Safety! Am I really that old???

[vxwestie]

This is a little tongue and cheek, but at 42 I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a dinosaur in the trade when it comes to safety.
Whilst I appreciate the need to obey the rules and lunacy of the big sites, but is there any of use originals still left that use common sense over rules?

is there anyone still like me that goes to work wearing trainers and not steelies? Uses aluminium steps and ladders without fall arrest and fixings for the bottom? Is there anyone else who has never worn a hard hat for a day in their life, works on live equipment daily, walks on the bare rafters in the loft space, doesn't own ear defenders or goggles? Climbs on a chair, pallet, bucket or anything practical when being too lazy to walk to the van? Has never seen a 'risk assessment' let alone completed one! Has had the same 'hi viz' waistcoat in its wrappings for the last 5yrs?
Does anyone else still have the skill to use a shape Stanley knife? Does anyone else still trust their instincts of only do what is permitted by laws and regulations?
Does anyone else never wear gloves and use bits of cardboard and insulation tape to stop the flow of the red stuff?

Is there anyone else out there that were taught to use their common sense and still managing to be alive after 20+ years in the trade? Or am I the only survivor?

 

[Spoon]

Isn't using super glue for cuts better than cardboard & insulation tape?

 

[vxwestie]

I did try superglue the other day actually, Christ knows what sort it was but it began to smoke and burn as soon as I applied it....
Gripfill and CT1 takes ages to set...

 

[Pete999]

This is a little tongue and cheek, but at 42 I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a dinosaur in the trade when it comes to safety.
Whilst I appreciate the need to obey the rules and lunacy of the big sites, but is there any of use originals still left that use common sense over rules?

is there anyone still like me that goes to work wearing trainers and not steelies? Uses aluminium steps and ladders without fall arrest and fixings for the bottom? Is there anyone else who has never worn a hard hat for a day in their life, works on live equipment daily, walks on the bare rafters in the loft space, doesn't own ear defenders or goggles? Climbs on a chair, pallet, bucket or anything practical when being too lazy to walk to the van? Has never seen a 'risk assessment' let alone completed one! Has had the same 'hi viz' waistcoat in its wrappings for the last 5yrs?
Does anyone else still have the skill to use a shape Stanley knife? Does anyone else still trust their instincts of only do what is permitted by laws and regulations?
Does anyone else never wear gloves and use bits of cardboard and insulation tape to stop the flow of the red stuff?

Is there anyone else out there that were taught to use their common sense and still managing to be alive after 20+ years in the trade? Or am I the only survivor?

No you aint the only survivor mate

 

[davesparks]

I try to strike a balance, sometimes you have to toe the line, other times you can use common sense.

Yes I do wear gloves for some things, but it's because I have arthritis in my hands and it helps relieve it and I'm tired of spending hours scrubbing my hands after some jobs.

 

[leo79]

When I'm on my own jobs I just apply common sense, when I'm on site then I follow the rules. It drives me mad, we've had to enrol for SSIP's and to me it's just unnecessary paperwork but without it, no contract.

 

[Sintra]

I tend to use the common sense approach rather than wearing full ppe for the hell of it. Yes I'll wear eye protection if I'm cutting or grinding, a hard hat if it's raining, high viz vest if there's moving plant nearby, gloves if it's cold but I do always wear my steelies.

 

[Spoon]

I wear steel toe capped boots and I work in an office. They are comfy.

 

[hightower]

Your post implies that H&S is nothing but a waste of time and effort. You're still here mate, but so's my grandad who is 80 years old and smokes 80 a day. Just because you're okay doesn't mean it works or is proof.

Yep, fair enough about climbing on chairs and such, because most people will quickly analyse the safety issues ie the chair might move if it swivels or has wheels. But not wearing goggles when cutting is a dangerous game I reckon - it's not down to skill, just shear luck whether something is going to hit your eyes.

As others have said, it's a case of toeing the line sometimes and applying common sense at others. But to express outright that "it's never done me any harm" is exactly the same statement as "my six numbers haven't come up..... yet"

 

[Midwest]

No accounting for common sence of some folks. My story , yonks ago. HS rep visited factory site. Found guys painting conveyor system, 50' up without safety harnesses. 'I'll be back tommorow, make sure your wearing them'. He did and they were, using them to dangle from the conveyors to paint the underside, ta very much.

