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Health and Safety Executive Myth Busters: sorting fact from fiction

In recent years, health and safety law has been invoked arbitrarily by bosses as the reason why their employees can’t do something or why something they have traditionally done for their employees is no longer allowed. This was giving health and safety a pretty bad reputation. As such, The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) decided to take matters into their own hands and created the Myth Buster Challenge Panel.

In recent years, health and safety law has been invoked arbitrarily by bosses as the reason why their employees can’t do something or why something they have traditionally done for their employees is no longer allowed.

This was giving health and safety a pretty bad reputation. As such, The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) decided to take matters into their own hands and created the Myth Buster Challenge Panel.

What is the Myth Busters Challenge Panel and how does it work?

The Myth Busters Challenge Panel consists of an independent panel made up of 14 members who have extensive experience in risk management. The panel gives anyone, whether a company or individual, the opportunity to challenge or seek advice on a decision taken in the name of health and safety that they believe to be unreasonable or inaccurate. They will consider the overall facts of the case and their findings will be made publically available.

Here are some examples of cases brought before the panel

Case 407 An employer stopped proving funds for alcoholic drinks at a staff Christmas night out (off-site) citing health and safety. The panel found that while the employer may have a proper concern to discourage staff from overdoing it where it is funding a night out, claiming health and safety legislation as the reason for its refusal to fund Christmas party drinks on a staff night out was incorrect.

Case 388 Council bans refuse collection workers from wearing Christmas hats on the grounds of health and safety because drivers and other road users could be distracted. The panel found that there is no health and safety legislation that prevents refuse collectors wearing Santa hats. They went on to say that being sensible about health and safety can still allow everyone to have some fun too.

Have you been subjected to a decision made in the health of safety and think it is unreasonable or incorrect? Put your case to the HSE Myth Busters Challenge Panel.

Click here to contact the panel.