Health and Safety Myths – BUSTED
Posted on May 29, 2015
We have all heard the phrase, ‘You can’t do that, because of Health & Safety’ when more often than not this is simply untrue. They are often health and safety myths. The fact is you can send a man to the moon and still comply with Health & Safety legislation!
The HSE have a section on their website dedicated to dispelling simply untrue cases where ‘elf n safety’ has been blamed for other problems. Here are some of the most recent and our favorites…
Health and Safety Myths No. 1- This one is a Corker
Pub would not allow a customer to open their champagne bottle. Enquirer bought a bottle of champagne in a pub and was told by the member of staff that he was not allowed to open it himself “because of health & safety”
HSE STATES
Health and safety at work regulations do not prevent people opening bottles of champagne. The pub chain is more likely to be concerned about the potential for spraying the decor and if so, the real reasons should have been communicated to the customer rather than using health and safety as an excuse to be party pooper.
Myth 2 – Another store’s trolley not allowed in clothes store
A clothes store told the enquirer to leave as she brought in a shopping trolley belonging to another shop which she had already shopped in and had her daughter sat in the child seat as it was against health and safety in case the wheel fell off!!
HSE STATES
There is no health and safety reason for stopping people taking a shopping trolley from one store to another. Banning their use because a wheel might come off is just ridiculous. The assistant should have explained the real reason instead of wheeling out health and safety as an excuse.
Myth 3 – Children not allowed to have balloons… What a let down.
Enquirer was told that they could not give out air-filled balloons to children after a library book event due to unspecified health and safety reasons. Instead they had to burst them and throw them away.
HSE STATES
What a lot of hot air! There are no health and safety regulations which stand in the way of children having fun with balloons.
Visit the mythbuster panel here and share the tales.
So there we have it, 3 cases where Health & Safety has gotten the blame for other issues – BUSTED! Don’t let people pull the wool over your eyes. If you have your own experience of being duped with a poor excuse get in touch by emailing [email protected] or by submitting an enquiry.