Monday 18 October 2010

telegraph

Health and safety checks for all families, says Nice

Inspections should be carried out on every household to make sure families are keeping children safe, according to government guidance.

By Graeme Paton, Education Editor
Published: 2:44PM BST 17 May 2010
All parents should allow health inspectors into their homes to check that windows, doors, cupboards and stairs do not pose a danger to children, it was claimed.
The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence said that every family with sons and daughters under the age of five should agree to a home safety assessment.
The recommendations – in draft guidance published on Monday – come amid fears over the rising cost of treating injured children on the NHS.
Around two million young people are admitted to accident and emergency departments every year, said Nice, at a cost of at least £146 million. The bill is dramatically escalated with the additional price of follow-up care and emergency call-outs by police and fire services, it was claimed.
But the move will reignite the debate over the so-called “nanny state” amid claims that government officials are increasingly seeking to intervene in family life.
It follows claims earlier this year that parental fears over child safety already meant many young people were becoming “entombed” in the home instead of being allowed to play outside.
Prof Mike Kelly, director of Nice's Centre for Public Health Excellence, said allowing children to “hurt themselves” was a normal part of growing up, but insisted that parents and health officials had a duty to “prevent serious injuries from happening”.
“These can have a profound effect on a young child right through to adult life, as they may need lengthy treatment and could be permanently disabled or disfigured,” he said.
“Our aim is not to promote a nanny state where children can’t have fun or lead normal lives, but there is an important balance to be struck between good and bad risks.
“Exposing children and young people to some risks can be beneficial, helping them to learn, develop and mature, but serious risks should be avoided.”
New draft guidelines set out a wide range of measures designed to improve child safety in the home and outdoors.
It said health visitors, school nurses and GPs should be alerted when children are “repeatedly” admitted to hospital casualty departments for unintentional injuries.
The draft guidance recommends introducing new regulations requiring the fitting of permanent safety equipment in all social and rented housing, including hard-wired smoke alarms, thermostat mixer valves for baths, window restrictors and carbon monoxide alarms.
In a controversial move, a new duty should also be placed on local Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) to provide home safety assessments for households in their area, said Nice.
Under plans, all families with children aged five and under would be offered the checks, which will cover a range of domestic hazards, including windows, stairs, taps, heaters and cookers. Checks on smoke and fire alarms should also be included.
Nice said that assessments – carried out by private companies contracted by PCTs – would not be compulsory, although they would be recommended.
A spokesman said they would form part of the Health Child Programme, a Labour scheme to provide health, childcare and advice to families, particularly those in the poorest areas.
Final guidance will be published later this year.
Telegraph

Parents to sign single consent forms for all school trips in health and safety overhaul

Parents will be able to sign a single consent form to let their children take part in all school trips and activities, under changes to health and safety rules.

By Christopher Hope, Whitehall Editor
Published: 1:17PM BST 15 Oct 2010
Lord Young of Graffham
Currently, parents have to sign a consent form each time their children go on a school trip.
However in future, they will only have to sign a single form, which will give permission for all trips and activities, when their child joins the school. Parents will then have to say specifically if they want to opt out of any activity. Under other changes, a 12 page risk assessment form that all teachers have to fill in before taking children on a school trip will be slimmed down.
Announcing the changes Lord Young of Graffham said there was evidence that teachers were not bothering to organise activities because of the complicated forms.
Lord Young said: “Children are potentially missing out on vital education because schools just do not have the time and resource to carry out the process.
“If they do, they are too concerned about the threat of legal action should an accident happen.”
Unveiling a review of health and safety rules, Lord Young also called for a ban on financial inducements from law firms to encourage people to make claims.
He said some law firms were offering between £150 and £500 to people who thought they had a compensation claim over a health and safety breach.
Lord Young said: “Individuals are given financial enticements to make claims by claims management companies who are in turn paid ever-increasing fees by solicitors.
"Ultimately, all these costs are met by insurance companies who then increase premiums. There should not be an inducement to litigate - the thought that 'I have a claim against you but I won’t bring it unless you pay me'.”
The peer said that when he started out in the law, solicitors were not allowed to advertise. He added: “I am ashamed by some of the things that I have seen.”
There was a “growing fear” among business owners of having to pay out for even the most unreasonable claims, said Lord Young.
This in turn had fuelled a compensation industry in which people could become “health and safety consultants” with just two weeks’ training.
There were plans for a Good Samaritan law which will make clear that people will not be held liable for any consequences due to well-intentioned voluntary acts on their part.
New easy-to-understand guidance would also be published on health and safety rules for offices and other “low hazard workplaces”.
Under other changes, council officials who ban events on health and safety grounds put their reasons in writing.
Organisers of any events that were banned – such as a pancake race because the pavements were slippery – would be able to refer unfair decisions to an Ombudsman, with a decision in two weeks.
A scheme for road traffic accidents would also be extended to cover straightforward personal injury claims to deliver a “simple, cheaper and quicker resolution” of claims.
Lord Young said: “For too long, health and safety has been allowed to become a joke in the media and among the public. It's about time it was taken seriously.”
The Government said it was accepting Lord Young’s recommendations. Prime Minister David Cameron said he hoped the review would prove to be a “turning point”, with a new system being introduced to replace “unnecessary bureaucracy”.
Mr Cameron said: “We're going to focus regulations where they are most needed, with a new system that is proportionate, not bureaucratic, that treats adults like adults, and reinstates some common sense and trust.”
Telegraph

Ambulance-chasing lawyers facing curbs in review of health and safety rules

Ambulance-chasing lawyers who pursue speculative ‘no win no fee’ cases are facing a crackdown under Coalition plans.

