ignorance

felix

As a builder working for a large construction company I have to attend a site induction on the first day on any new job which explains the health & safety rules which are the same on each job ,anyway when he got to the bit about
"is anybody taking any prescription drugs or has any illness to report"
I replied iv got OA the project manager replied " oh we all have that I mean a proper illness like diabetes" .

barbara12

Ek felix
This is taking ignorace to another level, mind you I remember when I used to hear people say I have arthritis in such and such, and I didnt think twice about it, till I was diagnosed.
it is so hard to take when people come up with statements like this especially at work, theres isn't much we can say back because it makes us look like wimps, just hope the boss doesn't get it then you dont have to listen to him moan.. :roll:

LignumVitae

Ignorance is bliss, lucky project manager being uninitiated in the joys of arthritis as opposed to aches and pains...I'm left wondering what the standards are to qualify something as a real illness on a building site though.

dreamdaisy

That's the problem with OA in a nutshell - it is so common that it is not regarded as being something which can badly affect one's life. Ignorance is bliss, yes? Maybe one day he'll find out what it's like . . . 8) DD

stickywicket

While agreeing with all that the others have written, I'm wondering about the purpose of this question if it is invariably asked. Might it be to determine who could be a danger to others by eg losing consciousness? It just seems odd. Either he insults you by dismissing OA as of no great import or he singles out for identification people with diabetes etc.

felix

exactly he wants to know who is a diabetic because if they collapse they could fall from height or fall beneath a tracked machine it could cause death land him in a lot of trouble with the HSE & cost time & money
OA if I keep my mouth shut nobody knows im in pain when I was first diagnosed I was kept off work for three months by the company when I eventually got back I was given the job of building the coping stones on top of a completed wall they weighed over a 100 kilos each the limit for an individual to lift if twisting is 23 kilos ie a concrete wall block
because of its weight I got mechanical help & a labourer the next site was sandstone copings weighing in at over 70 kilos this time because of their position two of us had to manually lift them into position this "test of strength" seems to happen on a regular basis but it cant go on for much longer.

stickywicket

You work in a very tough, macho sector, felix, and it's to your credit that you cope.

I guess any disease that is likely to impact on others is considered OK to mention whereas any (such as arthritis) which is considered to "only" affect the sufferer, isn't worthy of note - to those who don't have it. But one day they might realise, to their cost.

dreamdaisy

Without doubt this is a difficult situation for you. Many on here wish to continue working (and quite a few do) but I think it's true that employers do not 'rate' arthritis as a proper medical condition compared to the score they award conditions such as diabetes etc., for the very good reason (being the Devil's advocate) that they could find themselves at the wrong end of a legal process.

The problem with OA is that it is so widespread (there are around eight to ten million affected people in the UK) but because it is associated with the elderly many think they know what it means. They don't. Any form of arthritis not only affects the one who has it, it affects everyone involved in that person's life, be they family, friend or employer. DD

felix

Thanks for listening to my rant just had to get it off my chest

stickywicket

I'm not surprised, felix. It's a tough life for you. Anytime you have something to get off your chest you know where to come