Health and Safety - public perception

I am the Health and Safety Officer for a pharmaceutical services company. I have a Diploma in Health and Safety in addition to a PhD in Chemistry - I say that not to impress but to make the following points. Whenever anyone mentions Health and Safety these days, the immediate impression is of an over-regulated, bureaucratic area populated by extremely boring and anally retentive individuals. The perception of Health and Safety to business people or managers is of an unnecessary burden put upon them by both Westminster and Brussels, which involves too many rules and regulations, procedures and cost, without any immediate benefit to the business. In some areas (especially the railways), the perception is that the bosses pay only lip service to safety commitments so just going to work is risky. Another perception is that safety rules are there to be flouted until someone wants to make a claim for damages following an accident. That would make the only winners the legal profession.

Unfortunately, most of the above views have some basis in reality. The safety profession does not assist in changing these views: safety professionals persist in using legal arguments to persuade managers to act (i.e., it is the law so you've got to do it) and banning activities on safety grounds where there is no great reason.

For example, the HSE were being criticised recently for extending the EU Work at Heights Directive (aimed at protecting scaffolders, roof workers, window cleaners) to include rock climbing as a leisure activity. The media used this as an excuse to ridicule the HSE and the profession, saying that rock faces would need signage, all climbers would need two ropes (physically impossible for climbers trying to reach inaccessible places), and essentially that the same rules would apply on scaffolding as on rock faces. All of this flew in the face of the remarkably good safety record held by, and self regulatory climate operated by climbers and their organisations. Common sense and communication to the media and interested groups were sorely lacking.

Another problem is the general age and demeanour of Health and Safety professionals. Judging by the professional meetings that I attend, the image of the Safety Officer as a grey haired anal retentive out of touch with reality and with knowledge only of the safety areas, not of the industry in which they work, is sadly close to accurate. Unfortunately, I can suggest no real ways to improve matters, apart form to hope that I never fall into the trap of becoming like the above caricature.