Sunday, October 01, 2006

Health & Safety as witnessed on Gozo.

In my job with the London Fire Service health & Safety plays a major part in every day life, and long may this continue.
Since joining the EU this is also being strongly promoted throughout the Maltese islands particularly within construction.
In a report from a survey (2002) in Malta & Gozo it was found that during the period 1993 to 2000 there were 61 fatalities within the workplace of these 49% were as a result of a fall from height.
Now this is all very interesting if you are into health & safety, or indeed statistics.
Now the reason for my ramblings, on my recent stay in Gozo and very close to where we were residing I had to put the wonderful zoom lens on my camera to good use. Check out the pictures below, now am I being fussy here or is this just simply.......... madness.




Now let me explain what you are looking at here, this is a 3rd floor being built on a farmhouse in one of the villages on Gozo. We have a board from the 3rd floor window on the left of the picture, the second board crossing it is on the wall out of picture to the right, they are supported by what appears to be a piece of wood the thickness of a broom handle, and a length of blue nylon rope suspended from the roof area.
These people are working three floors above ground level, amazingly there is a young boy helping the gentleman, he appears to be about 10 years of age.

Actions have consequences...first rule of life. And the second rule is this - you are the only one responsible for your own actions.
Holly Lisle

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