She was operated on and the nail removed from her head. She seems to be stable but this is a huge lesson for those working at construction sites
Just walking past a construction site nearly killed a 12-year-old girl in Nalasopara East. She was lucky to survive, despite being hit by a half-kg cement block that left a 4-cm rusted iron nail in her skull. A report in this paper said that the Std VI student was walking past an under-construction building.
A small cement block that had the rusted iron nail embedded in it suddenly fell on her head and got stuck. The bleeding girl somehow remained conscious enough to ride pillion on an eyewitness's bike to hospital. She was operated on and the nail removed from her head. She seems to be stable but this is a huge lesson for those working at construction sites.
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The site in-charge has to ensure that safety is maintained. Place a net around the building, to effectively shield people who may be walking underneath the building. There should also be an ambulance service on call in case passers-by or workers get injured. While the onus for safety lies with the builder, it will help to have clear signage to indicate that construction is on. If a part of the road or pavement is dangerous or inaccessible because of the building activity, then have signboards that are visible even from a distance, clearly stating that the area is not safe. The site and its surroundings must be well-lit at all times.
This is especially important as, at times, the construction sites are plunged in darkness and visibility is a real problem. Too many construction sites do not have a manager or in-charge on the ground. We need somebody to take quick decisions in case of an unfortunate incident like this one. While the above rules apply for all construction sites, in this case, the builder has to make good on his assurance that he will bear all medical expenses for the child. This close shave should serve as a wake-up call for all of us.
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