What the Heck!

[STEED]

Just when you think this Health & Safety madness can not reach a new low along comes this....

Blind girl, seven, banned from using white stick at school as it is 'health and safety risk'
Bristol primary school says seven-year-old pupil can no longer use her walking cane because it could trip up teachers and other children

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/news...fety-risk.html

This is a new low.



If this claptrap was around in my day I could have been banned for using..


This country has gone stark raving mad when I read this sort of stuff.

[BossMark]

Well it doesn't surprise me, all this health and safety bollocks is going over the top with that one if that had been my child then I would have told them to piss off and told them the stick stays or she stays at home.

[vienna]

Situations like the one above is one very good reason there is an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the US. Even with a lot of the concerns about health and safety, here in the US a person with disabilities is assured legal protection and the opportunity for reasonable accommodations for the needs of their disabilities. It is true some rather unscrupulous people have tried to game the law, but they are more often caught than not, and they are the exception rather than the rule.

As regards the 'risk assessment' person who raised the issue, I would suggest a thorough 'risk assessment' of his continued employ in his or her current position...


<O>

[Reece]

Now I know where Australia gets its stupid laws!!

[BrucePartington]

Stupidity ought to hurt. Maybe then people would actually make an effort to wise up.

[fireftr18]

It's a terribly one sided article. There was a similar situation here in the US a few years ago. Looking deeper, it came out that the child in question was using the cane as a weapon.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by vienna

Situations like the one above is one very good reason there is an Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) in the US. Even with a lot of the concerns about health and safety, here in the US a person with disabilities is assured legal protection and the opportunity for reasonable accommodations for the needs of their disabilities.


<O>

As is the case in the UK

Originally Posted by fireftr18

It's a terribly one sided article.

Agreed, the primary function of a risk assessment is to eradicate the hazard but should that not be possible then said hazard should be reduced to an acceptable level.

The risk assessment recommended a shortened length can to reduce the risks of tripping etc. An alternative being offered is for an adult to support her 100% whilst in school.

I get the impression the school are doing everything that is 'reasonably practicable' as required under current UK Health and Safety regulations (HASAWA 1974 Regulation 3).

[vienna]

Got kinda curious about the matter of canes for the blind; I have known several persons in my lifetime who have used canes but never really gave the canes themselves much thought. Found this from the National Foundation for the Blind regarding children and canes:

https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publicati...2/fr270213.htm



<O>

[Platapus]

We laugh because it is funny
We cry because it is true.

[August]

Way down at the end of article is this very interesting bit

"The pupil has not been banned from bringing in their cane, we have simply asked them to not use it around school as a temporary measure until we have the chance to meet with the parent and discuss the situation. It was initially hoped that we would have this resolved within a day or two."

Is this another media mole hill mountain like the lawsuit aunt?

[fireftr18]

Originally Posted by August

Is this another media mole hill mountain like the lawsuit aunt?

No, the media would never blow something out of proportion to sensationalize it to sell more papers.

Did everyone catch that small hint of sarcasm?

[Reece]

The media would never print any misleading articles.

[kraznyi_oktjabr]

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

The risk assessment recommended a shortened length can to reduce the risks of tripping etc.

Length of white cane depends on two factors:
A) Height of user
B) Walking pace of user
Cane must be long enough to allow finding obstacles when there is still sufficient safety margin to stop. If your natural walking pace is relatively fast cane must be relatively long. I'm 182 cm high and my white cane is 142 cm long. Normal length for my size would be about 137 cm but my walking pace is relatively fast so shorter cane means higher risk of collision.

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

An alternative being offered is for an adult to support her 100% whilst in school.

And what would that mean for her social life? What would you and your friends have thought if there was adult constantly present on whatever you did? (Shenannigans don't count)

Originally Posted by Jimbuna

I get the impression the school are doing everything that is 'reasonably practicable' as required under current UK Health and Safety regulations (HASAWA 1974 Regulation 3).

I don't know your legislation. However it still sounds morally quire problematic considering how unlikely being tripped into white cane is. Its quite lightly built and when someone hits it is usual either thrown away from your hand or broken.

White cane has been part of my daily life for six years now. No-one has ever been tripped by it although five (5) persons have hit it hard enough to destroy it: three by colliding into, two by stepping onto and one by driving over it with bicycle. Instances when it has been thrown away are numerous. Common to all cases is that person who hit my white cane was adult who was "minding their own business" instead of looking forward.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by August

Way down at the end of article is this very interesting bit

"The pupil has not been banned from bringing in their cane, we have simply asked them to not use it around school as a temporary measure until we have the chance to meet with the parent and discuss the situation. It was initially hoped that we would have this resolved within a day or two."

Is this another media mole hill mountain like the lawsuit aunt?

It certainly would appear so.

[STEED]

Most cases people meet these H&S lot try to come to a agreement and have to resort to going to the press after getting a verbal brick wall in the face. It happen to me many years ago I met the people I sat down and talked with them not at them and tried to come to some understanding and they got on their high horse! I said I would take the matter to the local press for which they said yea yea, I did and suddenly they changed their stand point and the issue was resolved.

As for this article care too note I did not post a link from The Mail, Express who would have blown the story up out of all portion.

Lets hope now that both sides come to agreement.