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CROSS Safety Report

Safety issues with partly demolished site

Report ID: 500 Published: 1 April 2015 Region: CROSS-UK

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Overview

Safety issues arose after a city centre development site was left partly demolished due to delays and a change of ownership.

Key Learning Outcomes

For clients and construction professionals:

  • Measures should be put in place to ensure any site that is partly demolished is made safe if there are programme delays and there is a potential risk to public safety

For all built environment professionals:

  • If you notice a potential safety issue not during the course of your work, consider reporting it to the owner

  • If the owner is not known, then the appropriate regulator could be informed

Full Report

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Existing buildings on a city centre site were partly demolished to make way for a new development. Parts of the structure were retained to be incorporated into the new works. The work was delayed, and ownership changed. Over a period of six months, three separate issues were reported to the local authority.

Firstly, a flue cowl had come loose and was wedged precariously in a gutter, secondly pieces of a stone cornice were crumbling and fell to the street, and lastly a piece of temporary roof covering came loose and fell to the street striking a passer-by.

It was clear that the site had not been properly supervised and maintained, and that the temporary works were not designed to be left for this period without maintenance and inspection.

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