I have a couple of concerns with a new 7 storey student accommodation block.
There was a problem with the siting of mains water into the building, to tanks and pump-sets, and also emergency generator, so it was moved from a large room on the 1st floor, to a small plinth situated, outside, (directly under the building) in a bike (double height racked) storage area.
Firstly the outside machinery area, does not lend itself for safe maintenance work, with its height off the floor, and restrictive work area.
The machinery in this area will be very difficult to service, safely, with no access to plinth; approx. 1.5mtrs high (needs ladder access).
You would have to clamber across pipes, to reach any equipment, one of the access doors to the generator cannot be opened fully, so very difficult to top-up with diesel.
Access to the 2 DCW tanks is restricted (head room above tanks Approx 300mm.
A wood fence has been erected around the plinth, which would have to be removed, and a platform erected around the plinth, to work with any safety.
As this is a new building, I thought that CDM (Design Stage) was supposed to design out risk/hazards, and allow whole life maintenance to take place safely.
Also are their minimum distance between machinery in workplaces, and access to and egress from these area.
Does the HSW Act 1974, or the Workplace Regs, or any other Legislation ACoP’s or recommendations/guidances give any detailed advice?? Of minmum distance between equipment/systems.
The final point, is that this is a frequently used area, by our students, I could foresee safety problems, when maintenance take place ( very close proximity to the bike racks).
Thank you in appreciation of some common sense advice.