A mother was asked to leave Tesco on health and safety grounds this month, because her three-year-old son had a balloon tied to the handle of his buggy.
A security guard stopped Mrs Alicia Chrysostomou, as she pushed her son around the aisles. The guard advised her that balloons were banned in the store in case they caused a severe reaction when brushing against someone with a latex allergy.
Mrs Chrysostomou said, "I have never heard such absolute nonsense. You hear people talk all the time about health and safety gone mad, but this really was. I felt like a shoplifter, but all I had done was to go in there with a balloon. A crowd gathered with people muttering and staring because it must have looked as if I had committed some grave offence."
Tesco apologised for any offence caused, saying the balloon ban was in place because a worker at the store had a severe latex allergy.
Natural rubber latex (NRL) is an integral part of thousands of everyday consumer and healthcare items. As with many other natural products, NRL contains proteins to which some individuals may develop an allergy. Although NRL is a widely-used and cost-effective material, which for the majority of the population is not a clinical risk, the following are most in danger:
The proteins naturally present in NRL cause the allergies either through direct contact with the skin or by inhalation of powder. For example, NRL allergens attach to cornstarch used in powdered gloves making the NRL proteins airborne when these gloves are used, enabling the allergens to be inhaled.
More information can be found in the Health and Safety Executive Guidelines, at www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg320.pdf.
