Judith Hackitt challenges Wimbledon

Judith Hackitt the Chair of the HSE challenges the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) on its decision to ban the use of Murray Mount on safety grounds. Her letter is below.

We are encouraged to read and fully support Judith’s stance; we even challenge employers to take a similar stance, ie deal with the major risks in your workplace rather make excuses due to H&S.

Judith’s Letter to the Lawn Tennis Association reads as follows:

Dear LTA (actual names used on the orginal letter)

I was particularly disappointed to discover that the LTA chose yesterday to explain its decision to ban spectators from Murray Mount as being ‘on health and safety grounds’.

There is nothing in health and safety legislation which prohibits the continued broadcasting of centre court action to the crowds on the hill during the rain.

Health and safety is concerned with the proportionate management of real risks caused by work, not attempting to eliminate every minor risk from every moment of people’s lives.

People have been walking up and down wet grassy slopes for years without catastrophic consequences. If the LTA was concerned about people slipping and suing for their injuries the message should have made clear the decision was ‘on
insurance grounds’.

Health and safety excuses are becoming as much a feature of the British sporting calendar as the rain. You will understand that while we can do nothing about the weather, we will not let the excuses pass unchallenged.

I am releasing a copy of this letter to the media.

Yours sincerely,

Judith Hackitt

Chair

Health and Safety Executive