By Christopher Hope, Whitehall Editor
Published: 7:00AM BST 01 Oct 2010
Lord Young of Graffham
A review of health and safety laws by a Tory peer is understood to recommend that the activities of personal injury and negligence lawyers should be curbed.
The recommendation is one of 40 in a review of health and safety legislation by Lord Young of Graffham, a former trade secretary in Margaret Thatcher’s Government.
He is understood to recommend that the Government takes forward recommendations from an earlier review by an appeal court judge which suggested ways to crack down on no win no fee lawyers.
In a well-received report published in January, Lord Justice Jackson had said no win, no fee cases were not benefiting the public. In the past three years the cost of health negligence claims alone has jumped by a third to £770million.
The scheme was “the most bizarre and expensive system that it is possible to devise”, he said.
Currently the losing side has to pay the winning lawyers’ “success fees”, and, with other expenses, can be left with a bill four times the cost of the action.
Lord Justice Jackson proposed that each side should pay its own lawyers, with success fees capped at 25 per cent of the payout to encourage competition.
Lord Young is also understood to recommend that schools should not be liable for accidents on trips unless there is a “reckless disregard” for safety.
Earlier this week Sir Ranulph Fiennes complained that schools were stopping children from going on trips because of fears they could be sued if someone was injured.
The explorer blamed television adverts from personal injury law firms for encouraging a “blame claim” culture in schools.
Lord Young also wants to give people the right to challenge councils which ban firework displays, street parties and concerts on health and safety grounds.
Organisers could get the right to challenge banning decisions with an independent ombudsman.
Another recommendation is that police and ambulance staff should be exempt from lawsuits if they breach health and safety rules if they are helping others or stopping a crime.
There was controversy three years ago when Jordan Lyon, 10, drowned in a pond after rescuing his younger sister.
Police Community Support officers stood by because they had not carried out the necessary “water rescue” health and safety training.
Lord Young is set to unveil details of his report, which will be published later this month, in a speech to the Conservative party conference over the weekend.
In a seminar organised by health and safety professionals three weeks ago he attacked the “involuntary consequences of well-meant legislation” which was originally meant to protect people’s health at work.
He said it was essential to stop treating health and safety as a joke and instead start treating it as a serious issue.

'War' on health and safety culture

02 October 2010

A headteacher told pupils not to walk under a conker tree without helmets
Town halls which wrongly ban events and activities on health and safety grounds could face big compensation payouts under plans being considered by the Government.
Emergency workers and teachers are also set to be freed from rules which say someone must be held to account for everyday mishaps and accidents.
The moves are among proposals to curb the excesses of the health and safety culture which have been drawn up by Tory peer Lord Young at David Cameron's request.
Speaking to the Daily Mail ahead of a speech to Tory conference in Birmingham, Lord Young said he had uncovered extraordinary examples, including a restaurant that would not give out toothpicks for fear of injury, a headteacher who told pupils not to walk under a conker tree without helmets and a council that banned a pancake race because it was raining.
"It makes you wonder what sort of world we have come to," Lord Young said. "It has gone to such extremes. What I have seen everywhere is a complete lack of common sense. People have been living in an alternative universe."
Lord Young said he was particularly concerned about council officials who often claimed powers to stop village fetes, sporting events or other events when they have none.
Des Collins, senior partner of Collins Solicitors, attacked the review for offering a "quick fix".
"The perception is that we live in a compensation culture and if you stop people suing, that compensation culture will simply disappear," he said.
"Once you start restricting the right of the individual to go to court to complain then you are, in my view, heading for trouble."
Telegraph

20mph limit has not made roads safer

Controversial 20mph speed limits in residential streets may not bring any significant improvement in road safety, a report published by the Department for Transport has found.

By Rebecca Lefort
Published: 9:30PM BST 02 Oct 2010
The number of people killed or seriously injured on affected roads actually went up, not down, after the limit was lowered Photo: PA
Towns and cities across Britain are planning to introduce 20mph limits, with Government backing, claiming that they will cut the toll of deaths on the road.
However, an analysis of the UK's first city-wide scheme - in which the limit was lowered from 30mph to 20mph on all residential streets in Portsmouth, at a cost of £500,000 - found that it has not brought any significant reduction in the number of accidents.
The number of people killed or seriously injured on affected roads actually went up, not down, after the limit was lowered.
Motorists' groups said the findings cast doubt on the case for city-wide 20mph schemes.
Paul Watters, head of public affairs at the AA, said: "By just whacking up signs everywhere you are not going to change things dramatically.
"We support targeted and tailored 20mph zones where they are really needed, not a blanket implementation across a whole city.
"Sometimes the limits can be problematic because bus journey times are affected, and also there is an impact for delivery firms and everyone else driving in the city."
Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Oxford, Edinburgh and Bristol have all introduced 20mph limits in their city centres since the Portsmouth scheme began in 2007.
In Portsmouth, the new, lower speed limit applies to all vehicles, at all times, on 94 per cent of the city's streets. It is not enforced by speed cameras or road humps, but relies on drivers to obey limit signs.
The analysis, carried out by the consultants Atkins on behalf of the DfT, found that prior to the reduction in the limit, an average of 18.7 people per year were killed or seriously injured on the streets covered.
After the reduction this rose to 19.9 per year.
Taking into account people with less serious injuries, overall road casualties fell by 22 per cent after the scheme was introduced.
However, over the same time period, there was a nationwide fall in road casualties of 14 per cent. The Atkins report concluded "casualty benefits greater than the national trend have not been demonstrated".
Motorists' average speeds reduced by 1.3mph, from 19.8mph to 18.5mph, as a result of the scheme, according to the report, which tested speeds at 223 locations across the city.
However, independent statisticians criticised the way that the figures had been calculated, and said the true reduction in speed could be smaller.
Professor Stephen Senn, an expert in statistics at the University of Glasgow, said: "The design of the report is very bad. Various statistical terms are used incorrectly and they've probably used the wrong statistical test.
"They haven't got a control group, which is pretty basic, and without which it is pretty naive to jump to conclusions."
Previous studies have found that 20mph "zones", in which traffic-calming measures are deployed in addition to speed limit signs, produce bigger reductions in drivers' average speeds.
Norman Baker, the Liberal Democrat transport minister, has given his backing to 20mph limits.
In an interview in June he said: "For a child being hit at 30mph and 20mph is the difference between life and death.
"But this is also about making out town centres more attractive places to live and work, and reducing carbon emissions by encouraging people to cycle or walk."
However, the push for new 20mph roadsigns flies in the face of separate Government guidance to local authorities which encourages them to keep street clutter to a minimum.
The Portsmouth report stated that "sign clutter has been a problem at some locations".
Research has found that when pedestrians are hit by a vehicle at 20mph only one in 40 dies, compared with one in five at 30mph. However only 15 per cent of fatal crashes and 5 per cent of all accidents are caused by speeding.
Idris Francis, a retired company director who lives near Portsmouth and has previously spoken out against speed cameras, said the scheme had not worked.
"They are trying to manipulate the figures to show what they want," he said.
"But in many areas speeds actually increased. It is worrying that the limits might be changing the behaviour of people for the worse and making some roads more dangerous."
A spokesman for the Department for Transport said: "This report by an independent contractor on the Portsmouth city council scheme is one of several research documents available to help councils decide whether they want to put in place 20 mph zones or limits on their roads.
"It is up to local authorities to make these decisions using their knowledge of local roads and in consultation with local communities."
An Atkins spokesman added: "Industry standard methodology was used in the preparation of this report. All findings were peer-reviewed internally and by the DfT prior to publication."
telegraph

Tate Modern closes sunflower seed exhibit to the public

Tate Modern's sunflower seed installation has been closed to visitors after health and safety officials warned that it has created too much dust.

By Anita Singh, Arts Correspondent
Published: 8:00AM BST 16 Oct 2010
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There are fears that inhaling the dust could exacerbate asthma and other conditions Photo: EPA
Chinese artist Ai Weiwei carpeted the floor of the Turbine Hall with 100 million porcelain seeds and invited the public to walk across them.
But within days of the work's grand unveiling, staff reported a fine dust rising from the seeds as people crunched them underfoot. According to health and safety experts, prolonged exposure to the dust could exacerbate conditions such as as asthma.
The work can now be viewed only from a bridge high above the Turbine Hall, an embarrassment for the Tate and a sorry turn of events for the artist who billed Sunflower Seeds as "a sensory and immersive installation which visitors can touch, walk on and listen to as the seeds shift beneath their feet".
In a statement, the Tate said: "Although porcelain is very robust, the enthusiastic interaction of visitors has resulted in a greater than expected level of dust in the Turbine Hall.
"Tate has been advised that this dust could be damaging to health following repeated inhalation over a long period of time. In consequence, Tate, in consultation with the artist, has decided not to allow visitors to walk across the sculpture."
Prior to the closure, the Tate's chief concern was visitors stealing the seeds as a souvenir.
Sunflower Seeds is the latest installation in the annual Unilever Series, which has been beset by health and safety issues over the years.
In 2007, three visitors fell into a giant crack in the floor, the work of artist Doris Salcedo. The previous year saw reports of injuries on Carston Holler's giant slides. And last year a pensioner walked into a wall while navigating Miroslaw Balka's pitch-black chamber.
Leanne Metcalf, Director of Research at Asthma UK, said the Tate had made the right decision.
"This new installation at Tate Modern has understandably attracted a great deal of interest and Asthma UK is relieved to hear that concern over the potentially damaging effects that the exhibit can cause to those interacting with it, especially people affected by asthma, is taking priority," she said.
"Visitors walking over the porcelain sunflower seeds have inadvertently created a cloud of potentially damaging porcelain dust in the air which, if breathed in, can have a detrimental effect on lung function due to the silica which is found within it.
"We know that exposure to powdered substances, such as dust from flour or grain in the workplace, causes real health problems for people with asthma, but this porcelain dust could affect people who have normal lung capacity as well.
"The effects of porcelain dust and silica inhalation build up over time, so we agree wholeheartedly with Tate Modern’s decision to stop people walking on the exhibit to allow the dust to settle and would also encourage them to ensure that the room is well ventilated when visitors are not around to ensure that the dust has been fully dispersed."
Telegraph

Toymakers find way round health and safety insisting products are for adults

US toymakers have found a way to stop new child health and safety laws controlling their products by insisting they are for adults.

By Jon Swaine, New York
Published: 5:38PM BST 29 Sep 2010
The Halloween Industry Association has argued that 'thematic' costumes should not be included, because the outfits can also be worn by adults and teenagers Photo: ALAMY
The manufacturers of model train sets, inflatables and Halloween costumes have all applied for exemptions from new rules applying to goods intended for children.
They are attempting to escape a section of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, which was introduced in the US after a wave of recalls of potentially dangerous toys.
The act forces manufacturers to subject children’s products to more rigorous safety tests and to keep and produce more paperwork, which will add to their production costs.
However the Consumer Product Safety Commission, which oversees the new laws, has so far failed to agree a definition of what constitutes a children’s product.
While it continues to deliberate, manufacturers’ groups and their lobbyists have inundated the commission with their own suggestions.
In a submission, the Water Sports Industry Association said inflatables aimed at under-12s should be exempt if they are towed by a boat driven by an adult.
Makers of model trains have stressed that their average users are 53-year-old men, rather than children.
The Halloween Industry Association has argued that “thematic” costumes should not be included, because the outfits can also be worn by adults and teenagers.
One submission, however, conceded that while “there’s always going to be a few strange adult collectors of Dora [the Explorer] or Bob the Builder stuff”, it was safe to assume most products bearing these characters were meant for children.
Rachel Weintraub, the Consumer Federation of America’s director of product safety, called on the commission to limit exemptions.
“Consumers and manufacturers need clarity about what products fall under the scope of the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act,” she said.
21 September 2010 Last updated at 00:37

New driver restrictions 'would save lives'
By Nick Triggle Health reporter, BBC News


Newly qualified young drivers should be banned from night-time motoring
and carrying passengers of a similar age, Cardiff University researchers
say.

They said such "graduated driver licensing" for those aged 17-24 could
save more than 200 lives and result in 1,700 fewer serious injuries each
year.

Similar schemes already exist in New Zealand, Australia and parts of the US.

But motoring organisations say the restrictions - which could last up to
two years - would difficult to enforce.

The research will be presented at the World Safety Conference, which
will hear from other experts on how road safety could be improved.

While road deaths have now fallen to an all-time low, 2,222 people still
died on the roads last year.

Experts at the London conference will argue this figure can be reduced
even lower with more restrictions and greater awareness of risks.
'Wrong signals'

The Cardiff University study was compiled after analysing road accident
data from 2000 to 2007.

Research suggests one in five new drivers crashes within the first six
months. The Cardiff team says that by targeting them with graduated
driver licensing, many accidents might be avoided.

Cutting the UK's accident rate would also save the economy £890m, the
team estimates.

Dr Sarah Jones, who led the research, said: "Graduated driver licensing
works in other countries and there's no good reason why it wouldn't work
here."

She said restrictions on new drivers could be in force for as long as
two years and could also include a total ban on alcohol.

But the head of road safety at the AA, Andrew Howard, suggested while
there would be benefits to graduated driver licensing, they could be
outweighed by the disadvantages.

He said it could penalise those who work at night and need to drive,
while police may struggle to crack down on those who flout the rules.

"It would give totally the wrong signals to introduce new laws aimed at
young people and then not enforce them - many would feel that all
motoring laws could be broken," he added.
Music 'danger'

A spokeswoman for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents also
cast doubt over whether the scheme could be properly enforced.

She said she wanted to see more evidence about how it would work in the
UK, adding that improving education and awareness with further training
for new drivers might be more beneficial.

University of London experts will also put the case for more 20mph
zones, arguing it could help reduce injuries - particularly in deprived
areas.

Their research will show that those in deprived areas are twice as
likely to be killed or injured than those in affluent areas.

The Department for Transport said most new drivers wanted to be
responsible, but a small minority put themselves and others at risk.

It said a new independent driving element would be added to the current
test, allowing candidates to demonstrate their ability to be safe in
more realistic situations.

A spokesman said: "We are considering what other steps we can take to
improve safety for new drivers.

"In doing so, we need to ensure we do not unfairly penalise responsible
young people who rely on driving to get to work or college."

Meanwhile, the Tune into Traffic campaign group will stress the dangers
of listening to music while driving and walking.

Tune into Traffic's Manpreet Darroch, who has helped produce an advert
warning about the risks of being distracted by music, said: "This is of
particular importance as the usage of iPods and MP3 players has
significantly increased and young people's lives are being destroyed
unnecessarily."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-11376809

Telegraph

'Don't cut the grass, it's dangerous' says council that stopped cutting grass

A council that stopped cutting grass banks to save money has told residents they should not do it themselves, in case they get hurt.

By Stephen Adams
Published: 7:30AM BST 20 Jul 2010
(from left) Carol Bradley, Carol Weatherall, Pauline Lees, Angela Davie and Debbie Hill stand on the grassy bank Photo: CATERS NEWS
Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council aims to save £30,000 a year by not cutting steeply-sloping banks.
But council tax payers in the West Midlands town say they have been ordered not to take matters into their own hands on health and safety grounds, even though the verges were turning into "tinderboxes" in the summer heat.
In March the council decided to stop cutting sloping banks borough-wide, meaning such verges have not been cut since last autumn.
Some 350 people from the town's Coldstream Drive area have now signed a petition asking the authority to cut the banks, which they say have become an "appalling mess", choked with litter and weeds.
Angela Davies, a lollipop lady, said: "The council has been cutting this verge for 47 years and there hasn't been an accident yet. I don't know why they think it's so dangerous.
"There is a steep bank outside the council offices and they manage to cut the grass there.
"It's health and safety gone mad."
Carol Weatherall, 48, a hypnotherapist, said neighbours had even bandied together to hire a contractor at a cost of £200 but they had to drop the idea after the council warned against it.
She said: "We want to cut it ourselves but the council have told us it's too dangerous.
"They are scared that we might fall over and sue them. We've even asked if we can pay someone else to do it but the story's the same.
"The grass hasn't been cut for nearly a year. It's not only an eyesore, it's dangerous as well, it's long and dry and there are glass bottles in it – it must be a fire hazard.
"We are absolutely not going to give up on this. It's an appalling mess.
"There are a lot of trees along the verge and, in the hot dry weather, it could be like a tinderbox. Our houses are in jeopardy.
"We all willing to get our lawnmowers out to cut it but we are scared of getting into trouble. I also don't really feel like it's our job to do it – we pay our council tax."
A council spokesman insisted it had not threatened anyone with legal action and simply wanted to stop people getting "seriously hurt".
He said: "While the council cannot stop people from cutting the grass banks on our land, we would strongly advise people against it because they are not insured to carry out what can be hazardous work.
"Some of these banks can be quite steep and we don't want 90-year-old men getting their lawnmowers out to cut the grass in case they seriously hurt themselves."
He added: "We use specialist equipment to do these banks and we have radio-controlled mowers to do the steepest areas so obviously there's maintenance and training that goes with that.
"It's not like we can have just any old member of the public doing it with a Flymo.
"If somebody injured themselves, who would be liable then? We don't want people mowing these banks and that's the end of the matter."
15 October 2010 Last updated at 13:01

