HARD HATS IN SUMMER

With most things, it would perhaps have more effect if it was applied in a pragmatic and reasoned manner, rather than being a sledgehammer to crack a nut - and we currently have this blame culture, with no personal sense of responsibility. It's just spawned whole legions of brain-dead muppets who enforce all this garbage.

Personally, I hate getting rigged up in PPE just to go on site. I never needed it before and I don't need any of it now.
It's obviously a heated subject amongst many but the question needs answering because if someone has such disregard for their own safety then how can they possibly be concentrating on being safe to others when they carry out their work?
 
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Oh I appreciate that there are and have been sharp practices going on on site that put site guys at risk and, in many ways, it's a positive thing that it at least makes, or might make, people think of safety, both of themselves and of others. But, too often it's applied with a broad brush, without any thought as to the reality of the situation; the scaffold drawing and gloves issue quoted above is, sadly, far too typical of the nazi-style implementation of the legislation.

What I object to is turning up on site and being told to put hi-viz, safety boots and a lid on, just to come inside a building and give advice on a rotten piece of timber. And, generally I won't - if I ask the site agent why I am supposed to wear this grot - in particular regarding a hi-viz - the answer tends to be "cos that's what you have to do", no understanding whatsoever of the possible reason for all this palaver (and there is none for a hi-viz inside a building imo). If I end up sticking a nail through my foot, then it's my own fault, no one else's and I wouldn't think of pursuing someone for compensation for it -and, without boots on, I'm far more careful of where I put my feet, in any case.

But me not wearing PPE doesn't make me more likely to cause some vicarious injury to someone else.
 
But me not wearing PPE doesn't make me more likely to cause some vicarious injury to someone else.
You gave a reasoned answer and i'm sure you do make sure that what you do is done safely with others in mind, its the ones that use arrogance and tell people who are only doing their job to "**** off" who show a disregard for authority who come across as not caring about both their own safety and others that im worried about.

Remember i said above that PPE is only necessary as a last resort when other methods cannot remove a hazard, that hazard has to be risk assessed and if the site asks for PPE to be worn then the assessment has called for it, you are by law entitled to see this assessment and if you feel you can re assess it to not include the wearing of PPE then so be it But and its a big but, the managers of the site have every right to stop you working there if they deem it necessary.

As you rightly said above its an attitude that one must carry in their minds to always think safely, the danger comes when an individual becomes so anti safety because of what may have happened in the past that they become dangerous to others because of their indifference to safety issues.

I personally guage someone on their attitude towards safety as to whether they are capable of carrying out their job in a safe manner.
 
I would think that the forces are exempt from a lot of H&S law by the very nature of their job, thats not to say that its ok though to put them at risk when unnecessary.

I would probably say in the above situation it was more a case of the superiors showing their authority over the troops by making them wear PPE rather than through a risk assessment.

To add, I would have thought that a risk assessment would deem soldiers helmets to be the right safety gear as opposed to hard hats in a warzone as im sure hard hats havnt been tested to withstand a hit by a round.
 
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Maybe white hard hats gave the soldiers more protection from the heat of the sun?
 
Yeah tough call for any RA in those circumstances, what would be the right headgear? Or perhaps the forces helmet does give adequate protection from the effects of sunlight and heat exhaustion?
 
Well it's a tad better kit than it was when I was in, but I'm not sure I would place too much blind faith in it, even now. There is better kit available, but the parsimonious approch of our glorious bleeders, making sure that their trough is never empty, ensures that the AF always operate on a make-do-and-mend principle.
 
I never needed it before and I don't need any of it now.

Rubbish.

I'm moderate-severely deaf, with HF and MF deafness in both ears and wear two aids.

While this was not due to lack of PPE while in my current job, I know several folk who are now severely deaf having had the same attitude themselves.

I also know someone whose HSS bit snapped, leaving them with the loose bit embedded smack in the middle of the left eye (luckily of a pair of goggles.

It's not just skin that gets damaged or bones that get broken.

Now tell me you don't need it now.
 
I don't need it. It's a chance that I'm prepared to take.

ETA I don't need "those who know best" to legislate on my behalf to supposedly protect me from myself, either.

What next, airbags on motorbikes ;) (yes, I know, Goldwings have them now)
 
Im presuming that what you mean is that you assess the danger and wear PPE accordingly rather than not at all?
 
My entirely objective assessments always suggest to me that there is no danger to my being, regardless. Hence no requirement for PPE. Abseiling from the side of a building would be a bit different and then I would avail myself of safety equipment, but on general every day sites, I think it's a complete load of tosh with regard to my personal circumstances and reason for being there. I accept that the site operatives may need PPE of whatever flavour. What they don't need are ridiculous RAs and MSs, coupled with over-bearing authoritarians insisting that the rules are to be obeyed, even though they make no sense - again, back to the gloves and scaffold situation.

Anyhow, I'm an SE, therefore I am immortal.

:LOL:
 
This guy is obviously aware of the need to have adequate head protection on a building site:-

foamhat.jpg
 
My entirely objective assessments always suggest to me that there is no danger to my being, regardless. Hence no requirement for PPE. Abseiling from the side of a building would be a bit different and then I would avail myself of safety equipment, but on general every day sites, I think it's a complete load of tosh with regard to my personal circumstances and reason for being there. I accept that the site operatives may need PPE of whatever flavour. What they don't need are ridiculous RAs and MSs, coupled with over-bearing authoritarians insisting that the rules are to be obeyed, even though they make no sense - again, back to the gloves and scaffold situation.

Anyhow, I'm an SE, therefore I am immortal.

:LOL:
So to clarify, if for instance you were hammer drilling into a concrete ceiling you would wear eye protection?
 
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