What Workplace Health & Safety !!

[buggerlugs]

http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/...-1227537503450
Brave, brave men.............

[galaxy xr8]

Fantastic flashbacks.

[Mowdit]

No fear of heights there, more for the birds !
The $635 million in todays money to build the empire state building probably would double by the time you add in all the managers and OHS requirements .
Long gone are the days of knowing your job and what to do, now it's all box ticking !
Nice pics all the same

[danzvtil]

Deaths in the workplace, lead paint, cheap labour, those were the days......

[Carrion]

Life was cheep back then and people were hungry

[superyob]

Most of us damp eyed nancy boys of the modern era can't get by without our Nivea, let alone stringent OH/S regulations...

[Pis-ton broke]

Originally Posted by superyob

Most of us damp eyed nancy boys of the modern era can't get by without our Nivea,

whats a nivea?

i like these old black and whites. i have stacks of them. its interesting to see how things were done back then.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by superyob

Most of us damp eyed nancy boys of the modern era can't get by without our Nivea, let alone stringent OH/S regulations...

as a practicing OHS professional, the laws across Australia are simple, the problem comes with the implementation of them at workplace level

If you were to take the time to read the 'law' you would understand.

A lot of people (in particular Unions) have impacted on the implementation of the law into workplaces, so if you want to refer to people as "damp eyed nancy boys" then I suggest you look at businesses policies and procedures NOT the law

No where in the law does it mention hi-vis clothes, goggles, what it does say is that businesses need to ensure the health and safety of workers (and others), how the business does that is entirely up to the business, they are the ones that will have to justify their decision in a court of law or even a Coroners court

[b0son]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

No where in the law does it mention hi-vis clothes, goggles, what it does say is that businesses need to ensure the health and safety of workers (and others), how the business does that is entirely up to the business, they are the ones that will have to justify their decision in a court of law or even a Coroners court

Most of those measures would be irrelevant if people were required to exercise common sense, and held personally liable when they were found not to have done so.... eg. we've probably all heard of the story of the worker that was away on a work trip, hooked up with someone on her personal time and had an injury when her hanky panky got a bit too vigorous. or the woman who insisted on working from home, then got a fat payout when she fell down her own stairs.

OHS... just one more nail in the local job market.

[olfella]

Originally Posted by b0son

Most of those measures would be irrelevant if people were required to exercise common sense, and held personally liable when they were found not to have done so.... eg. we've probably all heard of the story of the worker that was away on a work trip, hooked up with someone on her personal time and had an injury when her hanky panky got a bit too vigorous. or the woman who insisted on working from home, then got a fat payout when she fell down her own stairs.

OHS... just one more nail in the local job market.

That is not OHS but workers comp - and those cases cited are from a no fault system. I think as Trevor tried to explain, OHS is often used as an excuse. Just like 'I cant give you that info because of the Privacy Act' Well what part?
Personally I use the old adage, Identify Access and Control.

[superyob]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

as a practicing OHS professional, the laws across Australia are simple, the problem comes with the implementation of them at workplace level

If you were to take the time to read the 'law' you would understand.

A lot of people (in particular Unions) have impacted on the implementation of the law into workplaces, so if you want to refer to people as "damp eyed nancy boys" then I suggest you look at businesses policies and procedures NOT the law

No where in the law does it mention hi-vis clothes, goggles, what it does say is that businesses need to ensure the health and safety of workers (and others), how the business does that is entirely up to the business, they are the ones that will have to justify their decision in a court of law or even a Coroners court

Just making a satirical observation Trevor 57. Not meant to be taken seriously...

[b0son]

Semantics. The two go hand in hand. Once you demonstrate an injury is work-related, it falls back to the employer to have taken reasonable steps as required under OHS legislation.

[olfella]

Have a look at the Comcare system. And in the two cases you talk of, any convictions?

[b0son]

Whether an employer is convicted or not isn't really relevant... what matters is where the money to pay for the 'injury' comes from - the employer. Maybe not that individual, but the organization's premium will go up, and the rest of the cost is passed to all other insurance holders. Is that fair when the employer has no scope to reduce the risk (eg. in an employee's home, or in the hotel room they are shagging themselves senseless in)? Again, semantics.

