17 replies to this topic

[fruitbat]

Quote

Spitfire pilot banned from sitting in cockpit by health and safety rules
He risked his life fighting the Luftwaffe but now RAF fighter ace Eric Carter has finally been shot down – by health and safety bosses.

http://www.metro.co....nd-safety-rules

His comment here sums it up nicely,

Quote

‘I just wish the Luftwaffe had been so caring.’

what a bunch of tools........

[Jabo]

Guy I was installing BB for told me about this this afternoon - tools would be right Kev.

Jabo

[Zooly]

Apparently this was more to do with the fact that the Spitfire had no seat installed and would therefore be potentially hazardous, when the seat is installed they have invited him to go back and sit in the cockpit.

[Jabo]

I dunno, the article said no 'proper' seat, I wonder what their definition of 'proper' is.

And radium in paint? Hmm...Unless it's a glow-in-the-dark Spitty of course.

Jabo

[BluBear]

I believe radium is used on the instruments and is of serious enough concern to collectors and warbirds operators, extra paperwork etc due to health risks. Although, I can't see how this was an issue unless there was a damaged gauge in the cockpit?Also, as a Spitfire pilot sits on his 'chute, perhaps they deemed the bucket of the seat inadequate for a chap of his age without a cushion available?
Remember, don't believe everything the sensationalist rags say!

[fruitbat]

BluBear, on 10 January 2012 - 14:50 PM, said:

I believe radium is used on the instruments and is of serious enough concern to collectors and warbirds operators, extra paperwork etc due to health risks. Although, I can't see how this was an issue unless there was a damaged gauge in the cockpit?Also, as a Spitfire pilot sits on his 'chute, perhaps they deemed the bucket of the seat inadequate for a chap of his age without a cushion available?
Remember, don't believe everything the sensationalist rags say!

In this case there true, Although they have agreed to let him sit in it at  al later date, mainly one suspects due to all the negative press they've managed to generate for themselves, and someone up the chain having a red face.

As to the radium, its in the dials, can see the 'protective perspex' (lol) in this photo from the spit at manston,

[Jediteo]

If I can remember my physics properly, Radium is subject to alpha decay, which emits positively Helium particles (same as the nucleus of a He atom). Alpha radiation, while quite harmful, will be stopped by a sheet of paper. So unless you actually lick the dials or somehow ingest the radium, the likelyhood for anything exceeding the background radiation is exceedingly low.
And yes, Health and Safety rules have been taken a little bit too seriously.

[DD_Arthur]

I think the perspex in the Manston Spit and it's joke radiation hazard signs are to protect against thieving bastards equiped with screwdrivers.

[Friar]

Quote

If I can remember my physics properly, Radium is subject to alpha decay, which emits positively Helium particles (same as the nucleus of a He atom)..

Thats exactly what I was thinking Jeddi

[bongodriver]

DD_Arthur, on 10 January 2012 - 16:26 PM, said:

I think the perspex in the Manston Spit and it's joke radiation hazard signs are to protect against thieving bastards equiped with screwdrivers.

Haha!......you know Thanet quite well then.

[fruitbat]

bongodriver, on 11 January 2012 - 07:43 AM, said:

DD_Arthur, on 10 January 2012 - 16:26 PM, said:

I think the perspex in the Manston Spit and it's joke radiation hazard signs are to protect against thieving bastards equiped with screwdrivers.

Haha!......you know Thanet quite well then.

Oi, Dover boy........ thats where i live, lol.

[bongodriver]

fruitbat, on 11 January 2012 - 09:37 AM, said:

bongodriver, on 11 January 2012 - 07:43 AM, said:

DD_Arthur, on 10 January 2012 - 16:26 PM, said:

I think the perspex in the Manston Spit and it's joke radiation hazard signs are to protect against thieving bastards equiped with screwdrivers.

Haha!......you know Thanet quite well then.

Oi, Dover boy........ thats where i live, lol.

Oi.....shut it or you'll get a Dover six fingered slapping

[Mayhem]

DD_Arthur, on 10 January 2012 - 16:26 PM, said:

I think the perspex in the Manston Spit and it's joke radiation hazard signs are to protect against thieving bastards equiped with screwdrivers.

My thoughts exactly when I first saw it. More to protect the gauges from the public then the public from the gauges. Those cute little radiation stickers are just the icing on the cake. Might as well been a beware of dog sign.

They used to use radium on watch faces to make them glow in the dark. I remember seeing one of these watches in the American history museum in Washington D.C. The workers, women now know as the "Radium Girls", who painted these watches were assured there was no threat to their health even though the U.S. Radium Corporation was fully aware of the risks. Apparently when the women started dying the company claimed  syphilis was often the cause in attempts to "smear the reputations of the women". Greedy Bastards.
http://en.wikipedia....ki/Radium_Girls

[Jabo]

Jediteo, on 10 January 2012 - 15:50 PM, said:

positively Helium particles

I'm glad they're positively Helium particles. Those possibly Helium particles are right little buggers.

[BadAim]

I bet the geezer could have taken all those pencil necked turds. I'd have laughed if he'd kicked all their asses and took their shirts away from them to make a nice comfy cushion. Would've served 'em right, but I guess that would be no way for a proper English gentleman to behave.

[Jediteo]

Jabo, on 11 January 2012 - 14:06 PM, said:

Jediteo, on 10 January 2012 - 15:50 PM, said:

positively Helium particles

I'm glad they're positively Helium particles. Those possibly Helium particles are right little buggers.

Positively charged particles, typo.

[T_O_A_D]

What a bunch of bull, think of the hours those very guages stared him in the face when he was a young man, and now he's 90 not much of a threat I'd say.

It must of been the seat, if not then, some snot nose twit that has no understanding other than the drivel poured into his brain at school. Made the decision of the radiation dangers in the "Green Earth" mentality we have now days.

[BluBear]

Just to reinforce my comment about the press sensationalising things, the following link should explain the situation more clearly as there photos.I don't think I'd want to climb around a Spitfire that's in the middle of restoration with an empty cockpit area. Personally I think the museum did the right thing.Click here

Remember there are two sides to every story and the truth is usually somewhere in between.