Victorian building sites must be well secured before the annual Christmas / New Year shutdown, WorkSafe has warned.

WorkSafe’s Construction and utility program director, Chris Webb said although building sites could be an adventure playground for children, they could also be extremely dangerous.

“The risk of falls from height, exposure to chemicals, electrical hazards, treading on nails or cutting themselves on scrap metal are real.

“No parent should have to deal with their child being hurt or even killed because a building site was not securely fenced and locked up over the break.

“Even for a relatively minor injury, spending a few hours waiting in a hospital is not the sort of memory anyone wants from the school holidays.

Webb said sites should also be secured because of broader risks to public safety. “If scaffolding or uncompleted structures are not made safe, strong winds could make them collapse – possibly onto a footpath or road.

“Builders and principal contractors must ensure their sites are safe and secure when they are unattended. Not doing so has serious legal and commercial consequences," Webb said.