Health and safety ruins pantomime…oh no we didn’t
Branded Britain’s biggest killjoys, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is hitting back at what it claims are unfair myths created by organisations to avoid litigation.
The HSE regulates Britain’s workplaces for health and safety, to protect people from death, injury or ill health.
It works with local authorities to create regulations and codes of practice, enforced through inspection.
Famed for its ridiculous headline grabbing nanny state attempts at making the UK safer, now the HSE is turning around and nipping these myths in the bud.
One season myth the HSE is keen to expel is that pantomime performers can no longer throw sweets into the audiences during shows.
Head of HSE’s Entertainments and Leisure sector, Cameron Adam said: “The chance of someone being seriously hurt from being hit by a sweet thrown by a panto actor is very low and not something we would get involved in, or indeed worry about.
“Real health and safety is about avoiding death, serious injury and ill health, not wasting time on trivial risks or covering your back by stopping activities.
“We want people to distinguish between the real health and safety issues that people face at work as opposed to the trivial.”
The HSE believe that so many of today’s myths have been started by organisations using health and safety as a way of getting out of activities that may trigger potential payouts.
To redress the balance, a series of myths are being published on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/index.htm
Branded Britain’s biggest killjoys, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is hitting back at what it claims are unfair myths created by organisations to avoid litigation.
The HSE regulates Britain’s workplaces for health and safety, to protect people from death, injury or ill health.
It works with local authorities to create regulations and codes of practice, enforced through inspection.
Famed for its ridiculous headline grabbing nanny state attempts at making the UK safer, now the HSE is turning around and nipping these myths in the bud.
Often its about spoiling people’s fun, especially around Christmas by ‘banning’ fun activities.
One season myth the HSE is keen to expel is that pantomime performers can no longer throw sweets into the audiences during shows.
Head of HSE’s Entertainments and Leisure sector, Cameron Adam said: “The chance of someone being seriously hurt from being hit by a sweet thrown by a panto actor is very low and not something we would get involved in, or indeed worry about.
“Real health and safety is about avoiding death, serious injury and ill health, not wasting time on trivial risks or covering your back by stopping activities.
“We want people to distinguish between the real health and safety issues that people face at work as opposed to the trivial.”
The HSE believe that so many of today’s myths have been started by organisations using health and safety as a way of getting out of activities that may trigger potential payouts.
To redress the balance, a series of myths are being published on the HSE website at: http://www.hse.gov.uk/myth/index.htm