BCSA participates in health and safety myth busting

“Health and safety is often incorrectly used as a convenient excuse to stop what are essentially sensible activities going ahead,” said Peter Walker, BCSA Health, Safety & Training Manager.

Many others are of the same opinion and this has prompted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to set up an independent panel known as the Myth Busters Challenge Panel – to scrutinise such decisions.

The Panel is chaired by the HSE Chair Judith Hackitt, with HSE Board member Robin Dahlberg acting as Vice-Chair. It is supported by a pool of independent members who represent a wide range of interests including small businesses, public safety, trade unions, the insurance industry and many outside interests where day-to-day common sense decisions on risk management are made.

Myth Busters will look into complaints regarding the advice given by non-regulators such as insurance companies, health and safety consultants and employers, and quickly assess if a sensible and proportionate decision has been made.

“We want to make it clear that health and safety is about managing real risks properly, not being risk averse and stopping people getting on with their lives,” said Mr Walker who is a panel member able to offer advice that is relevant to the construction Industry.

Anyone who thinks a decision or advice that has been given in the name of health and safety is wrong, or disproportionate to what they were doing, can complain to the panel. It will investigate and publish its findings on the HSE website.

The contact form is available from: http://www.hse.gov.uk/contact/myth-busting.htm