Tories accused over Boxing Day rail standstill

This is just political jockeying one side against the other no matter who is in power.

This is down to Network Rail, but major maintenance need to be undertaken. Years ago in time of British Rail or even British Railways maintenance even then needed to be undertaken, so did they close various sections of the railway or allow railway workers to work while trains were still running.

If it was the latter then now this would, most likely, not be allowed due to Health and Safety, as workers could be killed or seriously injured in that process.

Maintenance needs to be done to ensure the continuity of the system and maintain a degree of quality while respecting safety of the workforce.

There may be other ways, but when privatisation was brought in most of the British Rail system was extremely antiquated due to lack of serious investment during the history of the UK Railway.

Now we see many improvements in mainline stations and rolling stock, while the staffing has been cut back, sometimes due to improvements in technology, signaling for one.

But our railways still have a long way to go before we can see the remotest substantial and sustainable improvements. This requires major investment and extensive maintenance work and some delays and reductions in service will be required, unless there is automated.

Then that will lead to more reductions in staff, creating more strikes and more chaos for the persons relying on the rail system for work and also pleasure.

It is impossible for all to have everything, but it should always be to the minimum of disruption over the shortest period, but that requires even more investment.

The ‘merry-go-round’ is never-ending.

Yes, the Grenfell Tower fire is political – it’s a failure of many governments

One of the key functions of the state is to protect its citizens. Much of the debate in the UK’s recent general election focused on the government’s role in protecting citizens from terrorists. This was, perhaps, understandable given the recent series of attacks in London and Manchester. But it also diverted attention from the state’s equally important duty to ensure a safe, secure and decent quality of life for all its citizens.

With the weight of many years’ experience writing and advising on London’s housing and planning strategies behind me, I think it fair to say that the inferno at Grenfell Tower – a publicly owned housing block for lower-income households – represents an acute failure of government at all levels. The facts of the case are subject to a major enquiry – and new information is emerging on a daily basis. We still do not know whether the death toll is 30 or 100.

At this early stage, it is premature to attribute blame. Yet residents who have lost their homes and possessions – and in many cases their relatives and friends – are justified in their anger and their need to seek justice and redress. It is unlikely that we will see any of the parties involved admitting responsibility for the disaster. Certainly, should any charges of corporate manslaughter be laid – as Labour MP David Lammy has demanded – they would be subject to legal disputes for months and possibly years to come.

Source: Yes, the Grenfell Tower fire is political – it’s a failure of many governments

Madison police issue warning after man tries to lure children playing Pokemon Go — FOX 61

The creation of Pokemon Go and the process of people playing instills a sense of unawareness in its participants. They follow the game blindly to achieve the end results and do not take into account their own safety while doing so.

The game should come with a Health and Safety warning for all its participants and especially for children and their parents.

Private Eye on the Coalition’s Attempt to Make Prosecutions for Industrial Accident More Difficult

Is this Justice?

Beastrabban\'s Weblog

Private Eye ran this piece in their issue for 3rd – 16th May 2013. I’m fairly certain Mike over at Vox Political also covered it at the time, so its might be worth going over to his blog and looking at through the posts for that time for more information.

Insult to Injury

David Cameron won applause from the Daily Mail in January last year when he promised “to kill the health and safety culture”. Move on to Spring 2013, and we can see what his pledge means: the coalition is to slash compensation payments to injured employees and the families of dead workers, which have existed since the 19th century.

In a sly manoeuvre, the Tories and Liberal Democrats waited until their Enterprise and Regulatory Reform Bill had passed the scrutiny of a Commons committee, the slipped in a clause to make it harder for injured men and widowed…

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Macclesfield’s Grosvenor Shopping Centre Has Banned Customers In Wheelchairs And Mobility Scooters

As this appears to be a Health and Safety issue, then the centre should be closed until further notice. Mobility is not only a factor with wheelchairs as there are many other other aspects of mobility, this is discrimination to selective groups of the community.

Same Difference

This is unbelievable. It is blatant disability discrimination. Turn the lifts off if you have to but make other access arrangements or adjustments. There is absolutely no excuse for banning disabled customers. If the centre is not safe for wheelchair users, it’s not safe for anyone and should be closed to everyone until it is safe again.

Please, readers, please, share this post as widely as possible. I’ll be sharing it with every media outlet I can think of.

Wheelchair users have been banned from entering the Grosvenor shopping centre after orders from fire chiefs.

On Thursday security guards are stopping people in wheelchairs and mobility scooters from entering the premises.

And those accessing the ground-level indoor market have been given escorts to prevent them entering shops.

It follows a safety inspection by Cheshire Fire and Rescue Service.

But the move has provoked upset and anger from bewildered customers.

Diane…

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Norovirus; Wash Hands

Norovirus in NHS

Hand washing to repel Norovirus

Hygiene is the root cause of many problems in our hospitals. Good old soap and hot water are very effective, but in the modern day it is not common practice. Is it me but did these problems appear to surface when, Health and Safety reared its head and everybody started to wear the nice hygiene gloves.

In the days of the old Matrons, hygiene was maintained to a first class standard and staff did not wear hygiene gloves. By wearing these gloves some people feel this means hand washing is not required. This is a myth, I say bring back hand washing as a first priority together with a more efficient and effective cleaning policy in all areas of care.

Unlike, common thought hygiene gloves DO NOT replace the washing of hands.

Washing your hands, as often as you can, is always the way to combat Norovirus and similar infections. The hand rub available in hospitals will not kill all infections you will come into contact with. When not in your home be careful what you touch while you are out and always wash your hands as soon as you can.

How to wash hands

Germs will always be around in hospitals, it is therefore essential that all areas are thoroughly cleaned at least once or more often if possible, a day.

Surgeon League table

More bureaucratic interference and I assume more administration, creating more money spent on administrators, instead of patient care.

Is it going to be 1 league table for all surgeons or a league table for each specialised area. A load of nonsense, if your local surgeons are not rated good, but there is one miles away, how will you get this surgeon. For the every day person, this will make no difference, your GP refers you to your local hospital and when your appointment eventually comes you are grateful you can now be seen.

There is too much governmental interference in the running of hospitals.