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Last week some so-called builders supposed to be extending the house next door-but-one had a radio turned up full volume as they were messing about at the far end of the garden 25 yards away.
I went round and asked why they were inflicting this noise on local residents, the answer was "we're working".
Apart from the fact they don't seem to have laid a single brick in two days, I fail to see why so many of these clowns need a constant background of Radio 1 (or worse).
After my Mr Angry rant they turned it off, no doubt they'll be back tomorrow (and for weeks on end), suggestions welcome as to best course of action, short of 12-bore shotgun.
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Council, environmental dept, statutrory nuisance enforcement.
Or speak to the people who own the house, if possible. If they tell you to get stuffed, then point out to them that having complaints against them will be something they'd have to divulge to a future buyer, and might reduce the value of their home.
Then ask them if they still want you to get stuffed, or if they're going to do somethng about it.
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When my late brother lived in Winchmore Hill he always quipped how cheap it was to live there because you didn't need your own radio.
Those in power like a constant barrage of subtle propaganda in order to keep the proles from thinking their own dangerous independent thoughts, but really modern radio like its telly equivalent has reached an all time low, its utter dirge, with schoolgirl/boy soundalike presenters talking the same rubbish on almost every station, yes including radio 2 (state broadcaster brainwashing channel extraordinaire) which i can longer bear listening to...and don't get me started on the garbage that are radio adverts, each one i'm unfortunate enough to hear is banal enough for to make a mental note never to buy a single client's product as long as i live.
Edited by gordonbennet on 08/05/2016 at 21:57
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If you can hear it and they are playing the radio during their business operation,then they probably need one of these.www.ppluk.com/I-Play-Music/Businesses/Why-do-I-nee.../
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Thoroughly irritating and thoughtless!
Were the builders employed by a company or "working" independently?...if the former ( and you can politely find this out by asking the owner of the house)-then that could be the way forward.
Nevertheless-It is bad manners to undertake building/gardening/exterior decorating work without advising close neighbours that there could be noise and dispruption occuring.Suggest this is your line diplomatic approach.
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RobJP is right on the money. I had this problem at my previous house. Two doors along were having a garage built, although at the time I though it was a disco!!. I politely asked the builders to turn down the radio, which they did, then every so often it would increase again until back to square one. I told my neighbour of the nuisance and he seemed reluctant to tackle the issue. So I contacted the local authority environmental health and they came round to visit. The result, total silence for the duration of the building work. I don't know what was said to the builders, but it worked.
Cheers Concrete
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Whilst its a quite different environment working on a full-blown building site to doing some building work or painting on a domestic property, having a radio (or other device spewing out music or talk radio or TV at any volume) is now considered to be unsafe, given that it distracts the workers from the task at hand, which often involves them having to concentrate on doing the job properly and safely.
As such, radios are banned from building sites (including whether refurbishment work is taking place) for those reasons, as well as because they are often a nuciance to other people living and working in the vicinity. Needless to say, many contractors still ignore this and have to be frequently 'reminded' of their obligations on both fronts.
Many seem to still think they are, along with 'white van men' and 'highway contractors' (you know - the endless stretches of cones on the road with workmen 'in the van' and never doing any work, a law unto themselves as to their conduct when 'on the job', including days of tea breaks and discussing last night's footie match/drunken escapade, punctuated by occasional work.
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Well Andy, quite a swipe at contractors, I feel your pain! However to some extent I agree that small contractors doing general building and maintainance do present a problem and do tend to plough their own furrow, much to our general annoyance. Larger contractors however are a different animal altogether. The projects I worked on were all very large with hundreds of men on site on occasions. Correctly, radios, even small personal ones with earphones and mobile telephones were banned from site for the reason you mentioned. Nothing really to do with the noise pollution that the environmental health people are concerned with. In any event it all comes down to simple consideration for others and how they are affected by your actions. Cheers Concrete
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Well Andy, quite a swipe at contractors, I feel your pain! However to some extent I agree that small contractors doing general building and maintainance do present a problem and do tend to plough their own furrow, much to our general annoyance. Larger contractors however are a different animal altogether. The projects I worked on were all very large with hundreds of men on site on occasions. Correctly, radios, even small personal ones with earphones and mobile telephones were banned from site for the reason you mentioned. Nothing really to do with the noise pollution that the environmental health people are concerned with. In any event it all comes down to simple consideration for others and how they are affected by your actions. Cheers Concrete
Saying that (i.e. on commercial projects the ban on radios etc not being about noise pollution), quite often the site being worked on is an active building (i.e. an extension or refurbishment of part of a building/complex) and thus occupants (staff members, clients/customers, school/univeristy pupils, residents and patients) do not appreciate loud music or talk radio and 'banter' throughout the day.
As such, other than for safety reasons, music and banter (amongst other 'coa***' behaviour) is banned and quite often opertaives (and sometimes entire contractor firms) are thrown off sites for sever or multiple breaches. To be honest, it can also 'distract' operatives (whether on a proper commercial or domestic project) from actually doing their work as well. Some very well-known sites (including a very famous one in central London) are known to be very strict about such things.
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Couldn't agree more Andy. On a huge hospital complex site I worked on, a worker was crushed by a mobile crane driving into him. He had strayed off the marked pathway and could not hear the crane or any warnings because he had sneaked onto site and was listening to his personal stereo through tiny earplugs. The price of being a music lover eh! Cheers Concrete
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II think you might have watched a few too many episodes of 'Rogue Traders'.
