rockchick
30-Nov-07, 17:25
This is an excerpt from an email sent to me today from my site manager. I've "snipped" the bits that identifies the writer, but I think the rest is important enough to pass along:
"I know the below is quite a lengthy message but please all read and think!
I wrote this message this evening in my own time as I feel it is very important and would like to share this information with you all.
Earlier today, I attended the contractor’s monthly Safety Forum Meeting. Usually these meetings take the format of various <snip> based safety presentations.
Today’s was very different!!!!!
This presentation was aimed at Contractors who by nature often work away from home and travel weekly to site to work at <snip> or elsewhere. (However all car drivers please take note)!
I sat through the most horrific, shocking, traumatising, upsetting and emotional 2 hour presentation I have ever had the pleasure of attending.
I do not say the above lightly and these words are a credit to the presenters!
The main topic of the meeting was driving and road traffic accidents (or incidents as they are now called as there is usually a reason for an
"accident")
IT IS RECOGNISED THAT ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ACTIVITES WE ALL DO, EVEN WORKING IN THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY, IS DRIVING!
The presentation was made by the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Services and Staffordshire Road Traffic Police, plus the victim support unit and private individuals.
It included real videos and still photographs of real people being cut from the carnage of various road traffic accidents. Real people! Real sometime very dead people!
The presentation was shocking and was meant to shock!
Presentations were also given by real victims of accidents. Not videos, real speakers!!! This you will agree takes a lot of courage in itself!
A mother who had lost her son and husband in a road traffic accident.
A fire officer who had lost a good friend in a road traffic accident
A brother who held is brother as he died in his arms after a road traffic accident.
A victim support officer who had to tell a young mother that her husband who had just popped out to buy a bottle of milk from the local shop would not be coming back!
A fireman who had to tell a mother in hospital that they there was not enough left of her 6 month old baby to identify after a road traffic accident.
All very graphic and very true stories!
As well as the victim’s perspective, the presentations also told the story of the horrendous guilt some people feel even when accidents are not their fault. How would you feel if you killed a child even if it was them who stepped out into the road in front of you? How would you feel towards the car driver if this was your child or wife /husband/loved one who had been killed?
The Staffordshire police officer also explained what would happen to you if you were involved in a road traffic accident where someone had died, even if it was probably not your fault! Remember that until the investigation has established otherwise, any death is treated as an unlawful killing!
You would still be:-
Breath tested (if positive you would get at least 3 years in prison).
Arrested and taken to the police station.
Finger printed, photographed, DNA sample taken.
You can be held for 4 days and questioned without charge whilst investigations are taking place.
Remember—Someone has died and won’t be going home to their family!
You will probably start to feel guilty and question your part in the incident even if you are innocent. Panic may set in.
We were also told about the knock on affect of fatal road accidents on other people’s lives. Mothers, Fathers, sons, daughters, children who will never see their parents again and parents that have lost children.
The family stability and comfort destroyed.
We watched a very moving video presentation from a young student in prison. He had accepted a lift by a drunken "mate". They had gone on to kill a pedestrian and both had received a jail sentence. (He had aided and abetted!). As well as killing an innocent pedestrian, this thoughtless act has also ruined the future of a potential bright young student who had received a seven year jail. He will now not complete his education and have a criminal record for the rest of his life!
We were shown what happens to a corpse when it is taken to a mortuary and how the victim’s next of kin are asked to identify the body! Real
photographs! Real people!
LASTLY.
Please be aware that as of April 2008, if you are driving a company vehicle or company hire car, even outside working hours on your way home from site for example, and you are responsible for a road traffic death, then the company can (and no doubt will as they have the money to pay), be prosecuted under civil law. Which can carry an unlimited fine and imprisonment not only for the driver but "others" in the company who may be found "responsible"?
I again apologise for the length of this e-mail which originally I planned to make brief and to the point. But I make no apologies for the content.
This presentation is something that in my opinion all company car drivers and staff who frequently travel using hire cars on company business should see!
Remember as you all drive home this weekend
Wear your seat belt
Switch off your mobile phone (don’t even use your hands free kit!) Don’t try and read text messages whilst driving.
Reduce your speed.
Keep a safe distance.
Inspect the condition of your vehicle and especially tyres and brakes regularly.
Note the weather conditions and drive accordingly.
Take regular breaks if tired. Tiredness kills.
This presentation is something I will certainly not forget in a hurry!
Drive carefully and enjoy your weekend.
Regards.
Harry <snip>.
<snip> Site Works Manager.
Con Land Project <snip>
Tel <snip>
PS. <snip>
Final thought.
If you are a passenger in a speeding car, instead of asking the driver to slow down as "show offs" often simply speed up instead! tell them
you feel sick. No one wants sick in their nice clean car!
