Myth Busters Challenge Panel findings - 2013
Below are the cases that the panel have considered and their findings.
December 2013
- Case 242 - Store not allowed to test light bulbs
- Case 241 - Shop door left open in cold weather
- Case 240 - No hot drink trolley service allowed for dog event staff
- Case 239 - Indoor Christmas lights banned in retirement village
- Case 238 - Enquirer told they were not allowed to keep bicycle in university office for health and safety reasons
- Case 237 - School adopting an unnecessarily restrictive dress code for gymnastics
- Case 236 - Ban on laser sights in rifle range
- Case 235 - Christmas craft fair entry fee
- Case 234 - Grill pan handle health and safety ban
- Case 233 - Optician had removed wheels from a chair used for conducting eye tests
- Case 232 - School going to great expense to replace wooden flooring in workshops
- Case 231 - Coffee bar would not provide hot water for tea for health and safety reasons
- Case 230 - School refused to allow pupil to bring in a live baby chick for school presentation
- Case 229 - Council concerned that vandals may get injured and sue whilst climbing over park fence
- Case 228 - Enquirer suddenly banned from taking a pushchair into the cinema that he had used previously on many occasions
- Case 227 - Gluten free hot chocolate can not be served due to health and safety regulations
November 2013
- Case 226 - Airport shuttle bus sign read "for health and safety reasons the driver can not assist passengers with their luggage"
- Case 225 - Notice in charity shop window states they are unable to accept further donations due to health and safety
- Case 224 - Tea and coffee can no longer be served at parent and toddler group due to health and safety
- Case 223 - Enquirer advised that she is unable to carry out work placement checks in high risk companies
- Case 222 - Sign asks public to refrain from smoking in supermarket foyer for health and safety reasons
- Case 221 - Paper mill requires workers to remove wedding rings
- Case 220 - Restaurant refused to plate up leftovers for health and safety reasons
October 2013
- Case 219 - Parents banned from using mobile phones in school grounds
- Case 218 - Postman refuses to deliver parcel to 3rd floor flat
- Case 217 - Health and safety regulations blamed for controlling number of spectators at the Winchester Round Table Bonfire and Firework display
- Case 216 - Announcement at theatre stated "for health and safety reasons use of flash photography and video recording equipment is not permitted"
- Case 215 - Scout camping facilities
September 2013
- Case 214 - Kettles banned from hotel bedrooms
- Case 213 - During a 2 hour train delay the train manager could not answer passenger questions
- Case 212 - Health and safety prevents engineer drilling through a door frame
- Case 211 - Spectacle wearers not allowed on bouncy castle
- Case 210 - Café refuses to add sauce topping on ice-cream
- Case 209 - Double glazing company says 'no' to use of super glue for repairs
August 2013
- Case 208 - University notice asks library users not to take books into toilets
- Case 207 - Securing windows in ground floor rented accommodation
- Case 206 - Wearing personal headphones in the workplace
- Case 205 - Use of stationary cars and moped in school stage production
- Case 204 - A spectator at a racecourse had her parasol confiscated on health and safety grounds as it could be used as a weapon
- Case 203 - Department store restaurant refused to cut a baguette in half as their knives had been removed on health and safety grounds
- Case 202 - A school is using health and safety as the explanation for their policy on pupils not being allowed to wear jewellery
- Case 201 - A visitor to an historic church site was refused access with their children in a push chair because of health and safety
- Case 200 - DIY chain staff cannot put 5 litre tin of paint into a carrier bag due to health and safety reasons
- Case 199 - Security door chains have to be removed from hotel rooms because of health and safety
July 2013
- Case 198 - Swimming pool bans parents/carers from using e-readers during children's swimming lessons
- Case 197 - School sports day has been postponed due to dew on grass
- Case 196 - Trees and shrubs cut back at train station due to health and safety
- Case 195 - Take-away coffee on a train had to be put in a paper bag for health and safety reasons
- Case 194 - Department store restaurant bans fried eggs due to health and safety issues
- Case 193 - Bowling alley refused to switch off "foul line" detection due to health and safety
- Case 192 - Repairs to college desks and chairs must be carried out by a contractor
- Case 191 - Marathon organisers ban mp3 players and similar devices using earphones due to health and safety
- Case 190 - School will not allow Cricket Club to use their own grass roller due to health and safety
- Case 189 - Table tennis table banned at work due to health and safety
- Case 188 - A hotel does not provide toilet brushes in bathrooms because of health and safety
- Case 187 - Employer refuses to allow employees bottles of water on retail floor due to health and safety
- Case 186 - Customer requested the service/parts manual for his recently purchased appliance and was refused on health and safety grounds
- Case 185 - Church representative told enquirer to move pram because it was causing an obstruction and contravening fire safety regulations
- Case 184 - Local Council blocks access to coastal country park due to health and safety
June 2013
- Case 183 - Award winning floral displays to be removed on health & safety grounds
- Case 182 - School bans hair clips and jewellery during PE lessons for health and safety reasons
- Case 181 - Employer prohibits use of cycles on ‘work’ related journeys on health and safety grounds
- Case 180 - school bans children from wearing frilly socks
- Case 179 - Axe to cut down village tree to prevent kids from getting hurt
- Case 178 - Enquirer requested some fish to be filleted at fish counter in a supermarket, and was refused because "fish is too slippery"
May 2013
- Case 177 - Bicycles banned from postal delivery office
- Case 176 - Teachers cannot apply suncream to pupils due to health and safety
- Case 175 - Luxury Food Retailer refuses to fill up re-useable tea caddy due to health and safety
- Case 174 - Custard Pie fight is cancelled
