Gardening help

Plus she gets to learn ‘proper Norfolk’ speak !

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Despite being born and bred in Norfolk Peter my boarding school took away any noticeable trace of a local accent although some words I use leave her bemused.

This seems to be endemic in the country! Hardly a week goes by (a slight exaggeration only) when we don’t see someone on a farm or even in their gardens suffering quite serious injuries. None of them seem to have any safety concerns whatsover.
Our neighbour had a regular gardener and he used to horrify us by skipping along a narrow brick wall, in the rain with a power hedgecutter trimming the long hedge. Mind you he has now retired at just 60 years old - ‘because of all his injuries’ (his words not mine).
Our neighbour on the other side is doing a massive renovation, and watching the guys replacing the roof was astonishing- no scaffolding (the incline of the land was too sharp at 1 in 10), and they too were just galloping over the roof in rain, and even ice and snow on one occasion. One slip would have meant a 10m drop!
Another guy fell out of a tree whilst cutting off branches, I didn’t ask if he was on one at the time, but it wouldn’t have surprised me.

We have three trees to be taken back in height which they won’t do until later this year, and one who quoted emphasised that he carried insurance whereas many don’t. In the event of an accident apparently it is the owner of the property who carries the burden of any financial injuries incurred - even by dangerous practises of the ‘professionals’. Not sure if this is true or not, and we do have a general ‘visitor’ insurance in our standard house policy.

One of those things we don’t think about when we hire someone to do work around the place isn’t it? Has anyone got more information on this?

Our neighbour lost his brother when a ladder slipped and he came crashing down onto concrete and received such terrible head injuries that they took him off life support.
The neighbour on the other side has recently had to call the Pompiers and the emergency doctor because he hit his foot with an axe and lost a lot of blood.

This thread has gone ‘off-piste’ as so many do, but I’ll join in anyway.
Many in the UK complain about Health & Safety but, aren’t some of the mentions above what H&S was introduced for?
That damned EU again and often ignored everywhere except in the UK.

I spent 20 plus years working in the construction industry in the UK and a further 10 years here and am always shocked at the risks people take in France however I’ll also freely admit that I’ve done some crazy things in the name of ‘getting the job done’. There must be a similar body to the HSE here but driving about and seeing guys on roofs with no scaffolding and not wearing harnesses etc tells me their staff must never leave the office.

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Health & Safety? In France?

Our elderly neighbour (92 years old) has built a woodcutting machine from parts he had around his farm. An electric motor attached by pulley to a 18” circular saw blade on an upright frame, which he pushes through the timber by hand with the blade spinning inches from his chest. The extension lead to the motor has several repairs and joints and is used in rain or shine. Absolutely terrifying and the most dangerous thing you have ever seen.

We also have seen the roofers repairing or replacing tiles with no harnesses or scaffolding. Just an ultra-long ladder and the mountain-goat it across the tiles. Madness.

I was born and bred in the Gt Yarmouth area but accent there and in Narwich and especially Kings Lynn and around Diss etc are very different ! As for the foreigners in Lowsstoft…

Off topic (as usual), do you know the last Norwich City player to play a full international for England ?

John Ruddy.

Too easy !!

I seem to recall the player before him was way back with Mark Barham who played v the USA .

Try Robert Green.:wink:

You’re also missing two other players who played for England after Barham.

Blast yes Rob Green, forgot about him !!

No idea about the others but had to look them up. Yes, my memory is shocking …

City have had some cracking keepers over the years.

Despite being a small club they have actually had quite a few international players with the 70’s/80’s being the peak period.

Exactly, without looking it up I can recall watching Joe Royle, Mick Channon, Martin Peters, Martin Chivers, Ted McDougall, Peter Osgood (one of the best strikers I ever saw) , Trevor Hockey and Martin O’Neill etc etc great days …

But what were they like at gardening ? :rofl::rofl::innocent:

Apparently unrivalled

Brilliant !