» Back to listing Most bizarre health bans or restrictions!

Health and safety legislation exists to protect people from real risks at, or connected with, work. But it can be hard to see this from some of the stories that are reported. Below are 10 of the most bizarre health bans or restrictions spotted in media coverage by HSE over the last year.

1. Wimbledon officials citing health and safety as a reason to close Murray Mount when it was wet
   Example media story: Daily Mail: 'Elf 'n' safety shuts Murray Mount: Fans might slip on the grass, warn officials', 21 June 2011 ^[1]
2. Stopping dodgem cars from bumping into each other at Butlins in Skegness
   Example media story: BBC News: 'Bosses at Butlins ban bumper cars over health and safety fears', 27 April 2011 ^[2]
3. Banning Royal wedding street parties
   Example media story: Daily Mail: 'Royal wedding street party? You'll need £5m insurance, love...', 13 April 2011 ^[3]
4. Removing an unwanted, bulky TV from a pensioner's home for recycling
   Example media story: Daily Mail, 'Pensioner, 85, paid council to remove old TV...and was ordered to drag it outside herself so workmen didn't injure themselves', 7 June 2011 ^[4]
5. Carnivals with fancy dress parades
   Example media story: http://www.thesouthernreporter.co.uk ^[5]
6. Kite flying on a popular tourist beach in east Yorkshire
   Example media story: Hull Daily Mail: 'Outrage at kite-flying ban on East Riding beaches', 10 June 2011 ^[6]
7. Stopping pupils from using playground monkey bars unsupervised in Oxfordshire
   Example media story: Daily Mail: 'Children banned from their own playground as health and safety officials decide monkey bars are too dangerous', 8 May 2011 ^[7]
8. Using pins to secure commemorative poppies
   Example media story: http://www.obantimes.co.uk ^[8]
9. Schoolyard football games banned - unless the ball is made of sponge
   Example media story: BBC News: 'Huyton school leather football ban safety row', 24 February 2011 ^[9]
10. Children no longer allowed to take part in a sack race at Sports Day
    Example media story: Metro: 'Three-legged race is given the sack' ^[10]

For more details of other health and safety myths and excuses visit HSE's Myth of the month