OH & S Whinge
 

In the Surgeons' Tea-room at our hospital a tap (faucet) was installed to give 'instant on' either chilled or hot water, depending on which (very clearly marked) lever was used. Useful for (duh) chilled water or making a cup of tea.

OH & S came through and vetoed it as having both hot and cold water coming from the same tap was "a risk".

So, we have a tea-room that can only be entered via security pass, exclusively for the use of some of the most highly trained professionals in the country, professionals who daily embark on some of the most detailed, difficult surgery done, and OH & S doesn't trust these guys to know how to use a tap safely.

What other ridiculous Occupational Health and Safety edicts have you guys encountered?

Around here we have OSHA and CAL-OSHA.
They are our friends, our BIG BROTHERS.
We do not speak poorly of them, no sir. Not ever.

There is an appropriate way to safely recap a needle, which I am sure you are of course aware. I customarily recap immediately after I am done with an injection. If they find a recapped needle in my sharps container, it is a hefty fine. This only applies if an employee does so, not for a self employed business owner. In my policies and procedures manual, which is of course mandatory to have, I am the only one to handle sharps. I find the whole thing pretty ridiculous.

That is the one that springs to mind, but there are literally dozens upon dozens of things like that. I could get the office manual and give you a list that would have you laughing your ass off. It varies by state a lot here, for example, California is probably the most burdensome overall.

So evidently, the "shared" hot/cold faucet that they use at home every day is OK, but the insurance companies have dictated this rediculous rule for businesses ?

Last winter we had our insurance guy pay a visit to the town garage. We happened to have our old Mack (since traded in) up on a jack with the broken axle shaft out of it putting in a new one. All three town employees are there working on it. He wants to know if it has been locked out tagged out.
Ahhh....no. Pretty sure none of us are going to jump in it and go plowing with it just yet :rolleyes: