Building Site H&S - Causing a danger to my home.

[rocky54]

All,

This is not directly related to DIY but I figure some of you may be knowledgeable in this area. I have a question with regards to the safety of the building site operating along side my house.

The site literally runs along the side of my house from the front to the back separated by a 5ft high wooden fence. On my side of the fence is the entrance to my house and a pathway that leads to back garden.

The problem I have is that the site have chosen to you the area along side my fence as there storage area for materials. The trouble is that it goes way above my fence line, none of the materials are properly secured as I found out this weekend when a half dozen blocks of 6x4 insulation flew into the garden, on top of this I've noticed today that there are pallets of bricks and other materials that are actually laid up against and buckling the fence.

I am quite comfortable that I can deal with the damage issue what I am looking for is some advice with respect to the H&S aspect of this, surely it is not reasonable for an industrial building side to be using an area so close to a residential dwelling as they are? They are stacking things up using forklifts etc, any mistakes means I've now got a ton of bricks laying in my garden, which as far as I am concerned means the garden is off limits. Moreover I've essentially got a 6ft gap between my childrens day room and the site protected by a wooden fence and a patio window. Who should I be talking to I figure there must be some kind of government agency responsible for this?

Any advice would be welcome, I've asked them to move the stuff before but this has been by and large ignored.

Any advice gratefully received.

Paul

View media item 27375Probably worth mentioing that the wall you can see is mine and the gap between is my garden that I can't do anything with at the moment.
View media item 27376View media item 27377View media item 27378[/img]

 

[jeds]

You should speak with the site manager. If nothing happens write to him/her.

If it's a large house builder their sites are heavily controlled by health and safety officers. Copy the H&S officer in.

Take photos and keep records.

If nothing happens write to the HSE. (do that quickly before it is closed down in the cuts)

PS. If it is your fence technically they should not be touching it at all.

 

[DevilDamo]

As John mentioned above. Try approaching the site manager direct. If that does not work, contact the developers head office. If that doesn't work, get in contact with the HSE as they'll be straight over, which could cause the developers a few problems, which obviously they don't want so it's in their best interest to deal with the problem at the outset. If the first two methods fail, you could let them know that you will be contacting the HSE. And while you're there, you may as well look for any boards they have up (e.g. CSS - Considerate Constructors Scheme).

Likewise for any damage incurred to your fence/property as a result of the construction work. The developers should put right. However, this should have been covered in some kind of contract prior to the works commencing on site.

 

[^woody^]

I like the downpipe in the background

View media item 27376

 

[rocky54]

That's another story. We've disputed the fact that the guttering overhangs our property and if the down pipes go straight down they end up in our garden. I take it you saw the one on the right hand side in the other pic as well.

Thanks all for your responses, I'll give the site manager one more go in the morning.

Paul

 

[DevilDamo]

That RWP looks like it has been photoshopped

 

[garyo]

I could do with some insulation like that...