Wise Observer

President of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has accepted the purport of a recent speech that of late, safety and health rules are becoming rigid and excessive. The speech was made by Conservative leader David Cameron at the recent Policy Exchange meet.

In his speech, Cameron charged that safety and health rules are becoming unduly burdensome and obsessed with rigid stances on how commonplace activities should be carried out. Agreeing with the spirit of this comment, IOSH President John Holden said that this speech has necessitated a welcome discussion on the role of risk control and responsibility. He stated that IOSH has, of late, been trying to tread two diverging paths- that of risk averseness, and that of freedom from excessive control.

According to Holden, the need of the hour is to arrive at a common pathway between the two, which will address both requirements without affecting growth of individuals and the society.

As more and more stringent and inflexible regulations are being put in place and the attention to safety reaches excessive levels, there is an increased apprehension in the minds of the same people that these regulations aim to reassure. This trend needs to be set right immediately before society, industry and the public begin to lash out in frustration against unwarranted control.

Speaking about workplace laws, a recent view was aired by Workplace Law MD David Sharp, who said that these rules are not merely a set of don’ts. They are not just a collation of restrictions which when breached will draw fines or penalties. The need of the hour is to promote health and safety rules as progressive guidelines for carrying out necessary activities rather than as a set of barricades restricting normal work.

Sharp however pointed out that safety rules are essential, as the recent decrease in workplace fatalities prove.

Workplace Law Group specialises in employment law, health and safety, and premises management. They provide information, advice, training and consulting for organisations throughout the UK. Their range of accredited IOSH courses are designed to give managers and supervisors all they need to know to handle health and safety in their teams; click on IOSH Courses for more info.