Staff car park - the law?

[joolz1910]

Hi all. Well my school was open today , but when I got there the staff car park had not been gritted. As I drove around, my car slid and almost hit some railings. It got completely stuck (wheels spinning - I think we've all been there) and the caretaker had to come and get my car out. My car wasn't damaged (luckily) but I was wondering who would be liable if it had.

The car park was not gritted all day and it looks like they have no intention of doing it. The senior managers' spaces were cleared but the rest of us have to take our chances. They have a big disclaimer notice saying that they take no responsibility for damage done to cars. I can see someone clipping my large car or me sliding into someone else's - Where do I stand legally?

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

I've no idea - but our estate hasn't even heard of a snow plough or grit.

I think you have to take your chances with this one - take some grit - or park elsewhere and walk the rest of the way in if it makes you feel safer.

 

[mikki.young]

I seem to recall that if people clear their pavements etc and then someone slips when it reices they are responsible. If they do nothing to clear it then it is not their fault. Seems strange but probably true in todays world!

 

[joolz1910]

Sounds about right. I know that many schools close because the grounds aren't safe.

 

[Mrs Doubtfire]

Our scchool opened today after the caretaker had cleared some of the road! Not sure what the council's excuse is?

 

[mickeyforpresident]

I'm not sure as to the full asnswer to this but I closed my school becuase of the un-safe travel conditions and routes and paths in and around school being too dangerous (including the carpark and playgrounds). Most of the school's in my area did the same. I will try and find out for you when I get back to school. I remmeber reading somewhere that as its a private car park your insurance might not cover it either!! Where the liability lies is anyone;s guess. A neighbouring school had several parents slip and badly damaged themselves and have threatened to sue to teh school

 

[joolz1910]

I'm not sure as to the full asnswer to this but I closed my school becuase of the un-safe travel conditions and routes and paths in and around school being too dangerous (including the carpark and playgrounds). Most of the school's in my area did the same. I will try and find out for you when I get back to school. I remmeber reading somewhere that as its a private car park your insurance might not cover it either!! Where the liability lies is anyone;s guess. A neighbouring school had several parents slip and badly damaged themselves and have threatened to sue to teh school

That's what I worry about - finding out that I'm not covered!

 

[paulh]

as i have spent all day clearing footpaths at a school so the school can reopen( i travelled 21 miles in -10 temps and left at 6.40am and never had a problem).The last thing you want to do is clear a carpark

Consider the following
Is a piece of metal more important than the safety of people
Could you have driven slower and not braked as so not to skid
Could you have parked further away and walked a short distance into work(keeping in a warm car to the door isn't that important)
could you have used public transport to get into work and left your car at home
Could you have walked into work
could you have volunteered to attend a school close to you if you had problems getting to your own

In not clearing the carpark but the surrounding pavements the school are putting the children frist and not your car i`m sory about that but get real

I am not a teacher or work in a school, i just happen to work in construction and happened to to be working on a school and was asked for some shovels. instead i got our lads to help clear the school pathways what did you do

Rant over
Paul

 

[paulh]

I'm not sure as to the full asnswer to this but I closed my school becuase of the un-safe travel conditions and routes and paths in and around school being too dangerous (including the carpark and playgrounds). Most of the school's in my area did the same. I will try and find out for you when I get back to school. I remmeber reading somewhere that as its a private car park your insurance might not cover it either!! Where the liability lies is anyone;s guess. A neighbouring school had several parents slip and badly damaged themselves and have threatened to sue to teh school

as long as you have cleared a route around the school footpaths on your property t o your boundary's (don't clear past the gate onto public highway) , and you have teachers policing them at school start and end and then ensuring that pupils and parents stay on them you will have no problem
Paul

 

[A Small World]

could you have volunteered to attend a school close to you if you had problems getting to your own

Paul

interesting - we were discussing this at work today. I remember in my early days of teaching (Im no longer in teaching - phew) that is what we were expected to do however that was before the days of strict checks/CRBs etc.
Im sure that would not be allowed now as how would the school you reported to know that you were who you said you were/had been police checked/were considered allowed to work with children etc

 

[ukstitch]

interesting - we were discussing this at work today. I remember in my early days of teaching (Im no longer in teaching - phew) that is what we were expected to do however that was before the days of strict checks/CRBs etc.
Im sure that would not be allowed now as how would the school you reported to know that you were who you said you were/had been police checked/were considered allowed to work with children etc

Correct - the "beloved" CRB check system means that officially, your CRB check is valid for a single role, in a single organisation.

As such, technically speaking, even if you turned up at the other school with your CRB certificate, they should not allow you access because you're not cleared to work at that school in that role.

 

[Cyrano]

as i have spent all day clearing footpaths at a school so the school can reopen( i travelled 21 miles in -10 temps and left at 6.40am and never had a problem).The last thing you want to do is clear a carpark

Consider the following
Is a piece of metal more important than the safety of people
Could you have driven slower and not braked as so not to skid
Could you have parked further away and walked a short distance into work(keeping in a warm car to the door isn't that important)
could you have used public transport to get into work and left your car at home
Could you have walked into work
could you have volunteered to attend a school close to you if you had problems getting to your own

In not clearing the carpark but the surrounding pavements the school are putting the children frist and not your car i`m sory about that but get real

I am not a teacher or work in a school, i just happen to work in construction and happened to to be working on a school and was asked for some shovels. instead i got our lads to help clear the school pathways what did you do

Rant over
Paul

Paul this is how we used to do it when I was a lad. It would be great to go back to those days when everyone was not looking over their shoulder for H&S and lawyers. Helping your neighbour was the norm rather than the scorn

 

[Cyrano]

interesting - we were discussing this at work today. I remember in my early days of teaching (Im no longer in teaching - phew) that is what we were expected to do however that was before the days of strict checks/CRBs etc.
Im sure that would not be allowed now as how would the school you reported to know that you were who you said you were/had been police checked/were considered allowed to work with children etc

Interesting statistic is that 30% of offenders on the national register are teachers. Or as my friend says "were teachers". So quite why we think that disclosure/CRB checks makes it any safer for our children whilst disuading volunteering is a mystery

 

[natalielongstaff]

Correct - the "beloved" CRB check system means that officially, your CRB check is valid for a single role, in a single organisation.

