Posted By Al.. A bit convoluted Ian but I think I get the gist. My understanding is that the HSE is in no way responsible for anything amiss or perceived to be amiss in the world of health and safety. Anything which is awry is the fault of poor h+s practitioners, insurance companies, tabloid newspapers, risk averse managers etc etc. There is nothing which the HSE has done, or has omitted to do, which has in anyway caused or contributed to, or could give reasonable grounds for someone to consider that it has caused or contributed to, any of the so called myths about health and safety, the so called bonkers conkers stories, any story about health and safety in a tabloid newspaper or in a right wing broadsheet or any of the risk averse attitudes which we encounter daily. Instead all of these are due to individuals who should know better failing to take due note of, or misinterpreting the clear and lucid guidance emanating from Rose Court. Myth of the Month for August: “Health and safety laws mean concert-goers have to wear earplugs”. Wouldn’t it be refreshing if, just for once, those responsible for the legislation and for the accompanying guidance came out and said “We got this wrong, we failed to anticipate how this well-meaning legislation would be misunderstood or misinterpreted.” But no chance of that. Instead it is all someone else’s fault and time and effort has to be invested in countering these myths which it, despite being the organisation which more than any other sets the cultural climate for h+s in Great Britain, has had no involvement at all in creating.