[ebxr8240]

Slightly off subject.. HR is taking over these days ..Its another level of management ..
Think how the Sydney harbour bridge was built ?
In 1980 started working in Sydney as a line worker .. The OH&S is much different now .
HAC forms to be filled before each job.. Mind you it can be used big time if things are unsafe ..
1n 1980 we didn't even do traffic control when working on side of the road blocking one lane ..
Now we have full signs etc RTA approved cert etc..

[b0son]

I never understood the logic of roadside safety in recent years ... they're working behind concrete barricades yet its a 40 zone. Meanwhile, plenty of footpaths with zero protection for pedestrians alongside 80 zones etc. Its bizarre how in our personal lives, we are allowed to assume all manner of risks, but the moment you clock on, the risk becomes unacceptable.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by b0son

I never understood the logic of roadside safety in recent years ... they're working behind concrete barricades yet its a 40 zone. Meanwhile, plenty of footpaths with zero protection for pedestrians alongside 80 zones etc. Its bizarre how in our personal lives, we are allowed to assume all manner of risks, but the moment you clock on, the risk becomes unacceptable.

because the moment you clock on you become your bosses responsibility

Now before you go off trumpeting, just understand where OHS legislation began, it all stems from the English industrial revolution, where kids under 10 where in factories (and dying in factories). We all look in amazement of the old pictures of men working on high construction, but what we don't see is them dying in the hundreds, how many died building the Sydney Harbour bridge, how many died building Melbourne's Westgate Bridge (in the 1970's)?


As a parent of a 17 year old apprentice builder, my son was expected to work at 4.4 metres on a shed construction without any fall protection, my son just wanted a job, the builder just wanted cheap labour, imagine how happy I was when I found it, suffice to say he didn't stay with the builder, and did I report the builder - you betcha

Just take a minute to watch this video:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e34-1vrcBKg

[Pis-ton broke]

im a tradesman and ive worked on numerous building and industrial sites. my observation is that there is an issue with ohs offices and tradies. an ohs offices being difficult and hard to work with. sometimes you here "wheres the ohs office, so we can get this done". and we are getting pressure to get the job done. example; we have to cut some steel with a nine inch grinder, the rules are grey, and where not supposed to use it, so "wheres the ohs guy?" sometimes blue collar guys just cant win.

a work mate had a tool hit his head, it fell from a tradesman above. hes a welder, but lucky he had his hard hat on. in order to get the job done, management throw stacks guys at it. but they all working on top of one another, dangerous. there was no investigation and no incident report. no one cares.

a site that i visit, last two times there was an incident. #1. i had to cut into a steel pipe for modification. i asked the question (as i always do) is it drained and isolated? A. =yes , heres the paperwork, sign here,here and here. i cut into the pipe and water comes flying out at me (what if it was acid?). no indent report, no investigation. no one cares.

#2. same place different time. had water douse us from above. guys above where told not to work there, but they did. investigation this time. someone cares.

ohs is all over the place, very inconsistent. hard for me to work with.

[Trevor 57]

Originally Posted by Pis-ton broke

a work mate had a tool hit his head, it fell from a tradesman above. hes a welder, but lucky he had his hard hat on. in order to get the job done, management throw stacks guys at it. but they all working on top of one another, dangerous. there was no investigation and no incident report. no one cares.

ring for general enquiries contact our Advisory Service on (03) 9641 1444 or 1800 136 089 (toll free).
To report serious workplace emergencies contact our 24 hour emergency response line on 13 23 60.

Originally Posted by Pis-ton broke

a site that i visit, last two times there was an incident. #1. i had to cut into a steel pipe for modification. i asked the question (as i always do) is it drained and isolated? A. =yes , heres the paperwork, sign here,here and here. i cut into the pipe and water comes flying out at me (what if it was acid?). no indent report, no investigation. no one cares.

ring for general enquiries contact our Advisory Service on (03) 9641 1444 or 1800 136 089 (toll free).
To report serious workplace emergencies contact our 24 hour emergency response line on 13 23 60

Originally Posted by Pis-ton broke

#2. same place different time. had water douse us from above. guys above where told not to work there, but they did. investigation this time. someone cares.

ring for general enquiries contact our Advisory Service on (03) 9641 1444 or 1800 136 089 (toll free).
To report serious workplace emergencies contact our 24 hour emergency response line on 13 23 60

Originally Posted by Pis-ton broke

ohs is all over the place, very inconsistent. hard for me to work with.

