Posted By Robert Weiland I have just had a phone call from a Manager, one of our fitters has been bitten in a home visit by a Alsatian, he has gone to hospital and I have advised him to report it to the Police under the dangerous dogs act. As the visit was to make a modification to work already carried out where do we stand ? Can I ask that the dog is removed from the property in order for us to complete the work ?

Posted By j lockton please check out this web site as they do dog awareness courses for staff and employee's and can also give guidance for managers and safety reps. www.umac.co.uk hope this can be help

Posted By Messy Dog Awareness Course?? -Bloody hell! There is a thread elsewhere on this site talking about how some in society see H&S professionals as stupid, and this reply gives ammuniton to that view. If there's a dog near where you are working, get the owner to move it outside or to another room. If not walk away. It's simple innit? Do you really need to sent your fitter to a Dog awareness course? We are all aware what they are (and what 'risks' they pose) In the interests of equal opportunities, do they do a cat or hamster awareness course? I bet poor Richard Whitely wishes he'd attended the ferret awareness course!

Posted By P Reading As a dog owner i am only too aware of the dangers associated with visitors namely workmen to my home, the possibility for trouble and the ever changing perceptions wether right or wrong to certain breeds. As a general rule i ask the individual wether they require the dogs segregated in most cases they say no having been in the majority sensible enough to ask "are they friendly" indeed visitors to my home run the risk of falling over the dogs rather than being bitten due to their soft dopey temprement including a jack russell who only want fuss. (they can always be put in the garden though) The person who got bitten in my mind is more to blame than the dog, put the dog down then do the same to him or her. they should have more common sense something sorely lacking in todays society and at the foundation of this problem here. When visiting a strangers home with dogs its entirely foreseeable that under certain circumstances the dog/ dogs could and will bite its his nature to protect as stated earlier in the posts. Failure to establish the basic tempermant and nature of the animals in question is foolhardy. I was of the understanding that we each have an obligation to safeguard our own health and safety as far as possible the dog certainly hasnt read the HASAWA so he can be forgiven, he cant say oi! i bite. unlike the human who has a tongue in his head to ask the owner if he ever has............ As for the dangerous dog reporting issue and demands that the dog be removed from its home for your access well that in my opinion would be wrong and out of order a sure way to alienate your customer and a host of other animal lovers they are bound to inform, generaly bad for business. unless the incident was a deliberate mauling or from an animal with a track history for being snappy. then the first and foremost course of action would be quiet discussion with the owner not the knee jerk big stick response. introduce the person that got bitten to some good old common sense and dont let his or her stupidity turn a molehill into a mountain use it as a shining example of what not to do for others in your organisation. regards, Phil