Part of Growing Up

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Published: 02 November 2007

Part of Growing Up

Judith Hackitt, Chair of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) has sent out a clear message to those who hide behind so called health and safety rules to stop children from enjoying a normal childhood.

The new HSC Chair, speaking at a Royal Society for the Arts (RSA) "Risk and Childhood" conference, said:

"Life is not risk free, we know that. Our children encounter risks every day and learning to manage risks is an essential part of growing up.

Through educational activities and play we want children to enjoy themselves whilst staying safe.

All too often 'health and safety' is blamed for imposing unjustifiable bureaucracy on teachers.

I do not want to see bureaucratic actions taken in the name of health and safety. As the regulator, the HSC wants to see risks managed sensibly and responsibly, not eliminated.

Most education authorities are extremely sensible on issues like this, but it is important every authority continues to adopt a sensible approach."

Sensible risk management IS NOT about:

· Creating a totally risk free society

· Generating useless paperwork mountains

· Scaring people by exaggerating or publicising trivial risks

· Stopping important recreational and learning activities for individuals where the risks are managed, and

· Reducing protection of people from risks that cause real harm and suffering

Sensible risk management IS about

· Ensuring that workers and the public are properly protected

· Providing overall benefit to society by balancing benefits and risks, with a focus on reducing real risks - both those which arise more often and those with serious consequences

· Enabling innovation and learning, not stifling them

· Ensuring that those who create risks manage them responsibly and understand that failure to manage real risks responsibly is likely to lead to robust action, and

· Enabling individuals to understand that as well as the right to protection, they also have to exercise responsibility

These principles on sensible risk management build on HSE's initiatives to cut red tape and work with organisations representing employers, workers, insurers, lawyers, volunteers, health and safety professionals to make a real difference to people's lives.

These principles reiterate the message that health and safety is not about long forms, back-covering, or stifling initiative.

It's about keeping people safe - not stopping their lives.

Further information

Five Steps to Risk Assessment

School trips – health and safety in the workplace

Related articles

Helping Children and Young People to Stay Safe

Saving Lives Not Stopping Living

School Trips and Safety

Experiencing School Visits

School Farm Visits

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