SCO/099/08 Tuesday 24 June, 2008

HSE warns children - Building sites are not playgrounds

With schools in Scotland about to break up for the summer holidays, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is warning the construction industry and parents that building sites are dangerous and must not be used as playgrounds.

"Long summer evenings are a time for fun and adventure, unfortunately, all too often it can also be a time of tragedy", said Jim Skilling, Principal Inspector of Construction.

"Understandably some children are drawn to construction sites as exciting places to play, but they are not playgrounds and playing on them can have fatal consequences. Industry and parents need to work together to ensure children’s safety.

"While the numbers of children being killed or injured on construction sites has reduced, there is no room for complacency, as even one incident is one too many"

The following practical advice for parents and workers will help keep children safe this summer:

• warn children against playing in dangerous areas, including building sites;
• make sure you know where your children are going, and when they will be back;
• encourage them to play only in safe areas such as playgrounds;
• workers should watch out for children playing around sites, if you see children, stop work and make sure they are off site before you begin again;
• lay heavy objects on the ground or fix them firmly upright so they cannot fall onto children and injure them;
• secure sites adequately when finishing work for the day;
• never allow children to ride in construction plant machinery.

Note to Editors

1. Further advice on keeping children safe from work activity is available on http://www.hse.gov.uk/construction/information.htm#news
2. The example below demonstrates just how easy it is for children to be killed/injured during construction projects:-
   • A two-year old child fell 30ft from scaffold placed around social housing. He received life threatening head injuries. The scaffold had been erected to replace windows and carryout other refurbishment work on a block of flats in north London.
   • A nine year-old boy was killed and another injured when they were crushed by a heavy steel water pipe being rolled by a group of children. Pipes were being stored in an area open to the public, whilst awaiting installation. They were not fenced off and had not been adequately secured to stop them being rolled.

For further information:

Paul Burgess: Tel: 0131 244 9061/9060

Public enquiries:

HSE's InfoLine:  0845 3450055
Caerphilly Business Park, Caerphilly CF83 3GG

HSE information and news releases can be accessed on the Internet at www.hse.gov.uk

Issued on behalf of HSE by COI News and PR Scotland www.coi.gov.uk