Beware of the doormat, Telford man warned
Wednesday 26th May 2010, 3:25PM BST.
Jamie Turner and the doormat which, he has been told, breaches health a safety rules
Housing chiefs have ordered a Telford man to get rid of a doormat outside his first-floor flat because it contravenes health and safety rules.
Jamie Turner says he has also been told that pictures, a basket of flowers and net curtains outside will have to go as well because they constitute a fire hazard.
Mr Turner, who lives in Wrekin Housing Trust sheltered accommodation in Hall Barn Close, Madeley, today branded the ruling ridiculous.
The 51-year-old said: “I put the mat down and the pictures and flowers up just to make the place look more homely.
“They said someone could trip over the mat and the curtains and pictures were a fire hazard.
“I have challenged them to put me face to face with a firefighter and let him tell me the pictures and the rest would cause him a problem.
“It is just ridiculous. I think they have just come up with a blanket policy but it makes me not want to live here.”
Mr Turner is in sheltered accommodation after he was left in a coma and fighting for his life in 2006 when he was attacked by a gang of thugs as he walked to watch his beloved team Manchester United play away at Southampton in the final game of the season.
Removed
He was thought to have been hit with metal poles and he underwent life-saving surgery where part of his skull was removed.
He subsequently had his skull reconstructed and has had to learn how to walk and talk again.
Sandra Watkins, The Wrekin Housing Trust’s supported housing team leader, said in a letter to Mr Turner that the pictures, artificial flowers, doormat and net curtain all had to be removed in the next fortnight. She said she would be visiting in two weeks time to check the communal area outside Mr Turner’s flat was clear.
Pamela Edwards, the trust’s general manager for supported housing, said: “We take the safety of our tenants very seriously and we have a responsibility to conduct fire risk assessments on our schemes.
“There is a requirement for us to risk assess all our schemes. We ask for combustible items to be removed from communal corridors as this is the only route for access to residents’ homes.
“If there were to be a fire, then the presence of such items could cause risk to life.”
By Simon Hardy
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Would Telford and Wrekin Housing Trust like to list the qualifications of the health and safety expert who has made this ruling, please? My bet is that they haven’t got any. Go on, WHT. Prove me wrong.
It’s happening throughout Wrekin House Trust properties.
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Quite right too!! Has Mr Turner considered how dangerous it could be if it fell into the wrong hands – cut into thin strips it could be used to make garottes, and a very small child could be badly injured if they fell off the edge of it.
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That letter flap looks lethal to me too.
Thank goodness he has not put up a hanging basket, ooh and what about an electric doorbell.
Actually the door itself could fall off its hinges and pin an old person or child to the floor.
Yikes its a death trap.
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The interpretation of health and safety rules is done by people who have little or no common sense. I saw a man painting railings on a railway station platform today, he was behind a set of barriers but working with people next to the barriers. He had a hard hat on, why? if something was going to fall on his head and injure him why were passengers allowed in the same area?
I guess the rules say when on site you must wear the following: …. and there is no common sense applied or proper risk assessment done.
In this case I can just about agree with the picture and the curtains but the doormat? As he lives on the first floor then surely the stairs could also be a ‘trip hazard’, in fact stairs are very dangerous so they should be closed. and what about the lift? the cable might break so obviously reaching the first floor is far to hazardous!
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Well, bless me, I take it that Rotweillers are acceptable as they are not a fire hazard.
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You are not on your own! My Mumwho lives in another area of Telford had a go with them about the same thing and there was also a carry on about her plants! But when carers have the door keys thrown down to them from an upstairs window so that they can enter the building to get to their clients flat…nothing is said…they are supposed to sign in at the main entrance! This is for the fire and safety regulations…
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….and if he keeps waving his hands around like that he’ll have a small child’s eye out soon!
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The man should be publicly flogged – The sheer audacity of putting down a doormat – Who in their right mind would do such a thing?.
Rob you are right what if it did fall into the wrong hands ????
