NEWS: BBC Staff Memo - How to Use a Revolving Door

BBC employees received a corporate memo on safety procedures - how to properly enter and leave a building with a revolving door. In an email titled "Revolving Security Door User Instructions," staffers were advised to keep body parts from the edges of the door and that only one person should attempt to leave or exit at a time. Stick figure drawings were provided for those who needed a little extra help with the procedures laid out. The memo was issued after a woman caught her foot in the contraption and broke a nail.



In today's litigious world, companies often go to ridiculous measures to prevent lawsuits. We've all seen the signs at fast food restaurants warning us that the hot coffee we've just ordered is -- well, hot. Lawnmowers carry labels advising users not to stick their hands near the blade while it's running, packaging on a pair of scissors warns that they're sharp, and household cleaners always advise not to spray directly into the eyes.

Common sense may have gone the way of the dodo, because before the instructions on how to walk through a door, the BBC issued a safety memo on how to boil water.

No, really. "Remove lid from kettle and fill kettle with water" was step one.

However, the hot coffee judgement was actually justified. THe reason the plantiff won was because McDonalds, knew they coffee was served way to high (like 190 degrees) but because it kept longer and because changing the equipment was expensive decided that the risk of a lawsuit was not worth the hassle of getting new machines and throwing out more coffee. The jury punished them for that attitude more than anything else.

[edit on 12/24/04 by FredT]

I am highly critical of out of control lawsuits, but I do think the coffee lawsuit was justified, too. I remember when fast-food restaurants served coffee so hot you couldn't drink it for a half an hour and if you tried you would burn your mouth and I have scalded my fingers with that stuff.

It never occurred to me to sue, but if that's what it took to get their attention, then so be it.

Working in facilities management as I do I can vouch to the fact that nothing is ever the victims fault no matter how oblivious they are to their surroundings and there is a lawyer lurking in everything we do nowdays. The problems have become even more prevalent with the umbiquitous cell phone/ear bud combos everyone now seems to have.

Originally posted by FredT

However, the hot coffee judgement was actually justified. THe reason the plantiff won was because McDonalds, knew they coffee was served way to high (like 190 degrees) but because it kept longer and because changing the equipment was expensive decided that the risk of a lawsuit was not worth the hassle of getting new machines and throwing out more coffee. The jury punished them for that attitude more than anything else.

[edit on 12/24/04 by FredT]

Fred... the coffee was NOT brewed way too high. IN fact read this quote...

"brews at the optimum temperature range of 195 to 205�F as recommended by the Coffee Brewing Institute of the Pan-American Coffee Bureau and the Norwegian Coffee Brewing Institute"

www.coffee-makers-espresso-machines.com...

I remember the MacDonalds coffee fiasco - I seem to remember that the mindless woman tried to drive with a hot cup of coffee between her legs. Of course it spilt. Possible contender for a future Darwin award.

Dispensing coffee at those temperatures in paper and styrofoam cups to people who are in cars and who are want to drink their coffee within a reasonable time is asking for trouble.

I seem to remember that it was a very large award and, while I doubt the woman deserved the money, no one serves coffe that hot anymore and you can drink your coffee on your way to work instead of waiting till lunch for it to cool.

[edit on 04/12/24 by GradyPhilpott]

Frankly, some of these are needed.

Many times I've pushed against the revolving door only to have it lock up as part of a safety procedure. Especially the ones in ASDA. You touch them or even get too close to them and they lock up on you.

note to self: do not enter revolving door with cup of fastfood coffee in hands...