Panorama

Health and safety began with the noble aim of protecting workers from dangerous conditions in heavy industry. Nowadays, health and safety officials seem ready to pounce on all aspects of our working lives, from building work to the sound levels musicians can play at, or even the weight and size of our gravestones. The culture has been driven by lawyers encouraging claims for almost any accident, while leaving just 125 inspectors to enforce safety on building sites across the UK. Panorama investigates why the deadly serious matter of health and safety has become a laughing stock.