Hi All, Things still moving on, all be it a little slow for my liking. The Local Council HSE Safety Officer has performed an inspection and is investigating as there are number of concerns. I can't say more as I am awaiting update from them. It was interesting to hear from the Inspector however that they claim to have a policy insisting on Lids and produced some poor quality CCTV footage of the day before my daughters accident and footage from the day after that appears to show lids being issued but they have mis-laid the CCTV tape for the day in question!! I have also recieved a further reply from Graham Watson Will keep you posted of any further developments. Cheers Tony

Things moving quite nicely now with this and most of the MPs making the right noises and referals to HSE etc... Best response so far being: will keep you posted on any further developments.

Thanks andie, so far my mail list now includes 5 local councillors, 3 MPs, 5 MEPs, HSE, CAPT, RoSPA and the CAB. So far 2 councillors have responded and want to be kept up to date with progress. I will await the HSE and RIDDOR findings with interest. Cheers Tony

Reply from 2nd MP: followed by further email: Well thats 2 MPs on side so far!

I have been lodged an enquiry with the HSE already, and am awaiting a reply (Says within 10 working days) I have now also sent another enquiry with regards to the RIDDOR reporting. Thanks Andie.

Thankfully No! I have spoken to somewhere in the region of 15 to 20 local people who use the Pub regularly and every single one of them has expressed shock and concern that no First Aid is offered and they are not legally required to provide it should the worst happen. It looks like it si not just you and me that were unaware of this and had just taken it for granted that our Childrens Welfare is legally safeguarded in this kind of establishment.

First reply from my local MP:

Thanks to all who have offered advice, including Mossy and DX. I apologise if I have seemed a little defensive, or short with anyone but as you can probably gather this has been a very trying and stressful time for both my wife and myself. I have emailled my MPs Contacted HSE, CAPT and RoSPA amongst others;) I have written letters to both the Manager of the Pub and the Owning Corporation outlining my concerns that they put the Fear of Litigation and possibly the costs of FA training above customer care. Perhaps I should also offer a suggestion for a poster letting the customers know they won't get First Aid in the event of an accident, something along the lines of: First Aid is not provided on these premises Uniforms do not guarantee Assistance with accidents Coffee is served piping hot! Kindly refrain from spilling as this would be dangerous, but your fault Our First Aid policy does not cover customers Fear of Litigation prompts this decision Finally, Have a nice day! (The above is meant in a 'tongue-in-cheek' way ) I am going to depart now, before I get any more kickings Cheerio, may the force be with you and I hope none of you ever have to go through anything like this.

Thanks rickyd, but everyone is allowed an opinion I suppose. My wife is devastated, as she will have to live with the fact that she could have done things differently and saved all the pain and heartache. I am not apportioning blame in any way, shape or form. I am trying to tackle an issue that without the proper First Aid provision these places are a child mortality waiting to happen, if it hasn't already. If I can get this addressed in the right place and legislation is put in place that owners of these establishment have a responsibility to provide First Aid, instead of just taking the money and if something goes wrong at least they won't get sued! They are forced to address the issue and put First Aiders in place then at least I'll know it is less likely for any other children to have to go through what my daughter did.

WTF!! Were you the lawyer who I spoke to? :? He advised that there was no legislation regarding the First Aid issues I had, but as the burn was so severe there was a question about the temperature of the beverage served within the confines of a Childrens Soft Play Area, and I could look to pursue that avenue for compensation. I decided not to.

1. I think that goes without saying? 2. I have already emailled my local MP this morning after it was mentioned. Thanks anyway, this was the kind of thing I was after originally. Hopefully, if people report these things to the right places legislation will appear and children won't go through unneccessary suffering. I have forwarded details on to RoSPA who are conducting investigations and gathering statistics with regards to accidents in these types of places.

This particular Soft Play Area is an integral part of the Establishment directly connected to the Public House. Alcoholic Drinks purchased for consuming within the Soft Play Area must be in a plastic glass this would highlight to me that the soft play area is part of the establishment as they have policies governing glasses. This is might point, In my opinion they should be required to provide First Aid cover for the children that are playing in the premises, and on the equipment they provide for them to do so. [As it happens I have volunteered my FA services previously to various places including giving demonstrations to cubs and scouts etc etc when asked to do so.] I am talking about an Indoor Soft Play Area designed and provided for the use of children to play in large numbers. Outdoor Areas like the ones you describe would be covered by the the local council or the owners and there are fairly strict legislation about access, permitted use etc etc But I am not talking about public outdoor playing areas. I am specifically focussed on the fact that Private Indoor Soft Play Areas designed and for the intended use of small children are not legally obliged to provide ANY first aid assistance to an injured child whether the cause is due to an accident or otherwise. I found this completely shocking! In my investigations I was given a number of pointers, and yes those pointers included personal injury lawyers, and also included looking at consumer groups as perhaps there is some legislation governing the supply of hazardous goods in high-risk areas. I am sorry I ever mentioned the IL4U enquiry as this seems to have been a red-rag to a bull to some people despite the fact I declined any further action as I just wanted a legal perspective. All I wanted was some advice about where I should look for guidance as I was going in circles with the my own enquiries. Instead of advice I got slated for asking the questions and trying to get my point across.

What is your problem? My wife excercised care, the only thing she could have done differently was not buy the coffee! She didn't leave it unattended she was stood there handing out the drinks to the other children and one of them knocked the table which toppled the drink. She could have stood at the counter and demanded a lid, I suppose, or kept the drink in her hand until it was empty or stood there at the counter until it was cold! I think you are the one missing the point, I am trying to find out why Simple First Aid Assistance is not available when it is clearly required. Can you please stop attacking my wife over this! You don't know her, you have never met her or are ever likely to meet her. She is the kindest most wonderfull mother of 7 children. Nothing has ever happend like this in our 20+ years of being parents. A one off accident prompted me to query why First Aid is not a legal requirement in this kind of establishment and you continue to jump down my throat, and also anyone who does get what I am trying to say and do, blaming my wife and ignoring all the points I am trying to make because I got legal advice about legislation re First Aid in Soft Play Areas! I am not blaming anyone, I am not suing or intending to sue anyone. I am simply trying to raise awareness af a matter I find quite serious to the right peoples attention so perhaps this doesn't happen again or at the very least parents are aware that they can expect no First Aid assistance in these places.

Thanks for this rickyd. I will investigate this. I have also come across the RoSPA Standards and Guidelines for Indoor Soft Play Areas and at the bottom it states ALL staff should be trained to deal with accidents. Thanks again for the constructive and helpfull guidance.

The coffee was purchased inside the soft play area alongside children juices and sweets. My wife was with the children and the coffee was ACCIDENTALLY knocked over. I have never mentioned the word negligence, I have never disputed this was purely an ACCIDENT. I am NOT SUING ANYONE I have been advised that I could pursue the coffee temperature being unsuitable for selling in a high-risk of spillage area but that is not my point, and something I have declined!!! As it happens, a few months back someone did drop dead of a heart attack at this pub, unlikely that anything could have been done but I had assumed that someone would have done CPR until the emergency services arrived. I now have doubts about that and if CPR was done it would more likely have been a member of public trained or untrained.