‘Teens are better at judging risk than we give them credit for’

Teenagers are better at judging risk than we give them credit for, says safety expert Tom Duggan. 

Tom, of safety training company Woodward SHE, was working with students at West Cumbria skills fair last month, when he asked students to judge how safe a game of conkers was. 

“Despite people saying that kids always take risks, if you ask them ‘how should I hold this?’ and then move the string to a dangerous position, they get it. Kids are good at health and safety. 

“Stuff like that, they can relate to: you’re letting them play conkers safely, but not doing crazy things like making them wear a big pair of oven gloves.” 

His only regret was that he hadn’t thought to bring along some real conkers. “I had to use my lanyard.” 

Tom and his dad, also called Tom, were among a dozen companies invited to Energy Coast UTC at Lillyhall, near Workington.

Tom senior, who founded the business in 1993, was on a panel of business leaders fielding questions from students and parents at the skills fair. 

Woodward SHE, based at Energus in Lillyhall, has 30 years’ experience training people to be safe in the workplace.   

The skills fair, organised with Cumbria Chamber of Commerce, aimed to showcase opportunities with SMEs, that school leavers might not have considered.

Also represented were Natterjack Marketing; Co-Lab Engineering; AB Accountancy; McMenon Engineering; AJ Security; RB Electrical Services; LANSS; Misson CX; Core Solutions and Rebecca Wilson.