Afternoon, 

Is anyone else in a H&S position feeling really deflated at the moment and fed up of how much their job is a thankless task... or is it just me? :-/ 

The worst bit is that you get lumbered with all of the compliance types of issues which have nothing to do with H&S but nobody else in the organisation is qualifier to deal/can be bothered to deal with; covid stuff being the classic example-then when everybody is hacked off with the extra risk assessment etc YOU get the blame for  over interpreting  the rules.  

You don’t do H&S to be loved!

Try the shifting sands that are EU/UK relations (particularly product standards and shipping).

This is the realm of the truly endowed psychic trying to second guess what the next HM gov / EU commission upheaval to the state of today's knowledge will be.

A situation exassipated by an information vacuum in which rumour and counter rumour circulate, the previously blisfully ignorant perceive themselves to be experts and external consultants run amok.

Originally Posted by: Brian Hagyard

But ask people not to stand so close or follow a 1 way system and they look at you as if you have 2 heads!

Of course it will be H&S fault when vaccines become mandatory - I note Sajid is mumbling about the NHS again before any proper assessment of the car crash the diktat will cause in social care.

Originally Posted by: A Kurdziel

The worst bit is that you get lumbered with all of the compliance types of issues which have nothing to do with H&S but nobody else in the organisation is qualifier to deal/can be bothered to deal with

I think H&S sometimes gets seen as the go-to place to turn for any issue that doesn't have an obvious 'owner'.  Take it as a compliment - we have a problem, who's our top trouble-shooter? - the H&S people.  That's what I try and tell myself, anyway.

(Actually, within the last weeek I did throw my toys out when a leaky shower screen in the changing rooms leading to a patch of mouldy plasterboard was assumed to be a H&S issue.  It is now being dealt with by someone else.)

Reminds me of a film, where the book of enlightment that the intrepid protagonist was looking for, was actually a book of mirrors...

I walked the quicksand for a good few years until my Epiphany.  I decided to show a positive attitude and instead of making enemies I started to make friends.

Find some common ground with people and give friendly advice.

For example I once came across a young site op using a kango not wearing any hearing protection.  His argument was that he is a singer in a heavy metal band so is well used to more noise than the kango was making.  I asked who his favourite bands were and after he told me I suggested he look at their ears next time he sees them play and see the ear defenders they wear to protect their hearing.

Next time I met him on site he was wearing hearing defenders and we had a nice friendly chat.

No new posts on the site for nearly 24 hours - are we all so fed up we have packed it in? Have a good weekend everyone.

AK - to which the reply might be "that might have been OK in the 1980s but..."

P

One issue is that on the whole H&S professionals tell the truth.  Often bosses who are out of their depth ie most of them, decide to deal with it by, rather than by ignoring it(always a cheap option) they hire a consultant. Consultants, at least ones who want to get repeat work, are basically flatterers who tell the client what they want to hear(Dante puts these people in the 8th circle of Hell). They then scatter  unicorn dust and make everything ok and finally send the bill. Us H&S types say, this is what you need to do, and it will cost you; not something that will guarantee your  popularity.