Elf and Safety gone mad
Discussion
I do miss the 70s and 80s 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wale...
A teacher was sacked after bringing a sledge into school and allowing two pupils to ride on it, a disciplinary hearing has heard.
Design teacher Richard Tremelling said he took it to Cefn Hengoed Community School, Swansea, in February 2009 as an example of "classic design".
He was dismissed for failing to follow the school's health and safety policy.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wale...
A teacher was sacked after bringing a sledge into school and allowing two pupils to ride on it, a disciplinary hearing has heard.
Design teacher Richard Tremelling said he took it to Cefn Hengoed Community School, Swansea, in February 2009 as an example of "classic design".
He was dismissed for failing to follow the school's health and safety policy.
reading that I'd say he was dismissed for saying he was going to take boys on a sledge....other teachers say dont be daft.....he did anyway then lied when asked by the head if it happened.
given that he's in the TA I expect he's the type who played soilders on building sites in the 70's and would do well on here moaning about how you didnt have paeods till the mid 90's and that all 8 year olds played football in the dark when he were a lad!
given that he's in the TA I expect he's the type who played soilders on building sites in the 70's and would do well on here moaning about how you didnt have paeods till the mid 90's and that all 8 year olds played football in the dark when he were a lad!
So, as I read it, he has been dismissed for not WRITING DOWN his risk assessment. That is not Health and Safety gone mad, that is a breach of school policy. If said policy was for not allowing girls to shower with boys and he had allowed that, would you have cried 'shame on you, Mr Teacher'.
The biggest problem with Health and Safety these days is that the media and uneducated buffoons use it to sensationalise stories. Most of the Health and Safety law is practical and workable. After all, the Health and Safety at Work etc Act has been in existence since 1974.
I work in the Health and Safety business and it never fails to surprise me how these stories are blown up out of all proportion. The same as 'council bans Christmas' and other similar nonsensical drivel.
Still, keeps me in work
The biggest problem with Health and Safety these days is that the media and uneducated buffoons use it to sensationalise stories. Most of the Health and Safety law is practical and workable. After all, the Health and Safety at Work etc Act has been in existence since 1974.
I work in the Health and Safety business and it never fails to surprise me how these stories are blown up out of all proportion. The same as 'council bans Christmas' and other similar nonsensical drivel.
Still, keeps me in work
silvagod said:
So, as I read it, he has been dismissed for not WRITING DOWN his risk assessment. That is not Health and Safety gone mad, that is a breach of school policy. If said policy was for not allowing girls to shower with boys and he had allowed that, would you have cried 'shame on you, Mr Teacher'.
The biggest problem with Health and Safety these days is that the media and uneducated buffoons use it to sensationalise stories. Most of the Health and Safety law is practical and workable. After all, the Health and Safety at Work etc Act has been in existence since 1974.
I work in the Health and Safety business and it never fails to surprise me how these stories are blown up out of all proportion. The same as 'council bans Christmas' and other similar nonsensical drivel.
Still, keeps me in work
and you don't think that the requirement to write down a risk assessment is evidence of an idiotic culture?The biggest problem with Health and Safety these days is that the media and uneducated buffoons use it to sensationalise stories. Most of the Health and Safety law is practical and workable. After all, the Health and Safety at Work etc Act has been in existence since 1974.
I work in the Health and Safety business and it never fails to surprise me how these stories are blown up out of all proportion. The same as 'council bans Christmas' and other similar nonsensical drivel.
Still, keeps me in work
I do.
Of course they don't think it's absurd, it's earning them a living.
I work in a very health and safety conscious environment. Lots of engines and risks about. You have to take it seriously, but I've not once written down an assessment, I can do one by sight and if I need assistance will get help.
I've had close calls, but it's ok. Today I had to get help him to lift an engine out of a testcell. If I had to write down everytime I did something risky, I'd get about a 1/4 of the work done.
This is a story about two lads sledging, just absurd.
I work in a very health and safety conscious environment. Lots of engines and risks about. You have to take it seriously, but I've not once written down an assessment, I can do one by sight and if I need assistance will get help.
I've had close calls, but it's ok. Today I had to get help him to lift an engine out of a testcell. If I had to write down everytime I did something risky, I'd get about a 1/4 of the work done.
This is a story about two lads sledging, just absurd.
[/quote]and you don't think that the requirement to write down a risk assessment is evidence of an idiotic culture?
I do.
[/quote]
Actually, in that case, yes I do.
I wasn't commenting on the policy, merely the breach of it. I believe there is way too much red tape and paperwork associated with Health and Safety if I am honest. What's the root cause of the policy though? IMHO it would be the fear of the school being blamed and sued by a parent for NOT having a policy if they allowed a pupil to be injured even if it was an accident.