Engine makers 'may have ended ash flight ban sooner'
Richard Scott By Richard Scott Transport correspondent, BBC News


Some engine manufacturers blocked an early lifting of the volcanic ash
flying ban, the BBC has learned.

An e-mail given to the BBC as a result of a Freedom of Information
Request shows that some manufacturers saw "nothing to gain" from lifting
the ban.

The BBC has also been told that Air France KLM will now fully compensate
stranded travellers.

The airline had previously refused to do so, but will now comply with
its obligations under EU law.


'Avoid, avoid, avoid'

It was six months ago that volcanic ash sent the UK back in time.

The eruption of the Icelandic volcano, Eyjafjallajoekull, caused UK
airspace to be shut down for six days.

The regulator, the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) estimates about 33,000
flights were cancelled.

The advice for airlines and aviation authorities at the time for ash was
to "avoid, avoid, avoid". There were no rules set as to what level of
ash was safe to fly through.

This policy worked in other parts of the world where planes could simply
fly around the affected airspace, but caused severe problems for the UK,
where airspace is much more congested.


'Nothing to gain'

Crucial to lifting the flying ban was getting agreement with engine
manufacturers as to what their engines could safely tolerate.

Ash can melt inside jet engines, clog the turbine blades and cause the
engine to stall.

And an e-mail given to the BBC as a result of a Freedom of Information
Request says: "Engine manufacturers met last night in the USA and
declined to accept that their products could operate... We believe that
a number of manufacturers... were supportive of the position but others
saw 'nothing to gain'."

The e-mail goes on to say that if engine manufacturers had accepted the
deal, all airspace could be opened.
'Increasingly frustrating'

"It did take time to get them [engine manufacturers] to understand why
the particular circumstances facing Europe were unprecedented and why we
needed movement from them," said the chief executive of the CAA, Andrew
Haines.

However, six months on, airlines still believe the regulator could have
done better.

They argue the CAA should have given them more freedom to decide whether
it was safe to fly, using their own experiences and judgement.

"It just became increasingly frustrating as the days went on," said
Steve Ridgway, the chief executive of Virgin Atlantic. His airline lost
£30m in the crisis and saw 43,000 customers stranded.

"We started to just not believe the data that was coming out of the Met
Office. Airlines were putting up aircraft on test flights... they
weren't finding any ash. And it was that speed of response which became
so frustrating."
Air France agreement

The CAA though argues it had to put safety first and could not lift the
ban until it had agreement with engine manufacturers.

"What no airline was able to do was present us with data from their
engine manufacturers - who are the experts here - which said it's safe
to fly in these conditions," said Andrew Haines.
Bowl of volcanic ash A bowl of the volcanic ash that caused all the trouble

"If someone had been able to do that then we wouldn't have had this
issue. But not a single airline was able to do that right the way across
Europe."

There is some good news for travellers though.

One airline - the giant Air France / KLM - had been refusing to comply
with its obligations under EU law to reimburse passengers for reasonable
costs incurred whilst stranded.

But the CAA has told the BBC that it has just secured agreement from the
airline to pay out in full.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-11550943

Costly slip as red-faced mayor squashes human tomato... and lands the
taxpayer a bill of £24,000

By Daily Mail Reporter
Last updated at 5:14 PM on 15th October 2010


It seemed like the perfect publicity stunt - get a young blonde to dress
as a tomato and ask the Lord Mayor to leap over her... what could
possibly go wrong?

But unfortunately for Belfast City Council it didn't quite happen like that.

Instead Jim Rodgers, who was the Lord Mayor, failed to clear poor
Lorraine Mallon's head leaving him perched on top of her.

She brought a negligence case against the council and a settlement was
reached this week in Belfast High Court.

She has been paid £24,021.75 with the council also agreeing to cover the
cost of the action.

Egged on by press photographers, Mr Rodgers tried to jump over her but
he slipped on wet grass on his run up and ended up kneeing her in the
back of the head.

The Ulster Unionist councillor today said it would not be appropriate
for him to comment on the outcome of the case.

But at the time of the incident in September 2007 he apologised for his
stumble.

'I have been absolutely devastated over what has happened. There had
been three false runs and I think Lorraine thought this was just another
one,' he said.

'I just caught the top of her head and unfortunately I injured her.'

Mr Rodgers said he was confident he would have been able to make the
jump if he hadn't slipped.

'I'm very fit and look after myself, but it was just one of those
unfortunate things.'

A council spokeswoman confirmed a settlement had been reached.


Read more:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1320911/Costly-slip-red-faced-mayor-fails-vault-human-tomato--lands-taxpayer-24-000.html#ixzz12S05XRoD
Telegraph

  1. Children should not pick wild food unsupervised, says quango

Children should not gather blackberries and other wild food unsupervised, according to the Food Standards Agency.

