Heathrow Airports Holdings Ltd has begun the tendering process for work on its £17.6bn third runway, despite the government having not yet given the project the green light. The airport has called for expressions of interest from firms in four areas of work ahead of main construction getting under way.
Construction unions have claimed victory in their long-running industrial dispute at the Sellafield nuclear plant after subcontractors agreed to install a full-time health and safety convener on the site. The deal was secured after meetings between union officials and the 14-strong group of Sellafield subcontractors earlier this week, with the
Prime minister tells councils to produce Local Plans David Cameron has said councils must produce Local Plans for new homes in their area by 2017 or the government will intervene. The prime minister repeated his message from last week’s Conservative Party conference, saying he wanted a “national crusade” to get
The winners of the 2015 BIFM Awards have been revealed at this year’s ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel. Alan Russell, of Heathrow Terminal 5, has been crowned Facilities Manager of the Year for 2015. People Facilities Manager of the Year Winner: Alan Russell – London Heathrow Airport Ltd Highly
A national company specialising in products and services to rural communities was fined after a worker was injured in a woodworking machinery incident. Salisbury Magistrates’ Court heard how on 3 September 2014, a worker’s hand came into contact with the blade of a rotating circular saw, at the Amesbury premises
Purplex, the full service window industry marketing agency, has appointed Mike Pickering to head up the company’s new London office. With a background that includes construction and property, Mike joins Purplex from a leading London digital marketing agency. He was also part of the marketing team at Regus PLC, the
It’s no secret that workers in the construction industry risk damaging their hearing if they don’t use adequate protection. A wide number of tools used regularly by workers are of sufficient volume to cause damage, including (but not limited to) 40 ton presses, bench grinders, CNC punch presses, rubber granulators
One of the world’s most innovative opera companies with an international reputation for distinctive and highly theatrical productions, the English National Opera (ENO) is based at the London Coliseum, a Grade II listed building. The Coliseum is a prestigious landmark and has 2,359 seats – the largest theatre audience in
Heathrow Airports Holdings Ltd has begun the tendering process for work on its £17.6bn third runway, despite the government having not yet given the project the green light. The airport has called for expressions of interest from firms in four areas of work ahead of main construction getting under way. These are programme management, information management, construction advice, and design and technical advice. Interested firms have until Friday (16 October) to respond, after which Heathrow will compile a shortlist and invite these companies to tender in November. A decision on preferred bidders is expected to be made in the early part of 2016. The news comes a week after transport secretary Patrick McLoughlin announced that the government would make a decision on Heathrow expansion before the end of the year. Speaking at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester last week, Mr McLoughlin said: “People have strong views, rightly, but Sir Howard Davies’ commission has produced a powerful report. And we will respond by the end of the year.” Be in the room with McLoughlin The transport secretary will be among the speakers at this year’s Construction News Summit on 3-4 Nov – book now to get in the room with leading infrastructure figures. In July, the Airports Commission recommended Heathrow ahead of Gatwick as the preferred location for airport expansion in the South-east. The decision was met with strong opposition from some politicians as well as Gatwick Airport, which has questioned Sir Howard’s recommendation on the grounds of air pollution and “complexities in construction” not being fully considered. It is understood that the decision to begin tendering early has been taken so that Heathrow’s supply chain is ready to begin work as soon as a decision is made by the government. In July, Heathrow chief executive John Holland-Kaye announced that the airport would begin tendering for work in December. Speaking at a London First event on airport expansion, Mr Holland-Kaye said: “From the supply chain point of view, we will have a conference in September to outline our plans to the industry and we will be going out to tender probably December or January to get the supply chain ready.” He added: “We need an early decision from the government and an early vote in parliament to cement that decision.” Currently, Heathrow is aiming to have spades in the ground by 2020 with a completion set for 2025.
