CityCyclingEdinburgh Forum » General Edinburgh

"health and safety gone mad”

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  1. chdot
    Admin

    "

    Former Tory MSP Cameron Buchanan blasted the decision – on the back of one incident – as an example of “health and safety gone mad”. He said: “Those steps have been there for almost 20 years. Thousands of people have used them over the years without incident but just because one person has fallen they do this. It’s total overkill.

    “I have gone up and down those steps many times without any problems and I have a bad leg. They are not dangerous. They are quite shallow and if it’s raining there’s always the ramp. And what about the Romans? They seem to have managed in the Colosseum without these handrails, without adequate lighting – and they were wearing sandals.

    "

    http://www.edinburghnews.scotsman.com/news/dynamic-earth-closes-steps-due-to-safety-concerns-1-4104071

    Posted 9 years ago #

  2. Wilmington's Cow
    Member

    On the fundamental basis of 'one incident in 17 years', I know that's not actually case (a friend of a friend broke her leg there about 5 years ago - granted it was snowy and she was drunk, but it was after an official event there). I don't even begin to suspect that's the first incident.

    Though I do agree they shouldn't be closed, and people should just be sensible and accept the consequences of their own decisions (but I bristle whenever I here 'health and safety gone mad', as if wanting people to be healthy and safe is a bad thing).

    Posted 9 years ago #

  3. cb
    Member

    "and they were wearing sandals"

    Brilliant!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  4. chdot
    Admin

    Are sandals extra dangerous?

    Don't think I've worn any since I was about 5, so I can't remember.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  5. Luath
    Member

    "and they were wearing sandals"

    But no helmet?

    Posted 9 years ago #

  6. wingpig
    Member

    I have sandals which strap to my feet as tightly as many full-on shoes, though the risk of something poky poking between strap-and-foot or foot-and-sole must be greater than it would be with a normal shoe where things can only really poke under the laces.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  7. dougal
    Member

    "And what about the Romans?"

    Yes, what about the Romans? They were famously H&S conscious, particularly in the gladiatorial battles.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  8. crowriver
    Member

    The steps have been closed off by safety barriers for ages. It's completely ridiculous. My son was actually told off for running up them last year.

    Next they'll be fencing off the Waverley Steps, just in case. You never know, somebody might trip and hurt themselves.

    Posted 9 years ago #

  9. amir
    Member

    And with a backdrop of Arthur's Seat!

    Posted 9 years ago #

  10. WickyWocky
    Member

    As a mother who carried her children around in slings until they were quite big and thus could often not see where she was stepping, and the child of a partially sighted and increasingly not good on her feet mother, I am overjoyed that someone is putting handrails on some steps that previously didn't have any and making sure the changes in level are more clearly marked. I think hand rails can be unobtrusive and lights will look pretty.

    And the Waverley Steps do have handrails.

    Posted 9 years ago #

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