Re: Help needed.....may loose job....

["mark_harrison_uk2" <mph@xxxxxxx>]

I agree with what Ian said, and will take it a step further.

If the task you were being asked to carry out was potentially
dangerous, then there should be:

1: A documented risk assesment showing that the task in question had
been reviewed leading to:

2: A method statement in place describing the way in which the task
should be carried out.

3: Annual training in safety procedures, and records kept thereof of
such training.

If your employer does not have such things, then they need to
urgently review their Health and Safety Practice.

For the record, I was IT Operations Manager at two of the UK's
largest construction companies where such things were taken
seriously. In both cases, our working practice was to earth TO THE PC
BEING WORKED ON, ensuring that the PC in question was earthed.

Regards,

Mark


--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "Ian Lowe" <ian@w...> wrote:
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Brian G. Reynolds" <brian.g.reynolds@n...>
> >
> > Can anyone point me/advise me of the current thinking on this
please?
>
> That's more static protection than 99.9% of PC engineers use. I
tend to just
> clip my strap (when I am working on other people's expensive kit)
onto the
> rack, the Server chassis, or some other bonded item, rather than
a "proper"
> earth.
>
> My Gut Instinct though is that the technical position doesn't
matter.
>
> This is an absolutely trivial matter, especially if it's the first
time it
> has been mentioned. If the first word that pops into the heads of
mangement
> is "legal", there's something else amiss, and they may be
just
looking for
> an excuse. I have to suspect that your days would be numbered even
if you
> were 100% spotless and backed up by informed technical opinion.
>
> Getting some legal representation sounds to me like the best idea,
but from
> a viewpoint of seeking to demonstrate that this is an attempt at
> constructive dismissal rather than from the point of view of
defending your
> actions on a technical basis.
>
> I'd be grabbing any information about proper procedures, whether
your job
> description and contract say what you are required to do when
handling ESD
> kit, whether you have been trained by the company in their ESD
procedures,
> what the normal practice of your colleagues is, whether the ESD kit
was
> supplied by the employer etc etc.
>
> Sounds like a nasty, nasty position to be in Brian, I hope it works
out okay
> for you.  :(
>
> ian.