Construction unions have claimed victory in their long-running industrial dispute at the Sellafield nuclear plant after subcontractors agreed to install a full-time health and safety convener on the site. The deal was secured after meetings between union officials and the 14-strong group of Sellafield subcontractors earlier this week, with the unions now confirming a “full withdrawal of all industrial action”. The new convener will investigate workers’ welfare and health and safety issues, as well as acting as a link between the unions and subcontractors. The deal will also see the formation of a health and safety committee spanning all Sellafield subcontractors. The subcontractors include Cape Industrial Services, Focus Scaffolding, Hertel UK, Interserve Industrial Services, Jacobs Stobbarts, Meldrum, Mitie Facilities Services and PPS Electrical. Amec Foster Wheeler, Balfour Beatty Engineering Construction Services, Doosan Babcock, Nuvia, MW Hargreaves and PC Richardson & Co make up the remaining subcontractors. The agreement comes after nearly six months of action by union members who had raised health and safety concerns. This has led to more than 16,000 hours of work being lost at the site. On 5 August, more than 1,200 workers stopped working for two-and-a-half hours in protest at the absence of a full-time convener. This was followed by a second strike on the 19 August, which saw more than 1,000 workers walk out for two-and-a-half hours. Four more strikes followed in September, including a 24-hour walkout on 23 September. A work-to-rule and overtime ban was also put in place by the unions on 31 July. Unite senior shop steward at Sellafield Ryan Armstrong says: “Common sense has prevailed, unions are there to help and support their workers and this news means the workers have a voice now. “Now that we have an individual and group that will be investigating any problems with health and safety and workers’ welfare, it means we have a channel now to the subcontractors’ representatives. “We have achieved the two main things we were going for and this can only help the site going forward – it will nip problems in the bud at source.” Unite regional secretary for the North-west Mick Whitley said: “A healthy workplace is a more productive workplace. “The creation of a new senior shop steward on maximum facility time at Sellafield will help make the site safer, reduce accidents and enable workforce issues to be dealt with speedily.” A Sellafield Ltd spokeswoman explained “We welcome the fact that the contracting companies and their employees involved in this dispute have reached an agreement, and can now focus on delivering progress at the site. “Sellafield Ltd and our employees are not directly involved in the dispute, which is in no way related to the safety of the Sellafield site. The dispute concerned the nature of union representation for the contractor community.” The NAECI Sellafield contractor group would not comment on the news.
Prime minister tells councils to produce Local Plans David Cameron has said councils must produce Local Plans for new homes in their area by 2017 or the government will intervene. The prime minister repeated his message from last week’s Conservative Party conference, saying he wanted a “national crusade” to get homes built. “Councils have a key role to play in this by drawing up their own Local Plans for new homes by 2017, but if they fail to act we’ll work with local people to produce a plan for them,” he added. Mr Cameron was speaking ahead of the publication of the Housing Bill, which will set out how the government will meet its ambition of building one million homes by 2020. The bill will also place a new legal duty on councils to guarantee the delivery of the government’s so-called ‘starter homes’ initiative for first-time buyers under the age of 40. Local authorities will also be able to bid for a share of a £10m Starter Homes fund – part of a £36m package to accelerate the delivery of the initiative, helping councils prepare otherwise unused brownfield sites for starter homes. Further measures expected to be outlined in the bill include granting automatic planning permissions in principle on brownfield sites and the extension of the office-to-residential permitted development rights, which allows teh conversion of disused offices into homes without applying for planning permission. British Property Federation chief executive Melanie Leech said the government was being “fairly punchy” with its reforms, adding that its changes to local plans were “potentially game-changing”. But she added: “There are two things that government must not forget in its headlong pursuit of creating new homes, however. “One is that homes for owner-occupation are not the only option. “The build-to-rent sector has the potential to deliver a huge number of additional homes and to drive up standards in the rental sector, and must not be disregarded in favour of homes for sale – there is room for both.” The government has also set up a new website, which lays out the different schemes available for people looking to buy a property.
The winners of the 2015 BIFM Awards have been revealed at this year’s ceremony at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel. Alan Russell, of Heathrow Terminal 5, has been crowned Facilities Manager of the Year for 2015. People Facilities Manager of the Year Winner: Alan Russell – London Heathrow Airport Ltd Highly commended: Diane Thorpe – Hearst Magazines UK FM Team of the Year Winner: Carillion plc – Nationwide & Carillion Highly commended: JLL EIMEA Learning and Career Development Winner: McFarlane Telfer Highly commended: Mitie Client Services Highly commended: London Heathrow Airport Ltd – Learning and Development from School to Retirement Rising Talent in Facilities Management Winner: Tanya Horscroft – Capita Highly commended: Andy John – Amey Lifetime Achievement Award Winner: Martin Pickard Impact Brand Impact Winner: Sodexo – Sodexo Brand Ambassador Programme Highly commended: intu Retail Services – How intu Took Flight Brand on Customer Experience Winner: Heathrow Airport Limited – Terminal 2 Engineering and Facilities Highly commended: