Call for change in attitudes towards health and safety

One of the things ROSPA needs to do if it is serious about changing public perceptions is to stop quoting the totally inadequate and misleading HSE work-related death figures, which only record deaths directly related to a workplace incident. 180 isn't bad for a population of 60 million, after all. Looked at in that light, the role of the HSE can seem markedly out of proportion.

ROSPA needs to quote the more realistic figures that include the over 2000 deaths a year from mesothelioma (only known cause exposure to asbestos - most people's exposure occurs at work); an estmated equal number from asbestosis and asbestos-related lung cancer; the deaths of about 1,000 people killed on the roads who are at work when they die; the estimated 12% of all cancers that are attributable at least in part to work-related exposure; the estimated 100 suicides due to work-related stress or bullying; the thousands whose life is shortened by things like Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease caused by years of inhaling dust - coal miners, quarry workers and foundry workers are most at risk.

ROSPA should also examine the reasons why it signed-up to the HSE's awful "pledge" - a totally pointless and sterile exercise in deflecting attention away from their refusal to provide effective and wide-ranging enforcement of workplace regulation. Pledges do nothing to make workplaces safer; and it's ironic to see that some of the employers currently signed-up have been convicted of causing the deaths of workers in the past. Corus is only one example from the "pledgers" so far. British Coal are currently facing prosecution for three deaths within a year at Daw Mill Colliery in Warwickshire.

Yes - looked at in the light of the HSE's timidity in recording deaths related to work, "elf 'n' safety" has become a comic cliche; but while ROSPA continues to flacidly prop-up the failed HSE model rather than fiercely criticising it and campaigning for some real regulation, it won't change.

For sure but as there have been a number of shall we say sort overly PC like councils that appear to have an anally retentive attitude to elf-an-safety one should not be toooo surprised that it had taken on a comical personna.

Not only but also some of the stuff is really quit funny except where complacentcy and a degree of cockyness does get it all wrong as at the JLS event over the weekend demonstrates very well.

The inability of anyone on the ground to identify that the risk factors had significantly changed and take charge of modifying the requirements in addition to an inadiquate method of crush control being in place in the first place raises questions of how seriously the free event was taken in terms of minimising associated costs / benefit to the council.

Seams the costs are about to spiral not only in terms of PR but damages and compensation to those hurt or more seriously injured apart from those traumatised in the event.

But then 58% of DSE users report Screen Fatigue and what hey that's their problem in it like and if they can't cope with the stress or 'heat in the kitchen' then perhaps they better get out you know like go away.....................