With celebrations for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee coming up in less than two weeks, HSE Chair, Judith Hackitt, advises:
“The Diamond Jubilee is going to be a huge celebration. We want to ensure that the hours of planning and preparation lead to successful and enjoyable events. Health and safety law does not to apply to local events organised by community volunteers and a few sensible precautions to deal with any potential minor incidents are all that is required.
“We are encouraging people to challenge decisions when they think health and safety is being used as an excuse and the Panel is ready to help.”
HSE advice follows guidance from the Department for Communities and Local Government about how successful local events could be organised with the minimum of bureaucratic fuss.
Communities Secretary, Eric Pickles, said:
“The Jubilee is a great opportunity for communities from all walks of life to come together, and reinforce our shared identity and sense of Britishness. The Government has slashed back regulations on street parties, by reining back the complicated bureaucracy of forms, permissions and risk assessments – now councils need to do their bit to join in.
“Unnecessary and irrelevant health and safety regulations should not be used as an excuse to prevent people to celebrate; the only red tape in sight should be the Jubilee bunting hanging in the streets.”
Minister for Employment, Chris Grayling, added:
“Hang up the bunting and challenge anyone who says otherwise. Too often we hear stories of jobsworths out to spoil everyone’s fun especially at big occasions like the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee all in the name of so called health and safety.”
Plans are already underway for celebrations around Britain for the extended weekend of 2-5 June.
Some local authorities have already acted to get rid of red tape and make it easier for local residents. Essex County Council have had more than 3,000 visitors to their helpful Jubilee planning webpages and Hampshire County Council are encouraging people to go ahead without costly insurance when it’s just unnecessary.
