CHIEF Executive at the
Institution of Chemical Engineers (IChemE) Dr David Brown says lives are put at risk by nonsensical interpretations of health and safety laws.
According to Brown, the misguided approach to health and safety has led to their misrepresentation and stunts like the banning of Christmas lights and practical science lessons.
This could result in health and safety professionals who highlight real hazards being dismissed as ‘crying wolf’. Engineers should fight back against misreadings of health and safety laws, because safety management should be based on an understanding of real risks, not fear mongering or trivia.
Brown says the profession must reclaim balanced and rational safety management, based on engineering common sense.
He says the regulators or legislators should not be blamed. The real culprits are the people who repeatedly use the mantra ‘health and safety says No!’ as an excuse.
