Seriously fun: war games
Health and safety professionals don’t like
risks? We think not. In Connect, we’re running Seriously Fun,
Dangerously Safe, to profile the extreme sports and high risk jobs
our members are involved in.
After the snow and ice blighting the UK in
recent weeks, most of us are probably looking forward to the
summer. John Caboche certainly is. He can't wait to trade in his
winter coat for a heavy suit of armour ready for the civil war
battle re-enactment season.
“People give me funny looks when I tell them
what I do,” explains John, “and that isn’t just because I work in
health and safety! I thoroughly enjoy re-enactments – they’re a way
for me to escape the 21st century.”
A suggestion made by friends back in the 1980s
led to John dedicating 26 years to fighting with 6,000 fellow
re-enactors in the Sealed Knot, Europe’s largest re-enactment
society.
“When members take part in a re-enactment it
can be a really spectacular show. We can perform anywhere, from
Lands End to John O’Groats. All battles are publicised in the
society’s newsletter so we can choose when and where we want to
take part.
“When we’re on the battlefield it can be very
intense as we’re quite a competitive bunch. The start and end of
the battle are always very tightly scripted so it looks how it
would have done originally. As for the bit in the middle, that’s
our time to enjoy ourselves and have fun.”
But Sealed Knot members can’t just go waving
muskets and pole-arms around without training.
“The health and safety guidelines we have in
place are important and taken very seriously. They have to be when
we’re using real firearms. Every musketeer has to have a shotgun
licence and a black powder licence to hold them but even with those
you’re only allowed to use a dummy gun until you’ve been tutored
and assessed by the society’s board of safety.”
The same applies for the pole-arms and swords
they use. The society trains people through the basics and members
are mentored for the first couple of battles.
“The pole-arm is essentially a stick so it’s
a bit easier to use than the musket, but the sword on the other
hand can do real damage, even though they’re classed as
‘blunts’.
From previous work experience, John has the
skills to help the society’s medical team.
“We can treat some nasty injuries but they’re
mainly knocks and bruises. The biggest problem we face is heat
exhaustion. Because all our battles take place in the summer,
people tend to over-heat quickly. It doesn’t help that we have to
wear four layers of linen and wool, a leather buff coat and a suit
of armour over the top of all that! A typical outfit weighs about
9kg for the back and breast plate and 2kg for the helmet.”
“I’ve been fortunate enough not to have had
any really bad injuries, just a couple of cracked ribs and a broken
finger after someone’s sword bounced off my pole-arm. Accidents
will happen.”
John has been working in health and safety for
six years. He started his own consultancy this year, specialising
in training for the rail and construction industries.
He often gets asked for his opinion on health
and safety issues, and the majority of risk assessments his
regiment has to fill out get passed along to him.
“Safety is very high on the Sealed Knot’s
list of priorities – the society is aware of risk in terms of
litigation and legislation. It’s good that I can offer my
advice.
“People in the society are pretty sensible.
Nobody goes on to the battlefield with the intention of hurting
anyone else. We all want to go out there and have a good time. The
only thing we get criticised for is that we don’t look ferocious
enough in the photos we have taken because we’re enjoying ourselves
so much!”
Factfile:
- The English Civil War was a series of armed
conflicts between Parliamentarians and Royalists in 1642–51
- The Sealed Knot society was founded in
1968
- John is principal consultant for Athena
Safety and Training and has been a member of IOSH since 2004
Links:
The Sealed Knot
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60 second interview
Kathy Smith, Head of Governance and Risk for
East Midlands Ambulance Service, talks to Connect
What’s one of the most memorable experiences
you’ve had in your health and safety career?
It’s been an ongoing one. I’ve been chairing
the National Ambulance Risk and Safety Forum for the last five
years. It’s been memorable to work with colleagues from all over
the UK as well as making a difference with the guidance we
produce.
What do you get out of your job?
Working in partnership with others – at all
levels. I enjoy working with trade union colleagues as we all share
the same goals. But I’m always striving for more in my job and
wanting to make a change.
What issues can you see coming up in your
sector?
For the ambulance sector we're trying to
improve manual handling, with equipment for larger patients. We're
doing a lot of work on this, although more still needs to be done.
We're providing larger vehicles and more equipment to make manual
handling safer.
Would you like to see any legislative changes
in your sector?
No, for me it’s more about guidance. Rather
than trying to fit everyone into the same slot, specific guidance
for our sector would be more appropriate.
What approach to your job sets you aside from
the perceived public image of health and safety people being
bureaucratic busybodies?
When I started in this role, I wanted to make
health and safety more exciting and get people more interested in
it. That’s proved successful, and I believe it’s down to the
sensible and pragmatic approaches we take.
The UK has just experienced heavy snowfall and
icy conditions. What contingency plans did you have in place to
prepare yourselves?
The operational teams always do a lot of
winter planning and we look at how an ambulance will get about –
particularly up snow-covered streets, so we have more 4x4
vehicles.
Do you want to be considered for a 60 Second Interview? Contact
the e-Editor.
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Quote me
IOSH gets its message across...
Leicester Mercury
IOSH's Policy and Technical Director, Richard
Jones, was asked by the Leicester Mercury why many UK schools were
forced to shut because of the recent snow. He said:
“Heads have to make decisions very quickly.
They are aware of health and safety implications and liability and
are particularly worried about being sued and that makes them more
cautious. It’s very understandable.”
Hereford Times, Wiltshire Star, Oldham Evening Chronicle
IOSH’s UK-wide photography competition, called
'This is my life', has been picked up by a number of local
newspapers. Among the competition entries have been Neil Welding, a
mountaineering police officer, Robert Maultby, a worker at Longleat
Safari Park and Alan Green, a father who has a son with cerebral
palsy.
Neil Welding told the Hereford Times:
“I found the concept of the competition
interesting as health and safety helps me live my life to the full.
As a policeman, I have to identify hazards and apply risk
assessments every day which gives me the confidence to do the same
outside work.”
Robert Maultby told the Wiltshire Star:
“I spend my days surrounded by lions, tigers
and wolves so constantly have to be aware of health and
safety.”
Alan Green explained to the Oldham Evening
Chronicle he’d entered a picture of his son because:
“Joseph has cerebral palsy and for all the
problems he has and the challenges he faces, you couldn’t meet a
happier boy. He demonstrates the theme of making the most of your
life and enjoying yourself really well.”
Shields Gazette
Immediate past president Ray Hurst was quoted
in a story about the Health and Safety (Offences) Act in the
Shields Gazette. Ray said:
“We believe this Act will allow the courts to
send a strong message to Tyne and Wear employers that health and
safety offences are treated just as seriously as other offences,
such as those involving financial misconduct. Employers need to
remember health and safety offences aren’t just about rule-breaking
– they can actually ruin people’s lives.”
New guide for councillors
IOSH launched a new guide called ‘Think about
health and safety – what elected members of local authorities need
to know', designed to make councillors more aware of their health
and safety responsibilities. Launching the guide, IOSH president
Nattasha Freeman said:
“Health and safety in the public sector often
gets a bit of a bashing, but our guide is about getting a sensible
approach to health and safety. Elected members have a much bigger
responsibility for health and safety than they probably
realise.”
Public Services Group chair, Bruce Phillips,
added:
“The guide is designed to open elected
members’ eyes to health and safety. This is not about scaring
elected members, either from making decisions or from standing for
election in the first place. The guide is there to help advise them
on what is a massively important subject for public sector
bodies.”