ABSTRACT
Stereotyping affected men too. The idea that men were risk-takers whose actions needed correction underlay much of the material produced in those early years. But there were also attempts to challenge stereotypes. The idea of the stoic, strong male worker who could just ‘soldier on’ after an injury without seeking first aid was questioned from the early 1970s onwards, under the slogan that ‘You’re never too tough for First Aid’ (see page 130). From the 1990s, men who sought help or tried to protect their health and well-being were encouraged, something seen to this day in attempts to engage construction workers, still predominantly a male workforce, with mental health awareness. Just as gender roles in British society were increasingly broken down, so too has the British Safety Council attempted to handle health and safety issues in more nuanced ways.
