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'Common sense' call in Christmas lights row

13/10/2007

Health and safety experts have hit back against accusations that their regulations look set to lower the number of Christmas lights displays this year.

The Federation of Small Businesses has claimed that the crushing weight of health and safety compliance is putting more and more local councils off dealing with Christmas lights, which traditionally adorn high streets up and down the country during the festive season.

FSB spokesperson Stephen Alambritis said that Christmas was looking "darker and bleaker year on year" because of "spiralling costs and exhaustive safety concerns".

Ray Hurst and Neil Budworth, president-elect and former president of the Institute of Occupational Safety and Health respectively, argued on this morning's Today programme that this was far from the case.

Mr Budworth indicated that the latest dispute over councils not being able to put up Christmas lights because insurers will not cover them, was down to an "insurance issue" rather than a health and safety matter.

"A health and safety advisor would give competent advice on how to do that properly, not say: 'Well, let's not do it'."

He went on to argue that the IOSH get blamed in a lot of stories in the media that are in fact complete fabrications.

Referring to an incident several years ago when a British school was told to ensure its students wore safety goggles when playing conkers, Mr Hurst insisted that this was an unnecessary precaution.

"When it comes to things like conkers, come on - let's have an outbreak of common sense," he said.

"[Health and safety] is about making sure that people at work go home safe at the end of the day, they're not injured, they're not killed."

The IOSH is sponsoring this year's World Conker Championships to publicise its campaign against a "kill-joy" image.