Businesses complain as schools give kids a snow day off (From Gazette)

Well said Iain Wicks!

Can anybody remember schools in the 1950/60/70's closing because of bad weather.
One days snow and half the schools are closed. What a joke.

Iain Wicks is clearly a very sad man with a lot of problems, as is anybody who can agree with such an extraordinarily bizarre statement. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the issue, of all the things wrong in this world, such as war, famine, disease, poverty - and even in this county, corrupt politicians, brown envelopes, sheltered housing sold off for a fast buck - 'this is the one thing that really winds...(him) up.' Get a life, Mr Wicks!

roger bacon wrote:
Can anybody remember schools in the 1950/60/70's closing because of bad weather.
One days snow and half the schools are closed. What a joke.

I can remember having days off from school due to poor weather, no heating, teachers strikes and skiving. All the seventies. I really don't know where the "better in my day" stories originate from.

it's all down to the HEALTH AND SAFETY these days and people take to far especially headteachers, it snowed over the weekend NOT on a week day I'm the same as Roger a tiny bit of snow schools has to be shut what a joke I left school 15/16 years ago I went to school in 3ft snow and I lived the otherside of Town if it was cold in the classrooms "wear a coat" headteachers need to grow a back bone I congrats those who opened on Monday!!

Whatever it is down to and whether it's really happening, this health and safety cry is getting ridiculous. H&S is a set of regulations governing the workplace and other public places. Rather than the howl of H&S gone mad, the fact is all too often it hasn't gone far enough. Before my current job I worked for a (thankfully) few weeks for a major chain retailer in this town, and its public urinal had a leak. A vat about the size of a green recycling bin was placed underneath, and when it was about three quarters full, I was ordered to empty it, and offered no more than marigolds as protection. I refused, I had another job to go to, but another staff member was bullied into carrying out the role. And I can also tell you that its staff toilets were blocked, and had insufficient toilets for the amount of staff members. H&S gone mad, don't make me laugh, horrendous H&S abuses are still commonplace, and much worse than my own personal evidence. Just look at the record of the construction industry.
No, people are confusing H&S with a fear of being sued - it is not the same thing. And if there is anything in the suggestions made here and on other threads, and don't discount the ever rising demands of insurance companies in this as well, the irony for the sad Mr Wicks is that this is driven by businesses looking to make money.

Feisty CBC wrote:

roger bacon wrote:
Can anybody remember schools in the 1950/60/70's closing because of bad weather.
One days snow and half the schools are closed. What a joke.

I can remember having days off from school due to poor weather, no heating, teachers strikes and skiving. All the seventies. I really don't know where the "better in my day" stories originate from.

It's called selective amnesia.

The underlying problem is that schools have become day care centres for children whilst parents are at work...

When a school has to close for whatever reason, then parents have to take responsibility for their children - businesses cannot really be surprised by this fact ? I mean, how do they cope in the school holidays when the schools are closed for 6 weeks!?

i found it quite lovely walking the dogs in the snow.can't understand why the schools closed.

Well done to both my kids schools (primary and secondary) for being open..... and for the snow ball fights that the kids have been allowed to play at lunch time as well, both kids have had a great time.

" H&S gone mad, don't make me laugh, horrendous H&S abuses are still commonplace, and much worse than my own personal evidence. Just look at the record of the construction industry"
Shockingly true Smith W. The Health and Safety Executive are a joke. They avoid tackling the horrible abuses you highlight and instead target pathetic annoyances. In Industries like car scrapping and construction, people die or are terribly injured with depressing frequency. The Health and safety executive not on site until its all too late.

6079 Smith W wrote:
Whatever it is down to and whether it's really happening, this health and safety cry is getting ridiculous. H&S is a set of regulations governing the workplace and other public places. Rather than the howl of H&S gone mad, the fact is all too often it hasn't gone far enough. Before my current job I worked for a (thankfully) few weeks for a major chain retailer in this town, and its public urinal had a leak. A vat about the size of a green recycling bin was placed underneath, and when it was about three quarters full, I was ordered to empty it, and offered no more than marigolds as protection. I refused, I had another job to go to, but another staff member was bullied into carrying out the role. And I can also tell you that its staff toilets were blocked, and had insufficient toilets for the amount of staff members. H&S gone mad, don't make me laugh, horrendous H&S abuses are still commonplace, and much worse than my own personal evidence. Just look at the record of the construction industry. No, people are confusing H&S with a fear of being sued - it is not the same thing. And if there is anything in the suggestions made here and on other threads, and don't discount the ever rising demands of insurance companies in this as well, the irony for the sad Mr Wicks is that this is driven by businesses looking to make money.

Queen Boudica Primary School staff spent the day clearing snow from paths and roads, warning parents not to drive into its grounds, as they had not been gritted.

thats the daft H&S excuse right there.

The staff can get in to clear the snow but they dont open the school?!?!

