Posted By Andrew W
One of my favourites was

If you sign a disclaimer you don't have to wear PPE

Andy

Posted By Chris Packham
Of cardboard fleas, chocolate moths and cable bugs!

Investigating a skin problem the skin of the forearms showed what appeared to be small insect bites The dermatitis was being blamed on cardboard fleas. These were supposed to breed in the cardboard stored in the factory, although they did not apparently breed in the same cardboard stored in another part of the same company in far less favourable conditions. In fact, the problem was due to abrasion when making up cardboard cartons.

In an issue of Occupational Medicine a case was described where the dermatitis was being attributed by the workers to chocolate moths.

Just recently we were asked whether skin problems could be caused by cable bugs.

Fascinating, isn'g it!

Posted By J Knight
MYTH If we do a Risk Assessment we will have to write it down and it will be much worse for us then if things go wrong.

REALITY Not doing a Risk Assessment is a simple breach of law and things will be much worse for us then if things go wrong (not to mention that doing an RA properly will reduce the chance of things going wrong anyway)

John

Posted By Peter MacDonald
All accidents are preventable - myth

Posted By Robert K Lewis
MYTH - I've done it like this 1000s of times and never been injured so it is absolutely safe.

REALITY - OOOOPS

Bob

Posted By Salus
Philip, where did you get your information on 2.2 million work related deaths a year from?

Posted By Peter MacDonald

You have to believe all accidents are preventable to be an effective H&S manager--- myth

Posted By Philip McAleenan
Salus,

The ILO estimate this figue, (27 April 2006 (ILO/06/13))

“The observance of World Day for Safety and Health at Work will also promote awareness of general occupational safety and health issues, including prevention, in a bid to mobilize action to reduce workplace fatalities. The ILO estimates that total work related fatalities number about 2.2 million per year of which some 400,000 are attributable to the effects of hazardous substances in the workplace. In addition, some 160 million suffer from work related diseases each year. This grim toll requires urgent efforts to develop a safety culture at all levels.” http://www.ilo.org/publi...ureau/inf/pr/2006/13.htm

Philip

Posted By Salus
Thanks Philip, but I do think that estimates can be turned into myths, just by people not questioning them. They constantly get passed around and believed, then someone uses that remembered statistic when asked the question about how many deaths per year. I think 2.2 million work related deaths a year works out at 11000 deaths per country per year for all the countries in the world today.Highly unlikely.

Posted By Anthony Slinger
Myth. "I employ less than 5 so risk assessment does not apply to me".

Posted By AlB
MYTH: Health and Safety is a necessary eveil that costs money

RELAITY: Health and Safety is a value generating business discipline that reduces uncertainty within the business environment.

(Like that?!)

MYTH: I'm the Manager, so I don't come under the same rules as the workers.

REALITY: Job centre beckons.

MYTH: Safety Professionals nit-pick.

REALITY: Safety Professionals reduce danger to a point where only the minor risks are present. Coniutnual Improvement is king.

Posted By Philip McAleenan
Salus/Nigel,
The statistics are provided by the appropriate authorities of the states who have sihgned up to the ILO and are collated and published annually by the ILO. Have a look at this fact sheet from 2005, http://www.ilo.org/publi...factsheets/pdf/wdshw.pdf .

Additionally the Statistics section of ILO can give you a country by country breakdown, browse through this section of the site, http://www.ilo.org/publi...au/stat/portal/index.htm .
Rather than passing around a “remembered statistic” I have checked the source and provided a direct reference to the source. My purpose is to ensure that I am not perpetuating a myth. You see Nigel you have used a vaguely remembered figure and source and got it wrong, and also arrived at the wrong conclusion. If you had but checked the link that I provided you would not have written the post that you did, maybe another.

And I agree Salus, that statistics should be examined closely and questioned when necessary. Especially where conclusions seem highly unlikely. However, you must also state why you think that a figure of 11,000 work related fatalities per c ountry per year average is “highly unliklely” If we take just one type of work related fatality, asbestos related fatalities, and just one country, Britain, we have already one third of this total arrived at, namely over 3,500 deaths per year (check the source, http://www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/disease.htm) And that is 3.5% of what the ILO estimate as world wide asbestos related deaths, well above the average per country as per you form of calculation.

The problem is not that the statistics are questionable, but that too few people are aware of the extent of the reality and thus when presented with information such as the ILO figures, find them Incredible.

