Team Work Makes the Dream work

How many times have you screamed at the TV when watching football (other sports are available) ‘just pass the ball’ or ‘he’s open, what are you doing you ***!’? Seemingly these overpaid footballers are more content to show off their so-called solo fancy footwork than actually work as a team. Team work is key in so many situations from the seemless (just about) prepping, cooking, serving up, clearing away of the ten course-5 hour Christmas dinner to orchestrating a family weekend jam-packed with the three kids parties, a family bbq at the in-laws, little Jimmy’s football tournament and don’t forget to walk the dog. In these situations, everyone has a role to play to ensure everything goes to plan or just about anyway (Little Jimmy getting stung by a wasp at the in-laws bbq and Grandad dropping the brussel sprouts at Christmas can’t be helped can it!!) This week’s Toolbox Talk summarises the CDM regulations which have a huge emphasis on team work to ensure a project runs smoothly and safely.

Have you broken the law?

We all think ourselves as law abiding citizens don’t we? But did you know the average Brit commits 32 offences per year and the majority of the time we have no idea that we’re breaking the law. Among the bizarre laws that may have turned into a minor criminal include singing Happy Birthday in a restaurant. You never see the famous birthday song being sung in films or on the TV and that’s because the rights to the song were purchased by Warner/Chappell for £16million in the 80s so performing this song in public could incur a huge copyright fee! So next time the family whip out the cake in the restaurant, much to your embarrassment, remind them they’re actually breaking the law. Now we’re entitled to our lazy Sundays since law states that hoovering on a Sunday, after 1pm on a Saturday and after 8pm on a weekday would be classed as a nuisance neighbour and you could be classed as breaking the law so next time the other half asks you to whizz the Dyson round at the weekend, remind them you’re actually breaking the law. And how about this law: according to a 1872 law, it is illegal for a landlord/lady to allow drunkenness in their pub…hmmm, I’m not sure I can say I’m totally law-abiding on that one. So along with beeping the horn at that car that cut you up, playing knock down ginger as a child and using some one else’s WiFi without them knowing, we’re not quite the squeaky-clean citizen we thought! This week’s Toolbox Talk is all about your legal duties as an employer and employee so at least we can make sure we’re a little more angelic at work when it comes to the law.