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Health And Safety Myths Busting Campaign Continue

It is a pity that David Cameron and his ilk do not subscribe the the wealth of health and safety magazines, website, and news feeds that deal in real health and safety issues as opposed to his media owners cronies who have a vested interest in allowing a free for all in workplace environments.

As in previous years, Britain’s safety watchdog is often blamed for spoiling people’s fun around Yuletide by “banning” many activities people enjoy. However, it has hit back, pointing out that in most cases the organisation has little to do with these decisions.

Among the seasonal myths being challenged this Christmas was the idea performers cannot throw sweets into the audience at pantomimes. The HSE says this kind of story raises its head annually and is typical of the misunderstandings that encourages the public to view the HSE as a bunch of killjoys.

It points out that often a health and safety myth is started by one person justifying an unpopular decision by wheeling out the well-worn phrase, “It’s because of health and safety”, thereby ensuring another erroneous headline.

The HSE says so many of today’s myths have started because organisations use health and safety as a convenient excuse not to take any risks as they are fearful about litigation by anyone hurt on their premises.

Cameron Adam, Head of HSE’s Entertainments and Leisure sector, says that some organisations can be overly concerned about trivial risks. “The chance of someone being seriously hurt from being hit by a sweet thrown by a panto actor is very low and not something we would get involved in, or indeed worry about. Real health and safety is about avoiding death, serious injury and ill health, not wasting time on trivial risks or covering your back by stopping activities.”

He added: “We want people to distinguish between the real health and safety issues that people face at work as opposed to the trivial. Get that right and as one immortal pantomime phrase goes … we’re behind you!”

Perhaps it would be a good idea for Union Safety reps to send a copy of the HSE's Health and Safety Myth busting calender to David Cameron as a New Year's present which will teach him a thing or two about real health and safety!

Source: HSE / Croners

HSE Myth of The Month Calender can be ordered here

David Cameron's postal and email address can be found here



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