Carillion – The Customer Experience Centre Highly commended: King’s College London – Fit for King’s Impact on Sustainability Winner: The NEC – Leading Change in the Exhibitions Industry Highly commended: British Land and Broadgate Estates – Energy Reductions and Community Charter in London Highly commended: The Royal Bank of Scotland – Innovation and Partnerships for Business and Environment Impact on the Workplace Winner: Airbus UK – Future Filton Highly commended: Halfords Ltd – Drive to Engage Societal Impact Winner: Cofely & North East Lincolnshire Council – North East Lincolnshire Partnership Highly commended: Robertson Facilities Management – Robertson Communities Innovation Innovation in Technology and Systems Winner: NG Bailey – Giving Morrisons a Rare Energy Solution Highly commended: Cofely Ltd – Uncovering Sustainable & Innovative Technologies New Product or Service of the Year Winner: Skanska – Skanska Health & Care Waste Solution
A national company specialising in products and services to rural communities was fined after a worker was injured in a woodworking machinery incident. Salisbury Magistrates’ Court heard how on 3 September 2014, a worker’s hand came into contact with the blade of a rotating circular saw, at the Amesbury premises of Countrywide Farmers PLC (CWF).The incident caused serious injury to two fingers on his left hand which resulted in amputation. Countrywide Farmers PLC, of Asparagus Way, Vale Park, Evesham, Worcestershire, was fined a total of £30,000, and ordered to pay £5,157 in costs after pleading guilty to offences under Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Speaking after the hearing Health and Safety Executive inspector Andy Shaw said: “This incident and the disfiguring injury that it caused resulted from basic failings in the appreciation and control of a well-known hazardous operation. ”Necessary guidance and physical means to carry out the work safely were both readily and cheaply available, and the firm should have provided both. Had the person in control been well informed and provided with competent supporting advice, this incident would not have happened.” For more information about unguarded machinery visit the website at http://www.hse.gov.uk/toolbox/machinery/safety.htm
Purplex, the full service window industry marketing agency, has appointed Mike Pickering to head up the company’s new London office. With a background that includes construction and property, Mike joins Purplex from a leading London digital marketing agency. He was also part of the marketing team at Regus PLC, the £1.6billion property company that operates 2,300 business centres in 106 countries. “I am delighted to join Purplex at this very exciting time. The company is a true full-service agency with a sharp commercial edge that really benefits clients. I’ve watched Purplex grow over several years and help their clients dominate their respective markets, and it’s a real honour to head up their new London office.” Mike will be working closely with clients in the wider architectural, building products and construction industries, in both the trade and specification markets. Purplex Managing Director, Andrew Scott, said; “Our new London office will help us support national and international clients better and act as a springboard for further growth. Mike has worked both client and agency side and is an experienced Marketing Manager, operating at senior corporate level. He is also very hands on, and we are looking forward to building our new London team.” Purplex was established in 2004 and has a team of more than 40 experts in PR and media relations, branding and design, web development, online marketing, video and photography. The new London office is located on the Strand, next to Trafalgar Square. For more information contact Purplex on 0203 137 9319 or visit www.purplexmarketing.com
It’s no secret that workers in the construction industry risk damaging their hearing if they don’t use adequate protection. A wide number of tools used regularly by workers are of sufficient volume to cause damage, including (but not limited to) 40 ton presses, bench grinders, CNC punch presses, rubber granulators and sand burners, as well as many others. Online retailer Allearplugs.com have been campaigning hard to help raise awareness of the importance of hearing protection in sports, activities and industries where risk is at its highest, such as live performance, motorsports and swimming and – of course – construction. According to the latest surveys from the LFS, an estimated 18,000 people in the UK have reported suffering from some form of noise induced hearing loss that was either caused or made worse by work, with 120 new claims being made in 2013 alone. The figures in real terms are believed to be even higher, with nearly a quarter of a million workers suffering from some form of hearing problems as a result of noisy working environments, with tinnitus and industrial deafness the most reported: both, of course, are very relevant to the construction industry. The total figure for hearing loss in the UK is even more shocking, with around 10 million people currently suffering some form of hearing loss: a figure that’s expected to reach 14.5 million by 2031. What’s more in the USA, 48million people have reported some degree of hearing loss, and even more worryingly; 60% of the people with hearing loss are either in educational settings or in the work force. The NIDC (National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders) has also revealed that approximately 15% of those aged between 20 and 69 have high frequency hearing loss due to exposure to noise at work or during leisure activities. A new study, meanwhile, has found that the problems aren’t limited to just hearing loss. In the US, researchers at the University of Kentucky have found that long-term noise exposure could also increase the risks of heart disease, with the strongest links found in working-age people. Researchers looked at data on 5,223 participants in national health surveys taken, with all those surveyed aged between 20 and 69. Dr Wen Qi Gan said: “Compared with people with normal high-frequency