It's a fact of life - building sites are attractive to children.

With strange and exciting equipment, with so many different materials and substances, with structures to climb on, and with lots of nooks and crannies, it is no surprise that they are a magnet to youngsters who are after adventure and excitement.

But they are not playgrounds. Building sites are dangerous places for children and they must not venture on to them.

As well as getting that message across to children, construction companies must appreciate that building sites need to be secure to prevent trespass. The law is clear - construction companies need to ensure safety and must prevent unauthorised access to their sites.

A recent case taken by the Health and Safety Executive led to fines of £40,000 each against a house building company and a civil engineering company following a tragedy involving a nine-year-old boy, who was crushed to death at a site close to his home.

Parents, teachers and youth leaders also have a crucial role informing children about the dangers of building work, and urging them always to stay well away.

This important message is particularly important during the summer months with the lighter evenings, and even more so during school holidays.

Where sites are located near areas in which children congregate, for example, close to schools, housing estates, play areas and sporting venues, builders should liaise with headteachers, tenants associations.

They should discuss ways in which the youngsters can be warned of the dangers and also be discouraged from trespassing.

And remember that these risks are not confined to construction work.

Danger to children exists in quarries, railways, factory yards, electricity substations, water and sewage works - and the advice to keep away from them is the same