Lollipop Lady Resigns Over Health & Safety Issue
Over in the UK, school patrol crossing guards are commonly known as Lollipop Men or Ladies (dependent on their gender of course) due to the long signage sticks they use looking a bit like a lollipop. If you’d prefer graphic confirmation, here’s a picture:
But, same as in the US, it’s all hi-viz vests and lots of day-glo while stopping traffic so children can cross the road safely.
Well, one such Lollipop Lady in the UK has resigned over a health and safety issue with her being asked to turn the stick upside down when not in use. The story gets taken up by The Daily Mail:
Council chiefs claimed Mrs Gaisford had confused passing drivers by holding her stick aloft but she argued it was equally dangerous to ‘swing a 6ft pole like a majorette’ while there were children nearby.
‘I’m not a Jedi with a lightsaber and this isn’t Star Wars, I don’t want to be swinging the thing around like that,’ she said.
‘Surely swinging a 6ft pole around when there are children nearby is more of a health and safety issue?‘I resigned because I disagree with the council’s policy – I think it is wrong and puts pedestrians at risk.’
A Worcestershire County Council spokesperson claimed the rules are in place to ensure drivers have a clear indicator of exactly when they must stop.
‘When guidelines are not followed, this leads to confusion with drivers either slowing down whilst the patrol is not operating, braking suddenly or driving straight through and therefore putting pedestrians at risk,’ she said.
