As suppliers of health and safety labels, signs and tags, it is well within our interest here at Label Source to be on top of health and safety news. In the past few month there's certainly been some questionable 'health and safety' decisions that have made the press! For example, a Grimsby fish and chips establishment was featured in the news for supposedly refusing to allow a customer to put salt on her own fish and chips due to health and safety reasons. Does this seem a little far fetched to you?
Well, that's because it is. In 2012, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) set up a 'myth busting' panel who work to ensure health and safety rules and legislations are not used irrationally, and that health and safety is not to be used as an excuse for decisions made by various establishments. The HSE myth-busters concluded that this was not, in fact, a breach of their health and safety rules - but rather they weren't sure where their customers hands had been!
The HSE called for 2015 to be the year that we stop 'blaming health and safety for poor or over-the-top decisions'.
In the press yesterday was the story of Mango, the much-loved tabby cat who lived in the Tesco in Tiverton, Devon for four years before he was apparently 'ejected' and carreid outside in the rain to his new plastic kennel. There are rumours online about Mango having breached Tesco's health and safety regulations, which is why he was removed - but a spokesman for the store has completely denied this claim, stating "Mango is very welcome and much loved by our customers in Tiverton. He is often seen in our foyer and we have invested in a kennel for him to make him feel more comfortable." This is just another example of the health and safety blame game - though Tesco themselves didn't claim Mango breached their health and safety regulations - others were quick to dismiss the decision as another silly health and safety rule.
As providers of health and safety signs, we must agree with the HSE's plea to cut down on using health and safety as an excuse. After all, health and safety regulations are put in place to help save lives and protect people - not by any stretch of the imagination to stop people living them. Make sure your business is sticking to health and safety regulations without going over the top by having the correct safety signs in place to avoid confusion. What are your thoughts on this situation? We'd love to hear them! Tweet Label Source and let us know.
