I know this is a hobby to most, but some of the threads on here beggars belief in regards to personal and public safety. Now we Do not want the nanny state mentality to interfere with our fun but wouldn't it be an idea to have a safety section on this forum.
Then if anybody has their doubts, or needs advice on safety they could ask somebody that might know the answer. I know you can always google an answer but sometimes common sense or 'that happened to me once' can help a lot.
I for my sins was a union trained safety rep in the parks and gardens years ago and I know a lot of the information is out of date, but if I can help I will and so will a lot of other A4A members, as the last thing we want is somebody getting hurt.
Hmm, What is it about the phrase 'Health and Safety' that makes my heart sink like a stone?
Quote from: Garden Cadet on April 24, 2005, 10:37:03
Hmm, What is it about the phrase 'Health and Safety' that makes my heart sink like a stone?
I expect you were a boss in a former life ;D
Quote from: heritage on April 24, 2005, 10:48:17
Quote from: Garden Cadet on April 24, 2005, 10:37:03
Hmm, What is it about the phrase 'Health and Safety' that makes my heart sink like a stone?
I expect you were a boss in a former life ;D
Maybe, but I live with health and safety on a weekly if not nearly daily basis. ::). Drives me to distraction! :o
Heritage
You are oh so right...
There are things on the allotment site that do worry me...
First aid kits...lack of!
Emergency procedures...lack of!
If someone has an accident the complexity and size of the site renders H & S procedures a nightmare to administer.
a) There are different people at the site at any one time...often alone.
b) What if someone collapses (many are retired elderly people), how would you know they were in trouble.
I could go on....
The trouble is when you really consider...it is unworkable without permanent staff being present. In this day and age we could easily talk ourselves out of a wonderful pastime!
Derek
Your right about Health and safety, I think about it all the time I am on my lottie, especially when I have my lovely, wonderful, brilliant - I could go on about it, Mantis Tiller. I take my mobile phone with me, but that's no use if I am at the other end of the plot and can't get to the phone. And what about those canes, :o :o
Some plants in the garden can be harsh on the skin and what about those Parsnip Leaves, they can give you blisters. I try to work slowly and carefully and if I collapse and go on to the great allotment in the sky, then what a place to collapse, Heaven on Earth 8) - I hope I'm not tempting fate here! I think common sense should prevail and I am sure most people are very careful. It isn't like being at work where you are stressed out which is often when accidents happen. Lotties and gardens are cool calm places, if they aren't they should be. Long live Lotties ;D ;D
This all sounds too dangerous for me, think I'll take up skydiving
I think the idea is we take responsiblity for our own safety (and welfare if that safety fails us), and not leave it up to others or blame them if something goes wrong.
What about taking to/keeping your own first aid kit at the allotment? or making sure you either have someone with you at the lottie (ie arent on your own if something happens), having a mobile phone with you (switched off of course), or at the very least telling people where you are and what you are doing.
When i am working in my garden i know that 9/10 times if something happens and i get hurt tis my own bl**dy stupid fault and noone elses. I am not about to go around and blame someone or something else.
Quite right, this health & safety stuff goes way too far, there's nothing wrong with being healthy or safe but I don't require a nanny following me around 24 hours a day................ besides that's what my wife's for ::)
I'm quite clumsy, accident prone, live alone and garden a quite large garden in a quiet neighbourhood. There again, I'm clumsy, accident prone, live alone and attempt ambitious, if doomed to failure, DIY tasks in a house with v. high ceilings, twisty stairs that trick you into believing you're on the level cos a stair just shouldn't be there, and my front door is on the floor below my living spaces. So if I'm not potentially dicing with death outdoors I'm doing the same indoors.
That's life ::)
PS got the most hunky handsome paramedics on call at the local H. Clouds and silver linings spring to mind ;D ;D ;D
;D Lish!
I carry a first aid kit in my car, mobile phone in my pocket, (but often forget to turn it on cos I like the peace n quiet!) and if I didn't come home for a few hours, the lottie would be the first place they would send out a search party! ;D ;D Did stick a fork through my workboots once, misssed my toes somehow! :-\
Of course if we mulched all our beds with old carpet we wouldn't need nasty, dangerous, forks, spades &c.
