Health and Safety gone mad????

Question

A town clock will have to be replaced after 150 years because it is too dangerous for someone to climb up its tower to wind up?

In Llandovery, Camarthenshire, the local council have told a guy that after 5 generations of his family winding up the town clock, that he is no longer allowed to do it..... because it is dangerous and is to be replaced by an electric one???!!! For all those about to preach and say that is correct - there has NEVER been an accident in five generations of the family doing this, which amounts to a century and a half! They guy is paid £8 a week for doing it and does it for the love and tradition rather than the nominal wage.

Im sorry........ but the world is getting crazier by the day....... pathetic.... totally pathetic.

What do you think?

Answer 1

I totally agree with you. I hear it all the time people saying something could happen, what if, The whole world is running around scared out of their wits. The example you use is crazy and it is only going to get worse if the people soon don't put a stop to it. Have you any idea how much has been curtailed because something might or could happen. Thanks I thought I was the only one who thought this way<

Answer 2

It is easier to maintain an electric clock.  

Answer 3

To me it sound pretty dumb to both remove the old clock and kill a tradition, if they are worried about liability just have the guy sign a waiver......

Answer 4

I heard this today on the radio. I am no fan of H/S but this is what he has to do. Climb up a ladder, squeeze through a narrow hatch, edge his way around the rafters, climb up a verticle wall using footholds in the wall, edge his way around another platform, reach the clock, lift the pendulum above his head with one arm while winding the clock with his other arm. He does all this on a sunday morning when there is no-one about. If he fell the fire brigade would have h**l of a job getting him out. If he badly injured himself would he sue the church? I wonder. The idea is to make the clock electronic for everyones safety. Sensible!!

Answer 5

Its the same with everything these days, kids aren't allowed to play conkers anymore and the WI cannot sell homemade cakes in case they poison someone.

Answer 6

Good Evening,

Everything is safe to climb up. Scafolding and Cherry Pickers are readily available. If it is so dangerous to climb, then it is too dangerous to keep up anyway.

Could it perhaps fall on someone?

GDJ.

Answer 7

you are absolutely right everything is based around health and safety and most of the rules come from the EU but the stupid thing is that we are the only country who takes any notice  

Answer 8

I really do think it is!

Occupational Health and Safety is important, but it has to be managed properly and there is a point where it goes the way of political correctness in that it goes totally overboard and becomes more of an obstruction than a help!

I think a lot of this is sadly a product of the sue-happy, pro-liability society. People are so quick to point the finger of blame that councils, businesses, everyone really, are looking to cover their backsides in every conceivable way. But even in that case you'd think something like this could be resolved with an agreement for the fella who does the climbing to absolve the council of fault if he fell. Surely!

I agree...it's beyond a joke!