But it really does sound like a very tragic and coincidental set of circumstances and I doubt that most risk assessments would have covered such an unlikely series of events. So we are left with the uncomfortable feeling that despite regulation, legislation and litigation, accidents can still happen. I remember being surprised during a European standards meeting when our Danish colleagues, who had been arguing against any wording change which might be seen to dilute even slightly the health and safety message, used the coffee break to maintain their nicotine levels. They argued that there was no inconsistency between their obsession with minimising risks in the workplace and choosing to take a personal risk with lung cancer. And, with hindsight, I suppose they were right.
Risk management is about making sensible decisions about risks and agreeing appropriate responses.
What action results from these decisions is up to us, whether we are making choices about the workplace or our lifestyle. This will not make anyone who has lost a relative in the most recent crash feel any better. Fill in our 2-minute questionnaire . All rights reserved.