4 minute read
WIDER VIEW
The wider view
GETTING THE BASICS RIGHT
A few years ago I was key witness for the defence in a trial essentially about risk assessments. Counsel for the prosecution suggested that a shambolic risk assessment fi le meant a shambolic risk assessment – but though I conceded that there is certainly a correlation, the two things aren’t necessarily always related. It’s possible to have done a worldclass risk assessment but have awful paperwork (as in this case). Reviewing the latest edition of Risk-led safety by Chris Jerman and Duncan Spencer reminded me how many times I quoted the words and wisdom of this excellent, practical book during this trial – most specifi cally while describing a risk assessment as just a bit of paper when an
MUST READ example of shambolic paperwork was fl ourished. (The verdict: not guilty, unanimous, both counts in less than 2.5 hours including lunch.)
You won’t agree with everything the authors say – they admit they aim to be provocative – but you’ll not disagree with the many practical, realistic assertions about risk management without careful consideration and the authors will settle for that. As Professor Ragnar Löfstedt says in the preface: ‘Essential reading’.
Tim Marsh CFIOSH
FEEDBACK Fighting fatigue F E F
Last month’s cover feature on driver fatigue, as well as a recent column by OSH content developer Chris Burrow on sleep deprivation, got members talking. Former police offi cer Andy Knight said tiredness is a daily issue in the force, citing shift patterns, poor diets and lack of breaks as a real problem in the emergency services sector.
Bill Sowerbutts, who worked as a sales rep, knows what it’s like to be targeted by the number of physical face-to-face meetings, and to be driving more than 1000 miles a week. Part of the problem he sees is that ‘driving is not regarded as working’, while Andy believes driver training is subjective with no real codes of practice and laws that have grey areas.
Chris’s observation that employers could do more to raise awareness of the importance of getting enough sleep among staff prompted Nana KwartengAbabio to comment online. As a keen campaigner of effective fatigue management policies and plans within his organisation, Nana was grateful to learn some more insights around the subject.
However, health and safety offi cer Serena Merry was hoping for suggestions or ways of thinking towards helping to get a good night’s sleep.
To that end, Chris has promised to write a followup article focusing on ways to obtain quality sleep, so watch this space. Last as a Burro For a daily diets a emerge Bill So
LEXICON
GENERATIONS X, Y AND Z IS FOR
We’ve heard it all before: millennials are lazy, baby boomers are mega-rich and as for Generation Z, they see more of their phone screen than their own family. Our latest Lexicon article (see bit.ly/IOSH-lexicon-x) says that there is no evidence for the arbitrary classifi cation system that characterises individuals by when they were born, any more than there is for saying that Aquarians are more compassionate than Scorpios.
See us on stand F62 at the NEC April 28–30th
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Every great idea starts with a problem. This is ours
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Nearly a quarter of all deaths involving vehicles at work occur during reversing.
23% 23% of all fatal injuries in the waste sector involve being struck by a moving vehicle.
50
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About 50 people are killed due to work place transportation.
Poor visibility is the main cause for deaths and injuries involving vehicles at work reversing.
THE ONLY GLOVE FOR REVERSING
Universally colour-coded for everyone to understand
