Quote Originally Posted by Fellhound View Post
Lecky seems to think that the way to address the current issues is to get onto the committee and “sell” the alternative to the FRA. I have to remind everyone that I was on the committee and did try to GIVE the FRA a better way.

The problem is not AI’s long posts. The problem is that the FRA (by which I mean the current committee leadership) is so entrenched in its old-fashioned, out-moded and impractical approach to safety that is doesn’t want to listen to anyone who puts forward a different view.

As I’ve said before, you cannot achieve safety through rules. It’s achieved through planning: If an RO makes and delivers a proper plan, almost all rules are obsolete, unnecessary, not required.

What makes me think I'm right on this? I do it every day, professionally, and I demonstrate it to auditing bodies such as Lloyds Register, who see it as the leading edge of safety management. It’s not about industry or whether H&S legislation applies, it’s about sound safety practice which is applicable to ANY event or project.

The posting on the front page of the website about seeking advice is just so much propaganda. Advice has been offered and rejected months ago, last week, and numerous times in between. The aim is to appear open and receptive to new ideas simply by broadcasting that that is the case, when all the actions (which ought to speak louder than words) are demonstrating the opposite.
Well said Andy!

As I have previously stated my heightened interest in these matters started in November last year when I became aware that the FRA Chair had refused to allow Andy to present his proposals for management of safety at fell races to the committee at their meeting in early December. Andy is professionally employed as a safety manager and was then a member of the FRA committee. If he had been allowed to present his proposals the committee would have been free to accept or reject them. It is beyond my comprehension why anyone would want to refuse to even listen in this situation.

I was so surprised that I (and others) decided to attend the December committee meeting to hear what if anything was said about this refusal. In the event there was some discussion at which some spurious reasons for not listening to Andy were given or implied such as H&S legislation not being applicable and that safety management experience in industry not being relevant to fellrunning ............. What did not seem to be appreciated by some of the committee was that experience in the methodology of managing safety is equally applicable and transferable across the board!

So I'm afraid that Lecky's suggestion of getting on the committee to influence safety management seems to be a non-starter. We've already been there and have been ignored.