Page 15 | Builder brings 12 year old daughter to work

Toptotoe · 03/08/2025 10:16

mumofagoodun · 03/08/2025 09:42

We had a new garage built and the builder brought his 11 year old son with him in half term. He helped loading bricks and used our bathroom if he needed too. Okay, it's annoying to see her messing about but saying anything will cause bad feeling and it will show in the work. She's outside and not your problem. Best to ignore

But it is the OPs problem if something happens to her. If she trips over and breaks a limb or worse. She is liable to being sued . . . I cannot believe how naive people on this thread are . . .

Rosscameasdoody · 03/08/2025 10:37

Kath89 · 02/08/2025 21:47

Imo it takes a bloody village! Op won't get in trouble with anyone as she's not insuring them for goodness sake!

Doesn’t make any difference. OP could be liable for accidents if a 12-year-old operates a digger on her land, even if the contractor is directly responsible for his DD’s actions. As the landowner, OP has a duty of care to ensure the safety of anyone on her property. Allowing an untrained 12-year-old to operate heavy machinery significantly increases the risk of accidents and injuries, and OP could be liable for failing to maintain a safe environment. The fact that she has seen what the contractor is doing and has not stepped in to stop it could contribute to her liability if there was an accident. If the contractor doesn’t have suitable insurance he would likely try to claim on OP’s home insurance and when they inevitably reject the claim, he could sue.

ButterCrackers · 03/08/2025 10:38

Tell him that his daughter is not to put a foot on to the building site - you’re the client and you have employed him not him with his child. It’s dangerous and I imagine that this doesn’t follow health and safety rules ie having his age 11 kid operate a digger on site. Work experience needs a risk assessment and this has not been done. The op works from home so she’s seen the unprofessional work of the builder- if she’d been working outside the home she might not have known.

Original poster

TinyBuddhettes · 03/08/2025 11:01

Thank you everyone for your contributions. Just to be clear once again, I’m not objecting to the kid sitting in her dad’s van while he works. That’s not my concern. I’m objecting to her operating machinery and messing about on the job site, on my property, while her dad films her or joins her to play. This isn’t about her “learning the trade”, she is NOT working, and I don’t care whether the child is male or female. She's playing. It’s unsafe, unprofessional, distracting and a potential liability issue. Whether I've paid for the job or per day is also irrelevant. Say I've paid for the job, I still want them to get on with it and be done as soon as realistically possible so we can get back to normal.

I get that some people feel nostalgic about the past, but it’s a strange and pointless comparison to make here. I grew up in Italy in the 70s and often went on long road trips with my family, crammed in the back of a Fiat with my four siblings, no seatbelts, both parents chain smoking with the windows shut, picking up hitchhikers on the way and having us sit on their laps, stopping on roadside bars where my parents would drink a beer whilst the 5 of us would frolic by the road, only to return back to the car with my dad driving after a refreshing beer or two. It sounds almost charming now, part of a bygone era. But we’ve moved on. We don’t do those things anymore because they’re not safe.

And I don't believe I am being cold, inhuman or privileged. I’ve made arrangements for my own DC so my DH and I can work uninterrupted, why would I offer free childcare to a stranger? This is absurd.

OP posts:

Treesandsheepeverywhere · 03/08/2025 11:51

"It's great to see men doing their fair share, he could have stayed at home doing it."

By inconveniencing another woman?

BopItWinner · 03/08/2025 11:54

TinyBuddhettes · 03/08/2025 11:01

Thank you everyone for your contributions. Just to be clear once again, I’m not objecting to the kid sitting in her dad’s van while he works. That’s not my concern. I’m objecting to her operating machinery and messing about on the job site, on my property, while her dad films her or joins her to play. This isn’t about her “learning the trade”, she is NOT working, and I don’t care whether the child is male or female. She's playing. It’s unsafe, unprofessional, distracting and a potential liability issue. Whether I've paid for the job or per day is also irrelevant. Say I've paid for the job, I still want them to get on with it and be done as soon as realistically possible so we can get back to normal.

I get that some people feel nostalgic about the past, but it’s a strange and pointless comparison to make here. I grew up in Italy in the 70s and often went on long road trips with my family, crammed in the back of a Fiat with my four siblings, no seatbelts, both parents chain smoking with the windows shut, picking up hitchhikers on the way and having us sit on their laps, stopping on roadside bars where my parents would drink a beer whilst the 5 of us would frolic by the road, only to return back to the car with my dad driving after a refreshing beer or two. It sounds almost charming now, part of a bygone era. But we’ve moved on. We don’t do those things anymore because they’re not safe.

And I don't believe I am being cold, inhuman or privileged. I’ve made arrangements for my own DC so my DH and I can work uninterrupted, why would I offer free childcare to a stranger? This is absurd.

