Busting the Health and Safety myths

Regularly there are media reports of officials spoiling events by imposing rules driven by health and safety concerns.

A recent example of this was Newcastle Racecourse banning picnics on race days due to ‘safety reasons’. This reasoning was challenged by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) via social media which described attributing the ban to health and safety concerns as a ‘lame excuse’ that had gone on ‘furlong enough’.

This example illustrates a trend where companies and organisations are using health and safety as an excuse for questionable decision making.

|New research by Exeter University has looked at the perceptions of health and safety regulation in the UK by analysing nearly 300 cases scrutinised by the HSE Myth Buster Panel, which was set up specifically to challenge inaccurate guidance.

Providing training for staff on health and safety, and risk assessment in particular, is a straightforward matter. Having staff who understand the regulations relevant to their work and who can undertake assessments that eliminate, reduce or control risks makes good business sense.