Lets talk about Health & Safety
Lets be honest, this is not a phrase you would use when trying to make friends and influence people.
In fact, I can imagine eyes glazing over as you scroll past this post looking for something that wont put you to sleep. Maybe I can grab your attention with a photo of some cute kittens….
Photo by Fox
This is going to be a hard sell, but stick with me. For the first time in the history of the world, I am going to make Health and Safety interesting. (And if I fail, I promise to reward you for sticking with me with an extra special cute animal photo).
Health and Safety is not about high vis vests, long boring meetings, and RULES like most people assume. It’s about protecting the people that go out every day and do dangerous jobs to keep your property, business or workplace operating and providing all the creature comforts that you are accustomed to.
Have you ever thought about that guy that crawls in the extract vent of your favourite restaurant to clean the flue? Trust me, that is not a place most people would dare to go. That guy is a hero.
Not for me, thanks! (watch the video if you dare)
Do you like temperate conditions to work in? You like to be warm in the winter and cool in the summer? While you are fighting over the perfect setting of your AC thermostat do you stop to consider that there is a team of people that climb onto your roof four times a year to make sure your office air conditioning is not only working but is supplying clean fresh air for you to squabble over?
Asbestos is an extremely dangerous substance that was commonly used in building materials between the early 1900’s and the 1980’s. Many buildings still contain Asbestos. There are contractors that specialise in removing, testing and sealing this dangerous toxic substance.
Before the building you are sitting in right now was constructed, a team of demolition experts packed their explosives and wrecking balls and demolished the building that was there before. During construction, builders used guns that literally shoot out nails, extremely hot welders and lumbering heavy machinery that was handled with precision and skill. They got themselves up to the very top of the building and put a roof on it. Possibly by magic if your building is more than a few stories tall. I’ll admit, I don’t know much about roofing, but surely they have Superman-esque powers?
Lois, I am going to be a little late, I have to go finish off a roof.
Health and Safety is about each and every one of those hard-working people that put themselves at risk during the usual course of their work. And health and safety is about you.
You need to know that the work you do now is not going to injure you or make you sick. You need to be assured that you won’t have some long term injury from working that will prevent you doing the things you love. You need to be kept safe for your family, your children, the people that depend on you.
So next time someone at work starts talking about Health and Safety, don’t immediately switch off your brain and think, “this doesn’t apply to me”, or “it’s all about boring meetings and rules”.
Think about those guys on the roof, in the confined spaces, removing asbestos or blowing up buildings.
Think about your family, your kids, the things you still want to be able to do when you are older.
And maybe, Health and Safety wont seem quite so boring.
But if it still is, here’s the cute animal I promised….
My Fur Friend Mr Harper on his 15th Birthday
If you are serious about Health and Safety for your commercial property, check out my article in the CPP Knowledge Library.
If you need help setting up H&S systems and processes for your portfolio, contact me on info@cpp.nz to discuss how CPP can assist you with this.
Even if you don’t have a property management contract with CPP, we can help you comply with the Health and Safety Act. Our first 30-minute consultation is always free.
Keep Safe Out There,
Kirstin
