Child's 2 ft wading pool needs lifeguard and insurance. Guess where?

Blind_Io

Blind_Io

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http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...h-safety-zealots-puncture-youngsters-fun.html

For nearly a quarter of a century, Lourdes Maxwell has celebrated the arrival of summer by putting a paddling pool in the garden.
This year, however, her two grandchildren and the children of her neighbours may have to find another way to cool off in the heat.
Miss Maxwell's local council has decided that the pool - which is only 2ft deep - needs a lifeguard.
The 47-year-old divorced mother of three has also been told she must have insurance before she can inflate the toy outside her house in Portsmouth.
The health and safety edict came after she wrote to the city council asking for permission to put a bigger pool in the communal garden outside her home.

Not only was she told it was too dangerous, but the council told her to empty the existing pool.

After her MP intervened, the local authority softened its stance, saying Miss Maxwell could have a pool if she paid for insurance and ensured supervisors were on constant watch.

Residents near the communal gardens already have to obey a raft of rules governing their use.

They are even supposed to ask the council for permission before having a barbecue.
Miss Maxwell, who is a full-time carer to her son Aiden, said yesterday: "It is absolutely pathetic.
"I have had a paddling pool outside the front of my flat every summer for 24 years, ever since Aiden turned one year old.
"Neighbours' children would come and enjoy the pool and I would give them ice lollies. It was always a very social occasion."
She added: "Now suddenly I'm not allowed.
"I asked around for insurance and they just laughed at me. No one offers insurance for paddling pools.
"I'm always there to supervise but they're trying to tell me I need lifeguards for a kiddies' pool as well - it's crazy."

Nigel Selley, Portsmouth Council's neighbourhood manager, defended the ruling yesterday.
He said: "We did not have sufficient assurances that the risks associated with providing such a facility would be well-managed.
"We have since spoken to Ms Maxwell and she is aware of our concerns for child safety and the risks associated with drowning."

Steven Wylie, the councillor in charge of housing, added: "I want to encourage people to enjoy the communal gardens.
"We want to help where we can to ensure that it is a fun and safe place for everyone to use."
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99% of these cases are down to people not understanding who legislation applies to.
Unfortunately the councils are by far the worst offenders for this.
 
I think the main problem is we value human life way too much. :lol:
 
Maybe she can get the Hoff as a lifeguard, he should be pretty cheap. :lol:

Anyway, this is the nanny state at its absolute best. The Germans are known for being pedantic, but the UK obviously has overtaken us by now. :?
 
God it makes me just want to punch whoever is involved (on the council side), give the woman a permenant pool, then move somewhere civilized and peaceful. Like Iraq.
 
She should ask for the legislation under which she has to comply - let them find it. Of course they won't bother. BTW can I have the life guard job do you think - I can't swim but I think I could handle it OK?
 
Oh. My. God.

This lovely little old lady's been doing this for 24 years and now they stop her? And it's a 2ft deep child's pool FFS.

Bloody councils.
 
Its a communal garden, similar to a public space. They didn't use the word "lifeguard", she did, they said that it must be supervised at all times. There are strict laws regarding pools in Oz thanks to the number of kids who've drowned, below is an example that shows all pools over 30cm (1 foot) in depth must be fenced, even fish ponds have to be fenced if they're too deep.

The owner of land on which a new swimming pool is to be constructed or installed is required to provide complying fencing prior to the filling of the swimming pool, with water, to a depth of 30mm or more.
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Its a bit overboard but local councils are reacting to litigation that costs them.

Insurance companies will insure just about anything. I had to take out public liability insurance once, it isn't hard to do.

I'm playing devil's advocate, but there is some sense to it.
 
By this sort of logic, you need a life guard to take a god damn bath.

Who wants to come start up a country with me, free of political correctness and the nanny state?
 
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Dsemaj said:
By this sort of logic, you need a life guard to take a god damn bath.

Who wants to come start up a country with me, free of political correctness and the nanny state?
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If it's free of politicians and their absolute stupidity and it's peaceful to live in and I can earn my living working on something I like, count me in.
 
What's next? Requiring paramedics to be on scene while washing your car in your own driveway?

It boggles my mind how this kind of thing can make it through so many different people for approval and not one of them goes "hang on a second...this is ridiculous!".
 
^ Welcome to the nanny state culture I would hate to live in............aw shit.
 
:wall: ... I ... just ... can't ... hit ... my head ... hard enough ...

I think she should fill the pool and flip her council the bird. I'd love to see them actually find some real legislation on which she could be prosecuted. You know, I think that's half the problem. Every time some of this Health and Safety bullshit is passed down it seems like the citizen at the receiving end just says, "Bollocks, guess I can't do anything about it." Someone just needs to start telling them where they can stick their policies.
 
It sounds ridiculous, but I'm sure that there are parents that leave their young children unattended at a kiddie pool. It's a little drastic to require a "lifeguard" to be on duty, but there is nothing wrong with requiring the parent to stay nearby. Of course, if the parent needs this to be enforced for them to do it, then they shouldn't have children in the first place.
 
On the flipside. If a child did drown in such a pool, the parents would probably file a lawsuit.
 
Thats what I was getting at. A lot of this kind of "craziness" comes from expensive lawsuits. They just asked that someone be present to supervise at all times and that she got insurance because the pool was in a communal (public?) space.
 
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