Did any of you see the recent episode of Raymond Blanc: The Very Hungry Frenchman? If you did then you will have been treated to a superb gentle programme as is usual from the great chef and his assistants. For those of us with an interest in safety there was an example interpretation of European Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC and machine guarding in France. The chocolate rendering machinery obviously pre dated the directive and had loads of fixed guards but I wonder what had occurred at the delivery end where Raymond's hands came into direct contact with running rollers! I wonder if they had removed a guard in order to fashion the President's Cake on a temporary or permanent basis? Either way we I don't imagine that we would be happy to have a UK workplace featured in such a way. It could be used as an educational clip if you could capture it and use it within copyright etc. The following link should take you to the program and I suggest you forward to about 45 minutes to get to the PUWER nitty gritty but the whole series is charming to watch. http://www.bbc.co.uk/ipl...y_Hungry_Frenchman_Lyon/ Bon Appétit

The next programme may be how to make chocolate fingers

Firesafety101 A super concise and relevant comment which once again puts to bed the notion that safety practitioners do not have a sense of humour. Merv I am aware that you are a very prodigious poster on the forums and I believe based in France for a number of year so you will probably be used to seeing a French interpretation of the directive. I suppose that I should have stressed that PUWER as in an “The Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998” which apply in Great Britain; and outside Great Britain as sections 1 to 59 and 80 to 82 of the 1974 Act apply by virtue of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 (Application outside Great Britain) Order 1995(1) (“the 1995 Order”). I don’t think that those who advise under the above regulatory regime could ever be content with the machinery condition or the associated usage as seen in the programme. I do personally believe that the clip would be of great use in order to prompt a debate amongst a group who were training to carry out an assessment under PUWER or just good old general safety. I have to disagree with you about the out-running nip though. This is what it looks like at first but then you notice that it has a scraper blade on the output roller which is an in-running nip and just right for capturing clothing and then part of a limb. Whilst the two rollers do provide an out-running nip I would argue that an assessor would have to check if there is a guard underneath to cover the compensatory in-running nip. I would also go on to ask about considering normal activities. Having looked in general at this “Conching” machine it is large and could well have stored energy within and want to move to settle to a stationery position during say cleaning as the chocolate is removed. It is at this point that it could produce very flat chocolate fingers for those cleaning the nips. The series is great for relaxation, culture, culture, cooking and also for health & safety discussion as in which way would you cool your hands? A – Put them directly onto large cool smooth metal roller that is rotating at speed. B – Put them into cold water or say hold a plastic bag of ice. Raymond’s hands are those of a food magician who requires their complete dexterity in the same way as would a pianist, it was a pity to see them put at risk. Bonne chance .