Kate’s posting has proved useful in opening a discussion on what is myth and what is reality in regard to OSH. But myth and reality do not centre around sticky plasters and gloves, but around the 2,200,000 fatalities , the 160,000,000 million work related diseases and the 270,000,000 occupational accidents per year.

Now here’s a reality; in Britain IOSH has around 30,000 members; the Association of for Project Safety over 5,000; the Institute of Risk Managers has 7,700; RoSPA has over 4,700; and I’m sure there are others not in these organisations who are also working in safety. Now what’s the myth…
Philip

Posted By Stuart Henderson
A good thread Kate.

Let's clean up the act guys and futher enjoy.

Posted By Stuart Henderson

A good thread Kate.

Let's clean up the act guys and futher enjoy.

-or even "further"

Posted By Salus
Richard, you asked me to respond to the 11000 figure so I will, because I think there are 193 countries in the world, that works out at 11000 per country, do you really believe that countries like Tonga/NZ/Australia/Peru/Quatar/Somalia have 11000 WRD per year and are recorded for statistical purposes.I am just saying that if even if one has less than 11000 then the others would have more. I do not believe that there are 2.2 million work related deaths a year it is a ridiculous figure and does not equate. Statistics should be questioned but even more importantly should be able to be proved.

If a training session was being carried out and this figure qouted,I would ask for proof, if the trainer could only gives me an answer it's an ILO estimate,I am going to think thats what it is an estimate no where near the truth and not relative to the training.

I also thought Nigel's and my own comments were reasonable and did not warrant your reply.

Posted By Brett Day

Not so sure about the hot coals myth, having done a fair bit of fire walking on hot coals I've never had a problem BUT there are certain precautions that need to be taken in making the fire - must be hot coals or wood - carbon based fuels as they are good at radiating heat but poor at conducting, the walk must be no longer than X metres (sorry can't remember the exact figure so won't put the wrong one in). When you walk across the fire you cannot stop or you will get burnt.

On the personal side, diabetics and anyone with a circulation problem should stay away, no moisterisers, perfumes etc on the feet. The comment on pedicures is close as the skin is treated during the pedicure and the skin is smoothed, however, you don't need really thick skinned feet to do firewalking.


Merv in a similar vein - I've got sports tyres so can drive faster.


Myth - as long as I stick to the speed limit I'm a safe driver.

Reality - A safe driver drives at a speed that is appropriate to the road, weather and traffic conditions and that allows them to stop in a safe manner on thier side of the road in the distance they can see to be clear, even if it is less than the posted limit.

Posted By Philip McAleenan
Salus,
Follow this link and select “Volume 8: Occupational injuries”. This details the sources of the statistical information and the international statistical standards that ILO and the contributing governmental authorities follow in compiling the data.

Given that the ILO is a UN specialised agency comprising governments (about 178) employers and employee representatives with a long track record in advancing the rights and welfare of workers throughout the world, it is reasonable to accept that the statistics they use and the conclusions they arrive at are reasonably accurate.

Granted you are free to believe that the figures are ridiculous, but when you state that they are no-where near the truth; they are not relative (sic) to training on safety and moreover that they do not equate, then it is necessary that you also state on what grounds that you hold this belief? To merely assert that it is not so, does not make it true.

I have given the example of the HSE UK’s asbestos related deaths per annum to illustrate that large-scale work-related deaths are a reality, not a myth. The figure in John’s posting, from another source, is again indicative of the scale of work related fatalities. And like John, I will not quibble over whether the figure is 2.2 million or only 2.1 million. I do however accept that the evidence is from reputable sources and it is overwhelming.

It is essential that those who are in this profession for the attainment of a safe working environment for all people at work have a realistic understanding of the scale of the problem in order to correctly advance an effective strategy (at whatever level they are working) for success. So let’s make this an effective thread and forum; let’s debate the strategies that should be developed (by governments, by employers and by this profession) to eliminate workplace accidents.

Philip

Posted By CRT
Myth : i`m self employed it does`nt apply to me

Reality: Oh yes it does

Posted By Brett Day

Tabs, I get your point and thanks for the examples of how NOT to do it !! LOL

Posted By AJM
Something I see in all childrens fun areas in pubs all over country.

MYTH- Children play at their own risk or parents are responsible for their child while they play

REALITY- Not worth the paper it is written on

One i have experienced in lots of industries and i think its more to do with selective memory is;

MYTH- He came back from workplace injury in under 3 days so we took him off shop floor and put him in office so its not a RIDDOR

REALITY- You have to be able to return to the FULL range of your duties not part.

Alan