Construction Sites are Danger Zones for Children
HSE has entrusted construction firms with a new responsibility of regularly checking their construction sites, where work is stalled or abandoned, to ensure that people are not trespassing, especially during the holidays.
It is a sad fact that children are seriously injured while visiting such construction sites during the summer vacation. This year the danger has increased manifold due to the economic slump that has led to suspension of work on many sites.
HSE through its Head of Operations for Construction in
Sites that have permanently shut down due to the recession are more inviting to children, as there are no workers on duty to keep a watchful eye on their movements. Security fencing hardly acts as a good barrier, unless the fencing installed by the firm is strong enough to discourage members of the public from pulling it down. More importantly, workers should clear up the entire area by removing all things that might injure a playful child or help him explore the area before leaving the premises. Excavations and treacherous surfaces, high-tension cables and stacked up building materials, ladders and any type of scaffolding are particularly dangerous items. Workers should also make periodic checks to ensure that the fencing is still strong enough to maintain building site safety and to keep children from entering the premises.
According to the HSE, construction managers should see that work should not proceed if children are entering a site and they should lock all construction tools and raw materials at the end of the day, so that children cannot play with them and end up getting hurt.
