Mumsnet Talk

Just wanted to post this to save anyone else going through what we did yesterday.

I never shop at Morrisons (basically because we have lots of other supermarkets to choose from and im pretty loyal to S/burys usually) but yesterday I was nearest to that store so popped in with DS who is nearly 9 months old.

I got a trolley but noticed that it didn't have any belts on it to tie him in. Every other supermarket that i have ever shopped in has a strap and i have always used it. Anyway DS and i were at the checkout and i took my attention off him for about 30 seconds as i began to pack the bags and the next thing i knew he had hit their concrete floor... I didn't see what happened from the time he was happily sitting up in the trolley to when he hit the floor it was all over so fast.

I was obviously in shock and picked him up (he was screaming btw) they took me to the managers office to wait for an ambulance but my DH was working from home and we decided it would be faster to drive to A&E. I asked the manager before i left why they didn't have any straps on their trolleys (the sitting up kind not the baby seat kind) to hold babies and toddlers in and he told me that you had to ask at customer services for them as their trolleys aren't fitted with them due to the straps getting wet and dirty and that is company policy. He also told me that on the handle of the trolley (where you put your hands to push the damn thing) there is a "small sign" - his words- (there is, its the size of a text message) to say to go to customer services if you require a strap.

I have had their area manager on the phone this morning and have explained that as a first time customer i didnt see the two inch notice on their bars to push the trolleys as i had my son in the trolley and i was pushing him?

I feel terrible and responsible for even putting him in a trolley without straps - it could have been a whole lot worse as the doctor said last night that he could have been brain damaged or killed. Whilst i have been in supermarkets i have often seen babies and children in trolleys without straps and thought to myself how irresponsible those parents must be, i myself yesterday was one of them too - i am so at Morrisons for not providing seat belts as a matter of course the way other supermarkets to in their trolleys (or at least the ones that i shop at) but just wanted to say that after all this please dont use a trolley without a strap, its just not worth it, i will never take the chance again and will also be letting Morrisons head office know that next time a child falls out of one of their trolleys because they have no straps fitted to them that it might not be the same outcome.

DS is fine btw, the top of his head is very red and swollen today though. He was admitted at lunchtime yesterday after his xray showed a fracture but by 8 pm the peadiatrician said he could go home as he was his usual bubbly self - needless to say i will be wrapping him up in cotton wool for the foreseeable future and just keeping a very close eye on him for bumps and bruises But just wanted to say IMO Morrisons company policy for having to ask for a strap (when there are no obvious signs saying you need to do that) is Shit.

Oh how awful for you. Your poor DS, and what a horrible shock you must have had.

Are you ok?

I think it's stupid to expect people to go to get straps from customer service, let alone to expect you to see a sign.

The only place I've come across trolleys without straps is Netto. I remember putting DD in the trolley there and thinking it didn't look safe - I happened to have a dog lead in the car so clipped that round her to keep her in. But I would really assume that if they don't have straps then they must be safe enough for them to not fall out of.

I can't actually believe that places don't have straps these days given the health and safety culture these days.

Hope you are ok, so glad DS wasn't seriously hurt.

How horrible for you both

Hope you're both ok today

OMG -that must have been a horrendous experience for you both.

We have a Morrisons near us and I've never noticed a sign on the handle about getting straps from Customer Services. It must be a very small notice.

My youngest is now 5 so they must havve still had straps when he was the age to need them.

How awful! DS was in the trolley yesterday and hates the strap but after this I will make sure he is always strapped in! Thank you for sharing, so glad your little boy is going to be OK.

Have you considered seeking legal advice? I think it's awful that they don't provide straps - all the other supermarkets do, don't they?

If the customer services people aren't taking this seriously, then you should escalate it to the H&S executive.

they'll do a risk assessment on them and tell them they really should provide straps and have very clear labels.

Well thats what i thought IMoveTheStars, but like other people have said on here i dont think its Morrisons policy nationwide just on their older model trolleys i would imagine. The one i used yesterday seemed quite old.

Is just worth knowing as all floors in supermarkets seem so hard and it just doesn't bear thinking about if the worst had happened - babies are quick and it only takes once.

Might consider legal advice, although im sure they have themselves covered by the tiny arsed notice there is on the handles of their old trolleys

How awful for you and what shocking customer service from Morrisons. Your poor DS, but great to hear that he is on the mend. I do think that considering this was such a serious incident, you should escalate it to H+S executive and perhaps consider seeking legal advice to hopefully bring about a change of policy from Morrisons.

