Give me a medal
Sir: I note with interest Barry Humphries’s BT experience (Christmas notebook, 15–29 December). Our telephones failed recently and customer services instructed me over the phone how to test the external link and ascertain that the problem was outside, and thus a BT financial responsibility. The engineer arrived, looked at where the overhead wire entered the house above the lean-to and stated that the ladder angle was too shallow and he would have to summon help from an additional engineer. I said, ‘Stand on the lean-to roof then.’ ‘Can’t do that — health & safety — more than my job’s worth ... etc.’ ‘Well you hold the ladder while I go up and you tell me what to do.’ ‘OK.’ [Amazing initiative!] So up I up went with his pliers and testing kit and, under his instructions, cut, tested and refixed the wires. This showed that the problem was up the adjoining pole, which regulations allowed him to climb and fix. I am 65 and suffer from tunnel vision, so may I have a George Medal for ‘Bravery in the face of Health and Safety’?
As the engineer then rewarded me with a free load of wire and other goodies for improving the internal lines, please keep my name and address a secret.
Anonymous
Wales
Previous page
