When it rains the first thing we do is seek shelter. In the city and suburbs the available shelter is usually a shop awning. Events of this week have caused us to stop and think after a man was crushed to death when such an awning fell on him.
Shop awnings are something that we take for granted. Unfortunately, many belong to a past era and many adorn the front of failed shops which became victims of the rise of supermarkets. Shops with boarded up windows exist in many suburbs - a reminder of the times when " the corner shop " supplied most of our needs.
Why did this awning fail ? A lot of reasons have been suggested. Some think the awning became too heavy when pigeons used it as a roost. A pigeon can drop up to a kilo of guano a day - and given the number of pigeons in the city that can cause a mind boggling weight increase.
Another reason could be lack of maintenance. Old awnings eventually allow the entry of water, and wet timbers increase in weight. In the instance of the awning that caused death the whole front of the store collapsed, indicating that there may have been a further fault in the restraining brickwork.
This tragedy is a timely reminder to all the councils in this state. Building inspectors now have a duty to inspect shop awnings - and where danger is detected they should either be demolished - or work done to make them safe.
It took a death to put the spotlight on a source of danger. It would be sheer negligence if this danger was ignored.
A council that decides to take no action may face a charge of culpability if a further death or injury occurs !
No comments:
Post a Comment