health and safety
- Thread starter richard challis
- Start date
Rigger
Moderator
Thanks Swifty
Trust the HSE to have a "non geographic" number on this they make money
Better to have a "free call" number starting 0800
There was a thread last week on saving money on phone bills
SAYNOTO0870.COM - Non-Geographical Alternative Telephone Numbers
I have rang local offices of the HSE in the past normally a 10/15 minute call first to explain to the young girl on the switch that I am reporting a poorly erected or dangerous job and give details,they are not used to this kind of call,then to be put on hold,then to be informed that there is no one available to deal with the matter and can I ring back
I hope the Hotline are geared up to take and act upon the calls they recieve
Non-geographic numbers are where the call cost doesn't relate to where you're calling; they have their own special pricing arrangements, which are invariably more expensive than standard calls, and worse, are usually excluded from 'free calls' packages. There are four main offenders:
Trust the HSE to have a "non geographic" number on this they make money
Better to have a "free call" number starting 0800
There was a thread last week on saving money on phone bills
SAYNOTO0870.COM - Non-Geographical Alternative Telephone Numbers
I have rang local offices of the HSE in the past normally a 10/15 minute call first to explain to the young girl on the switch that I am reporting a poorly erected or dangerous job and give details,they are not used to this kind of call,then to be put on hold,then to be informed that there is no one available to deal with the matter and can I ring back
I hope the Hotline are geared up to take and act upon the calls they recieve
Non-geographic numbers are where the call cost doesn't relate to where you're calling; they have their own special pricing arrangements, which are invariably more expensive than standard calls, and worse, are usually excluded from 'free calls' packages. There are four main offenders:
- 0870 'National Call'. Can cost up to 10p/min</SPAN>On BT's standard package, calling an 0870 on a weekday costs the same as calling a landline, 5.25p/min. For other providers the picture's worse; calls to 0870 numbers cost up to 10p/min (Virgin), and are never included in free allowance.
Quick Costs (daytime): BT: 5p, Talk Talk 4.5p, Virgin 10p, Sky 5p - 0845 'Lo-Call'. Can cost up to 7p/min</SPAN>
Don't confuse Lo-Call with local; numbers starting 0845 aren't as cheap, though are now more frequently included in ‘free calls' packages. Sadly many small businesses actually pay to have these numbers, misled by old promises that they “look more professional and attract custom”, without realising that these days their customers have to pay more.
Quick Costs (daytime): BT 5p, Talk Talk 4.5p, Virgin 7p, Sky 6p - 0871. Can cost up to 11p/min</SPAN></SPAN>
Dialling 0871s can cost up to 10p/min. They're often used for special services where providers deliberately get a cut of the call revenue (see the International Callchecker for how you can use them to get cheaper international calls).
Quick Costs (daytime): BT 10p, Talk Talk 10p, Virgin 10p, Sky 10p - 0844. Can cost up to 6p/min</SPAN></SPAN>
With numbers starting 0844 the price is fixed, at between 1p and 5p/minute. At half the cost of 0871 it's less problematic, but 0844's still never included in free calls packages, meaning the costs can quickly add up.
Quick Costs (daytime): BT up to 5p, Talk Talk up to 5p, Virgin 3p, Sky 6p
Coming late into this thread so apologies.
A snippet I often refer to concerning safety for the benefit of Richard, the original poster:
"Managers will only receive the standard of health and safety that they demonstrate that they want" - Mr Justice Fennel QC, in his report after the Kings Cross fire - quite relevent here.
All I would say is that if you as an MD make safe, quality jobs your priority, then word will spread and you will win jobs - the cowboys - and there are plenty of them - do no one any favours. Stick to your principles - they are good.
HSE do take complaints seriously - honestly! - all offices have a complaints team - it is best to speak to the local office when ringing them in and ask to be put in touch specifically with the complaints team, the numbers for the offices are on the contacts section of the HSE web page - but you have to look on the office directions PDF to get the direct office phone number - it's not on the main office page.
If the scaffold is in an unsafe state then HSE will take it very seriously - the problem they have is getting the inspector there at the same time as the scaffolder - often HSE are left with just a scaffold and if it's a real cowboy there is no nameboard - if you phone a complaint in give them as much info as you know.
