18/06/2010 - Health and safety 'used as excuse'
The Chair of the Health and Safety Executive has said that health and safety laws are being used as an excuse by too many people.
Judith Hackitt welcomed the review being led by Lord Young of Graffham into health and safety law practice and made the comments in her letter to him.
The HSE chief has offered to help gather evidence for Lord Young's Whitehall-wide inquiry, which will also look at compensation culture.
The inquiry's results will be given to Prime Minister David Cameron in the summer.
In her letter, Judith Hackitt wrote: "The terms of reference of your review extend beyond HSE's remit, which is concerned with addressing real risks and preventing death, injury and ill health to those at work and those affected by work related activities.
"However, we in HSE have been saying for some time that health and safety is being used by too many as a convenient excuse to hide behind.
"We welcome your review and stand ready to make available to you whatever information or insight we can."
Copyright © Press Association 2010
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