Before we begin beehive installations with our clients we like to carry out health and safety checks.
Health and Safety officers, particularly those working for large organisations are extremely cautious people by profession and often by nature.
That’s why when we received this lovely blog from Kellogg’s safety advisor Heather Gaskell, we thought it would be appropriate to share it:
I’ve been safety advisor at the Kellogg Manchester Plant for nearly 3 years.
So instinctively you would think I would have been slightly twitchy about the thought of bees on site. It would almost be so easy to say no, were not having them its not worth the risk!
Possibly a part of me did think that, however when the opportunity arose to go and look at them closely and inside the hives I jumped at the chance. Surprising as even the thought of a money spider within ten feet of me would usually be enough to make me sweat!
I’ve always been very passionate about gardening and flowers and bees being a big part of this means I’ve always had a vague interest in them. I wasn’t really sure what to expect when I got geared up in the bee suit to go and look inside the hives.
It wasn’t what I thought anyway! The bees didn’t care about me being around. They just busily carried on doing what they do. The gentle hum of the bees was actually very calming and put me at ease.
I think my view now is that the fear of bees is fairly irrational. It surprised me how much I enjoyed the experience.
I would urge others to get involved in any way they can with bees, they are beautiful creatures that do nothing but good! I think businesses can be put off by the health and safety aspect of keeping bees but really there is not a lot to it! A simple risk assessment, PPE and basic training is all you need. Keeping them also has the added reward of a pot of honey. It’s a win win situation! I’m definitely a true bee convert!
Heather Gaskell