I work on building sites every day. From multi million pound projects down to an hours work in someone's home. Whilst these characters still exist, they are a dying breed. A site is generally a very professional environment these days. I find your ridiculously sweeping generalisation quite offensive
As for radios, I really dont see the problem, as long as they're used sensibly. Once again it's a case of HSE forcing a blanket ban on the industry because it's easier than looking at individual sites (or even classifying sites), and judging each on merit.
It's also worth noting that a radio on site has a massive impact on morale, which as a result has an impact on productivity and (in my opinion) operatives general wellbeing.
Edited by Dan Groves on 11/01/2018 at 12:13
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I am sorry you are offended Dan. I thought most of the points made were quite specific and not generalised nor sweeping. HSE had little to do with the H & S policy on site. The HSE guidlines are always considered but it is the main contractor who sets the H & S policy. If they perceive radios, personal stereo/earplugs as a potential danger, particularly with mobile plant around the site, then they decide the policy for that site. Similarly mobiles were not allowed on many sites because of the potential for distraction. Communication on site was via Walkie-Talkie radio. Also on most large sites I worked on, random drug and alcohol testing were common. Some felt it was an intrusion on their personal freedom but most were supportive. Especially if you considered some men were operating potentially dangerous equipment, so I would rather they were sober and fully compus mentus. HSE gone mad or common sense??
I agree that if people are working in a small commercial or domestic environment then some music often helps the day go by. It is all a matter of degree and someone has to decide if it's appropriate or not. I have been in that position and take each case on its merits. On smaller jobs I had no objection to a more relaxed approach, but on large sites a controlled approach was always the safer option. You can make systems foolproof, until you get a clever fool!!!
Cheers Concrete
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Sorry, I don't think it was your post I meant to reply to! I'm new here! Drugs and alcohol testing I'm fine with. I'm generally ok with anything that makes sense and improves things on site. Im so happy with the view (Not yours it would seem!) that we're all lazy, obnoxious drunkards!
I guess I'd just like common sense to return really!
Apologies for the confusion!
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This is obviously subjective. In my younger days I did some disc jockeying and was happy in noise. Now I can't stand it ! I appreciate that radio can make work more enjoyable for some people. Happy people usually do better work. Yes, I believe work should feel enjoyable and worthwhile.
As said common sense is needed. If we could all be more considerate of each then society would be much improved.
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You are right Dan. Some people outside the industry do percieve the average site operative in the way you decribed. So far from the truth in my, quite considerable, experience. As Scot says it is down to common sense. Where it gets everyones goat, is when there appears to be no rational thought or reason for a rule to be applied. This then, just like bad law, brings all rules into question. Glad we got that straightened out.
Cheers Concrete
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I work on building sites every day. From multi million pound projects down to an hours work in someone's home. Whilst these characters still exist, they are a dying breed. A site is generally a very professional environment these days. I find your ridiculously sweeping generalisation quite offensive
As for radios, I really dont see the problem, as long as they're used sensibly. Once again it's a case of HSE forcing a blanket ban on the industry because it's easier than looking at individual sites (or even classifying sites), and judging each on merit.
Edited by Avant on 28/01/2019 at 09:35
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You say ‘As for radios, I don’t see the problem as long as they’re used sensibly’.
I must ask...how does one ‘use’ a radio ‘sensibly’? Is there a criteria on a building site that governs that a radio be used ‘sensibly’? I can not phantom the logic behind your statement. Please explain because radios are used for entertainment and as well as information.
Also a post on this forum stated that radios on a building site help ‘boost morale’. It really should be the ‘pay cheque’ at the end of the week or at the end of the project that is the catalyst for the ‘morale booster’, after all, that is the reason one works, it’s for a wage, it’s not to listen to loud music from a radio during one’s building construction employment. Is it that ‘money’ is not enough of a motivator to pay sole attention to one’s work, applying the skills and completing an immaculate job to be proud of...along with the paycheque of course.
‘Impact on productivity’ should be doing your job because that is what you have been commissioned to do. That alone would definitely have an impact on productivity. Builders and construction workers, if they have to be cuddled by a radio, should find another line of work.
Edited by Tammy Wilkinson on 23/01/2021 at 11:03
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Money is not a motivator, it's a hygiene factor. Not obvious, but in my opinion true.
If it was a motivator, the people who overcharge would work harder.
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Hi I have been reading all the messages with regards to radio's not allowed on sites but does that include a private site ? As I have a builder about 50-75 yards away building a bungalow and I have my double glazed windows shut and I can still hear his radio which he has sitting in the middle of the plot basically. You can't ask him to turn it down as he is the most rude and arrogant man I have come across. So my question is: Is he aloud a radio on site or not? if not who do I contact? If yes he can who do I contact with regards to noise? Thank you in advance for any help as this is my first time on here so not sure if I've got it right
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Your first port of call is the local council.
There's nothing illegal about playing a radio, but if it's causing a nuisance because it's too loud you can complain.
Start here: www.gov.uk/report-noise-pollution-to-council
Edited by FP on 24/02/2021 at 15:53
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If it's a privately owned (non-council) housing development, there may well be 'rules of the estate' in the properties' lease agreements/TP1s on the subject. Unfortunately, enforcement is often difficult and time-consuming, involving letters, etc.
If the offending property is a buy-to-let managed by a letting agent, then the OP could try them, but often they aren't willing to do much as it can jepodise the working relationship with their client. Going direct to the owner (even if they manage it themselves) can be just as tricky.
They could always try and get other neighbours to voice their concerns. Having a united front across several neighbours can sometimes turn the tide and avoid any unpleasantness/legal issues.
Speaking from personal experience of noisy neighbours, sometimes the above works, sometimes it doesn't. Often just luck if it works.
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