Mr Grim
Ever thought about taking a first aid course? Red Cross and St Johns do them in many areas and it's not expensive.
I'm a trained first aider. Good job too after all Mr Aqui's attempts at chopping of his fingers with the secateurs. (I run to the other end of the garden when he starts wielding the mattock!)
So he's alright. But who's going to take care of me if I get hurt?
Quote from: derbex on April 25, 2005, 15:30:28
Of course if we mulched all our beds with old carpet we wouldn't need nasty, dangerous, forks, spades &c.
I was refering to the dangers of real gardening ;D
Surely most things are down to good old common sense.
I work in a doctors surgery and I find it amazing how many people don't want to be responsible for anything, so it did me good to read some of the above posts.
Ah ha there are people out there who want to be responsible, thank goodness for that.
MM
Heritage
What do you mean by real gardening? I thought gardening was gardening big or small. Personally I think I might get together a first aid kid and leave it on the sites, I have two.
What then would be a good basic first aid kit that I could put together myself?
If anything, this thread has got people thinking about their safety
Don't take offence on 'real gardening' look at the smiley, I have a little wind-up about carpet running on this forum.
Nice to hear you have a first aid kit, I hope you never have to use it, but check it regular, there is nothing worse than an empty tin in an emergency
Yes there is, a bottle of chardonnay and no opener! (ermm I actually carry one in the cars first aid kit! ;DÂ ;D )
First aid box contents has been discussed before, about February I think. Advice on content came from the A4A members. Do a search.
Good idea about the first aid kit. My OH will need it probably sooner than later as he will probably have some sort of contretemps with a slasher or flame thrower, or set fire to himself lighting the bonfire with petrol. Second thoughts an ambulance standing by might be more sensible ;D
I just bought a small FA Kit - very compact job - for my B & B but it would be perfect for the lotty. Cost about £7 from the stationers.
BUT does it include a bottle opener? Mine has been used at least once by a company that had a "do" and forgot to get one! ;D And then then thought I was a lush!!!!
DP I am well known for only carrying the minimum of stuff When my OH and decide we can get away for a break the only item of luggage I pack is the corkscrew ;DÂ
Last year when our town was being judged in the East Mids in Bloom Compy and the judges were in their huddle, my niece sidled in and asked if I;d got a corkscrew ;D  Of course I had ;D   I have a pic somewhere.  Here it is :)  We entertain RHS judges on our allotment. Elsewhere they get mayoral receptions ;D
That's me going through my pockets. Â
Quote from: kenkew on April 26, 2005, 08:58:25
First aid box contents has been discussed before, about February I think. Advice on content came from the A4A members. Do a search.
For anybody who needs it: http://www.allotments4all.co.uk/yabbse/index.php/topic,7594.0.html
Doris and Wardy, you've reminded me...some years ago I had a Mazda 320, or somesuch number. Bright red it was. AND on the keyring was a handy beer-bottle opener...these Japs think of everything! Bliss on a hot drive. Just the ticket!! Eventually I sold the car on and that was when I consulted the manual to give the sales spiel...you know what?? It wasn't a beer bottle opener at all..................damned good substitute, tho......
Lucky for me if I injure myself at the lottie, I am right next door to the hospital! :)
This thread has reminded me to get my tetanus shot though - don't think I've ever had one! Always carry me mobile to the lottie just in case too.
And Sexy Snail's post about sunburn reminded me about sunscreen, which I think is an important part of your gardening kit. Skin cancer is not nice!
Quote from: Moggle on April 29, 2005, 23:04:06
This thread has reminded me to get my tetanus shot though - don't think I've ever had one! Always carry me mobile to the lottie just in case too.
And Sexy Snail's post about sunburn reminded me about sunscreen, which I think is an important part of your gardening kit. Skin cancer is not nice!
SUCH GOOD ADVICE WE'LL SAY IT TWICE ;D ;D ;D
When it's hot on the plot I always put my sun tan lotion on as I burn instantly :o Even on some quite cloudy looking days recently I've still burnt. I even put sun tan lotion on the tips of my dog's tabs :)