From a time when laws on health and safety applied only to some industries and much was unregulated, we have moved to a time when health and safety laws seem, if you believe some reports in the news, to pervade every aspect of working life with silly restrictions. This article looks at the development of the legislation from the 1960s and suggests why there are now overcautious interpretations which give the false impression that a significant amount of science practical activity is restricted or banned. (Contains 1 figure.)