For as sure as we need strong health and safety regulations, we need an equally robust system of communication to ensure we all fully understand our duties.
The Health and Safety Executive’s myth panel is one such facilitator of pure safety information. Since 2012, the panel has been hard at work bringing clarity to all duty holders and exposing inaccurate or flagrantly overzealous interpretations of safety regulations.
The national regulator has just ruled on its 300th case.
Judith Hackitt, chair of HSE and the Myth Busters Challenge Panel, said: “I never cease to be amazed at the cases brought to our attention and they just keep on coming.
“‘Health and safety’ is trotted out all too often, an easy way to hide the real reason for refusal to do or allow something, which is usually just bad customer service. Health and safety regulations are there to deal with risks to life and limb in the workplace; not for jobsworths to hide behind.”
The 300th case involved a village pub which decided against having a mirror in its disabled toilet on grounds of ‘health and safety’ reasons. A decision was rendered and the panel dismissed the business’ protestations as a “feeble excuse to mask the real reason” of “cutting costs”.
Mark Harper, Minister for Disabled People, who is also the minister with responsibility for the Health and Safety Executive, said: “The Health and Safety at Work Act has saved thousands of lives in its 40 years and we should celebrate its achievements.
“What it hasn’t done is stopped anyone putting a mirror in a disabled toilet, children from playing conkers, or any of the other excuses blamed on health and safety.”
More on the Myth Busters Challenge Panel
The Myth Busters Challenge Panel invites members of the public to bring forward instances where they believe ‘health and safety’ has been cited wrongly.
The panel, which is made up of experts from a variety of backgrounds, then considers the facts, renders a ruling and publishes in a bid to put to bed any unfounded myths.
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