The desire for online fame will lead to a demolition site death; it’s just a matter of time.
It is just a few weeks since we warned demolition contractors to be aware of a growing trend among YouTube and Instagram fanatics that were actively trespassing on UK construction sites in order to secure that one great shot and – in turn – their shot at Internet fame and notoriety.
Well, with all the predictability of another misogynistic outburst from Donald Trump, it seems that this trend has now jumped the gap and found its way into the demolition arena. In fact, although we only aired a video showing an incursion onto a gas holder yesterday, it seems that this is a trend that has already taken hold. We have had calls from several demolition contractors that have experienced similar trespasses onto their sites; and we have also heard from two hoarding and security fence suppliers that have seen an upturn in demand for taller perimeter protection schemes to combat this very issue.
But that is not enough. Unfortunately, Internet fame is a monster that requires constant feeding with ever more extreme content. If a “YouTuber” films himself atop a 100 metre structure, you just know that another YouTuber will accept the perceived challenge and seek out a 150 metre structure from which to dangle, video camera in hand.
Make no mistake. This race has but one final destination and that’s the graveyard. Sooner or later, one of these “vloggers” will seek out a thrill too far. The death of a YouTuber on a demolition site is almost inevitable.
And in this respect, the demolition fraternity finds itself between a rock and a hard place. Yes, contractors can (and perhaps should) invest in ever higher site hoardings, movement-sensitive site security systems and round-the-clock surveillance. But all of that comes at a cost and clients are notoriously reluctant to invest in anything that does not provide a sizeable and immediate financial return.
The alternative, however, is even more unthinkable. Imagine arriving for work on a Monday morning (these incursions tend to favour weekend night-times) to find the remains of a young person whose desire for fleeting cyber fame tragically outweighed their innate instinct for survival.
There is a third way, however. Someone needs to prosecute one of these trespassers to act as a deterrent for the wider YouTube community. In fact, it is amazing that this hasn’t happened already.
We live in an age in which the Health and Safety Executive can bring a successful prosecution against a construction or demolition company using sketchy video evidence captured by a “concerned neighbour” on a mobile phone. The YouTubers scaling buildings under demolition are using expensive and sophisticated camera equipment. They are not only producing evidence against themselves, they are doing so in high definition!
And yet, when confronted with a youth with a video camera, contractors are seemingly shying away from taking legal action. Which is strange. I have tried blagging my way onto demolition sites in the past and, if anything, the presence of a video camera has only increased the likelihood of me being forcibly ejected.
The industry needs to make a stand. No-one wants the death of an over-keen YouTuber on their conscience. And, given the litigious nature of society these days, it is highly likely that someone would find a way to blame such a death on the shortcomings in a demolition company’s security procedures.
If you catch one of these certifiable lunatics, you MUST seek a prosecution. You might just save their life.
