Bonfire builders need to learn health and safety

Bonfire building is getting to the point of insanity in Northern Ireland with one man falling needlessly to his death in Larne, so an effigy could be burned at the top of it.

How in the name of common sense can local authorities, police, and health and safety authorities allow such huge constructions to be built where houses and people are at grave risk is anyone’s guess?

The state has a duty to keep people safe from harm’s way and bonfires fly in the face of that in addition to what can be an incitement agenda to reinforce prejudices, which may dissipate if not aroused. Ideally, bonfires should come under anti-sectarian legislation, if they are built for the purpose of bigotry and disallowed.

Northern Ireland’s bonfire builders could better apply their obvious construction skills to the housing projects or large building projects, because obviously they have a flare for building and ability to build high which techniques involved.

However, the difference between bonfire building and normal construction activates is that there is one golden key phrase and that is ‘Risk Assessment’. This takes everybody’s interest and health and safety into account with safety officers on site to watch over the great dangers which present themselves in any type of construction project.

And where the risk is too great, planning permission is not allowed, whether it is a permanent or temporary structure.

I would say to Northern Ireland’s bonfire builders to give their construction skill labour to the building trade where they would learn the value of health and safety, rather than risking their necks to make an incendiary device with incendiary political overtones to exacerbate sectarianism.

Maurice Fitzgerald, Shanbally, Co Cork