from the effects of cigarette smoking than from falling from heights, I would imagine?

yobarr wrote:

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Wannabe nomad wrote:

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OH&S has it's place, for example knowone wants to see 4year olds going down a coal mine, or workers being forced to climb heights at work without a safety harness. But as with most (improvements?) things these days, I think it's gone to far.

Why do children have less resilience today, because they are not given the opportunity to build it.

I'm an retired children's worker and this overprotective  (and the resulting extra paperwork) approach to child care finally convinced me it was time to retire. Eg. Child was hurt (mildly) by a ball that missed the net. Fill in accident report, 'what can be done to stop this happening in the future' only solution was to stop playing casual ball kicking games. IRONY is that one of the purposes of the kids club was to build confidence and resilience and 'self regulation'. The answer should have been child learns not to walk behind goal posts  when ball is being kicked.

Oh well, the world's gone mad and there is nothing I can do about, so I'll 'keep calm and go camping'.

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 Great post with lots of commonsense evident. The laws to "protect" people from their own stupidity are now well out of hand. Back in the early 1980s I worked in the Pilbara on construction sites where the riggers were working 15-20 metres above the ground, walking around on steel beams  250mm wide, and not a harness in sight. (or site) It was as if they were still on the ground, but that was before the do-gooders got in on the deal,  making the afore mentioned laws. Suddenly there is a severe shortage of workers. For many years I drove semis interstate, often carting steel beams, but I gave it all away when some clown made it a rule that when I got up onto the trailer to secure the load I had to have a harness, connected to a gantry, in case I fell off the trailer. Created more problems than it solved, so I told them to shove it, and left. Cheers

P.S Perhaps these guys had not been warned about the dangers of smoking? Certainly would have been more deaths from the effects of cigarette smoking than from falling from heights, I would imagine?

 

 

 

 

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Yes, was it just last week you were sinking the knife into an elderly couple who got bogged because they went around a "road closed" sign the were putting other people in danger. And there were no excuses for breaking the law. You must spend hours and hours on the PC preaching weight safety. Nothing better to do in life. Yet now you now promote breaking State OHS Acts and regulations. 

Yoborr, Just because you don't like the law does not make you exempt sport. Got news for you, you don't get to pick and choose which laws you follow. How about you practice what you preach? The high and mighty weights safety expert always preaching about how to be safe on the road towing, now encouraging people to ignore OHS laws. What a hypocrite.

Try getting out of the 1920's. It's 2022.

Oh, BTW, the reason OHS laws have changed over the years is because the law makers are improving the systems. It's call "continuous improvement". (you wouldn't understand that. google it) Other wise instead of having about 1200 die a year from workplace accidents as we did 25 or 30 years ago in AU we now average about 400.

If it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck, waddles like a duck, it must be a duck. Can't be name calling if it's the truth. And isn't it the truth.

Now we all know the truth.  What a hypocrite.

P.S. Those images are from the US whilst building the Empire state building. US doesn't allow that sort of practice any more either. Stopped here in the 60's or 70"s.