F**cking Lightbulbs

[HTPostman]

When I received some addressed to me I took out my usual lightbulb, put the new energy saving one in and i'd have had more light from a candle. Back down into the basement they go along with the other 4 boxes (one for each member of the family)

[TrueBlueTerrier]

These energy saving bulbs do start off dim but they do brighten up eventually. I got mine from my old workplace as the sold them and they are still going strong, they take about 2 to 3 minutes to get to full brightness.

[dvbuk55]

These energy saving bulbs do start off dim but they do brighten up eventually. I got mine from my old workplace as the sold them and they are still going strong, they take about 2 to 3 minutes to get to full brightness.

Ah - someone else noticed it's like wee willy winkie for the first couple of minutes - I just hope it doesn't blow a bloody fuse when it goes, I installed a set of halogen lights when I did the kitchen last year and every time one of the bulbs goes it trips the fuse - it really is a pain.

[smudger54]

Its a wonder any of these bulb's work they come into our DC loose loaded in bags inside the trailer then a manager puts 4-5 agency on them to unload into RSC's where upon they are LAUNCHED from the trailer into them. We are receiving 2-3 44ft trailers per night of these things, each on traveling 400miles to us so how can it pay when you add

Spedley wrote:Just a quick calculation ...
1) there are roughly 20million homes in the uk,
2) going by my office = 5 boxes of bulbs per day per 400 delivery point walk.
3) following from that, I'd guess at leaving three P739s for light blubs each day.
4) I guess at average of 3/4 mile from delivery point to delivery office (1.5 miles there and back)

20,000,000 / 400 * 3 *1.5 = 225,000 miles travelled every day (mostly by car) just to collect crap that nobody asked for.
Now that is what I call green!

Also, assuming 50% walk to collect, that leaves 112,500 miles travelled and at 35mpg over a short journey you'd use 14,625 litres (112,500/35*4.55) and at 2.5Kg of CO2 per litre that makes 36,500 tonnes of CO2 every day just to collect lightbulbs.

[andy2007]

Its a wonder any of these bulb's work they come into our DC loose loaded in bags inside the trailer then a manager puts 4-5 agency on them to unload into RSC's where upon they are LAUNCHED from the trailer into them. We are receiving 2-3 44ft trailers per night of these things, each on traveling 400miles to us so how can it pay when you add

Spedley wrote:Just a quick calculation ...
1) there are roughly 20million homes in the uk,
2) going by my office = 5 boxes of bulbs per day per 400 delivery point walk.
3) following from that, I'd guess at leaving three P739s for light blubs each day.
4) I guess at average of 3/4 mile from delivery point to delivery office (1.5 miles there and back)

20,000,000 / 400 * 3 *1.5 = 225,000 miles travelled every day (mostly by car) just to collect crap that nobody asked for.
Now that is what I call green!

Also, assuming 50% walk to collect, that leaves 112,500 miles travelled and at 35mpg over a short journey you'd use 14,625 litres (112,500/35*4.55) and at 2.5Kg of CO2 per litre that makes 36,500 tonnes of CO2 every day just to collect lightbulbs.

That's terrible! Isn't there a Manager supervising them?
When they come into my RDC (min 4 loose loads per Shift), there is a Maager supervising the Agency. So they put them carefully into the Yorks. It takes a little longer, but at least they don't get damaged.

[anini]

i wonder why we haven't been warned about the health risks of these bulbs if they smash.
this is some of the data i found online.

Official advice from the Department of the Environment states that if a low-energy bulb is smashed, the room needs to be vacated for at least 15 minutes.
A vacuum cleaner should not be used to clear up the debris, and care should be taken not to inhale the dust.
Instead, rubber gloves should be used, and the broken bulb put into a sealed plastic bag - which should be taken to the local council for disposal.

i'll like to know what the cwu have to say about it too.

[Darren Bent]

I wonder if there are any post delivery person slipping with their wonderful royal mail magnum shoes and damaging light bulbs.

