No decorations, please, it might cause offence
Pastor Dale Morgan
No decorations, please, it might cause offence
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By Amy Iggulden
Last Updated: 1:49am GMT 06/12/2006
Three out of four employers have banned Christmas decorations from their
offices for fear of offending other faiths, a report claimed yesterday.
Baubles
Three out of four employers have banned Christmas decorations in offices
for fear of offending other faiths
Law firm Peninsula said the workplace was becoming caught up in the
"wave" of political correctness affecting festive traditions. A survey
of 2,300 employers found that 74 per cent had banned decorations because
they were worried about offending other faiths, while half thought they
made offices look unprofessional.
Peter Done, managing director of Peninsula, said the findings followed a
number of cases involving local authorities banning festive activities
and decorations in high streets and shopping centres.
"Christmas trees and decorations may well be a thing of the past in many
workplaces this Christmas as political correctness culture has spread to
the workplace.
"Although employers who are enforcing the ban are sceptical and dismayed
by this trend, they feel that they have little choice in the matter due
to the threat of litigation; as they have to protect themselves, their
reputation and their livelihood."
Royal Bank of Scotland has banned staff in its City offices from putting
up Christmas decorations because it could cause fire or injury.
In a memo to workers at its financial markets office, the bank said: "On
no account should anyone stand on desks or chairs and attempt to hang
decorations themselves, in case of injury.
"Please remember not to put items on or around your PC screens as this
is can be a serious fire hazard."
Staff were told to book an engineer who would hang the decorations on
the ceiling for them.
The bank, the second-biggest in Britain and owner of NatWest, defended
the memo as "sensible guidance" for staff.
The Health and Safety Executive said there were no specific guidelines
covering Christmas decorations.
"But it is common sense that if you stand on a chair with wheels it can
move when your weight shifts, as you hang the decorations on the
ceiling," a spokesman said.
"No employer would want to see their employee hurt."
He said HSE staff had not been warned against putting up decorations,
and that they would be hung around the office in the next fortnight.
Some JobCentre staff were told last Christmas not to hang decorations in
case they caused problems with the fire alarm.
West Midlands Fire Service also warned fire fighters not to leave
Christmas tree lights on because of rising costs, and in 2004 a
secondary school in Bristol banned children from wearing tinsel to a
non-uniform day because it could be used to strangle others.
The same year, nurses at Pembury Hospital in Tunbridge Wells were told
not to wear "decorative Christmas garb" as part of "infection control".