Not the laws fault, the law is clear, it is how the law is instilled (or not) in the business

I am not being sarcastic by posting that number, I am assured by Worksafe that they follow up on every call, anonymous or not, they farm the complaints out to the local offices to investigate

[mik]

Awesome pics, balls came in two sizes in those years , coconut and im having trouble walking.

[buggerlugs]

Originally Posted by mik

Awesome pics, balls came in two sizes in those years , coconut and im having trouble walking.

Yeah, I love looking at photos like that. Different time, different world. Love early Australian stuff to...........

[MITCHAY]

You see some people work and wonder how they are still alive. It's just common sense most of the time. OHS is a two way street. Your employer can not be responsible for you doing stupid ****.

I'm glad that I work a desk and am more likely to die of boredom than anything else.

[Trevor 57]

Section 25 of the OHS Act covers off employees, however it is usually the employer who cops it if someone is a ****-wit, that is the way the law is. There have been prosecutions of employees under Section 25, the most notable in Victoria were the workmates of Brodie Panlcok

[SSD-85]

How did this thread turn into an OH&S pi$$ing contest??

Men with nerves of steel paved the way for the construction world as we know it, and youre ******!ing about what limp noodle law applies to the other limp noodle?

R.E.S.P.E.C.T fellas....

[Trevor 57]

thanks for your positive contribution, I am sure your children will appreciate going back to the 'good old days' with workplace safety, hell workers are just a disposable commodity anyway

[superyob]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

thanks for your positive contribution, I am sure your children will appreciate going back to the 'good old days' with workplace safety, hell workers are just a disposable commodity anyway

I think people are looking at this thread with different perspectives Trevor 57. Nobody is wanting to go back to having low safety standards, just admiring the get up and go of people from ages past...

[CJR09]

it should be pointed out there were only 4? deaths during construction on he empire state building?




you can take what ever precaution you may like to employ ohs - dont think for one minute that I am against it, alot of it is good - some of it leaves you scratching your head - but there are always the dumb & dumber

[b0son]

Originally Posted by Trevor 57

thanks for your positive contribution, I am sure your children will appreciate going back to the 'good old days' with workplace safety, hell workers are just a disposable commodity anyway

Any discussion of OHS inevitably proceeds the same way discussions of unionism do. People immediately go to extremes and talk about no penalty rates, no holiday leave, no sick leave, etc. But what have unions done *positively* in the last 10-20 years, other than have a hand in killing a few local industries?

Times have changed, we've moved on. It's silly to assume we'd go back to the bad old days. I doubt there would be carnage in the workplace if we simply required a little more personal responsibility of people. People ultimately want to make it home alive, and those who do take unnecessary risks do so regardless of what rules are in place.

In a global economy, we have a global workplace, and if we blindly increase regulation for the hell of it, we just send more and more jobs OS to those with more lax regulation. We need some middle ground.

Right now, we're being asked to buy into the lie that more bureaucracy translates into better quality. It frequently does not.

[Beastie]

I've been sitting in the background on this one.

Whilst I think the OP was simply highlighting how it was done 'back in the day', it has clearly moved on to a different discussion.

The OH&S rules have dramatically changed over time, hopefully with a view designed to help prevent injury and death in any workplace - not to slow a job site down.

As Trevor 57 states, the rules are rules - it's how employers & employees decide what to do.

Recently, I had a team of contractors come onto my work premises to erect 9m high racking. Their employer had decided to not hire a scissor lift, which meant that his team had to climb the racking. Whilst they were wearing harnesses, they were clipping & unclipping as they moved between beams.

Once I saw this happening, I immediately asked them to stop work! The last thing that I wanted was to have one of these guys fall and hurt/kill themselves.

Who do I blame?

The business owner of the contractors for not hiring the scissor lift to save costs and the contractors for making the decision to climb the racking and not insisting they have a scissor lift.

In the end, it all worked out and a scissor lift was hired and nobody was hurt, but it's the 'what if' factor that people either choose to ignore or are forced into to get the job done.

Everyone deserves to go home from work everyday!

[NAK302]

Originally Posted by buggerlugs

http://www.news.com.au/finance/work/...-1227537503450
Brave, brave men.............

cool pics!

i guess an individual was their own safety officer bitd. there's some things that some folks don't have a problem doing whereas others see the same as risky. unforunately the insurance industry dictates to the OH&S industry nowadays.