[andy2007]

i wonder why we haven't been warned about the health risks of these bulbs if they smash.
this is some of the data i found online.

Official advice from the Department of the Environment states that if a low-energy bulb is smashed, the room needs to be vacated for at least 15 minutes.
A vacuum cleaner should not be used to clear up the debris, and care should be taken not to inhale the dust.
Instead, rubber gloves should be used, and the broken bulb put into a sealed plastic bag - which should be taken to the local council for disposal.

i'll like to know what the cwu have to say about it too.

Here's a quote from an article about Mercury (aka Quicksilver): http://www.associatedcontent.com/articl ... rcury.html
Mercury is a slow killer. And, the method at which you are exposed to mercury plays a large roll in how much affect the poison will have. Although mercury can't be rapidly absorbed through the stomach or intestines it can be easily breathed and sent straight to the brain.

Although, the article points out that we are all exposed to low levels of Mercury every day. The fact is, that large amounts are incredibly dangerous. So although I have no problem with using Energy Saver Lightbulbs (I've used them since soon after they were launched). The thought of handling large numbers of them on a daily basis, is very worrying. Especially if they are being thrown around, as smudger54 described!

It also makes it worse, because initially the Mercury from a broken Engergy Saver, is in gaseous form. Which is why the Department of the Environment, advises you to leave the room for 15 Minutes. It's to give it time, to condense. Then it's safe, as it's hard to absorb Mercury through the Skin. The advice about not using a Vaccum Cleaner, is because droplets would be thrown into the air, creating the risk of inhilation. Which is by far the easiest way to get it into your system.

It might be worth pointing this out to anyone stupid enough to throw these bags around. Because they aren't just endangering themselves. But anyone else in the area.

[smudger54]

Its a wonder any of these bulb's work they come into our DC loose loaded in bags inside the trailer then a manager puts 4-5 agency on them to unload into RSC's where upon they are LAUNCHED from the trailer into them. We are receiving 2-3 44ft trailers per night of these things, each on traveling 400miles to us so how can it pay when you add

Spedley wrote:Just a quick calculation ...
1) there are roughly 20million homes in the uk,
2) going by my office = 5 boxes of bulbs per day per 400 delivery point walk.
3) following from that, I'd guess at leaving three P739s for light blubs each day.
4) I guess at average of 3/4 mile from delivery point to delivery office (1.5 miles there and back)

20,000,000 / 400 * 3 *1.5 = 225,000 miles travelled every day (mostly by car) just to collect crap that nobody asked for.
Now that is what I call green!

Also, assuming 50% walk to collect, that leaves 112,500 miles travelled and at 35mpg over a short journey you'd use 14,625 litres (112,500/35*4.55) and at 2.5Kg of CO2 per litre that makes 36,500 tonnes of CO2 every day just to collect lightbulbs.

That's terrible! Isn't there a Manager supervising them?
When they come into my RDC (min 4 loose loads per Shift), there is a Maager supervising the Agency. So they put them carefully into the Yorks. It takes a little longer, but at least they don't get damaged.

Andy, I agree but all the managers are interested in is getting them unloaded and into RSC's

[andy2007]

I've just found this article in the Virgin Media Tech News Section: http://latestnews.virginmedia.com/news/ ... ight_bulbs
Some energy-saving light bulbs emit ultraviolet radiation that could be harmful if placed too close to the skin.

New research has found that some unencapsulated fluorescent light bulbs - where the shape of the coil is clearly visible - emit UV radiation that could make the skin red if used for long periods of time closer than 30cms (one foot) to the body.

The Health Protection Agency (HPA) issued the warning to people who use a reading lamp or desk lamp close to their body and the tens of thousands of people suffering from medical conditions that make them sensitive to UV light.

People whose work involves close work with their hands under a light bulb, such as jewellery makers, could also be affected.

The HPA said people should not use the light bulb closer than 30cms to the body for more than one hour a day or should switch to an encapsulated style of energy saving light bulb, where the outer layer of glass looks more like a traditional bulb.