Very well said OP. There are some completely crazy posts here.

AnSolas · 03/08/2025 11:55

TinyBuddhettes · 03/08/2025 11:01

Thank you everyone for your contributions. Just to be clear once again, I’m not objecting to the kid sitting in her dad’s van while he works. That’s not my concern. I’m objecting to her operating machinery and messing about on the job site, on my property, while her dad films her or joins her to play. This isn’t about her “learning the trade”, she is NOT working, and I don’t care whether the child is male or female. She's playing. It’s unsafe, unprofessional, distracting and a potential liability issue. Whether I've paid for the job or per day is also irrelevant. Say I've paid for the job, I still want them to get on with it and be done as soon as realistically possible so we can get back to normal.

I get that some people feel nostalgic about the past, but it’s a strange and pointless comparison to make here. I grew up in Italy in the 70s and often went on long road trips with my family, crammed in the back of a Fiat with my four siblings, no seatbelts, both parents chain smoking with the windows shut, picking up hitchhikers on the way and having us sit on their laps, stopping on roadside bars where my parents would drink a beer whilst the 5 of us would frolic by the road, only to return back to the car with my dad driving after a refreshing beer or two. It sounds almost charming now, part of a bygone era. But we’ve moved on. We don’t do those things anymore because they’re not safe.

And I don't believe I am being cold, inhuman or privileged. I’ve made arrangements for my own DC so my DH and I can work uninterrupted, why would I offer free childcare to a stranger? This is absurd.

Then sort out a toilet and inform him that he can not bring his child on to your job site.

Rosscameasdoody · 03/08/2025 12:10

TinyBuddhettes · 03/08/2025 11:01

Thank you everyone for your contributions. Just to be clear once again, I’m not objecting to the kid sitting in her dad’s van while he works. That’s not my concern. I’m objecting to her operating machinery and messing about on the job site, on my property, while her dad films her or joins her to play. This isn’t about her “learning the trade”, she is NOT working, and I don’t care whether the child is male or female. She's playing. It’s unsafe, unprofessional, distracting and a potential liability issue. Whether I've paid for the job or per day is also irrelevant. Say I've paid for the job, I still want them to get on with it and be done as soon as realistically possible so we can get back to normal.

I get that some people feel nostalgic about the past, but it’s a strange and pointless comparison to make here. I grew up in Italy in the 70s and often went on long road trips with my family, crammed in the back of a Fiat with my four siblings, no seatbelts, both parents chain smoking with the windows shut, picking up hitchhikers on the way and having us sit on their laps, stopping on roadside bars where my parents would drink a beer whilst the 5 of us would frolic by the road, only to return back to the car with my dad driving after a refreshing beer or two. It sounds almost charming now, part of a bygone era. But we’ve moved on. We don’t do those things anymore because they’re not safe.

And I don't believe I am being cold, inhuman or privileged. I’ve made arrangements for my own DC so my DH and I can work uninterrupted, why would I offer free childcare to a stranger? This is absurd.

Absolutely spot on. There are some ridiculous posts on here OP. Many posters are praising him for getting involved in child care, which is absolutely batshit. It’s not a crèche, it’s a worksite and you’re paying him to work and finish the job in a reasonable timeframe. Not to mention your liability if something happens to the child on your land. You need to tell him to make alternative arrangements for his child because what he’s doing is totally inappropriate.

Rosscameasdoody · 03/08/2025 12:13

Nicaveron · 02/08/2025 11:33

Maybe the girl would be happy to come in the house and watch tv with you or maybe sit in the back garden with you and chat.
Or do you NOT like kids.
I’m sure she’d be happy to have a cold drink and a chat if you welcomed her.

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You missed that OP and her partner work from home then ?

Rosscameasdoody · 03/08/2025 12:14

AnSolas · 03/08/2025 11:55

Then sort out a toilet and inform him that he can not bring his child on to your job site.

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There’s no obligation for a private household to provide access to toilet facilities - it’s common courtesy and I’d have no problem with it, but the fact that OP does is down to her. It’s not a legal requirement.

Rosscameasdoody · 03/08/2025 12:17

Treesandsheepeverywhere · 03/08/2025 11:51

"It's great to see men doing their fair share, he could have stayed at home doing it."

By inconveniencing another woman?

Exactly. And the posts on here expressing so much admiration for him getting involved in child care are encouraging OP to get involved - letting her watch TV, chatting to her in the garden while he works, etc - regardless of the fact that OP works from home and would probably be putting her job at risk by engaging in childcare while she’s working. It’s batshit and some posters should really be checking their misogyny.