As such, technically speaking, even if you turned up at the other school with your CRB certificate, they should not allow you access because you're not cleared to work at that school in that role.

and there lies the whole problem with this whole country and why the snow grinds everything to a halt beaurocracy and red tape

http://news.uk.msn.com/odd-news/articles.aspx?cp-documentid=151645402

 

[tennisfan]

I seem to recall that if people clear their pavements etc and then someone slips when it reices they are responsible. If they do nothing to clear it then it is not their fault. Seems strange but probably true in todays world!

That is what I have heard too

 

[orlandothebeagle]

as i have spent all day clearing footpaths at a school so the school can reopen( i travelled 21 miles in -10 temps and left at 6.40am and never had a problem).The last thing you want to do is clear a carpark

Consider the following
Is a piece of metal more important than the safety of people
Could you have driven slower and not braked as so not to skid
Could you have parked further away and walked a short distance into work(keeping in a warm car to the door isn't that important)
could you have used public transport to get into work and left your car at home
Could you have walked into work
could you have volunteered to attend a school close to you if you had problems getting to your own

In not clearing the carpark but the surrounding pavements the school are putting the children frist and not your car i`m sory about that but get real

I am not a teacher or work in a school, i just happen to work in construction and happened to to be working on a school and was asked for some shovels. instead i got our lads to help clear the school pathways what did you do

Rant over
Paul

I agree, now my rant. I am a vet nurse, I work nights, now my bosses have asked me to ( as well as a trillion others things I do) to clear the car park and grit as neccesary through the night for folks coming in. You should see the speed they come in the car park at. It is pretty scary, They are worried about getting sued, I mean ,cant folks just slow down a tad. My safety seems of no concern to them, for instance I stopped an intruder coming in at 12am a few weeks ago, now I am out hanging around the car park waiting to be jumped or run over through the night.
Also my hubby who is a litter picker, goes around outside all day, cant do his job, so he has a shovel and he has been clearing the pavements, now, it is pretty hard work if you are not used to it, try even carrying a shovel for a while, EVERYBODY tells him how and where to do his job, everybody that pays council tax thinks they should be able to tell him what to do cause "they pay his wages" and the truth is most of the a******es have never worked a day in there flimmin life. He is on crap wages and it really bugs me the way everybody tells him what he should and shouldnt be doing, lucky he has a sunnier nature than me
Now a pheasant has just scared the bejeezus out of my by walking past the patio window, better go and feed the birds again!

 

[disney_princess_85]

Interesting statistic is that 30% of offenders on the national register are teachers. Or as my friend says "were teachers". So quite why we think that disclosure/CRB checks makes it any safer for our children whilst disuading volunteering is a mystery

Indeed. I've never undertood CRB checks- just because someone hasn't committed a crime yet, it doesn't mean they never will! I suppose they have to do it in some way though and I guess it's one way of ensuring no ex-cons end up working in certain sectors (not that all ex-cons are dangerous anyway, but that's a whole other discussion...).

Now a pheasant has just scared the bejeezus out of my by walking past the patio window, better go and feed the birds again!

This tickled me!

 

[paulh]

totally agree on the CRB checks i have 2 different ones.one for schools and one for working with the old and vulnerable
Now were being told that we might need one for evry school we visit
Today i visited 3 schools so that would be 3 separate checks, madness

Paul

 

[Dimplenose]

I feel that CRB checks are there more to protect the employers than the children.

 

[joolz1910]

as i have spent all day clearing footpaths at a school so the school can reopen( i travelled 21 miles in -10 temps and left at 6.40am and never had a problem).The last thing you want to do is clear a carpark

Consider the following
Is a piece of metal more important than the safety of people
Of course not, I don't think I ever implied that.
Could you have driven slower and not braked as so not to skid
I don't think that all accidents in this weather are caused by bad driving.
Could you have parked further away and walked a short distance into work(keeping in a warm car to the door isn't that important)
I agree but our school is on a main road. I always walk my own children to school, whatever the weather.
could you have used public transport to get into work and left your car at home
This isn't an option for me as the nearest train station is several miles from the school.
Could you have walked into work
No, it is a 20 mile round trip.
could you have volunteered to attend a school close to you if you had problems getting to your own
No - I have never known this to happen in reality and I have been teaching for 17 years. The red tape around CRB/insurance etc would make this an impossibility.

In not clearing the carpark but the surrounding pavements the school are putting the children frist and not your car i`m sory about that but get real

The staff still need to walk across the car park to get into work. The car park is still part of the 'grounds'.

I am not a teacher or work in a school, i just happen to work in construction and happened to to be working on a school and was asked for some shovels. instead i got our lads to help clear the school pathways what did you do

As I am not in construction and had not got any shovels or lads with me, I went into the building and taught the students.

Rant over
Paul

My original question was a concern about whether I would be covered in the event of an accident in a private car park.