By Alastair Jamieson
Published: 7:30AM BST 17 Oct 2010
The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which escaped last week's money-saving cull of public bodies, has also warned against eating anything that hasn't been washed Photo: ALAMY
It was described by Keats as the season of mellow fruitfulness, when the countryside is full of nature's bounty.
But the traditional harvest-time pursuit of hedgerow-picking has been targeted by a government quango that says children should not gather wild food unsupervised.
The Food Standards Agency (FSA), which escaped last week's money-saving cull of public bodies, has also warned against eating anything that hasn't been washed or fruit that is "unhealthy looking" or "bruised".
The advice was published on Thursday – the same day the Coalition announced plans to inject "common sense" into health and safety.
Countryside campaigners dismissed the guidelines as "unnecessary rubbish" and said children had been picking blackberries and other fruit safely for centuries, using their common sense.
The two-page warning, posted on the agency's website, begins: "It is autumn, and many of our hedgerows are prime sites for the traditional pursuits of gathering wild berries and hunting for mushrooms.
"This harvest can contribute to our daily diet, but care needs to be taken to make sure it is safe to eat."
It lists "dos and don'ts" including "Don't allow children to pick or eat wild food unsupervised" and "Do wash your harvest well, wherever you have collected it".
Robin Page, farmer and chairman of the Countryside Restoration Trust, said: "People use their common sense not to eat what they don't recognise, so I don't see a need for this unnecessary rubbish.
"Children learn early on to stay away from mushrooms and their parents know when it is safe for them to do it unsupervised.
"Besides, in my parish I have never heard of anyone getting ill picking hedgerows. They are more likely to get ill at a Chinese restaurant."
Alan Pearce, author of It's Health and Safety Gone Mad!, said: "This demonstrates that it might be too late to reverse the health and safety culture in Britain, where the genie is out of the bottle.
"It would seem common sense that picking hedgerows is a good way to learn about what is dangerous and that advice isn't always in proportion to the risk."
The quango guidance also warns about mushrooms which, it says, are "notoriously easy to get wrong".
River Cottage television chef and wild food enthusiast Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall said there was no reason why older children should not pick fruit on their own.
However, he added: "If the rising popularity of wild food means more people are foraging in the countryside who don't know what to avoid then safety advice would seem eminently sensible.
"Blackberries are fine, we all know what they look like, but they are the exception to the rule as many plants and berries are harmful."
Matthew Oates, nature adviser at the National Trust, said: "A lot of us remember getting ill as children eating something from the wild that we shouldn't have.
"Yew trees have small fleshy fruit but the seeds are poisonous, and I can remember boys spitting the seeds out while waiting at the bus stop, to annoy the girls.
"Lots of plants, even those in suburban gardens such as laurel, holly berries, or deadly nightshade are very dangerous indeed and makes sense not to pick fungi at all unless you really know what you are doing."
Adrian Morris, of The Ramblers, said: "Picking blackberries and other wild food in the Autumn is one of the joys of countryside walking.
"However, it's always better to be safe than sorry, be aware of guidance and if you're unsure about an item, don't eat it."
A spokeswoman for the FSA said figures from the Health Protection Agency showed its National Poison Information Service – used by doctors and patients – dealt with 209 enquiries relating to mushrooms this year, compared to 123 in the whole of last year.
She also raised the case of Nicolas Evans, author of bestselling book The Horse Whisperer, who is still awaiting a kidney transplant after eating poisonous mushrooms that left him and his family seriously ill in 2008.
"If this advice has helped save one life or prevent one person being on dialysis then it is worthwhile," she said.
Lord Young of Graffham is to conduct a full review of current health and safety rules, including red tape that can prevent children from going on school outings.
He has said: "For too long, health and safety has been allowed to become a joke in the media and among the public. It's about time it was taken seriously."
Telegraph

Children to be protected from risks of reality shows with new laws

Reality television shows face curbs on their use of children amid concerns that young participants are being exploited by programme-makers.

