Laurence Cload has done an excellent job since taking over as our H&S Officer. Last night we adopted a H&S policy statement which sets the bar very high in terms of our commitment to providing a safe enviroment for all who use our buildings.There was one discussion , however, at the Board which had me just shaking my head. From time to time, we do have situations where an elderly person may faint or take a turn during a service. Someone wisely suggested that it may be helpful to have a stretcher for such occasions in the building. A perfectly sensible course of action you may have thought. But there is a major problem inherent in such a plan. To use a stretcher in such a scenario, all the stretcher bearers need to go on a training course! I ask you!! What next do voluntary bodies have to do to be compliant with H&S? What if there are only 3 qualified stretcher bearers the next time somebody collapses? There are so many requirements made now in terms of H&S that it is hardly surprising that the number of people prepared to go through all these hoops is getting smaller and smaller in the voluntary sector. In my opinion the lose to society as a whole is much greater than the minimal risks that all the legislation is trying to minimise.
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One thought I have in relation to this is that I noticed when the last person was being taken from the church to the awaiting Ambulance, that once more the pathway was blocked by a parked car, so the ambulance men had to carry the person accross the gravel manoevering around the cars rather than going along the path to the disabled place.
This is a problem I have noticed on a number of occasions and I wonder if a simple solution would be to put some large-ish boulders along the path edge to deter people from overlapping the path.
I couldn't help thinking about that story in the Bible of the poor manny lowered through the roof on a stretcher. What would the Health and Safety Executive make of two men dragging a third up onto a roof without scaffolding or ropes (not to mention no training in climbing, rope handling or stretcher use). Then putting a hole in the roof which potentially could brain someone in the room below!
What was it Noel said on Sunday? Do we live in fear (Swine flu, N2K, bird flu etc) or do we believe God protects and guards us and wants the best for us. Has our Health and Safety culture impacted on practicing out Faith?
When I undertook a first aid course back in the year dot, the indication was that you should not move the casualty unless there was a danger to life. What if they have broken a neck? If you do not know how to use a stretcher / move a casalty properly you can cause more harm than good. The ambulance should be less than 5min away. Note the neck brace that is often seen on a casualty, should Hilton buy one of those too?
We are blessed in Hilton with lots of well trained medical professionals in our midst, so maybe this helps.
Is the stretcher a necessity? What is the proposaed use?
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