Article from David H. Glabe, P.E. - "Common Sense - Does it Exist?"

[Justin T. Wittwer]

The attached article is from the August 2009 Scaffold Industry Association magazine. Please read the article and respond to it below. I highly recommend that all of us look into individual memberships to the SIA as it is the voice of our industry. If they are the voice we would be the right hand that carries out the work in our industry. I look forward to Mr. Glabes' article as they deal with what we do and how we do it. Please look into a membership, and at the very least make sure the companies you work for are members and active in this association. 

 

Cheers,

JW

[michael clifford]

he touches on a couple of good points, common sense has been replaced with stupidity , due to lawyers, in several instances, like a scaffold builder being tied off to a scaffold for the sake of being tied off, which a scaffold manufacturer advises against it, or just being tied off at less than 9 ft on a scaffold when the builder will hit the ground still being tied off.

and i am totally against an employee being held legally responsible for work site mistakes, or negligence, especially as the economy has worsened intimidation of the workforce increases, how many times has an employee sat thru a safety presentation given by the H.R. dept. of a company only to get on the job and find that the foreman wants things done "his" way instead? And  as things tighten, employers prefer younger workers, well meaning and eager, but lacking experience, and common sense, the older workers in my opinion are more safety conscience, but admittidly slower, I am 42 years old, I am going home in 1 piece, I have stopped kids from getting hurt, or getting me or someone else hurt, Ultimately safety is the personal responsibility of the employee, The employee cannot allow himself to be intimidated and sacrifice himself for the 'company. I for one want to retire some day and not be a cripple.