Safety Problems

[Bobbsy]

Aren't pole operated outrageously expensive?

 

More expensive than standard ones but I wouldn't call it outrageous...and when you factor in the time saved compared to setting up and moving access gear for a simple adjustment, it seemed worth it.

[bigclive]

Can I just mention that I've noticed a pattern of young kids of the past helping their dads at work during the school holidays. This includes one friend who was given rather dubious tasks like pushing open chassis contactors in with a cigarette packet while his dad was shouting instructions from the top of an elevator car. :blink:

 

They all have one thing in common though. They LOVED working at that age and because their younger minds were more receptive to information at that point they went on to become experts in that trade.

 

Modern over-protectionism is actually having a negative effect on modern kids.

[dbuckley]

Come to New Zealand.

 

It is not possible to sue here like you can in the UK and many other jurisdictions, and with that pressure gone, sanity is restored.

 

When there was a local theatre scene hereabouts, prior to the earthquakes wrecking venues, most of the tech crew were teenagers. A bunch of seventeen year olds are expected to be able to take a truck full of equipment and turn it into a safe working rig in a moderate venue without significant supervision.

 

Heck, until last year, 15 year olds could drive. Now gone up to 16....

[Junior8]

Modern over-protectionism is actually having a negative effect on modern kids.

 

It was one of the reasons I got out of teaching in 1997 - I can only assume it's worse now.

[alistermorton]

Schools are run by your local authority and governed by the strictest and least flexible rules you'll ever come across. Very often, when they say "it's illegal because of H&S" they actually mean "an adult has to be responsible and we don't want the hassle and liability". Unfortunately, it will be nigh on impossible to change their minds.

 

When I was at school we had karts, which were competive and we raced them. They topped out at over 70 mph (some classes at close to 100). I wonder if schools still indulge in motor racing like that these days, or whether litigation fears have all but snubbed it out.

[Andrew C]

Yet with all these elf n safety rules, rugby is still compulsory. Any guesses where practically all the injuries in a school happen?

[Ynot]

Yet with all these elf n safety rules, rugby is still compulsory. Any guesses where practically all the injuries in a school happen?

Yup - pretty sure we've been there before - many sporting activities are much higher risks - long/high jump, and don't even mention throwing sharp pointy sticks and heavy metal discs....

[themadhippy]

Glad I went to school when I did,they let us loose with a scaff tower an A frames in the school hall to set the lighting for numours events,supervision? well technicaly the teacher whos lesson we was missing was incharge .Allowed to melt big lumps of metal in a crucible before pouring it into a sand mold,then machining it down on a lathe,and of course dipping red hot metal in oil to blacken it/fill the metal work room full of smoke so we could nip out for a fag with the metal work teacher. we even played with sodium,magnesium and other intresting chemicals without saftey glasses,if you got hurt you got a detention for not paying attention.

[J Pearce]

Hippy, I'm not that many years out of education and a lot of the things you list were available to me. Recent years and lawsuits really have changed things very rapidly...

[ramdram]

Talk about stuff no longer taught at school...the pupils taking A level chemistry at my school were taught quite thoroughly...the top set were even trusted to make Thermite in the labs as examples of reactions!!!

 

As you might imagine such practices were migratory. When I was in the 6th form it was not uncommon for the "freer spirits" to make devices which included a length of Jetex string...I'll say no more about construction of same as these days if you were found with similar then you really, really, really would be in trouble.

[Junior8]

Hippy, I'm not that many years out of education and a lot of the things you list were available to me.

 

To be fair to schools - or indeed to local authorities - the change realy happened in 1985 after the Lands End deaths, but other things like Lyme Bay also had an effect. Up until that point there had been little risk assessment of anything but because councils, by and large, carried their own insurance (ie they paid any claim themselves) they realised that their liabilities could be unlimited* in some cases and several took counsel's opinion on various scenarios largely to do with school visits. What they were told petrified some of them (and I decided after this to have nothing to do with school trips again because I couldn't get straight answers about personal liability either). Over the next twelve years, until I got out, there was a gradual limitation set on what kids could and could not do in all sorts of areas until we get where we are now.

 

(*Hampshire found this to their costs when a factory burnt down after one of their firemen switched off the sprinkler system on arrival but before they had found the seat of the fire which had generated the alarm. Cost £17m. (Capital & Counties (Capco) v Hampshire County Council [1997])

[paulears]

We're in danger of going into reminisce mode aren't we. Modern kids never had jetex motor powered meccano models and strange jet plane competitions. We did have hanging from the hot central heating pipe as a punishment (thanks Mr Pyewell) and if we were good got to drive the briggs and stratton powered buggy thing around the playing field. I was shocked to see my old high school were still using (3 years ago) the PA system I bodged (when the bulging lead was lost) by taking the mains in via the hole in a link 1/4" socket. Araldite must make good cable glands because it was still wired that way - AND had a PAT sticker. I presume the tester didn't realise the powering arrangement was not original! I wonder if the live pins on the rear socket still have a bit of tape over them?

[the kid]

Schools are run by your local authority and governed by the strictest and least flexible rules you'll ever come across. Very often, when they say "it's illegal because of H&S" they actually mean "an adult has to be responsible and we don't want the hassle and liability". Unfortunately, it will be nigh on impossible to change their minds.

 

When I was at school we had karts, which were competive and we raced them. They topped out at over 70 mph (some classes at close to 100). I wonder if schools still indulge in motor racing like that these days, or whether litigation fears have all but snubbed it out.

 

I vaguley remember a scheme that MG or rover ran where they gave the bits to a school to make a kart and students made it.

 

I missed out but we had a go on it, if I remember the sprocket was a touch close to the seat so for a big lad not only was it tight to get in, the sprocket grazed the seat. Me and some friends then built our own one, one knew how to weld and did it 4% supervision. Lad forgot to turn on the gas so every joint was questionable. This was 7 ? years ago.

[Boggy]

Adam, When I was at school (around 1980) I don't think we had anyone who knew anything about the stage lighting we had. I was not allowed to touch anything and any questions I had went unanswered. In 6 years I think I saw the lights switched on only once. I was lucky to get involved with an amateur group where I learnt a lot and got to do a lot. It was far easier and more productive than anything I would have got at school.