FROM NZCB —
Jason McClintock Group Technical Manager
Thinking for Others to Keep Them Safe A construction site is a busy and hazardous place. Sometimes you have to think for others.
This ‘school of thought’ could have saved the life of an elderly gentleman who was killed outside an Auckland construction site in 2017. Last year, a concrete pumping business was handed a hefty fine of $500,000 for being negligent regarding the safety of others at the entrance to a Papatoetoe building site. WorkSafe stated that the pumping company should have worked with others on site to mitigate the risks to footpath users. The 77-year-old man fell from his mobility scooter after his wheel hit a damaged piece of footpath, rolling the scooter. He died at the scene. While it might seem common sense to avoid areas under construction, some members of the public might need others to think for them. Clear directions of a safe passage could have saved a life that day. YSB Group, the building development company in charge of the site, was fined $100,000 and required to pay $100,000 in reparations for its general lack of controls and consideration to the site entrance. When I visit building sites, it is not uncommon to see sub-contractor vehicles parked across the footpath or impairing footpath access around the building site. This is something you might like to address within your company policy.
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Company policies are the unique qualities and standards your company owns – they underpin your company’s culture.
It is not uncommon to see sub-contractor vehicles impairing footpath access around building sites. This is something you might like to address within your company policy. While it’s best to have these in writing, they can be spoken. I encourage you to incorporate these policies as a condition of engagement when suppliers and sub-contractors price your work. For the above situation, your company policy could simply read: “No trade vehicles are to be parked on the footpath or berm” – because sometimes you need to think for others.
