This Will Sink Without Trace

[Two_Sheds]

This explosion could have had a direct impact on my life, my brother's life, and a fair few others. The company involved (and others) regularly cut corners in order to reduce costs and increase profits. I hear story after story of corners cut, repairs not done, working hours not adhered to.

This is without the regular downings of helicopters in the industry:

The attitude is "if you can get away with it, why not?". The pursuit of profit by shareholders is more important than the lives of the workers

We are all complicit in this, by not complaining. i want cheap fuel, cheap central heating, cheap petrol.

If we allow private companies to operate with the modus operandi " profit comes first " - after all, they pay our pensions, so who are we to complain?

Should we wake up? Or should we just accept that we are pawns in the overarching, more important game of consumption/profit/excess?

Am I talking c**p, should I just crawl back under the stone from whence I came?

[rustylady]

Am I talking c**p, should I just crawl back under the stone from whence I came?

No, you're not talking crap and stay out from under your stone and get on your soap box.

[Two_Sheds]

I've been reliably informed that this fine is not even a slap on a proverbial wrist: it's less than small change

[rustylady]

I've been reliably informed that this fine is not even a slap on a proverbial wrist: it's less than small change

You're right, the profits they make cover stuff like this easily.

[mothhawk]

Big business doen't care - workers are expendable.

Fifth preventable death at Biffa's waste dumps brings £60,000 fine - Investigations

[taff]

s

We are all complicit in this, by not complaining. i want cheap fuel, cheap central heating, cheap petrol.

No, we're not, because we canhave those things cheap, but companies would prefer to make a huge profit rather than a modest profit. Greed, big business, and what big business does with it's power is the problem. Monsanto.....says it all.

[FROSTYFRECKLE]

I was going to add that £1.2m isn't even spare change to the likes of Shell. When accidents like this happen the CEO should face criminal charges and prison sentences (not a fine). If you want the dosh and benefits of being a CEO you should also have the backbone to accept the ultimate responsibility when something goes seriously wrong.

[Potstubsdustbins]

Some jobs are more inherently dangerous than others and accidents can and do happen that is the way of life.

However this was not an accident it was negligence pure and simple. The lower explosive limit for natural gas is quite small 20% in atmosphere, so any escape is very serious.

Will the big wigs get what they deserve NO, they and our political master pee in the same pot.

Colin

[Germinater]

Most company's are the same there Is no respect for employes and the jobs they do gone are the days when businesses looked after there work forces and you would stay for life..most company's know about serious problems within there business and are happy to ignore it until something happens ..and if an employe reports this to the h&s they know there job will be at risk and the most Likely out come will be a tap on the wrist and asked to fix it .instead of serious action being taken against the owners or boards .makes me sick!!!rant rant rant !!!some of these ppl have so much Money they will never spend it all so why the obsession with amazing as much of it as possible other than status ..and that I'd not worth someone's life and a family's greaf .

[HeyWayne]

If you'd rather get a little higher than a soapbox you can happily sit on my shoulders.

For years I have taken a bit of a dislike to the "rip off Britain" slogan oft banded about. We all want things to be really really cheap, but whatever we do we want to get paid the most for it. I'm no economist, but that's just not sustainable - somewhere, somehow something has to give. Chances are companies aren't going to risk their profits - it is after all, profits that grow businesses.

Look at merging economies - Indian for a long time was the Mecca for customer service operations, and companies flocked to move their services out there. It didn't take long for India & it's inhabitants to realise that their salaries were vastly different from ours, and so the costs began to rise. Companies started to exit their departments and then market them as "UK only call centres" to make it appear they were being altruistic, and customer focused.

Manufacturing in China has been similar - costs of goods are rising steadily and the lure of manufacturing in China is starting to wane. The Chinese don't want cheaply made goods, they want aspirational brands and will pay for them to "show off" their wealth. Hence they now have a bit of a supply issue.

*this post contains several generalisations, and simplifications but remains the thoughts and opinions of HeyWayne Inc.

[Germinater]

Yes I agree with some points made but we are talking about multi international companys were the profits vastly out strip the money that is spent on improving any maintaining the brand as a whole .where does that left over go to.it goes to CEO,s and share holders making another billion in there back account...

[beefy]

This explosion could have had a direct impact on my life, my brother's life, and a fair few others. The company involved (and others) regularly cut corners in order to reduce costs and increase profits. I hear story after story of corners cut, repairs not done, working hours not adhered to.

Be thankful that it didn't affect you and yours.

This is without the regular downings of helicopters in the industry:

Its mechanical - it will give problems - maintenance no matter how good can't cover all eventualities.

The attitude is "if you can get away with it, why not?". The pursuit of profit by shareholders is more important than the lives of the workers

We are all complicit in this, by not complaining. i want cheap fuel, cheap central heating, cheap petrol.

Companies are now so scared to put up prices now that they are starting to reduce the size of the item your buying to try and maintain a profit. I've seen contracts worth £100,000+ won and lost on a difference of £50 with no regard to the level of experience and level of service given .

If we allow private companies to operate with the modus operandi " profit comes first " - after all, they pay our pensions, so who are we to complain?

Should we wake up? Or should we just accept that we are pawns in the overarching, more important game of consumption/profit/excess?

Am I talking c**p, should I just crawl back under the stone from whence I came?

Well the alternative is to nationalize everything just like the Russians did - that to be brutally honest didn't really work out for them did it ? To survive companies have to make money - that is important but not at the expense of health and safety for the employees of that company. Thats why we have the HSE (Health and Safety Executive) all the various compulsory and voluntary training schemes that are out there.
I work 2 totally different jobs - Monday - Friday as a groundsman in a government job where to be honest the organization and work ethic leave one hell of a lot to be desired. I've made countless suggestions about different things that would help us keep or at the very least help secure our jobs but all we ever get is - " Thats not how it is done round here " Money is wasted on machinery that is either not needed or totally useless for the job we need it for .As a quick example they have been running around for a year trying to get a lawnmower that will cut steep slopes safely - men have been hurt - but the proper machinery is to expensive. We are going on a training course soon to train us how to climb a ladder safely - something I've never had to do in this job since I started 5 years ago at a cost of £700 / man for 20 men - go figure .
Most weekends I drive an HGV to a man who has invested everything he has into his business . The trucks are worked to their full capacity and he is always on the lookout for new business or ways to cut costs . The money he makes isn't just for his own pocket - the drivers will receive extra when good fuel consumption figures are achieved / - you know that if you work hard and help him to achieve what he wants you will be rewarded as well - in other words everyone wins.

[Newton]

Beefy for prime minister. You talk a lot of sense from an employee perspective with an appreciation for what is needed to make a company successful. I wish you worked for me.

[Hilary B]

It's largely a matter of scale. Small organisation have the personal touch, large ones just can't, and that is where it all goes wrong. Big business depends on investors, who will take their money elsewhere if the returns are not good enough. It's a no-win situation for all concerned, and the name of the dragon is Globalisation!