A report has been published by the Trades Union Congress (TUC), in a bid to dispel the myths that health and safety has "gone mad".
The report has been published to coincide with the European Week for Safety and Health at Work 2006, which runs from the 23rd to 27th October.
Recent media news items have highlighted the "health and safety gone mad" syndrome with such stories as the "bonkers conkers" and the "trapeze artists being forced to wear hard hats".
However, within the TUC's report, it is claimed there are fourteen false and exaggerated myths, such as the above.
Furthermore, the TUC highlight the importance of health and safety Regulations and claim these "myths" are undermining the safety role they play in the protection of people's wellbeing.
Within their report, the TUC provide examples of some of these "myths", claiming that safety Regulations are not bad, but that the "myths" be either untrue or misinterpretations of safety law. The report also claims, that some employers use health and safety as an excuse, in order to avoid extra costs, or avoid doing what they do not wish to do anyway.
Brendan Barber, TUC General Secretary, said:
"Some employers, and others, are using health and safety as an excuse for making stupid decisions, but health and safety regulation in the UK is not out of control.
"The UK today has sensible and practical health and safety laws and we have half as many as we did 35 years ago. But because too many employers are ignoring them and not taking proper care of their staff, two million people in the UK are suffering from ill-health as a result of their work."
The TUC report, in pdf format, can be accessed by clicking the following:
TUC Report - Health and Safety Myths
Further information on this years' European Week for Safety and Health at Work can be accessed from the HSE Website by clicking the following:
HSE - Campaigns: Euroweek 2006
Article by Alexandra Johnston