Another avenue is the local authority Building Control department - they deal with unsafe structures - street scaffolds definitely come into this and they have the power to organise the scaffolds dismantling and to contra charge the cowboys who put it up - be careful as response is patchy in areas of the country and many LAs aren't keen to get involved in what they see as HSE territory.
As a last point - inspectors get paid mileage and they mostly use their own cars.
Otto
A snippet I often refer to concerning safety for the benefit of Richard, the original poster:
"Managers will only receive the standard of health and safety that they demonstrate that they want" - Mr Justice Fennel QC, in his report after the Kings Cross fire - quite relevent here.
All I would say is that if you as an MD make safe, quality jobs your priority, then word will spread and you will win jobs - the cowboys - and there are plenty of them - do no one any favours. Stick to your principles - they are good.
HSE do take complaints seriously - honestly! - all offices have a complaints team - it is best to speak to the local office when ringing them in and ask to be put in touch specifically with the complaints team, the numbers for the offices are on the contacts section of the HSE web page - but you have to look on the office directions PDF to get the direct office phone number - it's not on the main office page.
If the scaffold is in an unsafe state then HSE will take it very seriously - the problem they have is getting the inspector there at the same time as the scaffolder - often HSE are left with just a scaffold and if it's a real cowboy there is no nameboard - if you phone a complaint in give them as much info as you know.
Another avenue is the local authority Building Control department - they deal with unsafe structures - street scaffolds definitely come into this and they have the power to organise the scaffolds dismantling and to contra charge the cowboys who put it up - be careful as response is patchy in areas of the country and many LAs aren't keen to get involved in what they see as HSE territory.
As a last point - inspectors get paid mileage and they mostly use their own cars.
Otto
Hi Otto,
Good post, very informative from another perspective. I see you have been around for a few weeks now but welcome to the site anyway.
Sorry to hear you need your own car, I hope you get a good mileage rate as you would need it round my way.
Good post, very informative from another perspective. I see you have been around for a few weeks now but welcome to the site anyway.
Sorry to hear you need your own car, I hope you get a good mileage rate as you would need it round my way.
superscaff75
Well-known member
if i may just interupt here AOM although i dont know otto on a personal level i have known him on another forum for approximately 2 years where he is held in very high regard as a very knowledgable health and safety er i think guru is the word lol
he doesnt need his own car nor a good milage rate , he is not a HSE inspector nor is he an inspector from the local authority Building Control department,
he is in fact a NEBOSH Principal Examiner at certificate level and a senior examiner at diploma level.
he does unfortunately live in the swindon area (don't laugh - someone has to live there!!) lol
and he could possibly be a damn good ally of the sccr in the future , (so long as you pay him a good milage rate of course :laugh: ) on all things to do with health n safety should the sccr need any advice on the subject.
he doesnt need his own car nor a good milage rate , he is not a HSE inspector nor is he an inspector from the local authority Building Control department,
he is in fact a NEBOSH Principal Examiner at certificate level and a senior examiner at diploma level.
he does unfortunately live in the swindon area (don't laugh - someone has to live there!!) lol
and he could possibly be a damn good ally of the sccr in the future , (so long as you pay him a good milage rate of course :laugh: ) on all things to do with health n safety should the sccr need any advice on the subject.
i love fridays
Well-known member
Hi Ritchard, i think everyone has the same problem with cow boys,This firm has been going 11 years got all its hse in place and spent time and effort in training.75% trained staff we do handing over certificates for every job,all staff will be first aiders ect. You can get good work though offring what the cheap firms dont do,it actualy makes you work. It takes time to tune your company and takes a lot of effort, though worth it in the end. one thing i can say is what ever happens, Dont let any customer down. it only takes a phone call to keep them on your side. Good luck most of us who started and who have got our own buisnesses half to put up with cow boys get use to it. HSE dont care until there is an accident. somone once said to me b4 we started trading. You think insurance is exspensive you try having an accident. quote that to your customers.see there eyes wen you say coaperation man slauter is here.. the but stops with the main contractor then the subcontractor.... keep smiling mate good luck
Nice one superscaff, a Guru eh, he must have heard our own Guru Gary is otherwise occupied at the moment and senses a vacant spot on the horizon.
What ever the reason when someone talks health and safety or indeed how to improve the industry in which I earn my crust then I will listen, and that's one of the main reasons I joined the SCCR. Get you form in Otto.:bigsmile: