16th July 2010, 10:54 AM
Well, my understanding is that common sense is actually the over-riding factor. In attempting to cover their rears these guys could in fact be putting thenselves at risk, but obviously only a court (or perhaps the HSE?) after the event can decide. The main principle is always to assess the situation and actual conditions. The problem is indeed that slavishly following percieved "elfin safety regs" and using standardized Risk Assessments and H&S Plans/Files leads to the situation you describe. In some cases (not all) HSE people have done this themselves.