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News release

14 June 2010 - NR 27/10

IOSH welcomes health and safety debate

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) has broadly welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of a review into the growing risk aversion and fear of being sued in this country.

Lord Young of Graffham is expected to report to the Prime Minister in the summer and will look into concerns over misunderstanding of health and safety requirements as well as the rise of a perceived ‘compensation culture’.

The Prime Minister said: “We need a sensible new approach that makes clear these laws are intended to protect people, not overwhelm business with red tape.

“The rise of the compensation culture over the last ten years is a real concern, as is the way health and safety rules are sometimes applied.”

Richard Jones, IOSH’s Policy and Technical Director, welcomed this focus on educating people about what’s really required.

He said: “We welcome any debate that helps to dispel the negative myth that health and safety is all about banning things. The health and safety profession is in the business of protecting people from serious harm, not about trivia or burdening businesses with bureaucratic red tape.

“We need legislation to protect workers and it’s important to remember that health and safety laws do a great job in helping prevent injury and illness at work. It’s the wider public safety issues, involving leisure activities and children, where people seem to make up their own rules and we get all the crazy stories.’’

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Notes for editors:

IOSH is the Chartered body for health and safety professionals. With more than 40,000 members in 85 countries, we’re the world’s biggest professional health and safety organisation.

We set standards, and support, develop and connect our members with resources, guidance, events and training. We’re the voice of the profession, and campaign on issues that affect millions of working people.

IOSH was founded in 1945 and is a registered charity with international NGO status.