hearing, people with bilateral high-frequency hearing loss were approximately two times more likely to have coronary heart disease.” Rob Doole, Managing Director for Allearplugs.com, said: “It’s vital that we raise awareness of noise induced hearing loss. Industrial machines are often loud enough to start causing permanent damage in less than a minute if no protection is in place. #Saveyourhearing has been created to try and make more people aware of just how easy it is to take steps in order to protect your hearing from industrial noise.” Since the introduction of the Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005, requirements are in place that employers and employees should follow in order to reduce exposure. Employers are currently required to: Assess the risks to employees from noise at work Take action in order to reduce the noise exposure producing the risks Provide employees with protection if noise reduction is impossible Ensure the legal limits of noise exposure aren’t exceeded Provide employees with information, instructions and training Carrying out health surveillance where there is a risk to health To help raise awareness of the campaign high profiled bands, motor racing champions and a vast array of publications have been using the hashtag #Saveyourhearing on social media, allowing the message to be seen by more than 3.7million people. www.allearplugs.com
One of the world’s most innovative opera companies with an international reputation for distinctive and highly theatrical productions, the English National Opera (ENO) is based at the London Coliseum, a Grade II listed building. The Coliseum is a prestigious landmark and has 2,359 seats – the largest theatre audience in London. The ENO undertook a significant four-year restoration programme in 2004, supported by English Heritage, and more recently an extensive fire detection and alarm system upgrade to the latest Siemens Sinteso technology. Siemens has maintained the fire detection and alarm system at the Coliseum for a number of years. ENO Maintenance Supervisor Trevor Barnard worked closely with Siemens on the project and explains some of the challenges the team faced. “The theatre is a prestigious and irreplaceable historical building. Its shape, size and height means that many areas can be extremely difficult to access, particularly around the stage and thorough risk assessments had to be undertaken to ensure safe working practices during installation. “We have to take particular care with all furnishings and fittings as well as the delicate fabrics near the staging area. The theatre has extremely high level ceilings which means testing of fire detectors has to be carried out using special long poles. “A major challenge for us is that all work has to be undertaken within a two week period in August, when the theatre has a yearly maintenance window and there are no staged performances. This is the time period when all operational works are undertaken. Careful programme planning is required to work around multiple trades and suppliers operating on site at the same time.” Siemens has provided long-term support and maintenance of the ENO fire safety system for a number of years, which stood them in good stead during the fire detection upgrade. Their detailed knowledge and clear understanding of the building itself, the logistics and the needs of the organisation resulted in the ENO being offered a phased migration plan. There were two main benefits of this decision, firstly to meet and work to an agreed annual budget figure, and secondly to provide the confidence that operational milestones would be met. Trevor continues: “Siemens worked with us in a unique way and it was very much a team effort. They completely understood the importance of the two-week completion date, the parameters that they had to operate within and the implications of non-performance on delivery. Siemens invested considerable time in pre-planning the logistics of the migration, for example, carrying out detailed surveys of the Coliseum prior to project delivery. I was impressed by Siemens’ meticulousness planning, resulting in minimum disruption and seamless implementation.” Trevor explains: “The old system had twice as many loops as the new. Eight years ago I visited every single head and call point. I know the location of each and every one. As part of introducing a new numbering system, Siemens had to undertake this labour intensive job, visiting each new detector head and labelling accordingly. Each new detector has a unique address number, with over sixty devices on just one loop. This means that once the upgrade is completed Siemens will ensure all new detectors are re-labelled with their new address, all fire safety plans will be updated and the Computer Aided Design drawings of the building re-issued to reflect the migration process.” During some performances the ENO uses ‘theatrical smoke’ and pyrotechnics. As the fire detectors are normally constantly monitoring heat and smoke, the system mitigates theatrical smoke by switching to ‘heat only’ measurement during a performance. The Siemens unique Sinteso fire detection system features advanced intelligence which delivers the highest level of protection against all types of fire hazards. Each detector is configured with a unique set of parameters for each location, enabling the system to differentiate between false fire phenomena, such as steam or cooking fumes, and a real indicator of fire. Its built-in intelligence means it can offer fast identification and early warning of fire; the system is constantly alert, evaluating each situation minute by minute and taking decisions on complex criteria to ensure a safe environment Trevor concludes: “In summary, migration for ENO to the latest Siemens fire detection technology is being achieved with the minimum of disruption and expense. It enables us to improve the performance of our fire safety equipment, with the major benefit of retaining elements of our existing infrastructure, as all Siemens technology has backward compatibility. The reliability of the hardware and unique intelligent signal processing means zero unwanted alarms, now and in the future.”
