Beer Glasses to Pollys saves ?7.2m in Hull

[Huguenot]

Wow...

"Medical organisations want licensed premises to use tumblers made of a shatter-proof plastic called polycarbonate glassware. Trials in Hull and Lancashire have shown the switch reduces the number of serious facial and neck injuries, that can sometimes be fatal.

The A&E doctors, together with the Royal College of Surgeons of England and the British Medical Association, support the change. A glass is the most common weapon in fights in pubs and bars. Football grounds were banned from selling alcohol in glass containers some years ago.

Since the introduction of the trial in Hull in 2008, nobody has been injured because of "glassing" and the local NHS has saved ?7.2m in eye surgery costs."

Guardian 23rd Sept 2010

Hull is UKs 17th largest city with about 250,000 residents. There are 15m residents in cities of that size or larger in the UK.

If we assumed as a starter that the 'glassing' problem was limited to cities that big or larger, then at least ?450m could be saved out of the tax payers annual bill by changing from glass to pollys in big cities.

That's more than could be saved by firing NHS execs with big pay cheques.

I wonder if the British people would be willing to make that sacrifice in order to save so much of their own money?

[HAL9000]

Polycarbonate glassware has been in use in many UK pubs for at least a decade that I can remember - must have been a slow news day over at the Guardian.

[Huguenot]

Quite right HAL9000, but I think this is a study in Lancashire and Hull that demonstrates the benefits of the replacement on a wholesale level from which the results will be revealed tomorrow. Hence the article.

It's quite possible that plenty more people will also say 'yeah whatever', but it's always nice to see someone actually doing a bit of work and calculating a reasonable cost/benefit argument. :-)

[HAL9000]

I'm not saying 'yeah whatever' - on the contrary.

The arguments regarding the benefits of polly have been around for many years - anyone who has handled a polycarbonate drinking glass will have realised immediately that it has to be far safer than regular glassware anywhere where alcohol is served: the material is virtually indestructible.

There are many well-established polly drinking glass manufacturers targeting pubs and clubs online.

Personally, I?ve been avoiding clubs and pub discos where glass is still in use for many years.

The emergency services have been dealing with horrendous glassing injuries for decades now - I came across hundreds of inmates incarcerated for GBH through glassing during my work with prisoners. The authorities and breweries have known about the benefits of polly for years. The recent trials can add nothing new. In my opinion, the adoption of polly should have been a matter of legislation back in the 1990s.

[Huguenot]

Hurrah for that!

[Ladymuck]

Huguenot Wrote:

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> I wonder if the British people would be willing to

> make that sacrifice in order to save so much of

> their own money?

Excuse me for being a bit dim here, but what sacrifice are you referring to? If you are simply talking about accepting the switch from glass to Polywotsit, I don't believe I would feel much deprivation given the potential benefits. At football matches we are issued with those horribly thin, flexible plastic cups which - when grasped remotely tightly - can result in some of your drink overflowing onto your lap. But one copes...it certainly doesn't put me off going to matches and ordering my favourite tipple. Oooooh no...

[????]

So basically for the X million of pint glasses used daily some Y (insert a small number as I've not a scooby) are used in violence...but hey lets all use plastic ones as result of a miniscule amount of bad use. Let's all wear nappys so the incontinent don't have to wet themselves in public too etc etc.

Next time it snows let's make everyone stay at home, indoors...save a fortune and no 'orrid accidents.

NANNY STATE CRAP

[KidKruger]

Could say the same about gun ownership then Quids.

Some people are naughty with them but let's not spoil it for the rest, right ?

[????]

and cars...ban 'em

and knives..plastic utensils only, like on the airlines

[Ladymuck]

*waves to Quids*

[????]

You'll have some one's eye with that wave....a nod will suffice

[Ladymuck]

*looks at watch and thinks...hmmmm...tis a bit early for the Stella*

Are you drinking out of a glass or a polywotsit Quids?

[Jah Lush]

What Quids said. Fecking nanny state.

[louisiana]

Perhaps we should all be banned from spending time in our homes, given that a huge proportion of A&E is (I believe - correct me if I'm wrong) treating people who've had accidents at home....

Isn't Hull a bit of a special case? Like, full of nutters?

[waynetta]

READ small print easily and without the use of expensive glasses by looking at it through a pint glass full of water.

[Pearson]

Jah Lush Wrote:

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> What Quids said. Fecking nanny state.

--------------------------------------------------------

> What both of you say!

[woofmarkthedog]

I usually go out into the "big bad world" in this "super safe outfit"

http://www.toxel.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/04/waterball07.jpg & I've not been glassed yet

( so it must work )

W**F

[Pearson]

'& I've not been glassed yet '

Just as well ;)

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3494/3998222310_6da0957e03_o.jpg