ERNIE THE CRANE BOOKLET

Jarvis, a  Harpenden based construction company, has produced a mini booklet for schools, warning children about the dangers of building sites. The star character is Ernie the Crane (pictured), named after flamboyant entrepreneur Ernest Jarvis, who founded Jarvis in 1905. It is also a reference to the giant Jarvis crane, towering over Harpenden High Street, which is part of Jarvis Homes’ exclusive £15m Foresters development.

The Ernie the Crane booklet is written in an accessible way, with a fun quiz, and is freely available to children at primary in the Hertfordshire area. Dozens of children every year are injured on building sites. According to the latest statistics from the Health and Safety Executive, one child died and 25 were injured on building sites in Britain in 2008/09.

Steve Cook, Managing Director of Jarvis Contracting, said: “A large proportion of our work is in the education sector for clients including St George’s and Sir John Lawes in Harpenden. Despite all the safety measures that responsible companies like us put in place, some children will try and enter locked, secured building sites. We decided to produce this booklet to raise awareness of the fact that building sites aren’t playgrounds. For example, it might seem fun to throw cement around, but it can cause serious burns to the skin.”

Schools wishing to obtain copies of Ernie the Crane should contact Jeffrey Hollis, Director of Marketing at Jarvis, on 01582 711788. Jeffrey would be happy to visit local schools to discuss the booklet with the children.