Law On Working In Dark Conditions

[loulou111]

I have a new job, working as a cleaner in a cinema. It involves being on my knees cleaning under chairs. The floor is hard and the light is poor you can't see hardly. The space is cramps between Isles. They have not provided knee pads or touches. We have been told to buy our own!. Where do I stand legally on this?. It can't be right surely? I'm covered in bruises from lying on the hard floor to clean as my knees are killing me !

[stuey]

Newfie coal-miners have an open book of matches taped to the front of their hard-hat.

[Tilly2]

Stuey, that's cruel!

[stuey]

And that's when they're on the night-shift. On the day-shift, they close the book.

[tonyav]

Theres three here, stuey.
https://www.britsafe.org/sites/default/files//editor/Child_coal_miners_(1908)_crop.jpg

[stuey]

A terrible environment, both for the men and the animals.

[Tilly2]

Them's the good ol' days!

[Togo]

Been there done that. Holditch pit. The lamp on your hard hat was nothing, the battery strapped on your belt was a bstard, particularly when it was dead and you still had to carry it out. If you have not done it you wouldn't even think of it. Like your dear dad Tilly I came out of the mine every time, every shift, with a bruise or abrasion, or cut every time. The picture house is dangerous, ye gods.

[Tilly2]

I used to love going down to the pits to see the ponies when they came up for their holidays.

They were so happy! Going bonkers around the field!

I was a little one then. Today, I would cry. However, we no longer have the ponies or the miners.

[Mamyalynne]

To be fair the OP never mentioned 'dangerous' simply a polite enquiry re protective equipment.

Good luck with it Loulou.

[stuey]

Those strap on knee-pads are OK for occasional use; however, if you're wearing them for an entire shift they are sort of useless as the straps keep moving, and so do the pads. When I worked in construction, I bought a pair of work-pants with a pocket in each knee into which you would insert a knee-pad (with the straps cut off). So, when you knelt down the pads were always in the correct position, and when you were just walking around they didn't bother you or move.

[Togo]

//To be fair the OP never mentioned 'dangerous' simply a polite enquiry re protective equipment.//

We know mamy. But come on, the light is poor.... what in a cinema? Surely loulou wasn't expecting the crystal Palace. The floor is hard ? Never the floors in my home are made of marshmallow. The space between the aisles ( I think that was what was meant ) is cramped, sheesh. loulou does not want the job, why not just say no thanks and walk away.

[Togo]

stuey the knee pads we purchased, with weekly deductions from our wages, had leather straps and metal buckles that cut you to bits. Can I still sue them for all my hardships?

[Quizproquo]

I think Mamya was trying to steer this question back from the Chatterbank discussion it was becoming Togo. This is in Law after all and the OP is not down a pit.
If you are contracted loulou, read it through and check what the company is obliged to supply. If it doesn't say protective clothing will be provided you have to get them yourself.
On the plus side, each piece of safety equipment you own makes you eligible for a better choice of jobs, so there's a plus side.

[Mamyalynne]

I wish I hadn't bothered , let's just rip every question to pieces.

[stuey]

Metal buckles...Ouch! Whoever invented those knee-pocketed pants had a great idea. Quizproquo's last sentence is very true: The more job-related "stuff" that you have (even if you have to buy it) is a great plus.

[Maydup]

LouLou has two seperate issues here; safety and efficiency.

Working in the dark and kneeling on a hard floor could cause bumps and bruises and damage to the knees. However the risk assessment will say low risk and low outcome. Unless the issue is life threatening employers don't have much of an obligation to provide additional protection.

However, if they want happy and efficient staff they would provide hand held rechargeable vacuum cleaners with long flexible handles, and even mirrors attatched to see under the seats, unless they flip up which is unlikely these days. They would also have some floodlights,called working lights,for cleaning and maintenance. Again there is no obligation to provide that but the cleaning would be done in half the time and they would ulitmately save money on labour costs.

So no, unlikely to get any support from legislation but you might get their attention if you pose it as a staff suggestion for an efficiency and cost saving.

[Quizproquo]

Mamya please do bother. The OP wants an answer so as long we try to rpovide one, and you always do, it's all good :)

[TonyV]

Mama post gone of of original question again