Safety Gone Mad
Creating a safe work environment is critical to the success of any business and is one of the best ways to retain staff and attract customers.
However, sometimes even the most well intended safety regulations get in the way of common sense – and work.
Some nannyisms that fit that bill include BBC’s ban on candles and knives for staff birthday cakes, universities banning the much-loved tradition of students throwing their mortar boards in the air at grad ceremonies, a pilot who had his tweezers confiscated before taking control of a huge flying machine packed with explosive fuel flying at 1000km/h and a council issuing 8000 staff with safety documents after a public service gardener broke his arm trimming a hedge.
In other cases of safety gone mad, the USA has banned Kinder Surprise eggs because they are deemed a choking hazard, while in British swimming pools, an adult cannot accompany more than two children aged 4-7 (and one child under 4). This is reportedly not as a result of evidence but rather because the body managing recreation centers thought it would be a good idea.
Safety overkill exists in Australia too. Some Aussie media companies require their overseas journalists ring into the office every two hours, yep even throughout the night. Why? To tell the boss they are still alive.
These are prominent examples of safety gone mad however puzzling approaches to safety are widespread, as seen in these-light-hearted examples of strange safety signs.
Ummmmmmm OK
There should be a sign warning that this sign is a waste of time
Yeah we know the toaster is dangerously hot, we just want to poke a knife in to retrieve some bread
Ummmmmmm OK
Something tells us that the fine is going to be less of a deterrent to touching those wires than the prospect of frying
Seeing all those safety stickers would making anyone using the stairs dizzy enough to fall down them
Artifical intelligence just come come soon enough
Nothing like a good old selfie before you go up in flames
If the worst thing that happens when you get drunk is kissing a fish, you’re probably doin just fine.
Love the specificity
Maybe councils should fit outdoor seats with rain covers then, just in case
Riiiiigggght
February 13, 2018 @ 11:37 pm
What we’re seeing is the result of three fold: 1) Dumbing down of youth through indoctrination of public and “higher education” thus, the next generation being created to become lemmings – having no ability or awareness of critical thought and lacking any depth of thought, 2) runaway liability issues because of greed, liberalism, and activists in positions of law, and 3) attempting to mimic failed social systems that have shown no creativity or industrial growth, for the sake of globalist agendas. Also an attempt to make everything the same and ensuring no one can do anything else.
January 20, 2019 @ 11:28 am
I was relieved to see this article affirming what I have thought for some time. I coined the term ‘safety saturation’. We are full up on information to the point it is spilling over and failing to be retained. The safest worker is one allowed to go from point A to point B in the work process. Instead we have created numerous interruptions and work stoppage in that pathway. I am a full time safety consultant and even I don’t buy everything I am selling. The theory is correct…no one loves their job enough to get hurt for it. We all want to be safe. I believe at the heart of this issue is legalities..insurance, lawyers. Industries that make money from the extension, proliferation and fear mongering of Occupational Health and Safety.