Treachery and the teapot

If you think that your workplace suffers from some bureaucracy troubles and incompetence issues then you should thank your fate that you don't work in Hertfordshire. There in East Herts Council offices the decision was made to cut costs. As with many places cuts had to be made so after long deliberation they decided that this meant the end of the snack cart lady. At a paltry salary of 8000 quid a year (about 17,000 Canadian) her costs was too much for the company to bear. I'm sure their office runs so efficiently that they could possibly find other ways to save. Actually given the fallout since the cut I'm sure I could think of a few ways to streamline things, like hiring staff that can think.

Apparently the company has been forced to spend almost $500 on a consultant to teach these poor desk ridden folk how to safely make tea. After several workers found themselves injured as a result of the treacherous task of making teat it was determined that the safety of the staff was paramount. I never realized that making tea could be such a hazardous endeavor, but there it is. The company has seen many injuries including a burnt hand and a broken risk as a result of employees having to traverse their building's perilous stairs and doors with a cup of hot liquid. It was decided that the consultant would be brought in to show them how to be safe before the lawsuits began to start rolling in. The powers that be have determined that the hundreds were well spent as they could have been facing a court case in the thousands had someone been really injured.



I hear rumor that they will be training people on how to properly staple things together after their seminar on workplace safe pencil sharpening is complete. You've got to wonder how long it will be before they issue gloves to limit the devastating impact of paper cuts in the workplace. Actually I'm pretty concerned for our safety here at work now. We have no problems with the dangerous chemicals and forklifts, but we just got a new kettle. I think I'll put in for a transfer........it's only a matter of time before a life is lost.