Construction sites need to focus on safety, too

In a crowded metropolis, it is inevitable that people will be commuting, walking, cycling just underneath or very close to these sites and it is necessary that these are secure so that the public is safe

A regular cyclist was riding at Kandivli (W) recently, when a stone from a construction site fell on his head, seriously injuring him. Post surgery and a two-day stay in the ICU, the Kandivli businessman is out of danger. The Kandivli police have booked the construction site contractor and developer for negligence.

The local sustained the injury after being felled by a stone at the New Link Road site. He was rushed to hospitals. He has now been advised rest for at least 10 days. A report in this paper cited a police officer as saying that the site did not have safety nets.

Construction sites and, in fact, any place where work is on should be completely safe for the public. In a crowded metropolis, it is inevitable that people will be commuting, walking, cycling just underneath or very close to these sites. It is necessary that these are secure so that the public is safe.

Nets are shields for the person who may be passing directly underneath. Then are other safety measures necessary, such as lights at the site, so that people can identify the spot especially during late evenings and night.

Barricades that will cordon off the work spot so that one does not accidentally slip if something is dug up or a surface is uneven. There is a danger of falling into a crater or stumbling over a gap if this is not done.

This edit space has also pointed to essential cleaning up after work is over for the day with materials stashed away on the side, nails, rods or sharp-edged objects that are needed for the work stowed away, so that the public, especially children who may be running on the road are not endangered in any way.

A bigger tragedy has been averted in the Kandivli local’s case, but it is also a pointer to the fact that we have failed to learn from the past.

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