A lot of the fear of establishments these days stems from the 'where there's a blame there's a claim' culture. (which is like red rag to a bull to me)
dmitsi, please don't tar us all with the same brush. I am less 'one of them' and more 'one of me'
I would say that you are fortunate in where you work that someone has got the mix right. There is not always a case for writing things down, but there IS always a case for having 'suitable information, instruction and training' which it would appear in your workplace, has been given
(edited for spelling)
I would say that you are fortunate in where you work that someone has got the mix right. There is not always a case for writing things down, but there IS always a case for having 'suitable information, instruction and training' which it would appear in your workplace, has been given
(edited for spelling)
Edited by silvagod on Tuesday 11th January 13:07
silvagod said:
So, as I read it, he has been dismissed for not WRITING DOWN his risk assessment. That is not Health and Safety gone mad, that is a breach of school policy. If said policy was for not allowing girls to shower with boys and he had allowed that, would you have cried 'shame on you, Mr Teacher'.
What a stupid comparison! Edited by Ruttager on Tuesday 11th January 13:06
Exactly.
It’s ne thing if it is an out of school trip to the New Forrest or an old Welsh mine for 40 pupils, totally different if it is an impromptu couple of goes on a sledge in the right conditions with a couple of pupils.
H&S has been about for years and is very valid and important. What has changed since the original act is that it has become a monster bigger than itself. As the blame and claim culture has exploded various people have decided that the H&S legislation should be repeatedly reinterpreted in ever stricter ways covering ever more esoteric and tenuous areas.
It is good law which has turned bad by not being sufficiently updated and the ‘advance’ of the culture. H&S legislation needs a roots up review and redraft. What is good practice for a group of 100 is not necessarily required, nor good practice, for a smaller cohort.
It’s ne thing if it is an out of school trip to the New Forrest or an old Welsh mine for 40 pupils, totally different if it is an impromptu couple of goes on a sledge in the right conditions with a couple of pupils.
H&S has been about for years and is very valid and important. What has changed since the original act is that it has become a monster bigger than itself. As the blame and claim culture has exploded various people have decided that the H&S legislation should be repeatedly reinterpreted in ever stricter ways covering ever more esoteric and tenuous areas.
It is good law which has turned bad by not being sufficiently updated and the ‘advance’ of the culture. H&S legislation needs a roots up review and redraft. What is good practice for a group of 100 is not necessarily required, nor good practice, for a smaller cohort.
Can't imagine that was an instant dismissal, the Unions will have a field day and he will probably win tens of thousands for unfair dismissal.
It must be hell being a teacher now. In my day our Chemistry teacher used to set fire to chemicals on his desk and throw chalk at the naughty boys heads!
It must be hell being a teacher now. In my day our Chemistry teacher used to set fire to chemicals on his desk and throw chalk at the naughty boys heads!
Christ, I do remember our middle school being open on snow days adn being told to bring in old fertilizer bags (rural area) for PE. These extra thick bags once cleaned were great for skipping down Breakheart hill in Ampthill park. This would have been about 84 to 86
Tobogganing?
1 Teacher managing 30-40 kids walking across main roads
Used fertiliser bags?
H&S freaks would all die of heart attacks....hopefully.
Tobogganing?
1 Teacher managing 30-40 kids walking across main roads
Used fertiliser bags?
H&S freaks would all die of heart attacks....hopefully.
Edited by Zaxxon on Tuesday 11th January 13:20
Zaxxon said:
Christ, I do remember our middle school being open on snow days adn being told to bring in old fertilizer bags (rural area) for PE. These extra thick bags once cleaned were great for skipping down Breakheart hill in Ampthill park.
Tobogganing?
1 Teacher managing 30-40 kids walking across main roads
Used fertiliser bags?
H&S freaks would all die of heart attacks....hopefully.
Bombing down a hill on an old fertilizer bag brings back happy memories, and memories of the second day when the snow had melted a little more and it wasn't until TV had been reached halfway down that it dawned that the field was actually roughly ploughed and the bottom section was in sunlight... I didn't sit down for hours after that Tobogganing?
1 Teacher managing 30-40 kids walking across main roads
Used fertiliser bags?
H&S freaks would all die of heart attacks....hopefully.
silvagod said:
dmitsi, please don't tar us all with the same brush. I am less 'one of them' and more 'one of me'
I don't. My earning you a living comment was tongue in cheek.I am lucky with where I work, but it has to be this way or we'd lose money. I just think it's unfortunate that schools seem to have it so bad. Too much percieved risk where so little risk is involved.
Probably more to this story than meets the eye, but it's common at a lot of schools. My sister no longer teaches as she didn't feel able to adapt and make the most of what is was required in each individual situation.
Zaxxon said:
Christ, I do remember our middle school being open on snow days adn being told to bring in old fertilizer bags (rural area) for PE. These extra thick bags once cleaned were great for skipping down Breakheart hill in Ampthill park. This would have been about 84 to 86
Tobogganing?
1 Teacher managing 30-40 kids walking across main roads
Used fertiliser bags?
H&S freaks would all die of heart attacks....hopefully.
We were the same, time off to head to local steep hill.Tobogganing?
1 Teacher managing 30-40 kids walking across main roads
Used fertiliser bags?
H&S freaks would all die of heart attacks....hopefully.
Edited by Zaxxon on Tuesday 11th January 13:20
This had a river at the foot of it, there were a couple of farmer's sons who were (and still are), very competitive with each other.
This led to a race where they tried to outdistance each other on the fertiliser sacks, culminating in the stupid one ending up in the river.
They then drove a tractor back home up the hills - this was Primary School!
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