The issue addressed by the HSE myth-busters in
their 250th case concerned a leisure centre which had refused to
allow a martial arts club permission to lay out judo mats for classes, on the
grounds of ‘health and safety’.
The panel discussed the case, and concluded that
the centre was right to state that they need to ensure that the people who put
out the equipment do so knowing how to handle mats which are quite heavy – but
there was no logical reason - and certainly no health and safety requirement -
for this to be done by leisure centre staff exclusively. The matter at the
heart of this case appears to have been cost, with the centre charging for
putting the mats out and the club members preferring to do it themselves on a
voluntary basis. The panel recommended a constructive dialogue about the real
reasons for the centre’s reluctance to agree to the club’s request/proposal
recognising that almost all health and safety concerns can be easily resolved
and should not be used as an excuse.
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