Myth: Children need to be wrapped in cotton wool to keep them safe

The reality

Health and safety law is often used as an excuse to stop children taking part in exciting activities, but well-managed risk is good for them. It engages their imagination, helps them learn and even teaches them to manage risks for themselves in the future. They won’t understand about risk if they’re wrapped in cotton wool.

Risk itself won’t damage children, but ill-managed and overprotective actions could!
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Myth: HSE bans this, that and the other

The reality

There have been many reports of HSE, and health and safety law, being responsible for banning all sorts of things. For example, flip flops at work, knitting in hospitals, school sports days, a charity Christmas swim and even cuddly toys on dustbin lorries.

Actually, HSE has banned very little outright, apart from a very few high-risk exceptions (e.g. asbestos which kills over 5,000 individuals a year). HSE believes that health and safety should be about taking practical steps to manage real risks, not bureaucracy leading to the banning of everyday activities.

Next time you hear of a ‘ban’, if in doubt check it out.
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Myth: Even Mr Punch needs a written risk assessment

The reality

A Punch and Judy man received a standard letter from an event organiser asking him to submit a health and safety risk assessment. However when he questioned the need for it, they ‘backed-off’ and no paperwork was required. It sounds like wires got crossed somewhere and perhaps the standard letter was sent in error.

HSEs guidance is clear: if there is genuinely no significant risk, nothing needs to be written down.

If a written assessment is needed – keep it fit for purpose, and crucially: act on it. Paperwork without action does no one any good.
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Myth: Health and safety laws banned poles in fire stations

“The reality

It was widely reported that a fire station was built without the traditional pole for ‘health and safety’ reasons.

As the county’s Chief Fire Officer said: ‘Whilst every consideration regarding health and safety was taken into account, the reason a pole was not included was purely due to space restrictions.’

Poles are not banned and firefighters around the country continue to use them.”

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Myth: Adults can’t put plasters on children’s cuts:

“We’ve often heard of teachers, volunteers and carers being told to ask parents for permission, or even requiring parents to drive over and put the plaster on themselves. This persistent myth causes a lot of unnecessary hassle and worry.

There is no rule that says a responsible adult can’t put a plaster on a child’s minor cut. Some children do have an allergy to normal plasters. If you know a child is allergic you can use the Hypo-allergenic type of plaster. The important thing is to clean and cover the cut to stop it getting infected.”

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‘Conker canker’ outbreak – icWales: May 18 2008 by James McCarthy, Wales On Sunday

“IF HEALTH and safety killjoys don’t stop kids playing conkers first - a highly contagious plant disease might.

Half of the nation’s two million horse chestnut trees have ‘conker canker’ which makes the trunk split and ooze sap.

Trees can be wiped out in just two years and there is no known cure.

The Forestry Commission’s plant health head, Roddie Burgess, said: “This is an unknown bacteria and at this stage we have no idea how it got here, why it affects certain horse chestnuts and not others, or how long it takes to kill a plant.””

OK – PLAYING CONKERS IS BANNED

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Ergonomics In The News: “The Truth about Safety Incentives Getting the right safety incentive program … ‘What does it take to motivate employees to work safe? One of the great debates in workplace safety today is the role of incentives. Two philosophies seem to exist. One says that workers will not work safe unless we give them incentives to do so. The other says that incentives should not be required for workers to do their jobs without injury.”

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Safety last

“Safety-first” a accident-prevention slogan first used in Britain in 1873
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‘Footing’ the ladder

.Proof that it just is not good enough to foot ladders
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Safety photos and a few safety jokes – Original jokes are copyright

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Good old days – 8 -

Rocking Horse
Britain’s tradition of rocking horse manufacture, which has its roots in knights practising their jousts, could be crippled by new European safety regulations (CENLEC). According to the new standards, “activity toys” cannot have a height from saddle to floor of more than 60cm, less than two feet. That effectively rules out all but the smallest rocking horses, say craftsmen in the cottage industry’s 60 or so firms who comprise the £35m per annum industry. (EU Weekly News – C Mobray 30/11/03 )
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All office equipment must be tested by a qualified electrician every year

The myth: All office equipment must be tested by a qualified electrician every year
The reality
No. The law requires employers to assess risks and take appropriate action.
HSE’s advice is that for most office electrical equipment, visual checks for obvious signs of damage and perhaps simple tests by a competent member of staff are quite sufficient.
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Safety photos and a few safety jokes – Original jokes are copyright

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