Alarm over building site pranks

A worker is shown struggling as his feet are set on fire

A West Yorkshire building firm has vowed to hunt down workers who filmed themselves performing dangerous stunts on a construction site.

Workers from NG Bailey were shown setting fire to each other, fighting with sticks and diving from a crane into a pile of cardboard boxes.

Safety chiefs joined the Ilkley-based firm in condemning the behaviour, saying it could have led to fatalities.

The mobile phone footage was posted on the YouTube website.

In one, a worker is shown wrapped in bubble wrap while a co-worker sets fire to his feet. In another, a man is battered with planks of wood by his workmates.

NG Bailey described the scenes as "utterly disgusting" and said it had high standards and a strict safety policy, which included a ban on the use of mobile phones on-site.

"Irresponsible and dangerous"

Anyone found breaching the safety rules would be dealt with fairly but firmly, the company said.

David Snowball, regional director for the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), branded the behaviour of the workers "irresponsible and dangerous".

He said: "Working in the construction industry is a high-risk occupation.

"These videos show and encourage irresponsible behaviour that could have gone seriously wrong and led to the death or injury of their friends and co-workers.

"Some of the behaviour shown is criminal assault, breaches of health and safety legislation and bullying behaviour."