Monday, October 31, 2005

Health & Safety

Thailand is a very industrious country, there are loads of capital projects cost billion of Baht. Near our Condo there is a project putting three flyovers over a main junction, there is the project where our house is being built. All these and the other smaller one man band operations have one thing in common. There is no “Health & Safety”

The first picture was taken from my balcony; it shows a guy painting the fascia of a house next door. Nothing to strange there! You have to bear in mind that instead of getting a Council Permit to put up a full scaffolding he just put three bamboo poles up against the wall, then lashed a couple horizontal, followed by two more until it was the right height. In Thailand, personal responsibility is the order of the day, if he wants the business, he as to supply the means to do the job, his health and safety is his own responsibility.

The second photo is a common sight in Thailand, people in the back of pick ups is a common sight. British Coppers would have a heart attack at some of the sights like this you see on the roads. Not only is the van probably overloaded, no MOT! It also as loads of people on the back. Seeing three people or even a whole family on a Moped, all with no helmet is a regular sight.

The last picture is a typical one too, the electrical cabling is fantastic, as you walk up the steps of bridges on pedestrian walk ways and the cables hang down touching the hand rail. Thai people tend not to touch the hand rails. It seems that when people need electricity that just seem to tap into the main cable, every so often the Lecky Board comes round and read what electricity as been used.

All of the above have one thing in common. None of the people involved ever wear safety boots, all they ever wear are flip flops. The Health and Safety Officers at some of the places I’ve worked would fit. Maybe, just maybe though. People are big enough to take their own decisions.

1 comment:

Martyn said...

Chris I adore the bamboo scaffolding picture, I've often marvelled at their structure. The painter is certainly earning his money. Let's hope he lives to spend it.

I too have many packed out pick up photos, when Isaan's workers return to Bangkok after Songkran they pile sacks of rice and everything else into the trucks and squeeze themselves in last.

Thanks for the handrail tip, I'll remember that one.

Nice post and worth a bird impression.