From confronting violent attackers to dealing with drug-related crime, police officers face any number of life-threatening situations. But it seems Scotland Yard has identified one more – PowerPoint presentations.
Eh?
The force has issued guidance banning loud noises during presentations, in case they trigger a heart attack. It says that 'loud noises can cause an unsuspecting reader with heart problems to suffer an attack', adding: 'Images that spin or flash, or animations, can increase the possibility of sufferers of epilepsy having an attack and must not be used.'
I've endured some PowerPoint shows that could have done with both, it might have kept me awake!
Toby Young, founder of the Free Speech Union, said: 'You'd think someone with such a weak heart that a loud noise can trigger cardiac arrest would avoid Scotland Yard altogether.'
Well, quite! But they have a ready-to-hand rebuttal:
Perhaps chiefs are anxious to avoid further accidents. A Freedom of Information request revealed the Met reported nearly 6,000 accidents at work in a year, one of which was from 'exposure to noise'.
Maybe it's time they trained their human cops like they train their police horses?
1 comment:
"the Met reported nearly 6,000 accidents at work in a year, one of which was from 'exposure to noise'."
One. Of 6000.
Sense of proportion anyone? Risk analysis? And how many of those one accidents from exposure to noise were whilst viewing powerpoint presentations? We are not told, Indeed, we are not told how many of the six thousand accidents were whilst viewing powerpoint presentations?
Perhaps someone else just doesn't like powerpoint presentations.
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