to think health and safety is ridiculous in this case

[lovelycupoftea]

my dd arrived home yesterday from swimming at her primary school with red itchy eyes. she has been told that due to health and safety reasons ie goggles may mist up and she may bump heads with another child. AIBU to think this a load of cr*p?

I'd ask to see a copy of the health & safety 'guidance' on this particular matter

our school has a no goggles rule, but I thought it was more about kids wanting to share/hygeine issues

YANBU ridiculous rule

If you ask me, most of todays health and safety rules are OTT. Absolutely ridiculous to think it is better for a young child to get sore eyes rather than the very low potential risk that that 1)the goggles will mist uo and 2) that it will provoque a collision with another child.

World's gone mad

yes, and also if the child is dependent on wearing goggles for swimming they had better make sure they have them on when they fall in the canal

It's not a load of crap, goggles DO mist up and you really do not want to be posting that your child had to be hauled out of the water from the face down starfish position do you

Also children spend more time faffing with goggles and not listening to the instructor

YABU

It's a fabulous excuse for schools not having to think about anything 'it's hrLth and safety' or that other gem 'it's child protection / safeguarding'.

Yanbu

glad its not just me thinking this!

A opposed to them bashing into another child when they close their eyes?

Or are they all meant to do incredibly slow breaststroke like the middle aged ladies with immaculate hair at my pool?

YANBU

At our school they have to wear goggles. Again for Health and safety reasons.

a quick google found

this story

which is another reason i had heard at our school actually

But BoysAreLikeDogs, usually there is no chlorine in canals but there is in swimming pools and it can be very irritating for the eyes.

YANBU - I have very sensitive eyes, and if I go in the pool underwater without goggles my eyes are red, itchy and bloody painful for days afterwards .

nice vivid imagery you posted boysarelikedogsdont think canals have chlorine in them though which is the eye issue here

bigfatseptictoe just read that story, its a crazy, bureaucratic world!

It's coming from the council-owned pools. They won't let them wear goggles in lessons (they're ridiculously strict on what they can/can't wear) in lots of the pools I've had the "joy" of taking school swimming lessons to, or insist on signed permission slips from the parents that acknowledge they're aware of the risks and prepared to let them take them.

Absolutely nothing to do with the school - I've seen them make children sit out for wearing shorts instead of trunks (albeit this was after about 7 warnings with a family who could try the patience of a saint), and they are incredibly strict on it.

Schools get bashed for a lot - but this one is coming from the councils themselves.

My daughters swimming teacher had recommended them. This is for a two year old in a local authority pool.

Schools can't win imo, if an accident did happen involving goggles I bet parents would be quick to sue. Schools don't normally believe this stuff, but are simply covering their backs. So many people are willing to at least try to sue over things like bumped heads in the playground.

Our school does allow goggles, though we have had to write letters home about kids wearing them round their necks when not in use. One dozy child managed to hook his round his neck and the steps. No big injury but a big red mark to go home with after we'd freed him.

That is weird, at our school they have to have goggles as part of their swimming kit.

Our swim school actively encourages goggles - our school is ambivalent but doesn't mind as long as they're properly named. How ridiculous citing health and safety!

I agree with strawberrycake.

Unfortunatley there are a sizable minority of people who will take the opportunity to complain about anything and schools, etc feel they have to protect themselves.

Do all schools in UK do swimming? (diclaimer am Irish)

yabu - goggles are wrong. they are for the weak of eye.

eye pampered children.

whats wrong with a bit of red eye - its not gonna kill em you pansies

The things that get blamed on health and safety are rarely to do with health and safety. They are usually the result of increasingly restrictive insurance policies, which force the policyholders to ensure no accident could possibly happen. So it may well be the insurer has said "we will not pay out in the event of you being sued by parents of children who have an accident and bang heads." But of course it's less complicated to blame it on health and safety. So YABU.

There is actually a swimming pool near here that sells goggles at the front desk but doent allow you to wear them in the pool for health and safety reasons

Complete madness!

Custardo - in all seriousness, it is MUCH easier to swim properly with goggles on. I was astounded the difference it made especially to front crawl.