nilesfunnies

Friday, December 14, 2007

[nilesfunnies] Fwd: Reckless Santa could cause yuletide chaos, warn experts at Out-Law.com

Santa Claus has been accused of putting his life and the lives of others
at risk through breaches of health and safety laws. Brandy-loving
present-giver Claus behaves recklessly and in direct contravention of UK
legislation, experts said.

Claus, also known as Father Christmas, delivers presents to the nation's
children by landing a sleigh on the roofs of houses and climbing down
chimneys to deliver sack-loads of gifts. He is understood to use letter
boxes for entry to houses without chimneys.

Health and safety law expert Fiona Clarke of Pinsent Masons, the law
firm behind OUT-LAW.COM, said that he could well be in breach of the law.

"Santa's yuletide operations clearly come within the Work at Height
Regulations 2005," said Clarke. "Working at height should be avoided
where possible, but if it is absolutely necessary then Santa should at
least make sure his sleigh has guard rails to prevent a fall and a fall
arrest system installed so that if he does fall he is protected."

Those whom Claus visits also have obligations though, warned Clarke.
"Householders should be aware of occupiers' liability – if Santa is
coming to your home then you have a duty to take reasonable steps to
make sure he is not injured," she said. "Make sure your roof is safe and
that the chimney is clear so that he doesn't injure himself on the way
down."

Concern has also been raised at Claus's brandy intake, which switches to
whisky in Scotland. Claus visits houses on a nine-reindeer sleigh which
flies through the air, despite the ingestion of a glass of spirits in
each of the UK's 25 million households in one evening.

"The alcohol restrictions are the same for every pilot whether you are
flying a light aircraft or a 747," a spokesman for the Civil Aviation
Authority (CAA) told OUT-LAW.COM. "It is 20 milligrams per 100
millilitres of blood, which is nothing, basically, a trace. One brandy
probably would put you over that limit."

"These are the rules for pilots in the UK, every country has its own and
Lapland may have different requirements," said the spokesman.

There are also flying height restrictions which Claus is in clear breach
of. Aircraft must not fly lower than 1,000 feet in major conurbations,
according to the CAA. Claus consistently does this as he flits from roof
to roof.