Thursday, February 16, 2006

Health and Safety

I have been watching with interest the progress being made on renovating a house down the road. Behind huge metal barriers bearing the legend 'Hard hat area' and 'Protective headgear must be worn at all times' several workmen carry on in bare heads, occasionally rubbing the places where the bruises from walking into scaffolding are particularly painful.

It got me wondering why there are so many unenforceable laws in this country. Basic Darwinianism will make sure the stupid builders die youngest.

Was contemplating a rant when I found Boris's article on elf and safety and the inability of someone untrained to carry a printer 200 metres in the Palace of Westminster, which became a convincing argument for government butting out and leaving people to be stupid in freedom. Read it here.

Still don't want to breathe your cigarette smoke though.

1 comment:

Martin said...

Yes, there are a crazy number of laws, but I do have to agree with you on the smoking ban. Thing is, I think that laws should be there to protect people from other people, but not really to protect people from themselves. Smoking affects others, and so a ban is appropriate. Chewing tobacco in public places is a different matter! (although I can't see it taking off)