Must go my nurse is here with my medication…….
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Several years ago when I rented a WHT flat, I painted the front door which was new and had been left as bare wood. When an inspector came round to look at some faults in the flat some 18 months later, I was told I shouldn’t have painted the door as my choice of paint ‘may not be suitable in case of fire’.
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Am in stitches!!!!
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I got burgalled the other night….if only I had put a doormat by my door before hand, the burgulars would be in hospital now, instead of in the pub spending the money they stole from me….I won’t be burgalled again, now I know what to do……
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Tell these Morons where to go, they are just jobsworths on huge saleries.
Ask them to take you to court.
They really are stupid.
H&S was instigated to protect the work force whilst doing their jobs on building sites etc.
The Looney Left is still alive.
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The looney left?
Telford and Wrekin council has been a Tory Controlled one for 18 months now.
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WHT is not controlled by the council.
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David Wright is a Labour MP
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The only doormats in this story work for Wrekin Housing Trust by letting Europe walk all over them. Fortunately I can hear the Reaper’s scythe swishing ever nearer and not before time.
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‘ letting Europe walk all over them.’
Eh? Where does Europe come into this? Show me the European legislation that led to Wrekin Housing doing this – I bet you can’t.
Instead, this, like all of these ‘Health and Safety nightmare stories, is one of British jobsworths making up their own versions of laws, largely driven by a fear of US-style litigation. Where there’s blame there’s a claim…!
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Hang on a minute surely theres more of a health and safety risk / fire hazard inside the flat than outside. Shall i list some Carpet, curtains, furniture lino. Goodness we may as well have nothing!!! Sheer daftness.
I know WHT have to be careful but not to take it too far. If things catch fire they are going to burn no matter what.
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I have a similar problem in the flats where I live.
We have started keeping our recycling boxes and bag in the communal area but have been told they constitute a fire hazard. Ummm, if they are a fire hazard in that area, surely it is even more of a fire hazard in our flat, which is for living in and not recycling in?
I was quoted section 4.9 of the Tenancy Agreement which states “You must dispose of all household & domestic rubbish properly and not allow rubbish to accumulate inside the premises, in sheds or outbuildings or in gardens, grounds or communal areas.”
If it is not allowed to accumulate in any of those places, storing recycling and the grey bin for a minimum of two weeks, is against the Agreement?
The Tenancy Agreement was written before the introduction of two bins and a bag, with a new one on its way in August.
Needless to say, I am taking the matter further ;)
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I can see where some staff reductions would be in order given the nations current deficits.
Mr Spock
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No response regarding the health and safety qualifications of those makihg the decisions to ban doormats, pictures, plants, etc? This wouldn’t be because they have no (genuine) qualifications to offer people advice or rulings on health and safety issues, would it?
Great. People being order around by the unqualified!
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“Great. People being order around by the unqualified!”
But doesn’t that apply to most public service jobs?
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Matt, I have Qualifications and I agree with what WHT are saying.
yes there are fire hazards in the flats that is why it is even more important to keep the communal areas as clear as possible and should contain no flamable materials as this will be the main escape route for all of the tenents. Maybe WHT have not explained the reason properly.
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So have I. And having reviewed the reasons given at other WHT properties, I had to form the conclusion that safety was not the real reason.
One of the reasons given for making people remove pictures from communal areas was: “Well, a fireman may bang his head on the picture if the corridor was full of smoke.” And another reason weas given: “The picture may explode if there was a fire and blind a fireman.” Both of those reasons are bogus and examples of someone trying to create a reason to justify a decision. For example, in my opinion, if a building fire was hot enough to cause a print on a wall to “explode” it would be too dangerous for any fireman/woman to be in the building.
I beleive someone could have made a decision that all communal buildings owned by WHT must look as if it is owned by the housing trust and that flourishes of individuality by the damn nuisances otherwise known as tenants, must be stamped out. Of course, that would not be a valid reason, so the old “elfin safety” lie is trotted out, instead.
