We expect better safety advice from DIY shop floor staff

Do we? I certainly wouldn’t trust staff in a DIY shed for any product knowledge or advice, let alone my personal safety. But then if you go to a car dealership, do you expect them to instruct you on how to use a car safely, warn you about wearing your seatbelt and not to exceed the speed limit? And what about Internet sales? Where does the line of responsiblity stop?

Power tools like chainsaws can be lethal, even in the hands of a professional, so a casual shop worker is never going to have sufficient experience to advise a member of the public how to use one safely. I think this is one type of product where caveat emptor (let the buyer beware) has a more literal meaning.

Some manufacturers, like Stihl, will only sell their products face-to-face through authorised dealers, where you can get some advice if you need it, but a 5-minute demo of a chain saw out the back of the shop is still not adequate training.

You’ll generally find proper safety advice included in the instructions. I wouldn’t necessarily expect the staff to know.

No, I don’t think store staff should be given the responsibility to advise on safety.Its time we began to take responsibility for our own actions and stop expecting to be “nannied” from morn till night.
The instruction manuals contain ample information if people will read them. You will never provide nor legislate for idiots.

Re chainsaws. Your expert’s advice for the use of gloves and eye protection as a minimum when using a chainsaw is ludicrously inadequate. Chainsaws are used for cutting round timber, firewood etc either standing or felled and requires using the tool close to the body, legs and feet all of which are at risk from injury. It follows that the legs and feet must also be protected from the possibility of contact with a moving chain. Proper equipment is available and should always be used. Sustained use of a chainsaw also requires professional training.

Echoing the rest – I only expect store staff to be able to show me where an item is, and to ring me up when I decide what I’m buying (and even that is too much to ask sometimes). The onus is on the buyer to know what they’re buying, what they need to use with it, and to *read the enclosed information from the manufacturer*. Those who don’t bother to inform themselves before using products are simply Darwin award candidates, and the rest of us shouldn’t be made to suffer for their laziness and/or stupidity. Which?, let off this one, we don’t need yet more nannying.

I was concerned when you stated that Homebase has recommended a Bosch Rotak 40 lawnmower to a customer as I have had a very bad experience with this very thing. In March 2008 I purchased a Rotak 40 on the recommendation of the staff at Homebase, Drakehouse, Sheffield and also took out their own 3 years warranty. In July 2011 the machine broke down and a local repairer told be it had ‘thrown’ a secment of the commutator, wrecking the motor and of course it was uneconomical to repair. The repairer also told me that he had found that this was a common occurrance with the Rotak 40 and that he had several customers who had experienced the same breakdown after a relatively short period, usually around 3 years. I felt that the machine should have lasted much longer than this as I had only used it for light domestic grasscutting. I telephoned Homebase who just insisted it was out of warranty and when I tried to discuss my rights under the Sale of Goods Act that the machine was unsatisfactory, the phone was slammed down on me. I attended the store with the machine and of course the usual from the person in charge was that it was company policy that the customer must take this up with the manufacturers. I pointed out that they were wrong and that it was their responsibility and they agreed to contact Bosch. They have told me that they haver done so and that Bosch deny any responsibility. I don’t believe Homebase and I think the Bosch Rotak machines are of very poor quality and not built to last much longer than 3 years