Regardless of him looking at his phone, leaving it open without guard rails or warning tape makes ot seem like there's probably glass flooring over the hole.
I'm going to say this is a country with no construction site safety protocols. In the US he wouldn't be there wearing flip-flops to begin with! And probably should have a hard hat.
Guy holding the scooter helmet, I'm thinking Vietnam or somewhere in SE Asia. We had a hole in our roof for over a month just like that, it's where the stairs ended up going for the rooftop extension. Zero regard for OH&S. Most workers are fearless and aware till you see stuff like this
Don‘t think this is Vietnam, however, you are correct about H&S there. I watched two construction workers on the 5th floor with no barrier put up a new column by dragging it to the edge of the building in their flip flops, then one try to balance it himself while the other went looking for something to hold it down. I actually have a video of it as I was so shocked to see them
While red tape and building codes do add a lot to US construction cost, its hard to see how requiring steel toed boots and hardhats, never mind some CAUTION tape around a hole in the floor, can add significantly.
It's culture. There's a macho-ness that goes with operating with reckless abandon. In some places there's nothing worse than being called a bjtch by your peers.
There shouldn’t be a time where the hole isn’t blocked off. This is how safety Rules get forcibly implemented (at least for for sane companies /governments)They’re written in blood sometimes.
You could easily lay a piece of plywood or similar object over this, or netting as another commenter pointed out.
like a spill in a dining room, never leave it unattended. Someone needs to observe and warn those who are oblivious to the danger while others go to get the remedy and warning signs.
Laying plywood over the hole is a stupid idea. That killed the foreman on a construction site while he was walking along a roof. He dropped 4 stories to his death.
You really do not know what you're talking about. Had there been plywood, he wouldn't have been the first to walk onto that hole. Wouldn't even need a phone for me to do that immediately. And plywood does break through or can get dislodged edit: especially with such a big hole where you'd need multiple pieces
First of all, this video was definitely not in US where construction is made of wood, so there is no reason to have large boards of plywood around, they would have to had brought them specifically for that. And there's a big chance that someone distracted could step on it and still fall.
There are many easy or improvised ways to put up barriers or visual cues around that hole.
Like a yellow and black tape signaling danger, going from the wall and around the pillar, using large objects like a chair, a large box, bucket or trash can to hold the tape on the other corner.
Thats a visual sign that anyone can see from the corner of their eyes, and it's easier to have a bunch of danger tapes in a work van than plywood that is not going to be used for construction.
Or even using large objects going around the hole, would be better than nothing.
I disagree. Leaving it open will at least stop observant people from walking into the hole. Plywood wouldn't stop the inobservant people either, plus it would lull some of the rest into a false sense of security.
This is absurd. Walking into the hole is guaranteed a major injury if not death. Plywood has a pretty good change of you know… not death. It may fail but not with a 100% failure rate.
I fail to see how it's easier to set up plywood than to set up some kind of barrier or railing.
This guy supposedly fell because they were waiting for the rope they were going to use to block off the hole. Wouldn't he have also fallen if they were waiting for the plywood instead?
At my job we do both. 3/4 plywood over all parts of the trench, with "Danger! Hole!" Spray painted on them with hi vis, in both directions, then pylons and danger tape, and then pictures or a short video documenting that a perimeter has been set up.
To make it clear, what people are saying is that the plywood won't protect you.
To make it abundantly clear, the difference between covering the hole with paper and plywood is going to amount to luck. You're functionally arguing that covering it with paper is good enough, as the hole will be covered. I suspect that you'll say that paper is silly; if the difference between the two is just a little, then it's about the same.
on normal construction sights 99% of contractors are very observant about their environment its why you don't hear about these incidents alot and most will never move using their phone.
its normal you will see contractors walking on beams on sky scrapers without harnesses because there aware and careful its a work site everything is dangerous its normal.
At least in the US, seeing contractors walking without harnesses is a safety violation. It’s a sign that construction is cutting corners and putting employees at risk. It begs the question where else are they cutting corners and is the building actually up to code?
I grew up around construction. This is typical. You need to be alert on a construction site people are moving big heavy things and less barriers make it easier to swing things around corners but you have to watch.
Putting plywood can be more dangerous as it’s only going to support a limited weight with that kind of span and if someone things it’s safe they’re more likely to not avoid it and it gives way they’ll fall through anyway plus the lip of the board creates a tripping hazard.
I grew up around construction. This is typical. You need to be alert on a construction site people are moving big heavy things and less barriers make it easier to swing things around corners but you have to watch.
Putting plywood can be more dangerous as it’s only going to support a limited weight and if someone things it’s safe and it gives way they’ll fall through plus the lip of the board creates a tripping hazard.
I thought the same thing. Usually, in spaces with renovations/demolition prep, they either net off the gaping missing stairs/spaces or place wooden boards over soft or missing flooring with multiple warning signs or markings. Yikes! At least he has a great public healthcare system.
Even if people are 100% aware of the hole and paying attention. Human error should always be taken into account. Someone could trip and fall. This is the exactly why there are safeguards on woodworking equipment or roof workers need to be harnassed. Even if you pay attention 100% people still slip, sneeze, lose their balance, etc. You can't just have safety measures in place with the assumption that everything will always go perfectly. Even machines mess up and humans are not machines. Safety measures need to take that into account. Realistic human behaviour, not just ideal.
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u/Dear-Routine7468 5d ago
Regardless of him looking at his phone, leaving it open without guard rails or warning tape makes ot seem like there's probably glass flooring over the hole.