Make it your job to assess personal risks

These are the headlines and comments which all too frequently follow an accident when serious injury or fatalities are involved.

What all accidents have in common is that they are avoidable, which makes it even more desirable to find someone to blame. Will the finger of blame be pointed at you?

I worried about that the other week when the window cleaner came to the office. He looked grand in his harness. It was a shame he tried to go out onto the ledge without attaching the harness to the arrest point. I told him that although it was his choice to risk his life, if he did kill himself, it would be me that was blamed. He had two choices, attach the harness or go away.

The Corporate Manslaughter Bill received Royal Assent last month and I hope you are all thinking about how it will affect you. Perhaps you don’t think it will affect you. Perhaps you will see how it goes before taking it seriously. Waiting until someone goes to jail may be too late if that someone is you. A few careless MDs banged up will be good sport for the media.

As a construction professional you owe it to yourself and those for whom you have responsibility to keep on top of your professional development.

The only way to achieve this is by reflecting on one’s future needs, identifying what will be important then sourcing the development, followed by another period of reflection to decide whether the needs have been satisfied.

What is clear from this is that the professional is responsible for their own development. I am sorry to say I have come across a number of people who display a lamentable attitude to their own development.

The reason why professional bodies follow up on CPD is to assure themselves that the standards in the profession are being maintained. If someone wants to cheat well, in reality they are only cheating themselves.

This may not be a problem until the day in court when you are trying to defend your action (or inaction) with your credibility on the line. Will you have written evidence that you took all reasonable steps to equip yourself with the skills and knowledge you needed?

I believe the modern-day approach to CPD through personal professional development could save the day. The old way is to knock out a few hours relevant or not, collect a couple of certificates and hope that one can get by.

I know whose chances I would fancy before a judge and jury.