An expert who works with clients in the property sector is backing calls to change the UK’s obsession with minor health and safety concerns, in favour of a stronger focus on preventing accidents.

Health and safety expert Paul Darby from leading training company Pivotal Performance says that the wrong belief that ‘health and safety spoils everything’ diverts attention away from more important issues.

He’s backing calls from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) to look again at the way people view health and safety.

Paul is a Chartered Safety and Health Practitioner, holds a NEBOSH diploma (the National Examination Board in Occupational Safety & Health) and many military qualifications.

He said: “RoSPA’s own figures show that the number of UK deaths registered as an accident have risen.

“Accidents remain the most likely cause of death for people under the age of 35. And in recent years the figure has risen year on year.

“But people on the street continue to obsess over healthy and safety supposedly stopping fun things from happening. The reality is that health and safety saves lives.

He added: “We have some of the best health and safety laws in the world. Add some common sense and even more lives will be saved.

“All we need to do is change the way people perceive health and safety. They must see it as vital, not something that they reluctantly have to do.”

Paul recommends that all business owners visit the Health and Safety Executive’s website on sensible risk management at http://www.hse.gov.uk/risk/principles.htm.

Pivotal Performance is one of the UK’s leading health and safety training companies.

It has a unique way of training people called PPTplus, which teaches delegates how to win commitment from others, not just compliance.