Many building sites and related construction activities uglify surroundings, cause air pollution and put workers’ lives at risk and this in spite of the building regulations aimed at reducing the harm of activities at construction sites.

One often sees unsightly tattered, overused green cloth pretending to shield passers-by from the construction dust (as in the picture above). Building site notices are often fixed with old pieces of wood haphazardly nailed to a wall.

‘No parking’ signs at building sites include old chairs, bricks, wheelbarrows and even pieces of wire netting with the words “no parking” carelessly written on them (see upside down notice in the picture).

Most contractors use old vehicles that emit heavy diesel fumes wherever they pass. Construction debris carried on these vehicles is often covered by a tattered piece of cloth.

Although many contractors are involved in developments worth millions of euros, they often penny-pinch when it comes to safety of their own workers and the negative impacts on residents in the neighbourhood. Contractors may consider such matters as trivial and costly. For many of us, however, matters relating to safety and aesthetics are of major importance.

It all boils down to the stinginess of certain contractors as well as to lack of enforcement by the authorities.

The laws and regulations specify how building sites are to be managed and how polluting vehicles are to be fined but, in reality, we see utter disregard for these regulations.

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.