Batten down the hatches on construction sites

12 October 2006

With gale force winds forecast around the country this week, the Department of Labour is urging construction sites to pay extra attention to securing site fencing.
A windy start to spring has seen an increase in complaints of temporary site fencing blowing over or becoming airborne.

Western Bay of Plenty health and safety service acting manager Sue Graham said the Department was aware of two recent incidents in Tauranga of fencing blowing over, including one where fences “collapsed like a house of cards” on to a city footpath.

Ms Graham said construction companies needed to ensure any temporary fencing was adequately weighted and secured.

Advertising hoardings attached to temporary fences also caused problems if they weren’t properly fixed, she said. “The wind catches the hoardings, causing the fencing to come down. On some sites, the fencing goes down like a row of dominoes.”

To the journalist: please note that health and safety services formerly referred to as Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) should now be referred to as the Department of Labour.