Video – The stuff of safety nightmares…

Demolition work halted as video captures workers risking their lives on roof.

Aside from the high vis’ jacket, it is a photo that could have been taken in the bad ol’ days of manual demolition when safety was secondary to profitability. But the photo – and the video from which it was taken – is no horrific artefact; it was shot just this week on a site in Yorkshire that has (thankfully) been closed in light of serious safety breaches.

The Health and Safety Executive says it has served a prohibition notice to prevent dangerous activity at the former dairy building.

A spokesman said: “We are in the process of appointing a replacement subcontractor and in the meantime the site is closed.” He said

Local residents said they contacted the HSE and council after being shocked by the sudden arrival of demolition workers and by their unsafe activities high on the roof. One resident, who captured their actions on film, said she feared someone would fall to the ground and die.