Just been reading the Mail today and at long last ROSPA has decided to comment on the "elf and safety" and thankfully at long last they NOW say what most of us professional safety specialists have been saying to our clients for years. It is important to undertake risk asssessments but you need to remember that you can not elliminate risk completely. For young children growing up you need to give them an opportunity to learn by mistakes but in a controlled environment.
At work, whether in industry, construction, education etc, a balance is required between Legislative requirements, the need to undertake a specific and the elimination or reduction of risk. Many people find it difficult to understand that you can still undertake a task that has an element of risk while complying with legislation. The other side of the coin is equally as bad in that people ignore a risk exists and carry on regardless.
Hopefully we will now stop seeing the mad "elf N safety" stories in the press but somehow I doubt it. Like many things it appears to be local councils that have the daft ideas, they go over the top and I am beginning to wonder if it is a "special" type of person that works in local authorities? You read so much about their mistakes, days absent from work due to illness, daft ideas when handing out money etc, and the wages being paid for many jobs. Worse still, it is our money they are using.
I guess I just get incensed at the way money, resources etc are wasted by our local authorities and government without a lot of consideration about our needs -and we are the people paying their wages.
Well I guess that is enough of a rant for today - I could go on for hours and hours but life is too short.
Take care and stay safe
