Pupils learn about building site safety

Pupils at the Dorothy Barley Junior School in Dagenham are building site safe thanks to a lesson from leading local developer Taylor Wimpey East London.

Shaun Neale, Site Manager for Taylor Wimpey, which is transforming the former University of East London Longbridge Road campus into a development of family homes and apartments, gave an assembly to the 400 pupils aged seven to eleven, highlighting health and safety on and around building sites.

Shaun outlined the dangers of playing on or around building sites, even when they are quiet, and reminded children that large vehicles can have difficulty seeing small children, that scaffolding, bricks and pipes can collapse causing injury, and that sand can hide sharp metal and glass.

Pupils were also given an insight into the measures Taylor Wimpey takes to ensure its builders and craftsmen don’t have accidents on site, learned how to spot potential hazards and about the training needed before operating heavy machinery.

Year Three pupils were then presented with high visibility vests to wear when out on their bikes, and for walking to school in winter.

Tina Dedman, Sales & Marketing Director for Taylor Wimpey East London said, “We are delighted to be invited to help local children to learn about Health and Safety issues.

“Dorothy Barley Junior School is close to our development and we felt it would be responsible to raise awareness about safety near building sites and the dangers of playing around them.

“Children are very interested in the changes they see around them and with the long summer holidays ahead of us, it would be easy for children to wrongly view the development as a playground.”

Alongside the homes at Academy Central, Taylor Wimpey and its joint venture partner, L&Q, are contributing £6.25 million towards the local community, including the construction of a new primary school catering for the children of those moving to the new development.

Meanwhile, the development itself will include a recreation area for teenagers, and Taylor Wimpey is introducing a Green Travel Plan, which will see the expansion of local bus services, the provision of cycle stores for homeowners, and the creation of ‘Green Links’ – paths and cycleways running through grassland and parkland from the north of the site to Mayesbrook Park.

The first family homes at Academy Central are now under construction, and will go on sale at the beginning of next month.

To find out more about Academy Central, visit georgewimpey.co.uk.