This evening I walked to the coffee machine at work to refill, and on my way up to the machine I most unexpectedly and alarmingly slipped on the floor, almost falling over backwards and crashing into the kitchen side. My toes were rammed into the wall, causing one to bleed quite badly and my back was jolted. I staggered to one side and looked around to examine floor. There was a pool of water by the coffee machine that the lighting made completely unseeable as you approach it.

Health and safety conscious employees would go ballistic at this point.

My decision was to grab some paper towels and mop up some of the water, and then to put a series of plastic cups on the floor in a semi-circle around the pool, so that it was clearly visible to anyone who may come along next. Knowing that the cleaners would clear everything up the next time they came around, I made my coffee, left the area, and got on with my evening.

I don’t think there’s ever any need to make a bigger deal out of health and safety than that.