By Jonathan Wynne-Jones, Media Correspondent
Published: 7:30AM BST 17 Oct 2010
The move follows controversies over Hollie Steel, a 10-year-old singer who broke down in tears after struggling to complete her act on Britain's Got Talent Photo: ITV
Ministers are to meet with broadcasters and industry experts this week to discuss plans to overhaul the current system of regulation, which is described as "flawed" and "out-dated".
They will be considering a report by Sarah Thane, a senior figure in broadcasting, who warns that television appearances can put children under excessive pressure and have a damaging impact.
The move follows controversies over Hollie Steel, a 10-year-old singer who broke down in tears after struggling to complete her act on Britain's Got Talent, and last year's Channel 4 show Boys and Girls Alone, in which children aged eight to 12 were shown fighting and crying having been left unsupervised in isolated cottages in Cornwall.
The Government will be urged to introduce a raft of measures including: a minimum age for those appearing on reality shows, psychological tests to assess whether particular children are mentally strong enough to appear, the creation of a national register of chaperones for those accompanying children to filming, and greater powers for councils to check on the welfare of young performers.
The Coalition's move will revive an attempt by the previous government to introduce clearer rules on how child performers should be treated.
Under current legislation, producers are required to obtain a licence from local authorities allowing children aged 16 and under to perform on stage and screen, but the rules have not been updated since 1968 despite considerable changes in broadcasting.
Those in this age bracket are not allowed to take part in live television programmes after 7pm - although an exemption can be sought for teenagers - meaning that many current talent shows could be in breach of the law.
Campaigners argue that the regulations were drawn up long before the creation of reality shows and fail to cover the grey area between factual programming and entertainment.
At present, a licence is required if a child is featuring in an entertainment show but not if he or she is appearing in a documentary.
Ofcom, the media regulator, investigated Boys and Girls Alone. It ruled that there had been a breach in providing information about the safeguards put in place to protect the children, even though the broadcaster was not deemed to have caused unnecessary distress or anxiety.
However, the watchdog cleared another Channel 4 programme, Bringing Up Baby, which received more than 750 complaints and was branded "outdated and potentially harmful" by the NSPCC for using children aged under five.
There have also been concerns over Wife Swap, a show in which mothers are left in charge of another family, often with alarming results, and children's charities have expressed alarm at the impact of contests such as Britain's Got Talent.
A spokesman for the Department for Education said this week's meeting would look to build on the Thane Report, which warned about the effect of reality shows.
The report, commissioned under Labour and delivered to ministers weeks before this year's general election, stressed that it was important to distinguish between distaste for certain programmes and expert assessment that children were at risk.
It said: "There are concerns about putting children in 'unnatural' situations which expose them to aggressive behaviour/bullying, offensive language, excessive pressure (with 'gladiator' style audiences judging their performance), or make capital out of their vulnerability."
The report's author, a former chairman of the Royal Television Society, recommended that child psychologists should assess whether children are "physically and emotionally equipped" for productions, and called for a more consistent system of granting licences allowing children to perform.
Tim Loughton, the children's minister, said the Government was reviewing the child performance laws, which have not been updated since 1968.
"They are now clearly out of date," he said. "Children should be encouraged to take part in performance opportunities but at the same time we need to be confident that their wellbeing and education doesn't suffer.
"Some good work has already taken place and there is broad consensus across government and within the performance industry that change is needed. I am in discussion with all the relevant and interested organisations about how this might be taken forward."
Under current legislation, there are restrictions on the earliest and latest hours children can perform and also on the length of time for which they can perform.
Discrepancies between rules for theatre and television has meant that children's elements of the 'live' Royal Variety Show have been pre-recorded because the performance was being filmed for broadcast.
John McVay, the chief executive of the Producers Alliance for Cinema and Television, which represents independent producers, said: "The television sector is committed to ensuring that children involved in TV shows are treated responsibly, and their welfare is paramount.
"We hope for regulations that are robust and fit for purpose, so that they ensure the welfare of children in TV shows but do not reduce the number of children on our screens, and look forward to working with government, and the rest of the industry, in achieving that."
Terry Drury, the outgoing chair of the National Network for Child Employment and Entertainment, said: "We are hopeful that the Government will move forward with the recommendations with all haste so we can safeguard children more effectively.
"We need clear guidance on what is suitable for children to be licenced for."
Telegraph

Councils forced to deal with 74,000 pages of red tape under Labour

Councils had to deal with an “avalanche” of 74,000 pages of new rules and regulations under Labour, according to new research.

By Martin Beckford
Published: 7:01AM BST 15 Oct 2010
The deluge of red tape has continued since the election, the Local Government Association claims, with a further 1,355 pages to “wade through” over the summer.
In addition the LGA, the umbrella body that represents town halls in England and Wales, estimates that inspection of councils costs taxpayers between £900million and £2.5billion a year. It is calling for Whitehall to simplify the “muddle” of laws affecting local government and to reduce the demands for data.
Baroness Margaret Eaton, the chairman of the LGA, said: “An avalanche of paperwork has descended on town halls across the country in the past decade. The sheer quantity of bureaucracy is in danger of burying important measures which are both important and useful.
“There is no justification for the sheer quantity of form-filling, data returns, reviews and micromanagement being foisted on local government. Red tape of this kind wastes valuable time and resources which councils need to spend delivering essential front-line services.
“There is also the danger that paper trails conceal the decision making process and make all tiers of government seem more complicated and less accessible than they are. Handing meaningful power to individuals must involve simplifying processes in Whitehall.”
The LGA’s research found that between May 1997 and March 2010, when Labour was in power, 3,837 pieces of legislation were passed affecting local government.
These laws and statutory instruments run to some 74,000 pages, about 40 for each day that Parliament sat.
Between April and August this year, a further 67 regulations were passed, containing 1,355 more pages of “new material for councils to absorb, digest and implement”.
Some of this growing bureaucracy has imposed conflicting duties on councils, it is claimed.
“The complexity of the system means that different parts of government are at times unaware of the legislative position of different initiatives.”
The LGA says that each new policy costs the Government time and money to develop, then councils must pay not only to understand it but also to monitor it.
It estimates that up to £698m a year could be saved by reducing the burden on councils and streamlining regulations.
Telegraph

Health and safety spells the end for cobblestones

Councils have ripped up or paved over acres of traditional cobblestones from streets across Britain, amid fears of compensation claims from people who trip over on them.

