School bans cartwheels? I came across this headline researching manual handling in special education and just sighed, because this is what gives health and safety a bad name.
Over the weekend we had the pleasure of supporting not one, but two amazing school musicals. Both productions showcased the incredible talent of the kids and teachers involved. The joy and passion of the kids radiated off the stage and they were clearly living their best lives.
As I sat in the audience cheering on my son and our friends, it struck me that there were risks involved in both productions. From cheerleading moves, working at heights, manoeuvring heavy sets, and moving around a dark backstage, there were many instances where risk needed to have been considered.
And it was. There were safety mats, railings, and multiple crew moving large set pieces, to name just a few of the strategies that could be seen in action.
This is what effective risk management should look like. Risk assessment and management strategies should enable the key activities of any production (or business) to happen. Not stifle it.
Risk assessment should identify where injuries may occur, but effective health and safety practices should support those key activities to go ahead in the most appropriate way. Banning cartwheels? No thanks. Cumbersome policies that bog your business down with ineffective practices? No way.
Smart solutions that support what your business needs to achieve – whether that be a cheerleading pyramid, manoeuvring a giant staircase, or caring for your clients? Yes please.
Rebecca Terry