Ffion56 · 03/08/2025 12:22

There’s no obligation for households to provide toilet facilities. However, my husband is a tradesman and legally he has to provide these facilities for his employees. Usually, households allow access to a downstairs loo, (they tend to be large properties) but in the odd circumstance that they don’t, he has to provide a portaloo, this expense is always charged to the client and in the original quote.

AnSolas · 03/08/2025 12:54

Rosscameasdoody · 03/08/2025 12:14

There’s no obligation for a private household to provide access to toilet facilities - it’s common courtesy and I’d have no problem with it, but the fact that OP does is down to her. It’s not a legal requirement.

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Are you sure?

The OP has a building works going on.
The OP is aware that access to toilet is required at a place of works.
The OP has contracted the job with no toilet provision.

Under the current UK regs has the H&S obligations transferred from the OP?

Orders76 · 03/08/2025 12:58

I think the point was as long as a child isn't on my site, on a job. Personal arrangements after that, are just that, personal.

Kuretake · 03/08/2025 13:01

AnSolas · 03/08/2025 12:54

Are you sure?

The OP has a building works going on.
The OP is aware that access to toilet is required at a place of works.
The OP has contracted the job with no toilet provision.

Under the current UK regs has the H&S obligations transferred from the OP?

Show quote history

I just looked it up - only applies if there are 5 or more workers.

Blondeshavemorefun · 03/08/2025 13:12

I still want to know what he did to annoy you about using the toilet ? @TinyBuddhettes

AnSolas · 03/08/2025 13:21

Kuretake · 03/08/2025 13:01

I just looked it up - only applies if there are 5 or more workers.

Show quote history

What did you look up because 1 worker = 1 toilet?

ScupperedbytheSea · 03/08/2025 13:41

I had this, but the builder asked if it was OK (he was in a tight spot) and his son (also around 12) was very helpful, passing him and carrying things etc.

I asked if he wanted the boy to watch TV, and he absolutely no spoiling him, he can make himself useful and behave himself.

Wouldn't have been happy if the kid was operating machinery and messing about at all.

prelovedusername · 03/08/2025 14:09

The builder is trying to combine work with childcare. Can’t be done.

taxidriver · 03/08/2025 17:02

have a word with him,
sounds appropriate in this case, they arent exactly working!

Marriedandkidsx · 03/08/2025 17:31

TinyBuddhettes · 02/08/2025 07:52

Childcare issues, I get it. This contractor/builder guy is doing up our drive. His daughter mostly stays in his van but yesterday I could see that she was operating the mini digger while he was recording her. This wasn't just a couple of minutes for a photo, it went on for maybe an hour. The two of them were frolicking and being quite stupid really. I was in disbelief watching from inside the house. Our drive is now all digged up and I don't want any awkwardness or the potential of him not finishing the job. Anyone know where we stand with the law? Can we say that from a legal point of view we do not consent to an under 16 being withing the bounds of our property at any point?

He's a gypsy they usually take a child to work with them.

MonkeyMelon5 · 03/08/2025 17:41

I'd say leave it. Let them have fun. He's spending quality time with his daughter, she's learning valuable skills and you're getting your drive down. There's no issue with the quality of his workmanship so leave them be and stop watching them and winding yourself up. :)

Sandyoldelbows · 03/08/2025 22:56

Monkey- next time you get a haircut are you happy for your hairdresser’s son to have a go? I think he’d enjoy it and would learn valuable skills.

Skibbgirl · 04/08/2025 11:04

Does his insurance cover include bringing a child onto site? Does your household insurance cover factor in this ridiculous scenario? If not (as I highly suspect), then I would be minded to ask him to ensure that she does not come onto your property and remains in the van - alternatively that he arranges safe childcare for her. This is potentially a safeguarding matter.

LadySuzanne · 04/08/2025 13:02

MonkeyMelon5 · 03/08/2025 17:41

I'd say leave it. Let them have fun. He's spending quality time with his daughter, she's learning valuable skills and you're getting your drive down. There's no issue with the quality of his workmanship so leave them be and stop watching them and winding yourself up. :)

The contractor is supposed to be working on site - not "having fun" with his child or "spending quality time" with his daughter.

She is not an employee or a trainee or an apprentice or on a work experience scheme.

Does the contractor have public liability insurance?

Is it up to date?

Is he covered for injury, death or damage to the property, the residents, other members of the public who may need to enter or pass by the property, for example, neighbours, postmen, delivery drivers?

More importantly, does his public liability cover him for accidents to, or caused by, a 12 year old kid (who is not an employee of his business) larking about on a mini digger while he films her for TikTok? I very much doubt that it would.

If he has hired this piece of equipment, is permitting a 12 year old child to operate machinery in breach of his contract with the plant hire company?

I am amazed at some of the laissez faire comments in this thread.

If he wants to piss around with a digger and his daughter he should do it on his own land. To allow and encourage this on a client's property is negligence.