I had a three man team from Irish Water out at a property that I manage recently.
The team , who were private contractors for IW ,arrived and set to in finding the 16000 litres a day leak
which was first reported last November ....
These guys were great and worked like clockwork as a three man team.
I got a call fro a guy asking for directions to the property where the work was being done . This puzzled me and after questioning him who he was he admitted he was a H&S inspector.
I told the team and they immediately downed tools and spent the next 30 mins setting out their fencing, signs , cones ,clearing up tools that were being used etc etc...
The lead man told me that they had to achieve 95 plus on a site inspection or they were brought in front of their managers .
The ( very young )inspector arrived and although friendly on the phone whilst getting directions walked straight passed me and took phone photos of the working area before speaking with anyone .
I ignored him too and told the lead man that I was available at the house if he needed me .
At the house I watched them on the CCTV and for over an hour the inspector took the lead man off the work in hand and walked him around the work area. I add that the work area was 45 yards up a private drive behind electric gates and the road on the outside of the gates was a mile and a half single track used for this house alone so no vehicular traffic could be expected except possibly the postman.
As you can guess the impact that taking one man of a three man team off the job had was considerable and the job probably too two to three hours longer than it should have .
The driveway looked like the inside lane of the M1 being resurfaced ,keys had to be removed from the two vehicles and placed in the glovebox , handbrake on and in gear , all tools replaced into their rightfull positions in the vehicles and all to be tidy and clean, only tools allowed at work station were ones being held or used, depth of excavated hole measured to ensure it didn't exceed 4 feet ( it was two feet at deepest ) .
The outcome was that they scored 98.5 % on their test . I asked what dreadful deed had been done to result in such a low mark , to get the rolled 32 mm pipe required to repair that leak ( remember the 16 THOUSAND LITRES A DAY ) from the van they had placed the portable generator on the gravel drive right next to the van but unforgivably not put a drip tray underneath it ........
These guys were mature responsible men who worked harmoniously to achieve a safe result to a severe problem but were hindered by the requirement of H&S gone mad.
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Topic: Mind How You Go.... (Read 2936 times)