What's new at HSE » Putting the record straight http://news.hse.gov.uk News and updates from the Health and Safety Executive Fri, 20 Nov 2009 14:12:07 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.7 en hourly 1 HSE Chief Executive responds to Christopher Booker’s comments in the Daily Telegraph http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/23/hse-chief-executive-responds-to-christopher-bookers-comments-in-the-daily-telegraph/?rss=Putting the record straight Fri, 23 Oct 2009 14:45:44 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=11648 HSE Chief Executive Geoffrey Podger’s response to Christopher Booker’s comments in The Daily Telegraph“Christopher Booker is closer to agreeing with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) about asbestos than your readers - or he - might realise…”

View full response to ‘Christopher Booker is closer to agreeing with the HSE about asbestos’…

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/23/hse-chief-executive-responds-to-christopher-bookers-comments-in-the-daily-telegraph/feed/ HSE Chair reponds to The Lancashire Telegraph article - “Safety: some have gone too far” http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/19/hse-chair-reponds-to-the-lancashire-telegraph-article-safety-some-have-gone-too-far/?rss=Putting the record straight Mon, 19 Oct 2009 07:00:35 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=11348 HSE Chair Judith Hackitt responds
It’s great to see the Justice Secretary, Jack Straw, flying the flag for a common-sense approach to health and safety (’Safety: some have gone too far’, 8 October).

As the Chair of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), I wholeheartedly agree with Mr Straw when he says that science lessons and experiments are “not about wilfully exposing children to unnecessary danger, but better getting them to understand how to make their own decisions about the risks…”

View HSE Chair’s response to The Lancashire Telegraph article

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/19/hse-chair-reponds-to-the-lancashire-telegraph-article-safety-some-have-gone-too-far/feed/ HSE Chair responds to Daily Telegraph article “Straw attacks ‘health and safety’” http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/16/hse-chair-responds-to-daily-telegraph-article-straw-attacks-health-and-safety/?rss=Putting the record straight Fri, 16 Oct 2009 10:20:47 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=11345 HSE Chair Judith Hackitt responds
As the Chair of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) I wholeheartedly agree with Justice Secretary, Jack Straw when he says, “there is a common-sense balance to be struck” when it comes to health and safety.

View HSE Chair’s response to Daily Telegraph article”

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/16/hse-chair-responds-to-daily-telegraph-article-straw-attacks-health-and-safety/feed/ Police service statement - HSE response to Daily Mail http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/09/police-service-statement-hse-response-to-daily-mail/?rss=Putting the record straight Fri, 09 Oct 2009 10:34:04 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=11063 The vast majority of media coverage of the launch of the Police Service policy statement “Striking the Balance” event consisted of largely balanced reporting, with one notable - if not surprising - exception, the Daily Mail

HSE response to the Daily Mail

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/09/police-service-statement-hse-response-to-daily-mail/feed/ HSE Scotland Director sets the record straight over Lollipop man http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/07/hse-scotland-director-sets-the-record-straight-over-lollipop-man/?rss=Putting the record straight Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:33:58 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=10993 Dr Paul Stollard (HSE Director for Scotland)  responds - I was really sorry to read today’s, Monday 05 October 2009, front page story -”Banned from giving sweets to kids” - and editorial comment….

Read the response in full

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/07/hse-scotland-director-sets-the-record-straight-over-lollipop-man/feed/ HSE Inspectors appreciate a good joke… http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/07/hse-inspectors-appreciate-a-good-joke/?rss=Putting the record straight Wed, 07 Oct 2009 15:32:09 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=10991 Geoff Baker (Head of Operations - East/South East England) responds - “Inspectors with the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) are like most people - they appreciate a good joke….”

Read the response in full

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/07/hse-inspectors-appreciate-a-good-joke/feed/ HSE Chair responds - tackling real health and safety issues http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/06/hse-chair-responds-tackling-real-health-and-safety-issues/?rss=Putting the record straight Tue, 06 Oct 2009 15:46:28 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=10956 Judith Hackitt, HSE Chair, has responded to a Daily Express article on tackling real health and safety issues.

Read Judith’s response in full

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/10/06/hse-chair-responds-tackling-real-health-and-safety-issues/feed/ ‘Health and safety gone mad’ - Kevin Myers responds http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/09/10/health-and-safety-gone-mad-kevin-myers-responds/?rss=Putting the record straight Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:00:29 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=10410 HSE Deputy Chief Executive Kevin Myers responds to articles in The Mirror on 5 September - ’Palarva’, and ‘Sorry, no barbed wire…it might injure vandals’.

Read HSE’s response in full

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/09/10/health-and-safety-gone-mad-kevin-myers-responds/feed/ Do your homework on school tie ‘ban’ http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/08/28/do-your-homework-on-school-tie-%e2%80%98ban%e2%80%99/?rss=Putting the record straight Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:00:23 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=10161 Britain’s safety watchdog has hit back at claims of a ban on traditional school ties and urged people to do their homework on the subject. 

HSE said edicts ordering parents to replace their children’s school ties for clip-on alternatives have no basis in law and ‘elf and safety’ cannot be blamed.

View Do your homework on school tie ‘ban’, watchdog urges press release

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/08/28/do-your-homework-on-school-tie-%e2%80%98ban%e2%80%99/feed/ Judith Hackitt responds EU radiation directive article http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/08/05/judith-hackitt-responds-eu-radiation-directive-article/?rss=Putting the record straight Wed, 05 Aug 2009 09:00:45 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9763 The HSE Chair has responded to article in The Daily Telegraph titled ‘Business hopes Government will see the light on EU radiation directive’.

