City gets tough on confining construction compounds

City focuses on construction fence enforcement Bill Marks reports on a city crackdown on unsafe construction barriers

The city is cracking down on shoddy fencing around construction sites and says it will now be investigating complaints around the clock.

For the past 30 years, construction companies have been required to put safe fencing up around work sites.

The city says fencing that properly secures the site is required on construction and demolition sites.

Complaints about unsafe fencing are skyrocketing these days and it is expected to get worse as the weather improves and construction heats up.

The city is reminding crews that snow fences aren't acceptable barriers and that the proper fences have to be at least 1.8 metres high.

“Those hazards within that site are numerous. Not just the excavation, the soils that could be unstable at some point or some area. There’s re-bar poking out of concrete partially formed up. There’s the hole itself, the depth of hole, and just in general the safety of anyone entering that site,” said Marco Civitarese, Chief Building Inspector.

The barriers must comply with all requirements of the Alberta Building Code and should also display site safety signs on who to contact in case of an emergency.

Fines for non-compliance can run up to a maximum of $100,000 dollars plus possible jail time.

For more information on construction site safety visit the City of Calgary website.

(With files from Bill Marks)