Firemen cannot use step ladders

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-116762 5/Firefighters-told-use-poles-test-alarms--ste pladders-dangerous.html

Apart from the absurdity of telling Fire-fighters to stop using step ladders on 'health and safety' grounds, I would be interested to know how this special pole works?

Yes I can see it is much easier to use a pole to press the test button, but how does it work to attach the Smoke Alarm to the ceiling?

When I fitted mine, I needed to drill two holes in the plasterboard ceiling, insert two plasterboard plugs and then screw the alarm to the ceiling.

Must be a pretty impressive bit of kit, if this pole can carry out these operations.

[Gromit]

Very versatile these Poles, shame they're all going home.

[RufusDufus]

Yeah unfortunately with all these idiots that seem to sue for the littlest thing,now all of these stupid countermeasures have been dreamed up to try and stop this sue culture of ours.

[redcrx]

next thing theyll do is use the pole to poke buckets of water onto a thatch roof fire lol

Ive not heard of the banning of step ladders being put on in Suffolk but i can tell you that they often use no more nails to fix them to the ceiling so maybe they can stick it up using a pole if needs be.

[anotheoldgit]

Very quick Gromit, I was wondering who would be the first to come up with that one.

[anotheoldgit]

'NO Nails' eh? I suppose that is a way round it, redcrx

[redcrx]

yeah its quick and easy. But then the less time it takes the more they can do i suppose.

[Kromovaracun]

From a comment on the Mail's article:

The poles in question are retractable and extendable. You place the smoke alarm in the cup at the end of the pole, apply glue to the base of the alarm, then extend the pole and press the smoke alarm against the ceiling. You then lock the pole into place and then you can walk away and talk with the homeowner about other fire safety issues whilst the pole holds the alarm in place on the ceiling and allows the glue to grip and secure the alarm.

[youngmafbog]

And when it comes to painting the ceiling you only have to rip half the ceiling plaster away. Excelent.

[redcrx]

yep. But then you could put your own smoke alarm up and do it the way you want it.

This is a service the firefighters provide, as long as it does the job then thats what counts.

[factor-fiction]

A common response to these stories is "health and safety gone mad"
In fact the issue is our compensation culture- managers are simply trying to reduce exposure to compensation claims.