Posted By simon carrier I would like to ask if anyone else has come across the following scenario: When anything needs to be done that is a little bit controversial, it needs to be done for Health and Safety reasons. If someone has a problem with another department a Health and Safety slant is put into the argument so that it “becomes a Health and Safety issue”. Is it me or have others come across this type of situation where H&S is used in the broadest terms as a means of beating up other people or departments?. Consequently giving H&S a bad boy image. Just needed to get it of my chest really. Your views on how to combat this “disease” would be useful

Posted By John Webster I suspect we all experience this problem. It's what my director calls "shroud waving". They tend to go quiet when you ask them to submit a risk assessment.

Posted By simon carrier It is heartening to hear that it affects others as well. Thanks for your replies.

Posted By STEVE MCMAHON Good evening guys ,nice to see i'm not alone . Sure we're all alone in the field , but there are beneffits , Kudos , education , respect ,free aurguments ( addictive after a time ) AND , the prospect , that ONE day after all OUR hard work ( for our members/ etc ) , we can make something out of it , ie; CV etc . therefore everyone wins.My personal problem is ... how to keep Lost Time Accidents at a low , when I know from personal experience , that certain managers will - - cook the book's ??? ( hard for me to swallow ) to suit . A very dangerous road to follow . Truthfull and helpfull replies only guys please ??

Posted By Luan I would like to say that maybe a better safety culture need to be created in this organization by the top management. They need to ensure all the employees to be empowered by HSE, the Area Authorities need to responsible for fixing the problems...

Posted By Kevin Street MIOSH,RSP Laurie, thanks for your input, add sarcasm to smug! Look at this professionally we as safety people have different functions as Managers, Officers or Advisors but principally we are employed to ensure our Organisations remain out of the courts. How we do that is by following the guidance, regulations and advice from those who can put us there i.e. HSE. Whether you can influence your employer into excepting/complying is the challenge we all face. Smug! . Not me, perhaps confident, determined, professional, influential but never complacent. Sounds like you’re a bit of a defeatist.