Does your school insist on stepladders for displays?

[noblegiraffe]

A teacher has won a £250,000 payout after falling from a table while putting up a display.

The LA denied responsibility but the union argued no stepladders were available so she had to climb on a table.

On twitter there are people horrified that she was standing on a table. What was she thinking?!

I’ve stood on a table loads of times in my career. I think I’d be more at risk of injury lugging a stepladder up the stairs to my classroom and then down the stairs to bring it back. Plus I’d never get my displays done due to needing to a book a stepladder. But no one has ever mentioned stepladders when talking about displays anyway.

What do you do?

www.tes.com/news/teacher-wins-ps250k-payout-after-falling-table

Please say you drew the line at putting up displays while not pregnant too, pas that’s so dangerous!

I thought this was a bit of a ‘health and safety gone mad’ thing, but clearly as teachers are being injured and putting themselves at risk, it’s simply another ‘teachers not given the proper tools for their job’ thing.

Teachers doing displays is a result of the TAs hours being cut and now having not enough time to do displays because they are busy teaching interventions. I like the new minimalist approach too and as I have several children who are easily over-stimulated that is my excuse and I am sticking to it

😂 At displays. So far down my priority list they never get done. Little to no impact on learning and generally a crock.

Our school expects ladders. No one uses them. Tables all the way on the odd occasion they get done.

We're in primary. We get deadlines for displays and demands for them to be perfect and colourful and engaging and what not.We had a few taken down too because the kids work wasn't good enough.

You have to be trained to use a step ladder????

When I was doing my pgce I was in the classroom when the teacher fell off a table, knocked herself out and broke an arm (in front of the class). I think it was one of the most enduring things I learned; how trying to cut corners and save a few minutes can have long lasting consequences. I always use a step ladder (well, 95% of the time....and I am very careful of what type of table/chair and what position it's in if I have to resort to other methods).

I am another display- avoider too. They are a waste if bloody time - I hate the visual 'noise'.

Thinking about it, some of the tops of my desks are only held onto the legs by years of ancient chewing gum so I could well see them tipping off under weight.

Like @eddiemairswife and @pasbeaucoupdegendarme I've stood on a chair on top of a table to do displays 😳 So dangerous. I used to love doing displays but haven't had my own classroom for years. Just as well, probably...

After a member of staff fell from a chair and broke her hip, all staff were reminded rather sternly of the school's policy of using step Ladders rather than chairs/tables and everyone had to attend step ladder training (again!) The member of staff was unable to sue as it stated in the policy that chairs/tables were not to be used and steps were available.