Child Safety Week - dangers faced by children

Date article online: 20/06/2006

As the summer holidays approach, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) offers its support to Child Safety Week by reminding the construction industry and parents to be alert to the dangers faced by children playing on or near building sites.

"Long summer evenings are a time for fun and adventure. Unfortunately, all too often it can also be a time of tragedy," said Stephen Williams, Chief 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."

Between 2001/02 and 2004/05, three children died and 235 - including 20 in the North West of England - were injured during construction works. In most cases simple precautions would have prevented the incidents ever happening.

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