Posted By GARRY WIZZ
Well the end result is some what predictedable.
The opinions are some what predictable.

hand held / operated electronic devices are sold in the billions. They are used in a variety of situations, one of which is recreation.

Given that you consider that the use of laptop is so dangerous, how come goverments, scientific representation, do not have a problem with releasing laptops and game machines with nothing more than an instruction book.The users of said equipment have no complaints and want more more more. Those that do go to the doctors with an ache take a rest and then resume playing

One of the reasons is that it is not that dangerous.

Given that you consider that Laptops are dangerous to kids. I would expect you to forward the evidence of your position.

How many, what type of injury, there must be a huge list of court cases. Stats can be used to prove most things, but having issued the dire warnings I am curious to see if anyone of you can evidence your position from a basis of fact and not a base of perception.

I am a keen H&S lad and am not trying to put you down but I do think that this is the sort of thing that destroys our reputation.

Fact, billions of hours spent working on laptops under a multitude of conditions and a variety of operators.Persons injured, yes, some serious, acceptable risk, of course, which is why they are distributed without controls of any significance.

Teaching H&S in schools. What part of the curriculum would you remove to allow time for this to be taught.Reading, maths, writing?.
How much money would you divert to create the ability to teach H&S in schools.

Given that there are a significant number of schools in the year 2007 who cannot do the basics of their profession I think they could make a real mess of H&S.

By all means issue the free laptops and get the parents to sign up to the life threatening consequences of such an action. As a father of three I would honestly consider you to be a member of the H&S nutters.

I am most likely in a minority, but the sane normally are.

Garry

Posted By GARRY WIZZ
HC, good answer,

If we could proceed with moderation then I would be far more relaxed about the direction of H&S, and in this case H&S in schools.

Moderation is not the path that we shall go down.

A view of the replies on this topic clearly indicate that zealots are to the fore front.
You would reading them consider that the children in question had gravitated to a position of real danger. The author of this topic is going to get the parents signature after issue of threat warning ( slightly inflammatory statement ).

The HSE has finally recognised that we have as a profession gone completely over the top.
HSE are now broadcasting that risk does NOT have to be eliminated and we CAN live with low level risk.

If someone says you are wrong, you should pause.
If its said again there may well be substance to the statement.
After repeated statements you are most likely wrong.

The profession of H&S is regarded as a bit of a lame joke. Because we make it so.It is repeated on a daily basis but to many of us are deaf.

If you should issue 200 laptops to some kids are they going to end up with an injury that cannot be fixed fairly easily. This is a VERY VERY low level of risk.
If a kid should endup with a sore wrist, proven method of education, trial and error, develops sense of evaluation and awareness.

My other half works at a surgery, its a the major one in our town, thousands of kids on the books.Injuries to kids, when they come through the door RSI and all the other muscle problems are not on the radar.

So one should not create the perception of hazard and risk when the problem is 'joss'
and the waste of resources to deal with minor situations is not a good path to be going down.

Garry

Posted By David MacFarlane
I completely agree with DRB! I feel embarrassed to call my self a Safety professional reading some of your comments!!!

...Andy you wonder where the bad press comes from!!

D

Posted By Pete48
Have a good weekend Garry and don't forget to use some of it to look up how much H&S is already taught in schools as part of the curriculum.
Judging others to be zealots can sometimes betray more than intended.
As to the rest of the discussion, well I agree that it does not offer a good representation of anything other than if you ask a general question , you will get general answers and opinions from general...people.
In any profession, if you put three experts in a room you get five answers, put five experts in a room and you get 15 answers. I wonder how many subscribers to this public forum???
I doubt that any of us who have posted are correct in all details.

Posted By mike morland
Ian

Well done! I checked out your recommended website and my faith has been restored in H&S.

Clearly it states what most of us knew without having to validate our reasoning by highlighting our credentials.

With all the ergonomic problems associated with laptops it would be irresponsible to pass off any valuable information as 'wrapping children up in cotton wool'.

Children will fall down in playgrounds as long as playgrounds exist (or is that just my perception?), but why keep all the learning of years of pain by others to ourselves.

Thanks again Ian.