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Tel: 01492 879813 Mob: 07984 284642

andy.brazier@gmail.comwww.andybrazier.co.uk

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Health and Safety Myths

Compiled from posts on the following forums:

Health & Safety for BeginnersIOSH

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Reason for this presentation

There is a lot of mis-information about health

and safety

Some perpetuated by H&S professionals

This gives H&S a bad name and detracts fromthe important messages

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None of these are true!

You need a licence to drive a fork-lift-truck and itneeds to be renewed every 3 years

All portable appliances need PAT testing

PAT tests need to be repeated every year

It is now illegal to work alone

Step ladders have been banned by HSE

The new fire safety legislation does not apply if

you only employ four people

Human errors are random events that cannot be

predicted or prevented

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Nor are these

There is nothing management can do to prevent

violations

You need a procedure for every task

Cigarette smoke is covered by COSHH

The following dont comply with H&S regulations

Schools using egg boxes or toilet rolls for modelling

Firemens poles

Hanging basketsFlags

Trapeze artists (without hard hats)

Playing conkers

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First aid myths

You cant put plasters in a first aid box in case

someone is allergic

Employers must provide Automated External

Defribulators (AEDs)You need first aid training to use an epipen

First aiders need liability insurance

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Mis-information about CMIOSH*

Only CMIOSH are competent in health and

safety

CMIOSH proves you are competent

*Chartered Member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health

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The stupid things people say

You can ignore health and safety because the

HSE are too busy to catch anyone

I dont need a harness Ive been working on

roofs for 30 years and never fallen

Accidents wont happen to meWe dont need a trench box for this excavation,

its good ground

It must be true, because it is said in our healthand safety policy

We dont have time to investigate any accident

unless it is RIDDOR

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And some more

If I sign a disclaimer I can carry on working as I

like

If I stick to the speed limit I will be safe

Managers dont have to follow safety rules, theyare only for workers

Regulations dont apply I am self-employed

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These are a bit more contentious

The bare minimum for H&S is OK

The number of accidents proves that employers

are not risk averse

There are more regulations & red tape than ever

H&S is an add-on

Only the UK comply with all European Union

directivesUK has a claims culture

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Reality

There is relatively little prescriptive H&S

legislation in UK

Risk assessment and management is the key

Keep things simple and sensible so that peopleUnderstand the message

Are more likely to comply

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References

http://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/forums/index.php

http://www.iosh.co.uk/index.cfm?go=discussion.main

http://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/hsmyths.pdf

http://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/forums/index.phphttp://www.iosh.co.uk/index.cfm?go=discussion.mainhttp://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/hsmyths.pdfhttp://www.tuc.org.uk/extras/hsmyths.pdfhttp://www.iosh.co.uk/index.cfm?go=discussion.mainhttp://www.healthandsafetytips.co.uk/forums/index.php

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