OHS in Korea

One thing I admire about the Koreans is the fact that they have not succumbed to the urge to legislate away personal responsibility or personal stupidity. By that I mean they have not tied up peoples enjoyment of hazard with lots and lots of red tape. People are left to determine for themselves how to keep safe. Therefore children get to enjoy the feeling of riding their bikes with the wind blowing in their hair.

In fact I think I've seen helmets maybe three times since I've been here. Twice they were dangling from the handle bars as the bike sailed gaily past me. The third time it was actually sitting on the risk takers head - with the chin straps trailing behind them in the wind. Having painted a picture that would have many western parents worry in the extreme I should also point out that here in Korea everybody rides on the footpath. To ride in the traffic should be considered suicide!

There are times however where a few OHS standards might be useful - but then that comes under the category of personal stupidity.

Take for example this man I saw painting the arch above the local 'mall' the other day. He had no harness or anything else to keep him safe. If he slipped it was straight down.

Having said all of the above. I think one of the things stifling western society today is a lack of risk, consequence and personal responsibility. I applaud Korean's for maintaining these traits in their culture. I hope they don't drift into the same trap we have, but I fear they will as I see them drifting into other 'western' traps, like fast food and entertainment, etc.