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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

H&S incident at nursery

173 replies

NoodleDoodle97 · 31/01/2025 17:28

Today, our DD nursery rang to tell of an incident what had happened. For the last 3 days they have been having a new roof. One of the workers today fell through the roof, taking out a ceiling panel. Luckily nothing fell and luckily the children and him were ok but it could have been very bad. Would you report this to ofsted or somewhere else as I don’t think they should be working on a roof when there is children below. The owner of the roofing company apparently was devastated and said this does happen but he’s really sorry it’s happen in a nursery

OP posts:
GottaShiftThesePounds · 31/01/2025 17:49

They would have reported it themselves

Iwanttoliveonamountain · 31/01/2025 17:49

They should’ve done a risk assessment when people who aren’t police checked are working on the premises. Perhaps you could ask their policy on that.

Bearbookagainandagain · 31/01/2025 17:53

They'll report it themselves. I would give them the benefit of the doubt that the situation was assessed prior to the work and deemed safe for the children to be in. Roofers aren't actually supposed to fall through the roof, it was an accident.

That said, our nursery always tend to do heavy work on the bank holiday weekends or during the Christmas break when the're closed. And if they can't, they do it on quieter days and group the children into the rooms that aren't affected by the works. I quite like that approach...

cansu · 31/01/2025 17:56

No
The roofing company have the responsibility here.

MinnieBalloon · 31/01/2025 17:56

NoodleDoodle97 · 31/01/2025 17:41

Ok my DD came out very shaken. Someone has said they shouldn’t be working with children underneath and that the manager is prioritising money over safety.

And who is this someone?

Everyone is always so quick to dole out blame. It was an accident.

Original poster
NoodleDoodle97 · 31/01/2025 17:57

Iwanttoliveonamountain · 31/01/2025 17:49

They should’ve done a risk assessment when people who aren’t police checked are working on the premises. Perhaps you could ask their policy on that.

I did wonder about that. DD is pre school room and said they’ve been shutting the curtains and over heard a staff member say it’s so they can’t take photos

OP posts:
stichguru · 31/01/2025 17:57

I don't think you know enough to report it to anyone. I have had a lot of work done on rooves in the past and no-one's ever fallen through. Either:

  • the builders told the nursery to close and the nursery refused (in which case the nursery is putting money before safety and so are the builders and both should be in big trouble).
  • the builders should have told the nursery to close but didn't (in which case it's the builders' fault)
  • both thought it would be safe and the roof giving way was a freak accident which is no-one's fault.
Without knowing which it is, you can't really report it to anyone.
cansu · 31/01/2025 17:58

Iwanttoliveonamountain · 31/01/2025 17:49

They should’ve done a risk assessment when people who aren’t police checked are working on the premises. Perhaps you could ask their policy on that.

If they are meant to be on the roof I am not sure that they were meant to come into contact with the children. I would also assume that the roofer who fell through the roof wasn't left unsupervised with the children. Seriously....

Laszlomydarling · 31/01/2025 18:00

It's really nothing to do with ofsted. Maybe contact the nursery to find out if a new risk assessment has been done before the nursery opens again. I assume perhaps the council will have to inspect the roof to see if its safe to continue work.

MinnieBalloon · 31/01/2025 18:01

NoodleDoodle97 · 31/01/2025 17:57

I did wonder about that. DD is pre school room and said they’ve been shutting the curtains and over heard a staff member say it’s so they can’t take photos

Show quote history

So paranoid 🙄

wholettheturnipsburn · 31/01/2025 18:04

Iwanttoliveonamountain · 31/01/2025 17:49

They should’ve done a risk assessment when people who aren’t police checked are working on the premises. Perhaps you could ask their policy on that.

For working on the roof?

Ridiculous

rwalker · 31/01/2025 18:07

As long as they learn from it I wouldn’t take it any further
it’ll been the last thing the builder and the nursery wanted

the place will be chaos let them deal

also don’t bang on about it in front of your DD you’ll just make her anxious

comedycentral · 31/01/2025 18:08

You don't need to report, the nursery will be dealing with it.

WhatWasPromised · 31/01/2025 18:19

NoodleDoodle97 · 31/01/2025 17:57

I did wonder about that. DD is pre school room and said they’ve been shutting the curtains and over heard a staff member say it’s so they can’t take photos

Show quote history

Your DD told you this?

Seems like there’s lots of hearsay going on.

I think YABU to report it to Ofsted but YANBU to ask the nursery questions around risk assessments and safe methods of work and what they are doing to prevent it happening again.

When we had a roof replaced at work, no one was allowed to work on the top floor.

Iwanttoliveonamountain · 31/01/2025 18:27

It might shock some people to know that risk assessments are needed both of the work, the construction of the roof whether it was safe to carry the weight of a person or persons and possible contact / photography with the students.

lilytuckerpritchet · 31/01/2025 18:28

I would be concerned about my child attending a nursery where building work is taking place and would ask to see their risk assessment for protecting the children

Sammyspurs · 31/01/2025 18:29

I’m confused they were working in the loft or they were working on the roof? You need to find exactly what happened and go from there- as to look at the methodology and the guys working at height training.
what years the building? Before 2000 potential for it to be asbestos panels.
hopefully the guys ok- how far did he fall?
you could do an anonymous report to the HSE. They might look into it if you’re concerned. Good luck

HellofromJohnCraven · 31/01/2025 18:32

There were roof works at dds nursery many years ago
The nursery moved to other premises for the week due to the risks. Works could only be done during the working week.

Hoover2025 · 31/01/2025 18:34

Sammyspurs · 31/01/2025 18:29

I’m confused they were working in the loft or they were working on the roof? You need to find exactly what happened and go from there- as to look at the methodology and the guys working at height training.
what years the building? Before 2000 potential for it to be asbestos panels.
hopefully the guys ok- how far did he fall?
you could do an anonymous report to the HSE. They might look into it if you’re concerned. Good luck

Jesus! Now OP really is going to have a freak out

Futurascope · 31/01/2025 18:34

Deleted message

saraclara · 31/01/2025 18:35

This is an issue between the nursery and the roofing company. The nursery will have reported it and it's the roofing company that will have to face whatever sanctions come from the report.

This isn't down to the parents to do. Let the nursery get on with it.

MarzipanAndFrenchFancies · 31/01/2025 18:35

It was an accident.

For those who say it will be reported to the HSE, why do you think this is the case?

DreamW3aver · 31/01/2025 18:39

I wouldnt report it, I wouldn't know who to report it to. Accidents happen, the nursery will know what to do the next time they need roof repairs.

maria2bela1 · 31/01/2025 18:42

I actually would report it. I'd want to ensure a thorough safety check has been Carried out before they start allowing children back into the nursery, what if the roof is a

WhatWasPromised · 31/01/2025 18:42

MarzipanAndFrenchFancies · 31/01/2025 18:35

It was an accident.

For those who say it will be reported to the HSE, why do you think this is the case?

I think it would come under a ‘near miss’ in HSE terms.