Clearly borrowing a pair of scissors is considered too cutting edge...

Here's another absurd "elf 'n' safety" story for you...

A woman working in a London library says she was refused the loan of a pair of scissors by an assistant because she "might stab a member of staff". Lorna Watts, 26, told the BBC: "I asked why I couldn't borrow a pair of scissors and she said, 'they are sharp, you might stab me'.

"I then asked to borrow a guillotine to cut up my leaflets but she refused again - because she said I could hit her over the head with it!"

Lorna added: "It's absurd - there are plenty of heavy books I could have hit her with if I wanted to!"

A spokeswoman for the HSE said there was no policy in place on lending sharp implements.
"People know their own workplaces and must carry out their own risk assessments", she said.
"But we do ask workplaces to take a common sense approach. This could be a case of someone misinterpreting the rules."

Well, if Miss Watts didn't want to assault Ms.Jobsworth before her library visit, I bet she does now.

Time to give high heels the boot?

Few women can resist the allure of a pair of high heels - however, the appeal appears to be lost on delegates at the Trades Union Congress, who demanded yesterday that employers take a stand against the risks of wearing high heels in the workplace.

What do you think? Are they to blame for the two million working days lost each year to lower limb disorders?

Should women who work in the retail or airline profession be allowed to wear "sensible" shoes to work and not be forced into high heels by companies' uniform policies?

Post your comments here.

Sign our petition

In early 2010 the Health and Safety Executive's board has to decide whether or not to ask the government to create a legal duty on directors of companies and other organisations to protect the health and safety of their employees.

At present, directors' only health and safety duties in law are expressed as sanctions for criminal failure to prevent accidents or ill health.

HSW magazine and Health and Safety Bulletin believe that a positive duty would encourage senior executives to give safety a higher priority along with their financial responsibilities and raise safety standards in UK workplaces.

This belief was supported by the Parliamentary Select Committee on Work and Pensions in its 2008 report on the role of the Health and Safety Commission and Health and Safety Executive in regulating workplace health and safety and in Rita Donaghy's recent government-funded inquiry into deaths on construction sites.

Petition
We call on the HSE board to recommend the government introduces a statutory duty on directors to take all reasonable steps to ensure the health and safety of their organisations' workers.

Sign the petition here.

Violence against H&S practitioners

We are looking for H&S practitioners who have experienced violence in the workplace for a new article.

Have you been subjected to violence during the course of your work? How did you address it and what approach did you take to manage it?

Please post your comments here and we'll contact you.

Health and safety blamed...yet again

A Coke advertisement featuring Duffy, the singer, cycling in the street without lights or a reflective jacket has drawn 22 complaints.

The advert shows the singer cycling through the night along quiet streets, singing with passers by joining in.

Thankfully, the Advertising Standards Authority rejected all the compaints.

"Because of the fantasy context we concluded that the ad did not condone behaviour prejudicial to health and safety."

How about we get back to 'real' health and safety now?

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Be part of the solution

I attended the launch of the HSE's new strategy, 'The Health and Safety of Great Britain: Be part of the solution' yesterday.

Judith Hackitt (Chair of the HSE), James Purnell (Secretary of State for Work and Pensions), Brendan Barber (TUC General Secretary) and representatives from the LGA and EEF were all in attendance, but apart from the rather attractively-designed literature, there wasn't much to report on.

A previous article by HSW on the strategy told us all we needed to know, and it seems the three-month consultation didn't change very much. However, we'd still like to know what you think of the new strategy; add your comments in the discussion forums.

The strategy is available to download here.

Another great year for health and safety

Last week the team behind Health and Safety at Work magazine and http://www.healthandsafetyprofessional.co.uk/ exhibited at the annual Safety & Health Expo in Birmingham. It was a great show, and we were fortunate to meet many readers, all of whom had great things to say about the publication and website.

Did you visit the show? We'd love to hear your experiences - please add your thoughts here.

UK retains working time opt-out

Will the news that the UK can keep its opt-out from the EU's 48-hour working limit make any difference to your company's policy?

Vote in this week's opinion poll. Results will be published in next week's e-newsletter.

HSE to publish names of those killed at work - a wise idea?

Following a ruling by the Information Commissioner last year, the HSE has announced that it will publish the names of people killed in workplace accidents on its website (read our news story here).

Do you think it is a wise idea? HSP user Judy Joinston is in two minds about this. "Whilst, yes, reading the names, ages and circumstances of their deaths makes you think, but what about Data Protection? I'd feel dreadful if my loved one died at work (obviously), even more so if I found their name on a public web site without my permission. I pray I'm never in the situation, but if I am, I'll be challenging anyone who puts their name on this web-site, unless I've specifically agreed to it..."

Do you agree with Judy? Add your comments here.

Just how painful is this recession?

The recession will not lead to a reduction in investment in health and safety for companies, according to health and safety minister Lord McKenzie of Luton.

Speaking at last month's IOSH conference, he explained that the current economic situation would mean "testing" times ahead, but there would be no let up of "duties around health and safety".

Has your health and safety role changed due to the current economic climate? Have there been redundancies within your department? We want to hear how the recession is affecting industry. Add your comments here.