Health and Safety is ‘a cornerstone of civilised society’
The UK’s approach to Health and Safety has recently come in for a bit of a bashing recently, with some high profile figures openly ridiculing the regulations and their applications. Even Prime Minister David Cameron has been quoted as saying that he ‘will kill off the Health and Safety culture’.
Comments like these have caused outrage amongst health and safety professionals, who complain that comments like these do nothing to further the rights of workers and everything to belittle the measures put into place to protect their lives.
It should not be forgotten that health and safety regulations exist purely to prevent people from being killed, injured or made ill while carrying out their professional functions. When applied correctly and sensibly, the measures are not excessive, they are essential.
Misconceptions and myths contribute to the common perception that regulations are unnecessary, and this growing problem can only be addressed through education and the application correct health and safety training in the workplace.
Comments such as Cameron’s are felt to be misguided and harmful by some, and cause people to lose sight of the real aims of the legislation and regulations in place.