"I know the below is quite a lengthy message but please all read and think!
I wrote this message this evening in my own time as I feel it is very important and would like to share this information with you all.
Earlier today, I attended the contractor’s monthly Safety Forum Meeting. Usually these meetings take the format of various <snip> based safety presentations.
Today’s was very different!!!!!
This presentation was aimed at Contractors who by nature often work away from home and travel weekly to site to work at <snip> or elsewhere. (However all car drivers please take note)!
I sat through the most horrific, shocking, traumatising, upsetting and emotional 2 hour presentation I have ever had the pleasure of attending.
I do not say the above lightly and these words are a credit to the presenters!
The main topic of the meeting was driving and road traffic accidents (or incidents as they are now called as there is usually a reason for an
"accident")
IT IS RECOGNISED THAT ONE OF THE MOST DANGEROUS ACTIVITES WE ALL DO, EVEN WORKING IN THE NUCLEAR INDUSTRY, IS DRIVING!
The presentation was made by the Staffordshire Fire and Rescue Services and Staffordshire Road Traffic Police, plus the victim support unit and private individuals.
It included real videos and still photographs of real people being cut from the carnage of various road traffic accidents. Real people! Real sometime very dead people!
The presentation was shocking and was meant to shock!
Presentations were also given by real victims of accidents. Not videos, real speakers!!! This you will agree takes a lot of courage in itself!
A mother who had lost her son and husband in a road traffic accident.
A fire officer who had lost a good friend in a road traffic accident
A brother who held is brother as he died in his arms after a road traffic accident.
A victim support officer who had to tell a young mother that her husband who had just popped out to buy a bottle of milk from the local shop would not be coming back!
A fireman who had to tell a mother in hospital that they there was not enough left of her 6 month old baby to identify after a road traffic accident.
All very graphic and very true stories!
As well as the victim’s perspective, the presentations also told the story of the horrendous guilt some people feel even when accidents are not their fault. How would you feel if you killed a child even if it was them who stepped out into the road in front of you? How would you feel towards the car driver if this was your child or wife /husband/loved one who had been killed?
The Staffordshire police officer also explained what would happen to you if you were involved in a road traffic accident where someone had died, even if it was probably not your fault! Remember that until the investigation has established otherwise, any death is treated as an unlawful killing!
You would still be:-
Breath tested (if positive you would get at least 3 years in prison).
Arrested and taken to the police station.
Finger printed, photographed, DNA sample taken.
You can be held for 4 days and questioned without charge whilst investigations are taking place.
Remember—Someone has died and won’t be going home to their family!
You will probably start to feel guilty and question your part in the incident even if you are innocent. Panic may set in.
We were also told about the knock on affect of fatal road accidents on other people’s lives. Mothers, Fathers, sons, daughters, children who will never see their parents again and parents that have lost children.
The family stability and comfort destroyed.
We watched a very moving video presentation from a young student in prison. He had accepted a lift by a drunken "mate". They had gone on to kill a pedestrian and both had received a jail sentence. (He had aided and abetted!). As well as killing an innocent pedestrian, this thoughtless act has also ruined the future of a potential bright young student who had received a seven year jail. He will now not complete his education and have a criminal record for the rest of his life!
We were shown what happens to a corpse when it is taken to a mortuary and how the victim’s next of kin are asked to identify the body! Real
photographs! Real people!
LASTLY.
Please be aware that as of April 2008, if you are driving a company vehicle or company hire car, even outside working hours on your way home from site for example, and you are responsible for a road traffic death, then the company can (and no doubt will as they have the money to pay), be prosecuted under civil law. Which can carry an unlimited fine and imprisonment not only for the driver but "others" in the company who may be found "responsible"?
I again apologise for the length of this e-mail which originally I planned to make brief and to the point. But I make no apologies for the content.
This presentation is something that in my opinion all company car drivers and staff who frequently travel using hire cars on company business should see!
Remember as you all drive home this weekend
Wear your seat belt
Switch off your mobile phone (don’t even use your hands free kit!) Don’t try and read text messages whilst driving.
Reduce your speed.
Keep a safe distance.
Inspect the condition of your vehicle and especially tyres and brakes regularly.
Note the weather conditions and drive accordingly.
Take regular breaks if tired. Tiredness kills.
This presentation is something I will certainly not forget in a hurry!
Drive carefully and enjoy your weekend.
Regards.
Harry <snip>.
<snip> Site Works Manager.
Con Land Project <snip>
Tel <snip>
PS. <snip>
Final thought.
If you are a passenger in a speeding car, instead of asking the driver to slow down as "show offs" often simply speed up instead! tell them
you feel sick. No one wants sick in their nice clean car!