[quote=The Telegraph]
IT'S the dangerous stunt epidemic sweeping Australia that has already left one man dead. Now major retailers are cracking down on planking, sacking workers who get busted performing the dangerous manoeuvre on the job.
Woolworths has axed eight employees across three states this week for planking, which involves laying flat and face-down on top of an object and being photographed - on top of meat grinders, display shelves, trolleys and stacks of milk crates - then boasting about it online.
The sackings follow the suspension of six school students for planking in Queensland, with police and education officials warning the fad will not be tolerated.
Woolworths says its sackings were due to staff putting their own safety at risk.
In southern NSW, the manager and assistant manager of a Dick Smith electronics outlet - owned by Woolworths - were shown the door after the company discovered they had planked on a 2m-high shelving unit. In northern NSW, three Woolworths nightfill workers were sacked for planking on top of trolleys and display units. Two Woolworths meat department employees were also dismissed for planking on a mincing machine in Victoria, while a Queensland casual worker was sacked for planking on a pile of milk crates.
Benedict Brook from Woolworths said the planking was putting customers and employees at risk
"Essentially we have dismissed six members of staff for taking part in the potentially dangerous craze of planking in the last week,'' the spokeswoman said.
"We're not talking lying on the floor, arms outstretched, but actually planking in a manner that could harm either themselves or our customers. Such as in a Dick Smith store where a staff member was lying across the top shelving unit in the store several metres off the ground. If he'd moved in the wrong direction it could have been disastrous for themselves and a customer.
"I'm sure other companies would have had the same issues and maybe done the same. We have a very strict policy when it comes to safety and staff members, planking in a clearly dangerous manner is a clear breach of that.
Woolworths risk and safety general manager Anthony Wilson said the company was not trying to be a killjoy but the plankers had put themselves and customers at risk.
"It's not about being the fun police, it's about making sure people are looking out for their own safety," Mr Wilson said.
"(Planking) is a direct contradiction of our safety and health policy. Our employees have a responsibility to ensure their own safety and the safety of those around them."
One of the nation's leading workplace law firms said planking alone should not be grounds for sacking and employees could potentially sue for unfair dismissal.
Slater and Gordon lawyer Marcus Clayton said a warning might be more appropriate.
"If an employee is lying on the lunchroom table at the workplace and they get sacked for that, that's clearly unfair and could be the subject of an unfair dismissal claim," he said.
"If they're presenting a real danger to themselves or others, that's an issue for an employer to deal with but whether it's a sackable offence is another question."
[/quote]
Source:
[url]http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/sydney-nsw/plankers-sacked-by-supermarket-giant-woolworths/story-e6freuzi-1226059222615[/url]
Deserved it. Its a stupid trend, and it should die off.
Been seeing this a lot in the city, it's pretty fucking stupid.
I'm sorry but this is the stupidest fad I've seen in a while. Hell someone died only a week or so ago when they tried to do this on a fucking apartment block.
Don't anyone of you just want to have a little bit of fun and creativity?
[QUOTE=cheeseburg;29951650]Don't anyone of you just want to have a little bit of fun and creativity?[/QUOTE]
Fun =\= stupid and deadly
[QUOTE=cheeseburg;29951650]Don't anyone of you just want to have a little bit of fun and creativity?[/QUOTE]
It's just stupid and dangerous. It doesn't even have the positive of looking awesome like parkour, it's just retarded.
Looks like they made him walk the plank.
Woolworths exists?
In australia, and online in the UK.
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