Archive for snow
Wigan Council falls for the snow myth
Ooops, not quite all good new on the snow myth-busting front. Despite good news from many parts of the country about councils laying to rest the myths around people being sued if they clear snow from outside their own homes, Wigan Council has gone for reinforcing rather than rejecting the legal myths: HOMEOWNERS and businesses [...]
Reversal of legal risks over (not) clearing snow in the US
In the UK, the story is usually about how it’s ok to remove snow, as you won’t be sued if someone still falls over. In the US, however, the story is reversed – with the fear of legal action being about if you don’t remove snow: John Merian spent four hours on Monday morning shoveling [...]
Another little step forward on snow
Ah, at least – in addition to more legal myth-busting, some expectation that businesses should act on keeping snow clear from outside their premises in addition to people clearing snow from outside their own homes: VOLUNTEERS who clear ice and snow from the streets are not at risk of legal action, Henley Town Council has [...]
Oh dear, Belfast Telegraph recycles the snow myths
The myth-busting about snow was going so well this year (government giving good advice, councils giving good advice, lawyers saying sensible things and media reporting the issue accurately), and then along comes the Belfast Telegraph’s Lindy McDowell: Of course we should be able to sort it. But the authorities won’t take responsibility for gritting because [...]
Is there no end to this outbreak of health and safety sanity?
The stories about legal accuracy and common sense when it comes to snow clearing just keep on breaking out this year: CLAIMS that ‘elf and safety’ rules mean you could be sued if someone slips on the pavement after you have cleared it of snow have been dismissed by Taunton-based lawyers. (Somerset County Gazette) and Alex [...]
My letter in today's Guardian: before and after
Here’s the letter I wrote to The Guardian, a slightly shortened version of which appears in today’s paper: Your editorial about the importance of gritting pavements (1st December) is a little unfair to the government. It is true that the White Paper on public health does not mention the issue, but the government has just [...]
Common sense on snow: now the lawyers get in on the act
A quick follow-up to yesterday’s post about how this year is (fingers crossed) seeing the death of the myth that people shouldn’t clear snow from outside their homes because the hounds of hell (aka being sued) will descend on them. It’s always been mostly myth, but this year – helped in large part by stronger [...]
This is why the Editors’ Code of Practice needs reforming
It’s a small, but telling example.
The Evening Standard ran a piece from Simon Jenkins, which included a bit of myth-recycling about what the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health had said about people clearing snow from outside their property.
There were two problems.
First, either Simon Jenkins or a sub-ed dropped the word “probably” making the quote [...]
What do we want? Section 63 of the Metropolitan Paving Act 1817 of course
What do we want? Section 63 of the Metropolitan Paving Act 1817 to be restored.
When do we want it? Before the next snow fall of course.
Oh, you don’t know what it says? Well, that’s the bit of legislation which was in force between 1817 and 1891 requiring London householders to clear snow and ice from [...]
Good PR starts at your own doorstep
The PR angle to the current snow falls was the subject for a guest post I did over on the ReputationOnline site: The current snow and ice blighting many of our roads also provides an excellent opportunity to many firms to demonstrate that their rhetoric about responsibility and care for their communities is matched by the [...]
