planking

From: news.com.au

Also, a man in WA??? was dead or seriously injured when planking on a car doing a considerable speed. If you're that bored go and play on the highway, seems safer!

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, the nation's biggest employer, 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, as well as that of other staff and customers, 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. At least one of the men posted photographs of the act on Facebook.

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 booted for lying facedown on a pile of milk crates.

Many of those fired were employees who photographed the act.

The company is investigating several other planking incidents, a spokeswoman said.

A Woolworths spokeswoman said the company became aware of the stunts when it was tipped off by colleagues of the offenders and directed to images on Facebook, she said.

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."

Mr Wilson added workers were being warned of the dangers of planking at work.

But 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's national head of employment law 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."

The sackings come after Queensland man Acton Beale, 20, died on Sunday when he fell from a balcony while planking.

Federal Opposition Leader Tony Abbott became to latest politician warn about the dangers of the craze.
"I don't want to be a kill joy obviously," Mr Abbott said yesterday.

"But I think it's very important that people think twice before they do something that might be dangerous."

For more on major retailers cracking down on the planking craze go to the Courier Mail.