The Daily Mail article: 'Glamorous? Yes. Dangerous? Of course. That's what the Army's all about, stupid!'

Date:

8 January 2008

Geoffrey Podger, HSE’s Chief Executive responds

The Editor
Daily Mail
Northcliffe House
2 Derry Street
London W8 5TT
letters@dailymail.co.uk

8 January 2008

Sir,

Having previously had the privilege of working both for the Ministry of Defence and NATO, I could not agree more with Max Hastings (8 January) that soldiering can develop many virtues but is an inherently risky business. It is however curious to try and criticise the Health and Safety Executive in this connection - our role is to help tackle and reduce the 240 workplace deaths and 140,000 major injuries per year. This hardly makes us "Britain's silliest public body", as those who suffer the consequences can readily testify.

Yours faithfully

Geoffrey Podger
Chief Executive
Health and Safety Executive