Worker climbing metal fabricated stairs placed in sidewalk, behind a barrier and running along facade. (Photo: Jan Thomas)
Thanks to Adam Thompson for posting a Circle Safety blog while I’ve been traveling. Adam has an environmental specialty that adds nicely to the safety and health services we provide. Sometime soon he will post his ideas on how the LEED industry and safety match-up.
Meanwhile, let me show you some of my travel photos… As readers know, I like to take photos of construction sites. On my recent trip to France I paid particular attention to construction. Was it happening? How large were the sites? How many tower cranes could I count from the Eiffel Tower or Montmartre Cathedral?
My impression is that construction is steady. There are many sidewalk barricades for building and storefront renovations. In the central districts the count was at least one every other block. Plenty of tower cranes were in use but this was probably due to a lack of ground. And what is “normal” in the old world? Construction vans, superintendents’ trailers, haulage equipment and excavators—even barricades—are all small. Almost like toys.
Small tower crane on a tight footprint of new construction where old facade was maintained. Along Avenue des Champs-Élysées. (Photo: Jan Thomas
What about safety? On the larger jobsites safety – as we know it – is present. On the small store front renovations… o’la, la… OSHA would be saying something to the small “white van” construction guys.
These two photos are from a “large” site where an older building came down – they left the front façade and entrance arch and are building a new interior.