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hmm you seem to have more info than anyone else in this
I doubt anyone with a real health and safety qual would consider for one moment that a picture will “explode”
the risk is of the fire spreading not things exploding!!!
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That was my thought exactly. When I heard these two gems from WHT “experts” I thought: “There’s no way anyone with even an entry level Health Safety qualification would have said that!”
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WHT could spend some time doing up the properties they leave derelict for months despite a housing shortage that are vandalised and surprise, surprise set fire to by vandals, addicts, etc
Or are these less of a risk than a doormat?
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No suprise here, the majority of comments do make me laugh – pictures and curtains spread fire, it’s a common fact, a door mat could restrict you/a firefighter from getting in/out of the property, you could also trip on one.
This guy is given a noce home and it’s so much trouble to remove a mat, shocking.
Maybe you should all go and get a job to get sufficant housing yourselves – also learn to spell!!
What a joke – ha- you said it!!
Matt – your comment is totally correct but i don’t think for a minute these people have the intelligence to consider it!
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Who are you to criticise other people’s spelling, when your own is quite shocking! Hypocrite!
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The comment from”urhavingit” is so badly written I can’t tell exactly what point he or she is trying to make – it’s a bit rich for them to cast doubts on other people’s intelligence.
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I don’t feel my comment is written poorly Rob.
When adding comments, you are free to write in a format that suits you.
The fact of the matter is this man is being difficult and his argument is a joke!
Im sick of people who get provided with social housing causing problems, if you don’t like it pal, get a home somewhere else and you can have all the doormats you wish and stop putting others at risk!!!
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Oh and the point you didn’t get was….
**pictures and curtains spread fire, it’s a common fact, a door mat could restrict you/a firefighter from getting in/out of the property, you could also trip on one**
Point made by another….
**I have Qualifications and I agree with what WHT are saying.
yes there are fire hazards in the flats that is why it is even more important to keep the communal areas as clear as possible**
Does this provide you with clarity now?
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It would appear that “urhavingit!” is a typical council employee who would be hard pressed to find employment in the real world,…especially with their spelling.
No doubt, the power that these people feel that they wield, makes them happy by resticting the happiness and freedom of others. Hopefully, with the coming cutbacks, we will see less people like this!
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I’m glad to see that you don’t suffer from “resticted” spelling ability roadrunner :<)
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Jamie – firstly, the above error noce home was meant to say “nice home” just incase you didn’t understand the sentence.
Have you ever heard of a typing error? These are not typical spelling mistakes, also i shall critisise whom i like thank you.
Roadrunner, thank you for your comment. I don’t work for the Council actually but yes i earn a huge amount of money and don’t do a lot at all, it’s great. Im 25, own my own house have done since the age of 19, have a lovely new sports car and have quite a lot of cash in all fairness.
I have been earning a massive amount of money since leaving School and have been snapped up by Employer’s, trust me, i don’t have a problem gaining Employment, sounds like you may have though?
This man has been provided with sufficiant housing, paid for by his Housing Association and he refuses to remove a doormat. What a grateful tenant hey, evict him and put him on the streets i say, hope the WHT take it to the top, they will win the case – only intelligent people will grasp this.
Maybe he should buy his own house? Bet he dosn’t want to though, just wants to be as difficult as possible, typical of society these days…
Must dash got some work to do, not!
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I can understand ‘noce’ being a typing error, but I wonder how you would classify your repeated incorrect spelling of ‘sufficient’, and your spurious use of capitals in both ‘Employer’s’ and ‘Employment’ (sic) together with your unnecessary apostrophe in the former of these two?
And please, don’t get me started on your use of the lower case ‘i’ as a personal pronoun…
Perhaps you’re not quite as intelligent as you thought?
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I’m glad to see that you don’t suffer from “resticted” spelling ability roadrunner :<)
Ha – nice one Rob – seems someone else may have terrible spelling, or could it be a typing error?!?!
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Roadrunner made one typo – I often do it myself. Your comments are on a completely different level!!
