Health and safety or just pure farce?

Jul 26 2008 by Bill Midgley, The Journal

THE march of regulation becomes ever more stifling as we see interpretations of legislation, however well meaning in its initial intent, that seem ludicrous in their execution. Recently I attended a meeting at premises which are owned by HM Government, one of a regular series of such meetings using a room designed for that purpose.

But with one problem. As the number involved was too large for a small table two were usually placed side by side to accommodate the 10 or so people involved, a procedure dangerous to life and limb as one table had to move something of the order of 10 feet. No problems in the past, yet now regulation shows its hand.

New instructions from HMG dictate that staff must not move furniture, not even 10 feet, or allow volunteers to do so.

Rather a risk assessment has to be carried out on the process involving an outside organisation who, following due deliberation, will send their operatives the next day to complete the move.

The procedure will be reversed the day after the meeting has concluded. Three days to carry out what was, and is, a simple process, a situation that I find unbelievable!

No reference to the cost involved although as this is Government presumably that is an irrelevance as we, the taxpayers, will foot the bill.

No thought about the stupidity of the interpretation of legislation or of delays that may occur.

No use of common sense. Many regulations are well intentioned, it is their implementation that often creates the problem. Certainly no one wishes to see injury or staff taking risks on a personal basis but to reduce what is, or has been, a regular occurrence to this level is a farce, and only serves to ridicule such regulation that is well needed.

The public sector often works in a manner that is somewhat different to business, not always having the sharp edge that is needed to survive and with the comfort of having a large sponsor to foot the bill.

The danger in this episode is that it will pass to business, with yet more inspection or insurers insisting that the full procedure is followed and documented.

A further cost to businesses already under extreme pressure and if followed to its ultimate lengths will cause many small enterprises to close. Perhaps in the eyes of regulators that is of little consequence as long as the paper work is there and the process followed.

Far fetched or a situation that could not be made up?

Not really, it is happening and could affect us all in the near future. Where the public sector leads, private businesses often have to follow whatever the ultimate cost may be.

Bill Midgley is a North East business executive and former chairman of the British Chambers of Commerce