But it said families should not remove energy saving light bulbs from their homes, adding that there was no risk of skin cancer.

The agency's chief executive Justin McCracken said: "We are not saying these could cause cancer.

"At the exposure levels we are talking about the worst effect that we believe there is as result of our investigation is that people could have some short-time reddening of their skin.

"We do not believe that these lights pose any significant risk in terms of skin cancer. This is precautionary advice and people should not be thinking of removing these energy saving light bulbs from their homes.

"We are advising people to avoid using the open light bulbs for prolonged close work until the problem is sorted out and to use encapsulated bulbs instead. In other situations, where people are not very likely to be very close to the bulbs for any length of time, all types of compact fluorescent light bulbs are safe to use."

© The Press Association



Perhaps it wasn't the best idea to use the cheaper unencapsulated Energy Savers, after all. They should have used the encapsulated ones, like I use at Home. Although I do have some of the unencapsulated ones left, from before the better ones came on the market (but not many).

[pastyno1]

i had 200 plus this week, some council houses care or some crap, moaned to gaffer and they gave me the week to do them so fair play, still about 40 a day though which really is a pain in the arse :cfo

[Stormproof]

i wonder why we haven't been warned about the health risks of these bulbs if they smash.
this is some of the data i found online.

Official advice from the Department of the Environment states that if a low-energy bulb is smashed, the room needs to be vacated for at least 15 minutes.
A vacuum cleaner should not be used to clear up the debris, and care should be taken not to inhale the dust.
Instead, rubber gloves should be used, and the broken bulb put into a sealed plastic bag - which should be taken to the local council for disposal.

i'll like to know what the cwu have to say about it too.

Here's a quote from an article about Mercury (aka Quicksilver): http://www.associatedcontent.com/articl ... rcury.html
Mercury is a slow killer I guess thats another way of RM paying out even less pension. And, the method at which you are exposed to mercury plays a large roll in how much affect the poison will have. Although mercury can't be rapidly absorbed through the stomach or intestines it can be easily breathed and sent straight to the brainHave some of the managers been having this with their coffee? .[/b]

Although, the article points out that we are all exposed to low levels of Mercury every day. The fact is, that large amounts are incredibly dangerous. So although I have no problem with using Energy Saver Lightbulbs (I've used them since soon after they were launched). The thought of handling large numbers of them on a daily basis, is very worrying. Especially if they are being thrown around, as smudger54 described!

It also makes it worse, because initially the Mercury from a broken Engergy Saver, is in gaseous form. Which is why the Department of the Environment, advises you to leave the room for 15 Minutes. It's to give it time, to condense. Then it's safe, as it's hard to absorb Mercury through the Skin. The advice about not using a Vaccum Cleaner, is because droplets would be thrown into the air, creating the risk of inhilation. Which is by far the easiest way to get it into your system.

It might be worth pointing this out to anyone stupid enough to throw these bags around. Because they aren't just endangering themselves. But anyone else in the area.

[moggymoz]

i had 200 plus this week, some council houses care or some crap, moaned to gaffer and they gave me the week to do them so fair play, still about 40 a day though which really is a pain in the arse :cfo

40 a day , Now unless you take 20 pouches (you must have a bag drop every 20 houses or so) , coz I can't fit more than 2 in each bag. :lfo :cfo

[pastyno1]

i get a big big bag dropped everyday at a workers house and they have given me some golf cart/lightbulb carrier!! which holds the bag and i do it at end of my round, its a massive estate so did section by section, very deppressing glad this week is over :lfo :lfo :lfo :lfo :cfo :cfo :cfo :cfo

[k979aaa]

i had 200 plus this week, some council houses care or some crap, moaned to gaffer and they gave me the week to do them so fair play, still about 40 a day though which really is a pain in the arse :cfo

40 a day , Now unless you take 20 pouches (you must have a bag drop every 20 houses or so) , coz I can't fit more than 2 in each bag. :lfo :cfo

He must have a LIGHT DUTY!.