Bristol city council bans doormats

**Deadly** · 14th September 2006

Residents in government-funded housing in Bristol are up in arms over a decision by their local city council to ban doormats because they pose a "tripping hazard" for anyone escaping a fire.

Bristol city council has set a deadline of September 18 for tenants in communal dwellings to comply with the request, in a letter addressed to the residents living in the council's 32,000 properties.

"During a routine health and safety inspection of the block, it was noted that loose mats were present in hallways or corridors outside people's flats," The Guardian newspaper quoted the letter to tenants as saying.

"These represent a 'tripping hazard' and should be removed immediately. By all means have your own mats inside your front door, but please do not leave them outside, creating a risk to others."

If the doormats are not removed by the September 18 deadline, the letter says: "Any mat remaining ... will be removed and subsequently disposed of."

Some residents are not taking the letter lightly, however, and The Guardian quoted Roger Perry, 62, as refusing to comply with the deadline.

"This is absolutely ludicrous. It is so pointless. The council says mats are a hazard."

"God knows how.

"The way the flats are arranged -- three on each side of the lift on every floor -- it's only you and the postman who walk on the mats anyway."

Source - http://uk.news.yahoo.com/14092006/32...-concerns.html

**whatnow** · 14th September 2006

slower pace down 'ere

**k750man** · 14th September 2006

This is officious types gone mad.
There's a guy I work with like this, I'm all for being safe but this ar$e complains about every health & safety issue imaginable. This idiot only went and got himself injured??? in a store cupboard that others had used safely for 15 years. Upon which he puts in a claim for compensation, gets private physiotherapy for his elbow that has been sore for years, mocks up photos for his claim with equipment hanging perilously off shelves that has never ever been like that and then later gets caught by a colleague manually moving heavy tables about in a room for a health & safety commitee meeting and nearly sh!ts himself once caught. Injured elbow - my ar$e!
Officious fiolks like these are pathetic sad folks that need to get a life and get out more. In this case with the council organising it I suppose it keeps some folks in their jobs (AT ALL OUR EXPENSE!)