HSE tosses health and safety myths

E020:09 24 February 2009

Date:

25 February 2009

Release No:

E019:09

Stephen Williams, Chief Inspector of Construction takes part in the Better Bankside Pancake Day race. Download image (424KB).

Contrary to popular belief health and safety is not responsible for banning Pancake Day races. To demonstrate its commitment to having fun the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) took part in the annual Better Bankside Pancake Day Race today.

The race is one of a series of initiatives aimed at creating an even more vibrant environment for those working and living in the Southwark river-side area.  Valentina Diamanti-Fox marketing and events manager for Better Bankside said "organising the event has become easier and easier each year.  The risk assessment is an especially useful document, which is easy to do and helps you plan for a safe and fun event.  Our rangers are First Aid trained and able to provided medical support in case of falls and sprained ankles. And we do remind the participants to bring suitable shoes for running!"

Speaking from Borough Market, Stephen Williams, HSE's Chief Inspector for Construction said "health and safety is often blamed for stopping anything and everything that is fun, but I can confidently say that there is no reason or rule to cancel fun events such as this on the grounds of health and safety or risk assessment. For an organisation such as HSE, that exists to prevent loss of life and injury in the workplace, it is deeply frustrating when health and safety is used as an excuse to hide other less convincing reasons. Our job is to prevent death, injury and ill health to those affected by work, a role we are proud of."

Notes to editors

1. Picture caption:-Stephen Williams, Chief Inspector of Construction takes part in the Better Bankside Pancake Day race.
2. Better Bankside is the UK's third-ever Business Improvement District (BID), the second in central London and the first south of the river. A BID is an independent, business-led company which seeks to improve a given location for commercial activity. Its services must always be additional to those provided by the local authority and others. Better Bankside, like many other BID has a core programme which includes Cleaning, Greening and Safety. The BID boundary extends west to the end of Southwark Street (but does not include any of Blackfriars Road), south to Southwark Street (both sides) and east to Borough High Street (as far as the junction with Union Street). It includes a total of 275 eligible businesses. Visit http://www.betterbankside.co.uk/ for more information.
3. HSE launched a set of key principles on sensible risk management in August 2006, to help people focus on real risks. This followed a series of stories about alleged 'health and safety' stopping people taking part in leisure activities etc. The campaign established 10 principles of sensible risk management - see website for details. Also, as part of the campaign, HSE launched the 'myth of the month' cartoon - see www.hse.gov.uk/myth
4. "Five Steps to Risk Assessment" and example risk assessments can be found on the risk management web pages on the HSE website. The pages are written in everyday language for managers, not health and safety experts and include links to more information and a section for frequently asked questions.
5. Headline health and safety statistics for 2007/08 are as follows:
   • 229 workers were killed at work
   • 2.1 million people were suffering from an illness they believed was caused or made worse by their current or past work
     
   • 136 771 other injuries to employees were reported
     
   • 299 000 reportable injuries occurred
     
   • 34 million days were lost overall (1.4 days per worker), 28 million due to work-related ill health and 6 million due to workplace injury
     
   • In 1974, the year the Health and Safety at Work etc Act was introduced; more than 600 people were killed each year at work.
6. More health and safety statistics can be found at http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/index.htm

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