A government minister has written to schools and local authorities in England urging a more common sense approach to health and safety.
Work and pensions minister Mike Penning described those who misuse the legislation as “jobsworths”.
He said he wants to avoid situations like a ban on school pupils wearing frilly socks after one girl fell over.
Nearly 300 people have contacted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) to challenge recent decisions.
They include a council preventing loose flowers and pots being placed on graves and a school sports day being cancelled – because there was dew on the grass.
Mr Penning said: “Health and safety has long been used as a smokescreen by jobsworths who have little knowledge of the law and who want to fob people off with an easy excuse.”
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