Householders and businesses have been warned not to clear snowy pavements – as they could be sued if someone slips.
Icy paths mean hospitals have been inundated with patients who have broken bones in falls.
But the professional body that represents health-and-safety experts has warned businesses not to grit public paths.
In its guidance to members, the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health warns that if people assume an area is clear and then slip and injure themselves, they could take legal action claiming damages.
And members of the public say they have been warned by councils about the legal risks.
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Related:
Panic buying hits supermarkets as Met Office warns of eight inches MORE snow
Notes:
The inmates are truly in charge of the asylum.
The Charlie Daniels Band is playing in my head “What the world needs is a few more Rednecks”
This is beyond stupid!!
Canada has the opposite law – homes and businesses are fined for not removing snow from the sidewalk. I hope that continues – this law makes little sense. Why doesn’t the government just chip in for some salt?
The liability argument is very often used when organized labor wants to ensure that it “owns” the work. The truth is that anyone can be sued by anyone else at any given time. As to how far the case gets is dependent on the individual facts.