• Question: do you work in a dangerous enviroment

    Asked by moaby to Alex, Chris, Harriet, Jed, Ken on 13 Mar 2012. This question was also asked by styles11, brainbot, caitlincardwell03, lilamo27.
    • Photo: Alexander Zacheshigriva

      Alexander Zacheshigriva answered on 13 Mar 2012:

      No. An office is a very safe environment. When I am out and about in the dock yard and on the ships… Still no. These are very hazardous environments, but it is up to us to make our work place safe. Generally there are all sorts of risks around the dock yard: vehicles, heights, arc welding, chemicals, high voltage, toxic gasses, fires. However we do keep it safe by knowing what the risks are and taking measures to make it safe.

    • Photo: Ken Gibbs

      Ken Gibbs answered on 13 Mar 2012:

      @moaby: I noticed that you asked some good questions this morning. Here’s another good one from you. Since I moved into disaster relief, the situations in which I have found myself have very often been dangerous. Like in Northern Iraq when the No-Fly-Zone was in place and the tanks rolled into the city where I was working and they were shelling over our roof. Scary. Like in Bam (Iran) after their huge earthquake and we had a number of very strong after-shocks. Like in South Africa during a cholera epidemic where I was working at times in the areas where there were new cholera cases; and I had to be ultra-careful to avoid being infected.

      Yes, I think I can say I have worked in a number of dangerous environments.

    • Photo: Jed Ramsay

      Jed Ramsay answered on 13 Mar 2012:

      Wow, I love Ken’s answer. How exciting does that sound?

      I work with cranes, diggers and so on, so have to be careful around these. I also have to try to avoid falling in the river as it’s suprisingly cold and get’s your clothes really mucky (I know this from the one time I fell in!!)

    • Photo: Harriet Fletcher

      Harriet Fletcher answered on 13 Mar 2012:

      There are hazards all around on a water treatment works, in particular deep water and the risk of infection. If there is also construction going on then there are lots more dangers. I agree with Alex that it is up to everyone to make the workplace safe and generally, if you keep your wits about you it is fine. That should be true of any work in the EU and if anyone is asked to do something that they feel is too dangerous they should (and do) refuse.
      And Ken, you are a hero! How did all you cope with the bombing, did you just carry on or hide under the nearest bed?

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