The parents shouldnt be driving onto school grounds anyway thats far more dangerous than a bit of snow.

Bottom line is too many schools closed last time as people took the chance to bung a sickie. They rightly got lambasted for it. This time the vast majority of schools saw sense.

My concern with the criticism of these schools when they do close is that many people are then forced to attempt to take their children to school, in dangerous conditions because headteachers are too afraid of backlash.

It took me a long time to get my son to his school under 3 miles away - none of the roads I used had been gritted and I was pretty nervous by the time I got there, cursing myself for even bothering. If I had decided to stay at home the absence would have been unauthorised on my childs school record.

Before you all shout lazy mother!! We cannot walk to school, I would love to, there is no pavements for 80% of the journey.

jut1972 wrote:

6079 Smith W wrote:
Whatever it is down to and whether it's really happening, this health and safety cry is getting ridiculous. H&S is a set of regulations governing the workplace and other public places. Rather than the howl of H&S gone mad, the fact is all too often it hasn't gone far enough. Before my current job I worked for a (thankfully) few weeks for a major chain retailer in this town, and its public urinal had a leak. A vat about the size of a green recycling bin was placed underneath, and when it was about three quarters full, I was ordered to empty it, and offered no more than marigolds as protection. I refused, I had another job to go to, but another staff member was bullied into carrying out the role. And I can also tell you that its staff toilets were blocked, and had insufficient toilets for the amount of staff members. H&S gone mad, don't make me laugh, horrendous H&S abuses are still commonplace, and much worse than my own personal evidence. Just look at the record of the construction industry. No, people are confusing H&S with a fear of being sued - it is not the same thing. And if there is anything in the suggestions made here and on other threads, and don't discount the ever rising demands of insurance companies in this as well, the irony for the sad Mr Wicks is that this is driven by businesses looking to make money.

Queen Boudica Primary School staff spent the day clearing snow from paths and roads, warning parents not to drive into its grounds, as they had not been gritted.

thats the daft H&S excuse right there.

The staff can get in to clear the snow but they dont open the school?!?!

The parents shouldnt be driving onto school grounds anyway thats far more dangerous than a bit of snow.

Bottom line is too many schools closed last time as people took the chance to bung a sickie. They rightly got lambasted for it. This time the vast majority of schools saw sense.

Where?! Come on Jut, you can do better than that. It really isn't, and I've already explained exactly what is going on. If there is a tendency of people being over-cautious today (perhaps), the consideration is all about what is likely to cost the most money (fear of litigation). Successive governments have spent years telling schools to be more business minded. If this is the result - and I suspect the jury is still out on that one - don't be surprised.

Perhaps I'm living in a different world, but why didn't schools just clear it? I was out with a shovel on Sunday with another manager and our maintenance team. Sites cleared, and it was business as usual come Monday morning.

No lawsuits, no mention of 'ealth and safety, just a regular day with lots of happy (and very appreciative) customers. It's not rocket science, is it?

I walked past one of the quoted schools on Monday and could not understand why, with no further snow forecast, it was closed.

the main roads were fine but as usual the side roads and pavements are treacherous.that's the reason most people don't venture out on foot.still it's nearly all gone now and all is right with moaners little worlds again.so until the next fall......

6079 Smith W wrote:

jut1972 wrote:

6079 Smith W wrote:
Whatever it is down to and whether it's really happening, this health and safety cry is getting ridiculous. H&S is a set of regulations governing the workplace and other public places. Rather than the howl of H&S gone mad, the fact is all too often it hasn't gone far enough. Before my current job I worked for a (thankfully) few weeks for a major chain retailer in this town, and its public urinal had a leak. A vat about the size of a green recycling bin was placed underneath, and when it was about three quarters full, I was ordered to empty it, and offered no more than marigolds as protection. I refused, I had another job to go to, but another staff member was bullied into carrying out the role. And I can also tell you that its staff toilets were blocked, and had insufficient toilets for the amount of staff members. H&S gone mad, don't make me laugh, horrendous H&S abuses are still commonplace, and much worse than my own personal evidence. Just look at the record of the construction industry. No, people are confusing H&S with a fear of being sued - it is not the same thing. And if there is anything in the suggestions made here and on other threads, and don't discount the ever rising demands of insurance companies in this as well, the irony for the sad Mr Wicks is that this is driven by businesses looking to make money.

Queen Boudica Primary School staff spent the day clearing snow from paths and roads, warning parents not to drive into its grounds, as they had not been gritted.

thats the daft H&S excuse right there.

The staff can get in to clear the snow but they dont open the school?!?!

The parents shouldnt be driving onto school grounds anyway thats far more dangerous than a bit of snow.

Bottom line is too many schools closed last time as people took the chance to bung a sickie. They rightly got lambasted for it. This time the vast majority of schools saw sense.

