Explorer ridicules 'absurd' BBC rules

Published on Saturday 18 April 2009 20:02

BBC health and safety rules were branded "absurd" yesterday after an intrepid explorer and a round-the-world sailor were not trusted to light a camping stove.

While filming an adventure show for the corporation, Sir Ranulph Fiennes and Sir Robin Knox-Johnston were stopped from firing up the stove unsupervised in case they had an accident, it was claimed.

Sir Ranulph, Sir Robin and war reporter John Simpson, who featured alongside them, were said to have been taken aback by the corporation's strict regulations while filming BBC2 series Top Dogs.

They were given a "huge" document warning them about hazards such as tripping over while filming in Afghanistan, Cape Horn and the Canadian Arctic, Sir Robin said.

He continued: "Ran and I were told we could not light a Primus stove unless we were supervised.

This young man came in and said he was going to supervise and we told him to clear off… or words to that effect."

Sir Robin, the first man to sail single-handed and non-stop around the globe, added: "It was just absurd. What do you think we cook on in boats?"

The BBC, which was forced to defend its actions after Radio Essex presenters were watched over by two first-aiders as they changed a car wheel, stood by its code.

A spokesman said: "Health and safety is unequivocally a legal requirement and the BBC takes its responsibilities very seriously. Making programmes in hostile environments such as Afghanistan, Cape Horn and the Arctic inherently involves risks.

"We knew that for each programme, one of the trio would be completely comfortable operating in their own environment, but for the two novices learning the ropes it was important we minimised the risks as much as possible."

On Thursday it was reported how health and safety rules meant producers had to fill out a risk assessment before the two BBC Radio Essex presenters each took off a wheel for a feature on a programme about learning new skills.