The everyday blog of Richard Bartle.
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6:48pm on Wednesday, 29th April, 2009:
Outburst
Yesterday, I spent some time dealing with an email that contained the following passage:
This is a reminder that you have to complete the online computer safety course and then complete the DSE self assessment form and return it to the safety office room 6.020 by 30 April 2009.
Basically, I had to sit at my computer answering a Moodle test about the health and safety aspects of sitting at my computer. I didn't read any of the documentation, I just answered the questions, and of course I passed. If I didn't know the health and safety aspects of sitting at a computer, I would have died of it a decade ago. Hmm, except the bit about using chairs with arms — I found that out when my shoulder froze on me...
The questions were posed using the kind of language a fair-but-firm teacher uses on 12-year-olds. Some of them rivalled GMTV's phone-in questions for difficulty. Here's one:
Which of the following does not cause work related upper limb disorder (WRULD)?
[ ] Rapid, repetitive actions
[ ] Breaking up computer work with some photocopying
[ ] Working on the DSE for long periods of time without breaks.
[ ] Prolonged static positions, particularly in uncomfortable or unnatural positions (i.e. positions which twist or stretch muscles).
Hmm, yes, I can really see how breaking up computer work with some photocopying could wreck your posture.
Some of the other questions were just bad. Take a look at these two:
When working at the computer you should work with the screen and keyboard:
[ ] positioned to the left or right of you
[ ] positioned squarely in front of you.
When working at the computer you should not work with the screen:
[ ] positioned to the left or right of you
[ ] positioned squarely in front of you.
Oh, did I say two questions? I meant one question, twice.
Worse, these are multi-choice with only two answers. You could put the same answer to both questions and you'd get one right. There are lots of other true/false questions, that you can get right half the time just by guessing. Guess what the pass mark is? Yes, that's right, it's 50%.
Thus do the mighty wheels of health and safety legislation grind us down...
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Copyright © 2009 Richard Bartle (richard@mud.co.uk).