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U had it! Glad you’ve got a steady job and hope you don’t have to use the word sufficient very often for it or learn where to put apostrophes!…snapped up by employer’s…employer’s what?….;-)
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‘surel’y you mean’t apostrophe’s road’runner?
Hone’stly, ‘some peoples grammar….it arent what it was’
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I’m glad that people seem to be having so much fun here. Have you forgotten the real issues ?
I applaud the actions of Wrekin Housing Trust by having the courage to stand up for what they believe is correct and in a society where it is all to easy for organisations to shy away from their health and safety responsibilities. Is your health and safety adequately considered at work ?
I wonder if all the critics would have the same view if this article was about deaths in a fire situation which could have been easily avoided by SIMPLE precautions such as removal of articles which produce high smoke levels ; it’s often the smoke which kills and hinders rescue, not the flames !
I’m sure the relatives of the recent fires in London and Southampton would wish someone had taken their health and safety seriously, and would not think, “This won’t happen to me” ; but it’s too late for them.
Whilst you may not agree with what you see as over zealousness I’m sure Mr Turner spends most of his time in his flat, not on the landing and does a door mat or other articles in a corridor really affect someone’s quality of living ? I cannot put structures or atticles on the pavemnet outside my home !!
A solution : put your door mat inside your front door and ask the Wrekin Housing Trust “What is acceptable to ‘soften’ the area and make it more homely. Go on communicate!
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Glad all of this is happening before something similar to the fires in London and Southampton occur.
I’m sure that diffrent questions would be asked by relatives if they occured here?
How sad that someone died from smoke produced by non fire retardant products left in corridors that someone knew was there but did nothing about.
I cannot put structures or objects on the pavements ouside my house.
I’m glad someone is taking this seriously.
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I’m sorry Tinky but putting a door mat outside a door (which is what it is designed for) is a bit different to putting obstacles on pavements outside your house, surely? Thay are more likely to trip over the step than the doormat, what next remove the step? People in council departments do need to get themselves out into the real world more often.
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“A solution : put your door mat inside your front door and ask the Wrekin Housing Trust “What is acceptable to ’soften’ the area and make it more homely. Go on communicate!”
So…A door mat OUTSIDE your front door is a health hazard but a doormat INSIDE your front door isn’t a health hazard….Interesting!!!
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The underlieing reason for WHT’s stance on this is due to the ever increasing sue/countersue culture. As the owners of the property, WHT has a duty of care to EVERYONE to make sure areas under there duristiction are well maintained and conform to health and safety regualtions. Now if there did happen to be a fire, and fire officers were injured, the fire department would carry out an investigation and if it was found that the articles in question contributed to the fire and to the injury of the fire officers, the WHT would be liable for damages. This is what WHT want to avoid. So they make all these health and safety rules to protect them from getting sued.
Take this example – A postman slips on the doormat while pushing letters through the letter box, he breaks his wrist while trying to cushion his fall. The post office takes the tennant to court for damages to be paid to the injured postman, the tennant says it is not his fault, the WHT allowed him to put the doormat there so it is therefore WHT’s responsibility as the property and subsequent all decsions to the property is/are WHT’s.
Any problem occuring the tenant will automatically lay blame with WHT so as to take away any responiilty away from him (the tenant). WHT want/need to avoid this sort of situation occuring so therefore tell the tenant of the health and safety rules.
I bet the majority of posters here would put the blame of an accident of there doing onto somebody else. ‘Trip on pavement’, not looking where you was going but you say is council fault. When you look at the bigger picture you can see why WHT are doing what they are doing
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Why not go the whole hog and sue the mat manufacturers?…the world’s going mad anyway so why stop there?
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It doesn’t take long for the anti council/public sector commentators to come out with their usual misinformed nonsense does it? Wrekin Housing Trust is not council controlled, it is a registered social landlord to whom the council sold its housing stock some years ago. As such, the actions, rules and operations of WHT have nothing at all to do with T&WC.
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