Health & safety jobsworths banned a teacher from putting Blu-Tack on a classroom window - in case it exploded.
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Rex
Health & safety jobsworths banned a teacher from putting Blu-Tack on a classroom window – in case it exploded.
They said chemicals in the sticky blue gum could react with the glass and make it shatter and ordered children's artwork to be removed.
But an investigation into the ludicrous ruling concluded it was a MYTH and that Blu-Tack on windows is not a hazard.
The strange case came to light in a Government report that examines over-zealous health & safety practices.
The Blu-Tack ruling was made by the private firm that runs the primary school in Perth and Kinross, Perthshire.
But it was debunked by the Government's Myth Busters Challenge Panel. The panel contacted Blu-Tack's maker Bostik which said it was safe – and even advertises its product's use on glass.
The Myth Busters ruled: "Whatever the reason for banning Blu-Tack, it is not on health and safety grounds. "The manufacturer's website makes clear that the product can be used on glass.
"We see no reason why the children's creative work should not be displayed for everyone to enjoy."
The Blu-Tack case is one of 28 rulings made in the Myth Busters' first two months.
One council was criticised for claiming that villagers wanting to hang flower baskets from lampposts must have every one checked by a structural engineer - costing £70 each.
And a parish council ordered a mum to take down a swing she put up for her kids at an allotment.
The panel was set up by Employment Minister Chris Grayling, who said: "I'm amazed by the amount of nonsense talked by health and safety jobsworths."
Leader of the 13-strong committee, Health and Safety Executive chair Judith Hackitt, said: "The amount of cases the panel has taken on clearly shows the extent to which health and safety is being misused as an excuse for banning almost anything."
What's the most ludicrous thing you've seen banned using health and safety excuses?
Extreme health and safety
- Five-year-old threatened with noise fine<p> Poor Alfie Lansdell was <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/08/30/four-year-old-threatened-with-5-000-noise-fine-for-playing-too/" target="_blank">threatened with a whopping £5,000 fine</a> because he apparently made too much noise playing in his garden. The little lad was told to keep stum by his local council in Hull after a neighbour complained he was making too much of a racket playing outside in the family's garden.</p>
- Picnics banned on Blackpool Pleasure Beach<p> Visitors to Blackpool's Pleasure Beach attraction - which costs around £80 for a family ticket - were told they <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/05/06/family-trip-to-blackpool-dont-take-a-picnic/" target="_blank">couldn’t bring their own packed lunches</a> and could only eat food they had purchased on site last Summer. Staff at the entrance to the Pleasure Beach reportedly seized sarnies at the gate, only returning them when visitors left! A spokesperson said at the time: “Due to the intensity of rides and attractions within the 42 acre site, there is limited space, and so a dedicated picnic area has been created adjacent to the entrance of Pleasure Beach.”</p>
- No more conkers, kids!<p> New research shows traditional playground games, like conkers and British Bulldog have <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/04/19/schools-ban-traditional-playground-games-over-safety-fears/" target="_blank">nearly disappeared from school break times</a> amid concerns about health and safety. More and more schools are banning the games over fears off broken bones (yes really, from conkers!) and even nut allergies (we tried very hard not to laugh at that one). Have they been banned at your children’s school?</p>
- Butlins ban bumper cars from bumping!<p> In possibly the most bonkers health and safety story to date, <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/04/27/butlins-bans-bumpers-cars-from-bumping/" target="_blank">Butlins banned bumper cars from bumping into each other</a> at their onsite fairgrounds last year. The director at the Bognor Regis Butlins resort, Jeremy Pardey said: "The point of our dodgems is to dodge people, not to run into people.”</p>
- Footballs banned in Gloucestershire school<p> A school in Gloucestershire needed to find its balls back in September 2011 when it banned <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/09/23/parents-outrage-as-school-bans-proper-footballs/" target="_blank">proper footballs for soft sponge balls</a> because it feared children would injure themselves. Outraged mums and dads have branded the move crazy, but teachers insist they have implemented the ban after a “number of incidents” with leather-style balls.</p>
- Seven-year-olds told off for gun mime game<p> Two little boys got into trouble for <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/05/31/seven-year-olds-reprimanded-for-gun-mime-game/" target="_blank">miming a gun fight at school in May 2011. </a>The seven-year-olds were told by teachers not to make gun shapes with their hands because it was threatening, and their parents were then instructed to reprimand the boys over their behaviour. The father of one of the boys said: 'This is ridiculous. How can you tell a seven-year-old boy he can't play guns and armies with his friends?” Do you agree with the teachers or the parents on this one?</p>
- Playground equipment removed from park<p> Poor children in Allergate, Co. Durham are twiddling their thumbs after health and safety spoilsports <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/12/08/health-and-safety-spoilsports-strip-kids-playground-of-all-equi/" target="_blank">removed all the playground equipment from a park</a> as they claimed it was dangerous, despite being in use, without problems, for 10 years. Swings, a roundabout, see-saw and slide were all removed because they apparently fall foul of complicated European regulations.</p>
- Plastic crates banned by Primary School<p> Dairy Crest gave Wychwood primary school 25 milk crates in 1996 for children to use in the playground. But 15 years later they were removed by the dairy, <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/08/24/plastic-crates-used-primary-school-toys-for-15-years-banned-health-safety/" target="_blank">claiming it was worried about children injuring themselves! </a>Teacher Anne Bardsley reckoned the crate decision was crackers, and says the children have been very upset by the move…</p>
- Boy banned by police from playing football outside his house<p> Poor Bertie Longworth, eight, was given a stern talking to by police after <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/04/04/boy-banned-by-police-from-playing-football-outside-his-house/" target="_blank">neighbours complained he was kicking his football too loudly!</a> He was told off for making too much noise with his ball and banned from playing with it on the pavement outside his house!</p>
- Parents need planning permission to build Wendy house<p> A couple in Wiltshire were left scratching their heads when they were <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2011/08/09/couple-told-to-apply-for-planning-permission-for-six-year-olds/" target="_blank">told they needed to secure planning permission</a> before they could build a Wendy house for their daughter. Sally and Brook Johnson told reporters they were “flabbergasted” when they received a letter to apply for retrospective planning permission for the play house in the grounds of their £1million country house.</p>
- Seven-year-old cannot fly pirate flag<p> Poor Anthony Steele loved playing pirates in his garden…until his <a href="http://www.parentdish.co.uk/2012/03/01/seven-year-old-boy-told-he-cannot-fly-pirate-flag-in-garden-anthony-steele/" target="_blank">local council said he couldn’t fly his Jolly Roger flag</a> as it breached advertising regulations and could be seen as promoting piracy. Anthony’s mum, Sara was outraged when she was told the family had to remove to flag because someone had complained, and poor pirate Anthony was devastated. We’re very surprised he didn’t make East Lindsey District Council walk the plank…</p>
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