Where?! Come on Jut, you can do better than that. It really isn't, and I've already explained exactly what is going on. If there is a tendency of people being over-cautious today (perhaps), the consideration is all about what is likely to cost the most money (fear of litigation). Successive governments have spent years telling schools to be more business minded. If this is the result - and I suspect the jury is still out on that one - don't be surprised.

Well said Jut - another excuse for the work-shy to have a day off. I bet the schools would have been open if the staff were self employed!

My sons school was open and I got him in, however, one thing I have noticed is, the roads (most of them anyway) are gritted and are fine to use, yet the paths are actually quite dangerous, they are very icy and once the temperature drops at night, it freezes over again. To get to my sons school I have to walk down Magdalen street (quite icy) down brook street (again quite icy) and the path outside the school is also slippery.
Still, I managed it, yet the school (who will pull you up if you don't get in) will not let the children out to play, as it is too "dangerous"

Hmm..

Shyprincess is spot on here, the pavements are now much worse than the roads.

It is now common place for the council to not grit pavements (even though they used to) and we get the same old excuses each time about funding.

I think a bit of selective gritting of pavements near schools and hospitals would be welcomed by everyone and would not be hard to do, subsidise it by running one less gritter if you have to as they usually seem to hunt in packs following each other round.

I'm just waiting to see the road sweeper following behind to clean up..

Ritchie_Hicks wrote:

6079 Smith W wrote:

jut1972 wrote:

6079 Smith W wrote:
Whatever it is down to and whether it's really happening, this health and safety cry is getting ridiculous. H&S is a set of regulations governing the workplace and other public places. Rather than the howl of H&S gone mad, the fact is all too often it hasn't gone far enough. Before my current job I worked for a (thankfully) few weeks for a major chain retailer in this town, and its public urinal had a leak. A vat about the size of a green recycling bin was placed underneath, and when it was about three quarters full, I was ordered to empty it, and offered no more than marigolds as protection. I refused, I had another job to go to, but another staff member was bullied into carrying out the role. And I can also tell you that its staff toilets were blocked, and had insufficient toilets for the amount of staff members. H&S gone mad, don't make me laugh, horrendous H&S abuses are still commonplace, and much worse than my own personal evidence. Just look at the record of the construction industry. No, people are confusing H&S with a fear of being sued - it is not the same thing. And if there is anything in the suggestions made here and on other threads, and don't discount the ever rising demands of insurance companies in this as well, the irony for the sad Mr Wicks is that this is driven by businesses looking to make money.

Queen Boudica Primary School staff spent the day clearing snow from paths and roads, warning parents not to drive into its grounds, as they had not been gritted.

thats the daft H&S excuse right there.

The staff can get in to clear the snow but they dont open the school?!?!

The parents shouldnt be driving onto school grounds anyway thats far more dangerous than a bit of snow.

Bottom line is too many schools closed last time as people took the chance to bung a sickie. They rightly got lambasted for it. This time the vast majority of schools saw sense.

Where?! Come on Jut, you can do better than that. It really isn't, and I've already explained exactly what is going on. If there is a tendency of people being over-cautious today (perhaps), the consideration is all about what is likely to cost the most money (fear of litigation). Successive governments have spent years telling schools to be more business minded. If this is the result - and I suspect the jury is still out on that one - don't be surprised.

Well said Jut - another excuse for the work-shy to have a day off. I bet the schools would have been open if the staff were self employed!

So if the staff were running this as their own business, you seriously think they would be 'more likely' to open themselves up to any potential compensation claims, paid directly out of their own pocket?! With business sense like this, have you considered a career in banking (except when bankers display business acumen like yours - we pay - so perhaps a bad example!)?
Anyway, I really must ask, did your hatred of teachers begin at school? Did you not like the fact the teachers tried to make the 'work shy' little Ritchie get himself the education you now so clearly lack?

I heard on the grapevine that schools actually close because so many parents don’t bother to bring their kids in when it snows and this damages their attendance records, having a negative impact on their offstead reports. Could be nonsense of course, but that’s just what I’ve heard. I’m pleased to say that my daughter (who is now at a local secondary school having gone all the way through at a local primary) has never had a snow day in her life!

Captain SpaceAce wrote:
I heard on the grapevine that schools actually close because so many parents don’t bother to bring their kids in when it snows and this damages their attendance records, having a negative impact on their offstead reports. Could be nonsense of course, but that’s just what I’ve heard. I’m pleased to say that my daughter (who is now at a local secondary school having gone all the way through at a local primary) has never had a snow day in her life!

A very interesting view. As you say and testify, all this speculation could be nonsense, as are schools really anymore likely to shut for snow now than in the past? But on a wider level, we do know that schools have been required to be more 'business like' and competitive, with targets and league tables, etc, and what those that bang on about H&S miss, is this is what is harmful.

Yup - I totally agree with your assertion that it has more to do with a fear of being sued than any h&s regulation. It’s sad, but that’s the type of blame culture that is thriving in this country.