health and safety laws

[penny in the vendee]

We went to the Puy du Fou, in the Vendee last night and our tickets only allowed us to sit on the steps that were the access routes to the seating. I know that this wouldn't be allowed in England, but here? The tickets were all the same price, whether seated or on the steps. The price was queried at the time of booking but our friend was told that there was no reduction because, if the steps were cheaper, everyone would wait until the last minute to book! Surely there is a big safety issue here?

[sid]

There may be health and safety laws here in France but I've never heard of them! [blink]

The French seem to take a more commonsense view to such matters.... if you trip and hurt yourself, serves you right for not watching where you walk! I'm sure it's not really this simple, but it is refreshing after seeing all the 'litigation culture' on UK TV these days; "Had an accident?..... It must be someone else's fault and we can help you sue them!" [:-))]

Sid

[Just Katie]

The building sites here are great. They wear just shorts and trainers, no sunscreen.  They work on untied ladders ALONE and are happy to use untied access to scaffolding. I have never seen anyone use eyeprotection when needed and waste material is slung anywhere and everywhere.  Health and safety certainly exists, they make surprise visits and will close them down, but who cares?  This is France [:D] 

[allanb]

I have been told - although I don't have any personal experience of this - that a certain amount of enforcement takes place through the operation of the health service.  It is said that if you turn up at a hospital with an injury you will be asked how it happened, and if it happened as a result of an activity in which you ought to have been insured, whoever ought to have arranged the insurance can be in trouble.

Of course, you could lie, and if it was something trivial they might not bother to ask. But I would be interested to know if anyone knows of an actual case.

[Chancer]

It is the very first thing you are asked in an ambulance assuming that you are conscious "was it an accident de travail" and this will be repeated many times during your admission and treatment. The financial benefit to the government is to push the medical costs onto the person responsible or their insurers.

Doing work on your own house no matter how major is OK but you still have to be convincing and consistent. I speak from (painfull[:)])experience.

I would now think twice about even asking someone to lend a hand as if they have an accident, even through their own stupidity you as the "employer/householder" are held liable, OK they could stick to your pre-arranged story but it is difficult to face interrogation when in considerable pain or worse they may have to be recovered from the accident scene which will tell its own story.

In the case above your house assurance is unlikely to indemnify you unless you have paid for assurance benevoles which is surprisingly difficult too find and expensive, one of the best ways is to join a French self-build association.

 

[Val_2]

There is health and safety checks and enforcement here in the building trades but mostly on public works involving several artisans doing different trades at once and we have been inspected a few times doing this work by APAVE locally who make surprise visits and then fax you any problems they may have to be sorted out within a designated time.You can be fined for not complying. Private work is not regulated but accidents are investigated and the artisan or boss if employees are hurt are then taken to court etc.