Displaying axes without blade protection at child height

[FlouncingInAWinterWonderland]

I was a bit surprised that Homepage had a display of axes at ankle height with no guard over the blade, just plonked on the bottom shelf.

I mentioned this to a staff member who said 'well what do you expect we are a DIY store'

They were on a shelf by the curtains and kitchen bits and pieces not amongst the tools.

I'm not sure if I'm being over health and safety conscious to expect them to have the blades covered and not at a height a child could hurt themselves.

So AIBU to expect them to put something over an exposed blade at child height?

Yanbu, of course they should be onhigh shelves.

Tbh I think children should be supervised by their parents / guardians who are taking them into the shop.
It's a diy store, not soft play, therefore there is no expectation that it should be child friendly.

There isn't a ticket on the shelf - were they just dumped there? I would be surprised but then as a parent you know to keep an eye on kids on stores selling sharp stuff, poisonous stuff, machinery...

Its a DIY shop. You keep your children next to you, and their fingers away from everything

I know it's a novel idea, but how about parents look after their children in a store that will have loads of dangerous items? Seriously, op, it's a hardwear store, so there will be more than axes to worry about, so unless you're raring a mini serial killer that's going to grab the axe and running screaming through the aisles, the child should be safe.

Tbh I think children should be supervised by their parents / guardians who are taking them into the shop

Yes but I wouldn't expect axes with no safety guard on the bottom shelf either

So yabu and yanbu really

Why would anyone allow a child to wander round unaccompanied in a DIY store selling dangerous tools, poisonous pesticides etc? Am I missing something?...

And your husband.

I completely agree children should be supervised. I just can't quite decide in my mind whether leaving the blade exposed is going a step too far the other way.

If they're in the wrong section someone probably left them there and it's not a standard display method but presumably adults can walk past without losing a limb so I don't see an issue. The world doesn't need to be childproofed if you supervise your child

It's a DIY shop, there's danger around every corner. It's your job to keep your children safe not their's.

YABU

I'd be more worried in case a trolley caught a handle and the blade shot out and chopped off my toes.

YANBU.

They could at least have arranged them in an attractive fan-shaped display or something. Not even a kid will buy them all dumped like that.

I have absolutely no problem with axes minus safety guards stored anywhere (but especially in a DIY shop). 'Ankle height' made me laugh. I suppose if you trip and stumble into the axe on the shelf with enough force, it just might lop your foot off.

To be fair I think you have a point. The kitchen knives in John Lewis and IKEA are all in locked cabinets, or at the very least tied to a display. Axes shouldn't be any different.

I do like the idea of responsibility for things falling back towards parents and think in many areas health and safety has gone a bit mad and there always has to be blame.

It was a genuine is this unreasonable and it appears, by majority vote, it's not!