It’s too heavy for us, you shift it

MATTRESS madness . . . June Dickens

Health and safety rules, say burly workmen

AN arthritic woman was told to drag a heavy, sopping wet mattress upright against a wall to drain after three burly council workmen said they couldn’t lift it for Health and Safety reasons.

June Dickens (49) was then told she could pay for a private removal for which there were different rules.

The last straw came when she was slapped with a council notice giving her seven days to remove “noxious waste” from the property, and telling her to contact the council’s collection service for assistance.

But it was the same number as the one which sent the three men who refused to move the mattress until it had dried out.

June is at her wits’ end, and said: “I tried but I couldn’t even shift the mattress.

“I have arthritis in my wrists and I’m only 5ft 4in tall. I don’t know how they expect me to move it when three men said they couldn’t lift it.”

June had waited two weeks for Oldham council’s bulky household refuse service to move a discarded mattress which was there when she moved into a new home in Ripponden Road, Moorside.

“I’m livid,” said June. “It’s taken three weeks so far and I’m no nearer to getting the council to move the mattress.

“This is the same council which is threatening to fine people £80 unless they move their bins as soon as they have been emptied.” She explained: “The men came and said the mattress was too wet and heavy, and they couldn’t lift it for health and safety reasons.

“I rang the council and it suggested I lean it up against the wall to drain, and asked if I wanted it picking up privately, but it would cost.

“I asked why a private firm would be able to move it when the council men couldn’t, and was told the rules were different.

It also said the council would pick it up when it dries out.

Cabinet member for environment and infrastructure Councillor Mark Alcock said: “Bulky Bobs provides a house clearance service for local citizens.

“Items that can and can’t be collected are clearly set out on the council website. In this case as the mattress was so wet that it was simply too heavy for the three staff to lift and as a solution it has been left to dry and will be collected at a later date.

“It would be helpful if residents were to cover items that they have had to leave outside, it would keep them dry and in a better condition for recycling instead of having to throw them away.”