By Jasper Copping
Published: 9:30AM BST 17 Oct 2010
Cobbles on Little Green Street in Kentish Town, London Photo: GETTY
It is the great cobblestone compensation controversy.
Although cobbles can be difficult to walk on - especially in high heels - they are treasured as part of the nation's heritage.
But now, many of those taking a tumble on the uneven surfaces are suing their council for damages.
New figures suggest that hundreds of thousands of pounds are being paid out to compensate people who trip over on cobbles.
Local authorities faced with the prospect of further claims are deciding that enough is enough and are ripping up or paving over the traditional surfaces.
A survey by The Sunday Telegraph has found dozens of areas, including parts of historic market towns and city centres, where cobbles or "setts" have been permanently removed or covered over with modern materials, such as Tarmac, asphalt or concrete.
In most cases, officials say the schemes are necessary for safety reasons. However, heritage groups have criticised the councils and accused them of sacrificing local history in an overzealous response to so-called "compensation culture".
Sixty-six councils across the UK admitted they had permanently removed cobblestones or resurfaced over them in the past five years, at well in excess of 100 locations, covering thousands of square metres of roads and pavements.
Thirty-seven local authorities said they had received a total of 159 applications for compensation from people claiming to have fallen over on cobblestones or to have experienced some sort of accident caused by them.
While some of these claims have been thrown out, others have are still ongoing and several have resulted in payouts totalling more than £100,000, including one of £25,000 from Worcestershire County Council.
The actual number of claims and payouts is likely to be far higher as most councils contacted were unable to provide the information.
Tony Burton, director of Civic Voice, a new umbrella organisation representing local heritage groups, said: "Cobblestones give a place a sense of history.
They are a fast-disappearing resource and we think they should be recognised for what they bring to areas, rather than something that gets in the way.
"These schemes are often being done with a lack of respect. It would be a shame if the remaining character of our streets is lost because of the growth of compensation culture."
The survey found cobbles removed from areas of traditional, terraced housing in northern towns and cities including Leeds and Barnsley, as well as in market towns such as Dumfries and Newark. In Thirsk, North Yorkshire, 110 square metres of stones in the market square were replaced with paving.
The centres of several large cities have also lost cobbled areas recently, including Dundee and Newcastle-upon-Tyne, where a cobbled street running along the remains of the old city wall has been covered with Tarmac.
They have also been lost in the City of London and in the nearby Docklands area.
In Edinburgh, a new road surface has been laid over setts in Ainslie Place, which is within the city's UNESCO World Heritage site. The council say it is only a temporary measure while the road is used as a diversion, as a new tram line is built.
Cobbles have also been removed from part of Liverpool's UNESCO site. The stones were ripped out of William Brown Street - which is lined by St George's Hall, the Central Library, and the Walker Art gallery - and the holes have been filled with Tarmac.
The council said they had loosened and needed to be removed. It insisted that, once funding was found, the cobbles would be restored.
Such temporary measures, which lead to an unsightly "patchwork" effect, have led to criticism in several other locations, including historic areas of Norwich and Preston and the picturesque Herefordshire town of Ledbury.
A Local Government Association spokesman said: "Councils work hard to make their streets safe and accessible, making sure they deal with potentially dangerous defects such as cracked or uneven pavements.
"Cobbles are an important part of the character in many areas, but by their very nature they are often old and uneven. While they may look attractive, for the millions of people who may have trouble walking, use wheelchairs or mobility scooters, or have baby buggies to control, they can be difficult to navigate and even dangerous.
"Where possible, and particularly in conservation areas, councils work hard to preserve the character of an area and many resurfacing schemes replace like-with-like."
TelegraphChildren's art is fire risk, say inspectors

They decorate the walls of primary schools across the country - children's artworks made with paper, paint, egg boxes and a lively imagination.

By David Barrett
Published: 9:00PM BST 09 Oct 2010
Pupils at Comber Grove Primary School walking past some of their artwork that they could now be forced to take down Photo: DAVID ROSE
But to inspectors from the London Fire Brigade the colourful displays represent something else entirely: a fire risk.
Staff at Comber Grove Primary School in south London, praised by Ofsted for its "wonderful" art, were told to remove "combustible" displays from the walls following a fire inspection, and replace them with "fire resistant" materials.
Mike Kent, the school's headteacher for 31 years, said: "My school is filled with artwork and it is one of the things that everybody likes and enjoys about the place.
"Whenever any visitor walks into the school they always say the art displays are fantastic.
"But the fire inspector said it's all got to be taken down or fire-proofed in some way. He suggested putting all the art in little glass cases, but that would totally destroy the character of the school."
The fire report said: "FSO Article 14 (2)(b): Combustible fabric/paper on escape routes would allow a fire to spread quickly and could prevent the means of escape."
Under the heading "Steps considered necessary to remedy the contravention" it said: "Provide evidence that the fabric and paper concerned is suitably fire resistant or remove any that cannot be shown to be adequately fire resistant."
The headteacher said he would resist any attempts to have the artwork removed.
"The potential outcome is that they could shut the school. I don't think that would ever happen but it is the threat," he said.
"Schools like ours are easy targets for an officious fire officer. This inspector was one of those guys who comes around, sucks his teeth and says 'It's the worst I've ever seen.' It's not, of course, it's just silliness.
"The artwork may be combustible, but so are children, desks and chairs. Shall we get rid of all those, too?"
Ofsted's most recent inspection of the school, in January last year, graded it as "good" overall but awarded an "outstanding" grade for the curriculum.
Inspectors from the watchdog said: "The school's wonderful displays of art, models such as the Chinese dragon, and historical artefacts reflect the curriculum's depth.
"Using the expertise of teachers and visiting specialists, many pupils also become accomplished artists, singers and instrumentalists."
The fire report made a long list of other demands including bricking up the dining room servery hatch and replacing all the Victorian building's fire doors, which Mr Kent said would cost £50,000 to carry out.
The head is now negotiating funding with the local authority to pay for the work. He has already responded to the report by expanding the school's fire alarm system.
He said: "I haven't been leaned on quite so heavily by the fire inspectors before. It's going to cost £50,000 to do all the work. It's all absolutely crazy."
A spokesman for London Fire Brigade said: "Our job when visiting a school is to protect children by pointing out fire safety concerns involving escape routes, and on this occasion we advised the school that poorly maintained fire doors coupled with paper and fabric artwork on the walls was a risk that could be dealt with easily.
"We received reassurance from the school that they understood their responsibilities and no further action has been necessary."

Posted by Britannia Radio at 09:16