Hazards and self protection

[bernardgreen]

Quoting from the thread

Counterfeit and Illegal Plugs and Leads

It comes down to risk assessment and I think we rely too much on the government doing it for us and we all need to accept the risks we are taking and not just shout when it goes wrong.

Before the nanny state took control the work place was hazardous so the sensible workers looked out for their own safety and kept accident rates low. Not zero as working conditions made total safety impossible.

The nanny state has made work places less hazardous ( and often less productive ) and this has led to workers not looking out for their own safety. But it is still not and never will be zero hazard. When things go wrong the workers are taken by surprise and often it is too late for them to avoid injury.

Like wise in the general public buying things. The general attitude seems to be " if it is on sale then it must be safe as it is illegal to sell un-safe goods the to public "

Either toughen up the law and the enforcement of the law or be honest and educate people that no matter how hard the nanny state works to ensure safety it can never achieve a hazard free environment for the population and therefore people must be on guard when buying things.

 

[PrenticeBoyofDerry]

The problem is there are that many relevant standards (European and British) kicking around regarding the sales of goods, that who knows what is legal and illegal.
For example Ikea selling light fittings, that the covers are not securely fixed either by tool or by hand.
Now that must fall foul of some regulations but they are openly on sale.

 

[Paul_C]

The nanny state has made work places less hazardous ( and often less productive ) and this has led to workers not looking out for their own safety.

I think Bernard has hit the nail squarely on the head (after performing a risk assessment for the use of the hammer, and pulling on the protective gauntlets and goggles, of course ).

There seems to have been an ever-growing trend in recent years for not accepting responsibility for one's own actions and always expecting somebody else to do everything necessary for safety, and of always trying to find somebody else to blame when something goes wrong.

 

[sheepish]

Ahh the british standard finger

 

[ericmark]

Ahh the british standard finger

And it will smart even with the protective gauntlets when hit with a hammer

 

[JohnW2]

The nanny state has made work places less hazardous ( and often less productive ) and this has led to workers not looking out for their own safety.

Indeed. However, I think I would have been more inclined to say "...potentially less hazardous..." - since, as you say, it engenders complacency ('not looking out for their own safety') which goes at least some way to negate the reduction in hazards.

Kind Regards, John.

 

[Stoday]

It's not necessarily hitting your thumb with a hammer.

I had a chip fly off the edge of a hammer into my finger some years ago. Had to go to hospital to have the chip dug out. Still got the scar.

 

[bernardgreen]

('not looking out for their own safety') which goes at least some way to negate the reduction in hazards

.
Exactly so. and when something does go wrong a lot of those involved are taken by surprise "" accidents never happen here "" that they fail to act to reduce the effect of the accident.