Employers must not misuse Health & Safety legislation, according to HSE Myth Buster Panel
Health and Safety consultants Employee Management Ltd (http://www.employeemanagement.co.uk) can reveal that the Health & Safety Executive (HSE) has launched a ‘Myth Buster Panel’, which aims to prevent the misuse of Health & Safety legislation by employers, local authorities and insurance companies, amongst others. The panel has been created in order to provide advice to people who have been subject to “ridiculous or disproportionate” Health & Safety decisions at the hands of employers and organisations.
The Myth Busters Challenge Panel, chaired by Judith Hackitt, has been set up by the HSE to give a platform to those who believe they have experienced employers or organisations misusing Health & Safety legislation in order to prevent the carrying out of essentially sensible activities. Hackitt, speaking to The ICSA Chartered Secretary Magazine, said “Over the years we’ve seen some health and safety legislation invoked wrongly in defence of some pretty absurd decisions. When people hear about children being ordered to wear goggles to play conkers or the dangers of candyfloss on a stick it undermines public confidence in the true task of health and safety, which is to manage serious risk to life and limb in Britain’s workplaces. This is a great opportunity for the public to stand with us against the jobsworths and cynics who are trivialising Health and Safety to suit their own ends”.
Up until recently, the HSE has been seen to back unnecessary Health and Safety regulations, rather than disuade their misuse. In a statement on its website, the HSE said, “We want to make clear that ‘Health and Safety’ is about managing risks properly, not being risk averse and stopping people getting on with their lives”.
Notwithstanding this, Health and Safety legislation has become an increasingly complex area of employment law and consequently, remaining compliant can prove to be very stressful for those responsible for managing businesses. Breaches of regulations not only place employees at risk, but can also expose employers and directors to threats of criminal prosecution.
Employee Management Ltd’s range of Health and Safety services provide employers with simple, cost-effective solutions aimed at achieving a safe working environment and ensuring compliance with the relevant legislation.
For further details in this regard, or in relation to any of our other employment law services, please contact any of the Health and Safety consultants at Employee Management Ltd (http://www.employeemanagement.co.uk) without delay.
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