Police banned from climbing a 3ft ladder without training

[los]

By Jaya Narain
Last updated at 10:14 PM on 22nd December 2008



Police officers have been forced to attend a health and safety seminar to learn how to climb a ladder.

The officers had been installing roadside electronic speed indicators for months, using a 3ft ladder, without injury or incident.

But when health and safety officials learnt of the scheme they ordered the special training.

Officers were then banned from moving the signs between locations until they had completed the course.

Around 45 officers and more than 80 civilian volunteers have now had the training, organised by the police, Lancashire County Council and Lancashire Fire and Rescue.

Last night MPs reacted with disbelief, saying the scheme was a waste of taxpayer money and police time.

Ben Wallace MP, for Lancaster and Wyre, said: 'It's another example of the tail wagging the dog, of bureaucracy gone mad. It beggars belief that bureaucracy stands in the way of common sense, even when it concerns our police force.'

A senior police officer said: 'It is a preposterous waste of police time and taxpayers' money and it is time the health and safety Gestapo had their wings clipped so that people can go about their jobs using their own common sense.'

As part of the seminar, police officers and civilian workers were warned they must wear high-visibility jackets and leggings and cone off the area when installing signs in bad weather just in case pedestrians bump into their ladder.

The signs, which are erected as part of a road safety initiative, flash a smiley face if the driver is within the speed limit, and a sad one if they are breaking it.
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A spokesman for Lancashire Police said: 'It would appear that, although working at less than one metre above ground level, staff should have been on a ladder training course.

'It is fair to say that risks associated with deployment of a Spid (speed indicator) sign have not changed, but the risks associated with working at height were not fully appreciated initially.'

Lancashire police said proper training courses had also been introduced because some of the signs had not been mounted correctly and could not detect all oncoming traffic.

Local authorities say the course does not cost anything, apart from staff time. Nine seminars have been held so far

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... adder.html# =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> =D> Police officers are, presumably, assessed to a certain degree when they join up. One would imagine that their inability to climb a 3 foot ladder or perform other simple tasks would be spotted during basic training.

[Bandung_Dero]

Fact - Once they have completed training they are entitled to where the Parachute Wings on their uniform with their numerous campaign ribbons. TW has got hers after a 2 day course in ladder climbing.

[aznyron]

I guess if a policemen was chasing a criminal & he started to climb a ladder to make his escape the police officer would have to abandon his pursuit since he was not trained in ladder climbing Give me a break
to me it look like more B/S aimed at OSHA health & safety rules sorry I don't buy it

[bluejets]

A couple of years back, we were told to comply with regs. we had to wear a national standard "snatch rope" (similar to 4wd)if working higher than 2.4 metres. Took a while to convince authorities why it was a waste of time.
Snatch rope was 2.4 metres long.
Then a mate of mine was pulled up for climbing a tv tower. He was informed that a ladder would first be required, then it would need to be secured at the top. He asked "secured to what?" Reply was to climb tower and make securing point.

[wazza]

from another perspective, it was stated in a news item years ago in Australia, that approx 30 % of the retail cost of a ladder at hardware chain, was for the manufacturers product liability insurance, as the amount of personal liability claims from damages due to falling off a ladder were huge.

This sort of industry practice of attending training courses, skill sheets, etc, is not to actually train someone, but to reduce the employers responsibilty legally.

Ie, we sent u on a course, u didnt follow the guidelines which ur certificate for working at heights said you should, thefore, diminished responsibilty and u cant sue us !

Its called ticks and boxes in the Oil and Gas Industry. make sure everyone has signed off on any practice and procedures etc. When the investigation is concluded, the report will say Employee number 1234, didnt follow practiced procedures.

[beer monkey]

If any of those police officers want to get higher up in the ranks...they will have to climb the ladder to get there, you can't rush these things..'one step at a time' is my motto.

[wazza]

Climb the ladder to Success

and when u get there u hear "Hi im Cess !!"

[bluejets]

from another perspective, it was stated in a news item years ago in Australia, that approx 30 % of the retail cost of a ladder at hardware chain, was for the manufacturers product liability insurance, as the amount of personal liability claims from damages due to falling off a ladder were huge.

This sort of industry practice of attending training courses, skill sheets, etc, is not to actually train someone, but to reduce the employers responsibilty legally.

Ie, we sent u on a course, u didnt follow the guidelines which ur certificate for working at heights said you should, thefore, diminished responsibilty and u cant sue us !

Its called ticks and boxes in the Oil and Gas Industry. make sure everyone has signed off on any practice and procedures etc. When the investigation is concluded, the report will say Employee number 1234, didnt follow practiced procedures.

Exactly..........