Well, I certainly wish it could be Christmas every day, but I don’t think my bank balance could quite stretch that far.
Only four days ‘til Christmas (not that I’m counting), but this year we have seen absurd Christmas-related health and safety stories in the press since November.
Sure, you can understand genuine health and safety concerns relating to Christmas, like this one published on 18 November on the Wilts and Gloucestershire Standard website. I mean, the Christmas tree had a 25ft split in its trunk- certainly didn’t sound very ‘safe’ and stable to me, and I’m no health and safety professional. Rather it be taken down than have it fall, injuring an innocent member of the general public – and then there would be some headlines.
On the other hand, you hear a large number of stories where health and safety is used as an excuse for inaction. In my opinion, these illegitimate excuses normally appear where a lack of funds is concerned. Check out this story where Santa was banned from riding through Alnwick town centre on his sleigh. This story is not the first, and I’m sure it won’t be the last.
Just like the ghost of Christmas past, I want to take you back to some of the cracking headlines used to contribute to some of the health and safety ‘myths’ we tend to see in the ‘and finally’ stories at this time of year.
2010: Christmas tree a bureaucratic tangle for George Osborne
2009: How health and safety is killing Christmas
2008: Safety costs force couple to scrap Christmas lights
2007: School bans mums’ mince pies... for health and safety reasons
2006: Christmas lights ceremony banned for being popular
2005: Do Christmas decorations really pose a danger in the workplace?
2004: School bans killer tinsel
These stories are crazy page-fillers. Realistic, good health and safety wouldn’t put a damper on festive cheer - the over-zealous, risk-aversion has to stop.
It was great to see that the Government played a part last weekend in tackling some of the myths surrounding health and safety and Christmas. They even published a list of so-called 'Christmas elf and safety myths', which included topics such as children being banned from having snowball fights, office workers told they cannot put up Christmas decorations and being sued for clearing snow from outside your business or home.
As well as the list, Work and Pensions Minister Chris Grayling said: “Christmas is a time for celebration and fun... We've always been clear that health and safety laws exist to provide important safeguards against people being seriously injured or made unwell at work and should not hamper everyday activities. These regulations are intended to save lives, not stop them.”
But, will the Government’s current mission to review and make changes to health and safety legislation really have this much of an impact? – I’ll leave you with that thought.
Have a lovely Christmas and all the best for the New Year.
Amy
1 comments:
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