eddie-brown.net blog » Health & Safety

In Case of Emergency

Eddie — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 08:16:41 +0000

When I finished my A-levels (OK, so its a few years ago…) a group of us went for a week’s holiday together to Wales. We stayed in a rather retro Hoseasons Lodge
Anyway, the point is, for this adventure I was lent my mum’s mobile phone. this phone required a pin to unlock it for use. The phone lived in the glove box of my car so I told my fellow passengers what the PIN was, just in case there was the occasion to need to use the phone, and I was unable to….

Whilst sailing this year, Watch Leader Tony told me of an incident afloat involving a yacht, its owner and a bunch of his friends on a day out. The skipper was hit by the boom of the sail (the pole at the bottom) and knocked over board. His friends could do nothing to assist, they didn’t know how to operate the radio (to call for help) of start the engine (to enable manoeuvring) or to control the boat. The skipper died. The fact that one of the guests was Chris Evans means its a little easier to find news articles to link to like here and here.

The point is, it makes sense to (along with checking the weather… that applies to all outdoor activities) ensure that you consider what might go wrong. Some suggestions for sailors are here but what about other activities? When walking we have a plan of where we are going, and even already some “escape routes” we can use. Something about “Be Prepared”

Heating Up

Eddie — Wed, 20 May 2009 06:48:02 +0000

Appratently the TUC want a legal maximum for workplace temperature. Surely this is really a law for the installation of air conditioning?

Use a Straw!

Eddie — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 13:52:43 +0000

I have finished my NEBOSH course now. Well, the learning, the exam is on Friday.

One of our lecturers/tutors has done a bit of work in the brewery industry (nice work if you can get it… although apparently they only ever offered him tea and coffee) which leads to a strong suggestion that one should not drink beer from the bottle. Bottles of beer are stored in cellars and out houses and places like that. Its not unreasonable to say that a number of these will be visited by rats, and rats like to pee.

Leptospirosis is spread by rat pee.

So, his choice is to always ask either for a glass, or a straw.

Mind you, who would drink softies out of the can either?

Trumpton

Eddie — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:24:46 +0000

I watched a video on Thursday about using fire extinguishers. I suspect I might be unique in the class, in that I have discharged fire extinguishers in the past – and when doing this with CO2 extinguishers, I am sure we were told to hold the trigger (obviously) NOT THE HORN (obviously) and give support using a hand on the bottom of the fire extinguisher.

The video said not to hold on to the base.

My fellow students of Health and Safety suggested that this was because the extinguisher would get cold, and you don’t want your hand to stick to it but the video said to “support” the extinguisher by placing ones palm against the extinguisher about halfway down the cylinder.

Any ideas what’s going on here anyone?