7 October 2004 - HSE Response to Conkers Article in The Times
The recent article in The Times this week on children wearing protective goggles whilst playing conkers in school, has prompted Bill Callaghan, Chair of the Health and Safety Commission (HSC) to respond with a letter to the editor of The Times.
The response reads as follows (taken from the HSE Press Office: Putting the record straight):
Letter to the Editor – The Times
Frank Furedi (Thunderer 5 October 2004)
5 October 2004
Sir,
The suggestion that children should wear safety goggles whilst playing conkers is just the type of thing that gives sensible health and safety a bad name.
The issue of requiring Head Teachers to ensure children wear safety goggles whilst playing conkers is not something HSE would ever be involved in, the notion that HSE has inspectors monitoring playground activities across the country is nonsense. Obviously safety goggles are very important within the correct environment, for example, whilst using cutting equipment. HSE inspectors will be inspecting, where there is a real workplace risk, to ensure that these risks are managed effectively.
BILL CALLAGHAN
Chair, Health & Safety Commission
