| Health and Safety legislation has saved thousands of | | | | so, with such sensationalised, distorted and |
| lives. Yet for some, it's become synonymous with | | | | non-representational reporting, it can often seem that |
| today's compensation culture. | | | | the purpose of Health and Safety legislation is to |
| We're all familiar with what seems to be a | | | | apportion blame and metaphorically trip up the ignorant, |
| modern-day mantra of injury: No win no fee! Do you | | | | rather than to protect. |
| know someone, who knows someone, who once lived | | | | This is not so. For all the jovial quips about Health and |
| with someone who had an accident at work? You | | | | Safety gone mad, there remains the very real fact |
| could be in for a payout! | | | | that there is still a lot of room for improvement. The |
| Agreed, this is an exaggeration. But seemingly, with | | | | Health and Safety at Work Act was introduced in |
| each advert break, we are bombarded by adverts | | | | 1974, at a time when an average of 651 people a year |
| almost willing us to have an accident at work, so that | | | | suffered a work-related death. In the year 2007 - |
| we can be rewarded with a windfall. | | | | 2008, this figure sat at 228. The lowest figure for |
| Health and safety has become big-money business. | | | | deaths since the Act was passed was between 2005 |
| 'Health and Safety has gone mad' is a phrase banded | | | | - 2006, a year when there were 217 deaths. The |
| about so freely that it has almost become accepted | | | | figure seems to have reached a plateau since. |
| as truth, and there are countless comical classic | | | | Health and Safety can be a minefield for an employer, |
| examples to support this premise. In August 2009, the | | | | whether they employ five people or five hundred, in |
| Daily Telegraph reported that the Trade Union | | | | any sector, from conveyancing to construction. But |
| Congress was due to propose a motion the following | | | | Health and Safety legislation really isn't put in place to |
| month that 'High heels should be banned from the | | | | appoint blame, and the Government actively promotes |
| workplace'. The motion demanded that a | | | | guidelines which, if followed properly, will actually benefit |
| one-inch-maximum rule be slapped on employees' | | | | business. Guidelines from the Government's Health and |
| footwear. | | | | Safety Executive (HSE) aim to reduce the amount of |
| Tabled by the all-things-foot-related Society of | | | | time and money lost through absences and sick leave; |
| Chiropodists and Podiatrists, the motion claimed that | | | | boost company productivity and profits; increase staff |
| high heels worn in the workplace could cause all | | | | retention as well as reducing insurance premiums and |
| number of terrible foot and leg problems, and should | | | | legal costs. |
| therefore be banished. | | | | A useful step-by-step guide of what an employer |
| Interestingly, the Union mostly comprises gentlemen. | | | | must do can be found on the HSE website which lists |
| In a similar vein, a certain grey-topped tabloid couldn't | | | | everything from the ratio of toilet cubicles to |
| wait to report that, in the name of Health and Safety, | | | | employees necessary, to the importance of |
| Midlothian Council were leaving the lights switched on in | | | | Employer's Liability Compulsory Insurance. |
| a derelict school building so that if intruders were to | | | | The further understanding and training achieved in the |
| enter, they would be less likely to do themselves a | | | | Health and Safety area, the more lives that will be |
| mischief because they couldn't see where they were | | | | saved. Oh, but be warned, you probably won't read |
| going. | | | | about this in the tabloids, because it wouldn't make a |
| Health and Safety continues to suffer bad press. And | | | | very juicy story. |