Shocking building safety

[Beulah]

Over the past few weeks i've had to manoeuvre my young children and pram around a number of unregulated building hazards (cables, wires, ladders and even a pipe funnelling liquid concrete) on the footways around Peckham and Camberwell, but today's simply shocked me for its brazeness and disregard.

A builder in Grove Hill Road had put a plank above the pavement so he could carry wheelbarrows full of earth into a skip in the road (see photo)

There were no warning signs, no one watching and no thought given to the people that actually use the pavement.

When I saw him carrying his next load into the skip he said with a smile; "Sorry mate - I can't get it to the skip any other way."

I pointed out that he could, and he was blocking the footway so I would have to walk into the road, and around his skip.

I have reported it to Southwark Building Control.

Does anyone know if I should report it elsewhere?

[worldwiser]

To his employers, the owners of that house. There's no way he's covered for insurance purposes and someone could easily find a reason to sue them too. That's utter madness!

[adonirum]

Not the only highways transgression by builders in the area. Went for a walk earlier today and outside 111, CPR, a builder has piled up rubble bags in the road, and not just a couple to keep a parking space. It appears that the road is being used as a overspill site as the front garden is full up. Not sure why they haven't got a skip.

[dv1]

Oh calm down - is that the most serious thing you all have to worry about? Where's the replies about someone just trying to make a living and do his job?

Or, walk around it. It's not exactly the M4 is it?

[Louisa]

No offence but clearly someone with nothing better to do. First world problems and all that. The guys are doing a job, give them a break, all this health and safety bull it does my head in. Who actually stops and takes a photograph anyway? Really?

Louisa.

[edcam]

I'd also say this is an overreaction. Unless it's been going on for some time, in which case worth a moan. Couldn't you cross the road?

[dv1]

..and to call it 'shocking' - really? Do you think you need a hobby maybe?

[Mustard]

If you were blind, partially sighted or in a wheelchair, it would be very shocking.

There is a highways department in Southwark.

[Nigello]

I agree with Mustard. If you're infirm, disabled in some way or even just have a load of bags/dog on a lead/children it'd be annoying and possibly hazardous. What's wrong with common courtesy and thinking of others?

[Mustard]

adonirum Wrote:

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> Not the only highways transgression by builders in

> the area. Went for a walk earlier today and

> outside 111, CPR, a builder has piled up rubble

> bags in the road, and not just a couple to keep a

> parking space. It appears that the road is being

> used as a overspill site as the front garden is

> full up. Not sure why they haven't got a skip.

Report to highways at Southwark.

[Mike Dodd]

Now I know why I moved from ED ,Some people really need to get a life the guys where probably doing a honest days work ,so sorry you had to cross the road ,,nice photo though

[Convex]

I agree, I think it's unsafe.

[James Barber]

Tell me the address and I will request council officials immediately visit.

[SLad]

I agree that this is completely unacceptable and constitutes an obstruction on the highway (yes, highway includes pavement see The Highways Act 1980) which is both negligent and a public nuisance. Homeowners be warned: if someone gets injured as a result of this and the builder isn't covered by public liability insurance it'll be you they come after.

Not to mention the risk the ordinary pedestrian is put to by having to walk in the road, particularly with small children and parking on either side.

All because some lazy arse builder can't be bothered to shovel in his load at the skip or put a steep plank at the back of the skip.

But yes, world of health and safety gone mad (!)

[Lollipop]

I have a neighbour who is blind and I think he would find that sort of obstruction rather difficult! We are not all able bodied...

[mynamehere]

James Barber: Crystal Palace and Upland Road is unacceptable. Don't quite know how they could rearrange but what they've taken and how they use public space is very dangerous

[Lowlander]

Mike Dodd Wrote:

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> Now I know why I moved from ED ,Some people really

> need to get a life the guys where probably doing a

> honest days work ,so sorry you had to cross the

> road ,,nice photo though

Try pushing a pushchair/wheelchair around town for a day then come back and write that with a straight face (unless you enjoy means backtracking for up to five minutes each side until you can find a dropped kerb - with another on the opposite side)

[Mike Dodd]

I have done it,your buggies will surely go up a kerb without having to find a dropped kerb and proberly to wide for the pavement anyhow ,,but keep on smiling I did

[Convex]

I agree sometimes health and safety seems to have gone mad but in this instance, there is an obvious alternative (ie the steep plank up the skip) which doesn't create a possible hazard for others.

In fact the builders a few doors down from me are doing this and they seem to be managing fine!

It's just basic risk assessment. Is this unsafe? Could it harm someone? Is there a reasonable alternative?

If you walked into this at normal walking pace it would hurt, and it would be easily avoided if the guy just did his job properly.

[northlondoner]

Louisa Wrote:

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> No offence but clearly someone with nothing better

> to do. First world problems and all that. The guys

> are doing a job, give them a break, all this

> health and safety bull it does my head in. Who

> actually stops and takes a photograph anyway?

> Really?

>

> Louisa.

Yeah sounds kind of bedwetting. But you should read the thread about the guy puzzling over which bin to put his printer in.Priceless

[titch juicy]

Looks like an ingenious solution to me.

[spider69]

titch juicy Wrote:

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> Looks like an ingenious solution to me.

Perhaps people would not move their cars to allow the plank to be put on the end.

Imagine if it was and cars got dirty a whole new EDF thread

[Lowlander]

Mike Dodd Wrote:

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> I have done it,your buggies will surely go up a

> kerb without having to find a dropped kerb and

> proberly to wide for the pavement anyhow ,,but

> keep on smiling I did

Try it with a wheelchair mate. Not possible with high kerbs! Especially if the wheelchair pusher is infirm.

[intexasatthe moment]

"Try it with a wheelchair mate. Not possible with high kerbs! Especially if the wheelchair pusher is infirm."

That's an odd thing to assert ,I regularly push a wheelchair and can manage high curbs ,even after major surgery to my stomach .

Negotiating the camber of some pavements that give access to front drive parking and hitting uneven pavestones - now that can be tricky .

[Lowlander]

intexasatthe moment Wrote:

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> "Try it with a wheelchair mate. Not possible with

> high kerbs! Especially if the wheelchair pusher is

> infirm."

> That's an odd thing to assert ,I regularly push a

> wheelchair and can manage high curbs ,even after

> major surgery to my stomach .

> Negotiating the camber of some pavements that give

> access to front drive parking and hitting uneven

> pavestones - now that can be tricky .

Could be experience then, I personally found pushing a wheelchair around quite tricky.