Find out what Judith said

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/08/05/judith-hackitt-responds-eu-radiation-directive-article/feed/ Judith Hackitt responds to ICL article http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/08/05/judith-hackitt-responds-to-icl-article/?rss=Putting the record straight Wed, 05 Aug 2009 08:27:10 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9765 HSE Chair Judith Hackitt responds to a misleading article in The Herald regarding the ICL Plastics explosion.

Find out what Judith said

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/08/05/judith-hackitt-responds-to-icl-article/feed/ The People - Myth busting http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/08/04/the-people-myth-busting/?rss=Putting the record straight Tue, 04 Aug 2009 10:30:17 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9761 HSE Chair Judith Hackitt responds to a reader’s letter in The People newspaper regarding schools.

Find out what Judith said

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/08/04/the-people-myth-busting/feed/ HSE Chair’s response to the Daily Express article “For safety’s sake, skip the playground games http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/29/hse-chairs-response-to-the-daily-express-article-for-safety%e2%80%99s-sake-skip-the-playground-games/?rss=Putting the record straight Wed, 29 Jul 2009 08:01:03 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9619 I am delighted to see the results of the survey referenced in your article “For safety’s sake, skip the playground games” 28 July, which reveals that parents recognise the benefits of outdoor play in childhood.

But I can assure your readers that the supposed rules which ban skipping, conkers and other such pursuits are myths. There are no health and safety regulations which ban these activities.

Read the HSE Chair’s response to the Daily Express article in Full

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/29/hse-chairs-response-to-the-daily-express-article-for-safety%e2%80%99s-sake-skip-the-playground-games/feed/ HSE Chair’s response to the Edinburgh Evening News “Aiming to avoid some potential banana skins” http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/28/hse-chairs-response-to-the-edinburgh-evening-news-aiming-to-avoid-some-potential-banana-skins/?rss=Putting the record straight Tue, 28 Jul 2009 15:20:12 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9616 At HSE, we fully endorse the notion put forward by City Council health and safety advisor Graham Anderson (“Aiming to avoid some potential banana skins” 27 July 2009) that “The rule of thumb is: if it feels like common sense, it’s probably OK to do it…”

All too often health and safety is conveniently used as an excuse for events or activities not going ahead.

Read the HSE Chair’s response to the Edinburgh Evening News in full

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/28/hse-chairs-response-to-the-edinburgh-evening-news-aiming-to-avoid-some-potential-banana-skins/feed/ HSE Chair responds to the Sunday Express campaign to ‘Save our Fetes’ http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/28/hse-chair-responds-to-the-sunday-express-campaign-to-save-our-fetes/?rss=Putting the record straight Tue, 28 Jul 2009 13:52:04 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9614 HSE agrees wholeheartedly with the sentiments behind the Sunday Express ‘Save Our fetes’ campaign.

The message is simple – do what’s sensible and reasonable and then go ahead and enjoy yourselves!

Read HSE Chair’s response to the Sunday Express in full

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/28/hse-chair-responds-to-the-sunday-express-campaign-to-save-our-fetes/feed/ HSE won’t rain on your parade…or your fete! http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/14/hse-won%e2%80%99t-rain-on-your-parade%e2%80%a6or-your-fete/?rss=Putting the record straight Tue, 14 Jul 2009 07:00:57 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9203 HSE has chosen village fetes as July’s ‘elf and safety’ myth, to illustrate the confusion that exists around organising public events.

View press release

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/14/hse-won%e2%80%99t-rain-on-your-parade%e2%80%a6or-your-fete/feed/ ‘Why should the taxpayer bankroll quangos?’ http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/09/why-should-the-taxpayer-bankroll-quangos/?rss=Putting the record straight Thu, 09 Jul 2009 10:26:28 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9134 HSE Chief Executive Geoffrey Podger responds to article in the Daily Express. 

View Geoffrey Podger’s response

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/09/why-should-the-taxpayer-bankroll-quangos/feed/ Safety rules kill off kids’ ‘Brit spirit’ http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/08/safety-rules-kill-off-kids%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98brit-spirit%e2%80%99/?rss=Putting the record straight Wed, 08 Jul 2009 13:32:29 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9092 HSE Chair Judith Hackitt responds to an article in the Daily Telegraph.

View HSE Chair’s response

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/08/safety-rules-kill-off-kids%e2%80%99-%e2%80%98brit-spirit%e2%80%99/feed/ A ‘bonfire of the quangos’ http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/07/a-bonfire-of-the-quangos/?rss=Putting the record straight Tue, 07 Jul 2009 09:10:29 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9068 HSE Chief Executive Geoffrey Podger responds to a Daily Mail article (6 July) on a proposed review of quangos and their accountability.

View Geoffrey Podger’s response

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/07/a-bonfire-of-the-quangos/feed/ Rebuttal letter from HSE’s Chair to Daily Mail newspaper http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/03/rebuttal-letter-from-hses-chair-judith-hackitt-to-daily-mail-newspaper/?rss=Putting the record straight Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:24:40 +0000 HSE http://news.hse.gov.uk/?p=9007 HSE Chair Judith Hackitt’s response to a Daily Mail article (2 July) on the activity of a campaign group protesting against the ‘proliferation of nannying health and safety notices’

Read Rebuttal letter from HSE’s Chair

]]> http://news.hse.gov.uk/2009/07/03/rebuttal-letter-from-hses-chair-judith-hackitt-to-daily-mail-newspaper/feed/