Posted By Johne Hello Everyone First time poster here!!! Only discovered this forum by accident. I'm not a H&S professional but have a domestic situation that I would like some advice on. I'm currently building a home in an urban area. Its a site where basically I've gutted an old terrace house & am re-modelling it to my own specification. There has been limited activity since X-mas because of weather etc... I've been having a running battle with the builder I'm using in regard to safety. One of my main concerns is that the area is residential, with lots of young kids around in the evening. As you all know construction sites can be intriguing playgrounds for kids. At the start of the job I was always on his case about making sure the site was secure when unoccupied. Took me a while but finally got the message through. Since the latest spate of inactivity he's completely blocked off the site with welded steel gates or sheets at the entrance. I discussed my concerns on this with him i.e. if someone does get in there & they get hurt how will the emergency services get in there!!!!! Am I being too fussy....what is the legal or legislative references for this type of scenario in the Ireland (or UK as its probably similar). How can I approach this? I'm actually going to write him a formal letter due to my concerns. Any advice or help is greatly appreciated...

Posted By Johne Surely just locking the gates if sufficient. This guy has welded the gates shut or completely blocked off any access to the site. There is now no access/egress to site. I want to at least maintain some form of access for emergency services in the event of someone secreting themselves in there & then getting hurt. Surely I should be taking this type of issue into account or am I being too fussy!!!???

Posted By Seamus O Sullivan You do make a good point about access for emergency services. HoweverI am aware that many fire tenders in ireland are well equiped with cutting equipment which they constantly use to remove persons from cars in road traffic accidents etc. They should manage ok on the site, assuming standard materials are used. You should ( to cover your own tail) ensure all workers on the site, or going through the site have a vaild safe pass card. The expiry date is on the bottom left side of the card. The card is valid untill the last day of the month mentioned on the card. If the card has expired, the worker must not be allowed on the site. Also ensure no letters are accepted ie some trainers give out letters to confirm the training was delivered and the worker is awaiting the card from Fás. The worker must be in possession of a valid safe pass card. The law does not refer to these letters, many photo copy these letters for their friends. Remember your normal household insurance will no longer cover you here. You are an employer under health and safety law here,it is accepted you are not the employer under employment law.