- Case 173 - Residents have to purchase a plastic utility barrier for maintenance on their lift
- Case 172 - Staff shortage on train resulted in buffet car service being stopped due to health and safety
- Case 171 - Local gym notice states "hairdryers can only be used for drying hair on the head"
- Case 170 - Coffee chain cannot serve half and half milk due to health and safety
- Case 169 - Garden Shredder cannot be sold online without a safety briefing
- Case 168 - Children not allowed to use a drinking water machine in a children's centre
- Case 167 - A cinema customer was refused a glass of tap water, but could purchase bottled water
April 2013
- Case 166 - A Local Education Authority does not recommend children wear swimming goggles for lessons for health and safety reasons
- Case 165 – Enquirer was stopped from taking a group photo at a museum using a tripod on health and safety grounds
- Case 164 - Essential sewer maintenance results in road closure as work cannot be done at night due to health and safety
- Case 163 - DIY store refusing to cut timber on health and safety grounds
- Case 162 - A charity shop cannot sell second hand earrings
- Case 161 - A sleepover event at a national museum allows foam mattresses but not inflatable ones
- Case 160 - Policemen have to walk the beat in pairs due to health and safety issues
- Case 159 - Village Hall Committee refuses to allow washing-up by hand and insist a dishwasher is used as health and safety require this
- Case 158 - laws regarding the sale of knives (including table cutlery) in department stores to under 18's is over the top
- Case 157 - Customers must not consume their own food or drink on the premises due to health and safety reasons
- Case 156 - Residents being charged for annual assessment of communal areas around residential housing
- Case 155 - Customer requested a scaffold plank to be cut to size but was refused on health and safety grounds
- Case 154 - Access to a public pontoon was blocked due to health and safety grounds
- Case 153 - A fish and chip shop displays a sign "Under three year olds are not allowed on the premises or in the restaurant."
March 2013
- Case 152 - Local Council bans dog classes
- Case 151 - Cycling and scooting in school playground
- Case 150 - Pear tree felled over health and safety fears on attracting wasps
- Case 149 - Blanket requirements to wear a hard hat can create problems for turban wearing Sikhs in non-construction sectors
- Case 148 - Buggies and prams refused at nursery and community centre
- Case 147 - Children under 16 years not allowed in exhibition centre
- Case 146 - Kettles banned in office as this would encourage staff to walk around with open topped cups
- Case 145 - A hotel has stopped delivering room service meals to residents in the attached apartment block on the grounds of health and safety
- Case 144 - A Chinese restaurant refuses to give customers finger bowls because of health and safety
- Case 143 - A sports centre with a swimming pool is insisting on plastic outer shoes being worn before customers enter the changing rooms
- Case 142 - Large department store says customers cannot wear back packs in the store because of health and safety rules
- Case 141 - Country Club insists on coats being put in the cloakroom because of health and safety
- Case 140 - Risk Assessment needs to be completed for every task
February 2013
- Case 139 - Hospital wards ban the use of toasters
- Case 138 - Tissue box removed from the make-up stand in a chemist retail shop
- Case 137 - Ice-rink bans beanie (woolly) hats on Health & Safety grounds
- Case 136 - Daffodils are a danger to the public
- Case 135 - Children's soft play premises does not serve baby food due to safety risks
- Case 134 - Disabled person refused access to charity shop via staff entrance
- Case 133 - Housing company stops residents from hanging pictures and placing ornaments in the corridors
- Case 132 - A client was not allowed a drink in a hair salon
- Case 131 - Carers' footwear challenged during home visits
- Case 130 - Nightclub needs to undertake carpark repairs after Prince Harry visits
- Case 129 - Bacup Nutters Annual March under threat
- Case 128 - Children to be seated and quiet in dentist waiting rooms
- Case 127 - Requirement for employer to retain copies of DSE examination forms
- Case 126 - Dying man's shed to be removed due to health and safety
- Case 125 - Cleaners are not allowed to wear woolly hats whilst cleaning underground stations
- Case 124 - Local Council says no to filming a public meeting with a handheld HD camera
- Case 123 - Child banned from taking plastic food flask into school for lunch
- Case 122 - Non-licensed contractors working with asbestos need annual refresher courses
- Case 121 - Restaurant refuses to give customers toothpicks due to health & safety
- Case 120 - Children attending swimming lessons must wear swimming hats
- Case 119 - Parent and child using shop toilet escorted for health and safety reasons
- Case 118 - Serving pint glasses with handles refused because of health & safety
- Case 117 - Holiday cot beds were not made up due to health & safety
- Case 116 - Electrical items taken into a boarding school must be checked by an electrician
- Case 115 - Lift out-of-order and no sign put up to warn customers due to health and safety
January 2013
- Case 114 - Cleaning products removed from toilets due to safety risks
- Case 113 - Turkey skin a choking hazard
- Case 112 - Purchase of three packs of paracetamol refused at supermarket
- Case 111 - Bubble machine banned from child's birthday party due to H&S
- Case 110 - Safety glasses required for contracts manager not involved in construction work
- Case 109 - Council using plastic bags to wrap refuse
- Case 108 - Footballs banned from school playgrounds
- Case 107 - Travel shop not allowed to give out their telephone numbers in case of emergency
- Case 106 - Bowling shoes must not be worn outside due to H&S
- Case 105 - Street Pastors volunteering to sweep up glass banned due to H&S
- Case 104 - Office staff told they cannot have Christmas decorations for 'health and safety reasons'
- Case 103 - School fête organisers told they cannot use shredded paper for lucky dips as this contravenes health and safety laws
- Case 102 - Hotel chain claims it cannot serve burgers anything other than well done because of Health and Safety