Nickelbang, my DH is sorting out that side of things, he isnt the sort to let them whitewash over it either as im still in a bit of a state and shocked about it all to speak to them sensibly.

The area manager said she had made their Health and Safety dept aware of the accident yesterday although she was not aware until this morning that his skull was fractured so i think that they are taking it seriously.

poor ds, must have been a horrible shock.

How awful for you all.

Glad LO is back to his normal self.

oh rosie {hug}

poor little M, i hope he recovers quickly and thank god he seems to be coping well and that it wasn't even worse.

over here i have yet to see a supermarket that does provide straps, i'm still putting A in the baby trollies so i can tie him in as he's such a scrambler i don't doubt he'd climb out of the seat in no time.

Yes I will agree, its awful, when dd1 was about 15 months she was shopping with DH at Aldi and again they have no straps. He turned his back to unload shopping onto till and turned back and she had climbed onto the belt part
Babies move so quick.

I would def takeit further and certainly push for a sorry. Glad your LO is ok now and onthe mend, must have been horrible.

Using a set of reins is the safest option as many trolley strap clips can give way with a tug!

Rosie hope your ds is healing well.

Maybe notify the local paper?

Rosie!

Just seen this!

Poor poor Milo and poor poor you!

Sending you lots and lots of love xxx

you poor thing. so glad m is ok...resilient buggers aren't they? hope you get over the shock soon.

xx

Thanks for the kind words everyone, think he will be fine but like everyone in my postion its just the what ifs that kept me awake last night ... just dont want anyone else to be in this postion, will definately take it up with the H&S because surely it cant be right to put babies and toddlers at risk for the sake of a few new trolleys with intergral straps?

All the Morrisons near us (Safeway converts)don't have straps on their trolleys. (NEw Trolleys) I did see the small notice BUT when I asked they didn't have any straps - could I wait till they'd been returned!!!!!! Used two muslin cloths to tie the wriggly one in. Now tend to shop elsewhere!

Oh rosie Poor M and poor you. That must have been awful!!!!!
Tbh, I've never even looked at/for straps. I rarely use trolleys and ds2 still goes in the baby seat.
Agree with a PP that it might be worth contacting the local paper if nothing is done to rectify this danger.

Also, as the serial baby-dropper , please don't let the 'what-if's' eat you up and keep you awake or you will seriously have a mental issue!
Thank God M is ok. x

I noticed this at morrisons the other day,

I didn't see the sign either and put DD in and she kept hanging over the edge by arching her back, I ended up CARRYING my heavy 10 month old round the shop whilst pushing the trolly and trying to load it up... it was hellish at checkout

I hope DS is ok xx

Not really good enough, is it?

A store can't rely on busy Mums making the extra effort to go and get the straps (or wait for one to be free). Ridiculous!

Better a dirty, wet strap than none at all. And if they are providing shelters for used trolleys and having enough staff round up stray ones they shouldn't be getting too wet anyway. Perhaps they should be bothered to clean them when they get dirty - not rocket science.

A very short-sighted policy. Thanks for posting - you may have saved someone else some grief who felt like taking the risk.

All the best to your DS for a really speedy and complete recovery. Take care of yourself too.

The problem with straps is that they give the parents a false sense of security - straps can be misused, or broken or many children will be able to undue the strap. Constant supervision is still required even when using the straps.

It sounds like a very nasty accident and I hope your baby is ok, but by your own admission you took your attention away from him and he climbed out and fell. I don't see how the store can be blamed for this.

This is the sort of thing where mumsnet being used so regularly by journos could actually be useful - I'm sure lots of publicity would make Morrisons change this.

Needs a link to this thread on the home page I think. How do we get one?

" store can't rely on busy Mums making the extra effort to go and get the straps (or wait for one to be free). Ridiculous!"

Well yes they can. They have made the safety equipment available to users of their trolleys and that is all they have to do. If someone in our factory deliberately chooses not to use a safety helmet inspite of one being supplied and inspite of being advised to do so, they are then responsible for their injuries. They made the straps available and they told you where they were, (and presumably there was a safety notice on the trolley) - not very clearly maybe but they still did so.

It's a horrible thing to happen but an accident.

belgo... i'd be very impressed with a demomstration from you as to how someone can pack shopping and pay whilst never removing their eyes from the baby in the trolley for a second