UK Officials Claim Blu-Tack Could Make Glass Explode

Shattering ... officials claim Blu-Tack could break glass

Bizarre health and safety ruling claims Blu-tack makes glass windows explode: Pupils and teachers were banned from sticking their art work to windows with Blu-Tack by school health and safety officials claiming it could cause the glass to explode.

The officials claimed that the sticky blue substance could combine with a chemical in the window to make glass shatter. They ordered all artwork to be removed from the windows. But the demand was debunked by the Government's new Myth Busters Challenge Panel – and the edict reversed. The panel, set up to probe over enthusiastic use of health and safety laws, checked the claim with Blu-tack's maker Bostik and were satisfied it was safe. 

The Myth Busters told the private firm that runs the primary school in Perth and Kinross, Perthshire to remove the ban. "Whatever the reason for banning Blu-Tack, it is not on health and safety grounds," it was reported in the Sun to have ruled. "The manufacturer's website makes clear that the product can be used on glass. "We see no reason why the children's creative work should not be displayed for everyone to enjoy." The Blu-Tack case is one of 28 rulings made in the Myth Busters' first two months.

One council was blasted for claiming that villagers wanting to hang flower baskets from lampposts must have every one checked by a structural engineer — costing £70 each. And a parish council ordered a mother to take down a swing she put up for her kids at an allotment. The panel was set up by Employment Minister Chris Grayling to fight the growing nanny state.

He said told the newspaper: "I'm amazed by the amount of nonsense talked by health and safety jobsworths. "Good health and safety is about protecting people from death and serious injury — not this kind of nonsense. The Myth Busters panel is helping the public fight back against stupid decisions." The 13-strong committee includes an ex-police officer, a magistrate and an insurance boss.

It is led by Health and Safety Executive chair Judith Hackitt, who said: "The amount of cases the panel has taken on clearly shows the extent to which health and safety is being misused as an excuse for banning almost anything. "We've received outrageous examples of decisions being made in the name of health and safety. "By publicising these ridiculous cases we hope to encourage more people to challenge jobsworths and make them think twice about using health and safety as a convenient excuse for unpopular decisions." The panel can be contacted at www.hse.gov.uk/contact/contact-myth-busting.htm

A teacher was banned by elf and safety ninnies from using Blu-Tack on classroom windows — in case they exploded. Officials claimed that the sticky blue gum could combine with a chemical in the window to make glass shatter. And the petty penpushers ordered that the children’s artwork be removed from the windows. But the bizarre edict — made by the private firm that runs the primary school in Perth and Kinross, Perthshire — was conclusively debunked by the Government’s Myth Busters Challenge Panel.

The panel, set up to probe killjoy officials’ orders, checked the claim with Blu-Tack’s maker Bostik — which even advertises its product’s use on glass. The Myth Busters ruled: “Whatever the reason for banning Blu-Tack, it is not on health and safety grounds. “The manufacturer’s website makes clear that the product can be used on glass. “We see no reason why the children’s creative work should not be displayed for everyone to enjoy.” Dozens of angry Brits have bombarded the panel for help in beating mean-spirited bans by the health and safety jobsworths.

The Blu-Tack case is one of 28 rulings made in the Myth Busters’ first two months. One council was blasted for claiming that villagers wanting to hang flower baskets from lampposts must have every one checked by a structural engineer — costing £70 each. And a parish council ordered a mum to take down a swing she put up for her kids at an allotment. The panel was set up by Employment Minister Chris Grayling (pictured) to fight the elf and safety culture. He said last night: “I’m amazed by the amount of nonsense talked by health and safety jobsworths. “Good health and safety is about protecting people from death and serious injury — not this kind of nonsense. The Myth Busters panel is helping the public fight back against stupid decisions.”

The 13-strong committee includes an ex-police officer, a magistrate and an insurance boss. It is led by Health and Safety Executive chair Judith Hackitt, who said: “The amount of cases the panel has taken on clearly shows the extent to which health and safety is being misused as an excuse for banning almost anything. “We’ve received outrageous examples of decisions being made in the name of health and safety. “By publicising these ridiculous cases we hope to encourage more people to challenge jobsworths and make them think twice about using health and safety as a convenient excuse for unpopular decisions.”