Should health and safety rules be curbed?

Conservative leader David Cameron has called for an end to the UK's "over-the-top" health and safety culture. What is your reaction?

In a speech announcing a Tory review into how the health and safety culture can be curbed, he spoke of children told to wear goggles to play conkers and trainee hairdressers banned from using scissors.

But the TUC accused the Tories of making comments based on half-truths taken from newspapers and a government spokesman said health and safety regulation was needed to reduce injuries in the workplace.

Do you think the UK/Channel Islands has an "over-the-top" health and safety culture?

Why is this?

How could health and safety rules be curbed and what would be the impact?

The current health and safety regime is nothing but a scam which benefits lawyers and insurance companies. Its not health and safety thats needed but just plain common sense. The trouble is that lawyers and insurance companies cant make any money from common sense so there probably wont be any change to the current situation.

Well I agree there - I have just come under the gaze of the 'elf 'n safety brigade! 10 days ago my conservatory roof got a battering in the stormy weather - so I phoned my insurance company and they said get a quote! so far, so good! I managed to get one firm who could actually do what I wanted - so they came around had a look and said they would send a quote......in the meantime with the rain, the carpet in the conservatory is now so sodden that we are carpet surfing into our bathroom!!! when I phoned up to see if they could come and patch it until it was done properly I was told that they had staff off sick and that one man was not allowed to do it on his own - it had to be two - and 'elf 'n safety will not allow them to do anything unless there is proper scaffolding in place!!! Now my claim is for a new carpet as well as a conservatory roof (which could have been avoided) and the scaffolding/patch job was done today!!! not sure how the insurance company benefits though as it is now a higher claim than it would have been!!!!

Insurance companies benefit because of all the new health and safety rules and regulations that are dreamt up by numpties sitting at desks trying to justify their jobs. With all these new rules and regulations come lots of new insurance policies that have to be taken out by all and sundry.

That doesn't make good sense to me as my claim is now larger than it would have been!!!

Yes but how many new policies are bought daily because of all these rules and regulations. Your claim will pale into insignificance by comparison.

That makes me feel better - somehow always feel guilty when I make a claim (which is not very often)

As Cockney has said its all down to insurance company's and people sueing each other , There is a need for some kind of safety law again as Cockney has said Common sense but it is way over the top , i say this as a Health & safety Officer .............lol , when i went on my courses i was always amazed at some of the bulls**t that was flying around .

Why i said there is a need for H&S its for some (not all ) employers pushing their staff to get things done on time no matter what and if that means short-cuts so be it .

Mr Cameron was right in what he said Goggles etc what crap.If these people were to get out from behind their desk and come into the real world they may understand how stupid some of the rules really are.