Health and safety: 'The parents were told to stand down'

Published on Thursday 23 July 2009 10:23

HAS the world gone mad? The familiar refrain must have been heard at South Morningside Primary when parents were told they couldn't give the school a much-needed lick of paint.

With no maintenance budget available, they had offered to pick up the paint brushes themselves rather than have children return to shabby classrooms after the summer break.

A laudable piece of volunteer action, you might think. But the plan fell foul of health and safety rules and the parents were told to stand down.

This might be laughed off as a one-off piece of PC nonsense. But a fortnight ago the News revealed that Pirniehall Primary, in Pilton, had to pay an approved joiner 350 to hang some pupils' pictures.

Sure, both decisions can be justified by pointing to health and safety rules. But doesn't common sense suggest that a janitor should be allowed to hammer in a few picture hooks? And isn't it churlish in the extreme to deny enthusiastic parents the right to spruce up their kids' school?

Health and safety has its place, and it is right that kids are taught to follow some rules. But all these decisions teach them is that the rules themselves are often daft – and that community spirit sometimes gets you nowhere.

Blackest day

YESTERDAY was the blackest day in the recent history of Edinburgh's fire brigade, and one of the worst for the city as a whole.

The funeral of Ewan Williamson, ten days after the firefighter died in a blaze in Dalry Road, took place in appropriately grim weather. The rain hid more than a few tears as some of the bravest men and women stood outside St Giles' Cathedral to honour their fallen comrade.

Many of those firefighters went back to work almost immediately – as did the three colleagues who were injured last weekend when they battled a second fire just yards from where Ewan had died.

But before we all move on, there is some unfinished business. Ewan's own bravery must be honoured. That is why the News is campaigning for him to be posthumously awarded the Queen's Gallantry Medal.

Both friends of Ewan and strangers have lent their support, added to now by politicians and John Smeaton, who won the award for his part in tackling the Glasgow Airport terrorists.

Please add your support by going online to edinburghnews.com/ewanwilliamsonpetition.com – as so many readers have already done.