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Worn steelies most of my life, even in school.
Wear eye protection virtually all the time, as I ride a motorcycle.
Never understood why we have to wear Hi Viz on sites where there is no traffic.
Got told that it was in case of fire.
The fire fighters would be able to find us easier in smoke filled premises as the Hi Vis would reflect their torches.
So why don't office workers have to wear Hi Vis?
I'm used to wearing head gear, again worn it most of my life.
Though it does crack me up when I get told it's the law.
What I really don't like is the fact that I have to fork out for PASMA and IPAF, but no one pays me extra for having them.

 

[7029 dave]

This is a little tongue and cheek, but at 42 I'm beginning to feel like a bit of a dinosaur in the trade when it comes to safety.
Whilst I appreciate the need to obey the rules and lunacy of the big sites, but is there any of use originals still left that use common sense over rules?

is there anyone still like me that goes to work wearing trainers and not steelies? Uses aluminium steps and ladders without fall arrest and fixings for the bottom? Is there anyone else who has never worn a hard hat for a day in their life, works on live equipment daily, walks on the bare rafters in the loft space, doesn't own ear defenders or goggles? Climbs on a chair, pallet, bucket or anything practical when being too lazy to walk to the van? Has never seen a 'risk assessment' let alone completed one! Has had the same 'hi viz' waistcoat in its wrappings for the last 5yrs?
Does anyone else still have the skill to use a shape Stanley knife? Does anyone else still trust their instincts of only do what is permitted by laws and regulations?
Does anyone else never wear gloves and use bits of cardboard and insulation tape to stop the flow of the red stuff?

Is there anyone else out there that were taught to use their common sense and still managing to be alive after 20+ years in the trade? Or am I the only survivor?

Know what you mean, but times have changed. We all know you can't do what we done 35 ,20 odd years ago. IMO some things are way over the top, always wore toe techters its all about covering one's harris today.

 

[Andy78]

I don't think it's anything to do with your age. I have worked under plenty guys who will be in their late 60s/early 70s now who always drummed into me the virtues of ear defenders, gloves, goggles, knife safety, safe isolation, never using ladders unfooted etc.
Mind you, the same guys showed me some working practices never to be repeated on an open forum too.

 

[Andy78]

Know what you mean, but times have changed. We all know you can't do what we done 35 ,20 odd years ago. IMO some things are way over the top, always wore toe techters its all about covering one's harris today.

You have a steel protector for that too !?

 

[Pete999]

I can remember when working on Spec build (house bashing) we used to make ladders out of 4"x2" saw benches for step ups out of T&G flooring, no hand rails above empty stair wells, burning bits of wood in a oil drum and toasting our sarnies,you youngsters have it easy now, soft that's what you are sof. All mollycoddled up lol, tin hat, steelies, ear defenders on ready for the comments I'm going to get. :wheelchair::hanged::nopity:

 

[NDG Elecs]

Completely does my head in when you see a reporter on the news wearing a hard hat, and they are quite often in an empty field, with absolutely bugger all chance of anything remotely bad or dangerous happening to them.

Cue the Monty Python piano.

But saying that I did feel I should have had a dust mask on earlier today when I was scrambling about in a loft.

 

[LankyWill]

I can see it from your point of view age wise, but as a 22 year old i want my body to last me till the later years.
Steelies- Always, crushed toes aren't going to earn you money
Hard hat- Always when surrounded by idiots in scissor lifts
Eyes and Ears- when i use power tools as I'm def as it is, especially when commissioning alarms(WHHHHHAAATTT!!!!!.
Gloves- when drilling or wrenching as my hands are weak!!!

All of the above protects you from yourself and the other idiots mulling about...

 

[vxwestie]

I can remember when working on Spec build (house bashing) we used to make ladders out of 4"x2" saw benches for step ups out of T&G flooring, no hand rails above empty stair wells, burning bits of wood in a oil drum and toasting our sarnies,you youngsters have it easy now, soft that's what you are sof. All mollycoddled up lol, tin hat, steelies, ear defenders on ready for the comments I'm going to get. :wheelchair::hanged::nopity:

I was about 15 when I first learnt to make a 'hop up' from 4x2 and I still make one now whenever doing a new build. Specific to the height of the ceilings there is no better...

 

[vxwestie]

I can see it from your point of view age wise, but as a 22 year old i want my body to last me till the later years.
Steelies- Always, crushed toes aren't going to earn you money
Hard hat- Always when surrounded by idiots in scissor lifts
Eyes and Ears- when i use power tools as I'm def as it is, especially when commissioning alarms(WHHHHHAAATTT!!!!!.
Gloves- when drilling or wrenching as my hands are weak!!!

All of the above protects you from yourself and the other idiots mulling about...

That proves your point Pete! Mollycoddled and soft... Pmsl

 

[Deleted member 26818]

Safe as houses.