Teachers in England are using health and safety as a “convenient excuse” for not organising practical experiments and school trips, a group of MPs has found.
The Commons Science and Technology Select Committee has been investigating the perception that health and safety concerns are preventing science practicals in schools, as well as fieldwork and field trips. Publishing its findings, the committee found “no credible evidence to support health and safety’s often cited explanation for decline of practicals and work outside the classroom”, and concluded that the perception is “to a large extent, misconceived.”

Instead, the MPs felt that more fundamental factors were at play in discouraging teachers from organising fieldwork and science experiments. These include the availability of teachers who are well-trained and confident in their ability to effectively organise work outside the classroom, and issues surrounding fit-for-purpose facilities and sufficient qualified and experienced technical support. The MPs said they are “convinced that good training and guidance should not only provide teachers with the information and skills to carry out the work but also work toward dispelling any myths about health and safety”.

IOSH praised the report and said it chimed with the Government’s recent statement on busting the myths that surround health and safety in general.
The Institution’s head of policy and public affairs, Richard Jones, said: “We greatly welcome this report by such a prestigious committee. The findings echo our long-held view, and the comments made by Employment minister Chris Grayling last month, that health and safety legislation can be misinterpreted as an excuse for banning activities.
“We are particularly supportive of the comments made in the report about making sure health and safety is not used as a convenient excuse in schools and colleges to stop experiments and activities taking place outside of the classroom. It’s very important for the development of young people that they are exposed, in a controlled way, to risks and issues.”

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