A major frozen food manufacturer based in Whittlesey, near Peterborough, has been fined £800,000 for safety failings after an employee nearly lost his arm. Peterborough Crown Court heard how a 34-year-old employee was attempting to check the condition of the head roller on a bypass conveyor. While doing this his arm became
Highways England has selected Amey for a £423m highway maintenance contract in the East Midlands. The region, called Area 7 in Highways England jargon, is the first to return to a more traditional contract model, where the client takes more responsibility for managing its contractors rather than outsourcing everything to
Willmott Dixon is claiming the title of the first contractor to achieve company-wide BRE Global BIM Level 2 Certification. Willmott Dixon’s certification applies across all its construction, residential and interiors activities. Its aim is to have BIM expertise in every office rather than a central team for the group to
Invisible Connections has been chosen as one of the companies shortlisted for this year’s British Construction Industry Awards. The company is the primary supplier and manufacturer of ‘invisible’ connections for precast beam construction and precast staircase construction and has been chosen to be one of the contenders in the category
Nationwide says it is looking at ways for parents to pass their wealth on to their children. The lender reported that it intends to remodel its mortgage plans and go into the equity release market, while it also wants to aid homeowners in unlocking wealth that is stuck in their
Former Labour Transport Minister Lord Adonis has been named chair of the Crossrail 2 project. Adonis is already chair of the National Infrastructure Commission and will use his knowledge and reputation to make the £32 billion project a reality. Previously known as the Chelsea-Hackney line, Crossrail 2 plans to tunnel
Commercial organisations are increasingly demanding domestic-style furniture in the workplace, according to speeches given at Clerkenwell Design Week. Dutch furniture manufacturer Arco’s Creative Director, Jorre Van Ast, spoke at length on the subject of workplace domestication as part of a design week panel. Van Ast said that due to a
Contractor Forrest is to start work its third Manchester development, M-One Central. The Factory Estates development will see the construction of a block of flats in the heart of the city, costing around £12.6 million. The 12 storey project, designed by architect IDP Group, will be built on Great Ancoats
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is welcoming nominations for the Annie Spink Award of inspiring teaching. The award recognises outstanding contributions to architectural education and is financed by the Annie Spink Trust Fund, passed on to the institute by architect Herbert Spink in 1974. The award honours the
A major frozen food manufacturer based in Whittlesey, near Peterborough, has been fined £800,000 for safety failings after an employee nearly lost his arm. Peterborough Crown Court heard how a 34-year-old employee was attempting to check the condition of the head roller on a bypass conveyor. While doing this his arm became entangled in the machinery and his arm was almost severed. Although his arm was saved, he now has limited movement in his hand. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident, which occurred on the 21 August 2014, found that the conveyor did not have the correct guards fitted. A risk assessment of the machine by the company failed to recognise the danger. McCain Foods (GB) Limited of Havers Hill, Eastfield Scarborough, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 11(1) of the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 and Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and was fined £800,000 with costs of £12,831.51. For further information on machinery safety visit: http://www.hse.gov.uk/work-equipment-machinery/ Notes to Editors: The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) is Britain’s national regulator for workplace health and safety. It aims to reduce work-related death, injury and ill health. It does so through research, information and advice, promoting training; new or revised regulations and codes of practice, and working with local authority partners by inspection, investigation and enforcement. www.hse.gov.uk More about the legislation referred to in this case can be found at: www.legislation.gov.uk/ and guidance at HSE news releases are available at http://press.hse.gov.uk Journalists should approach HSE press office with any queries on regional press releases. Source link
Highways England has selected Amey for a £423m highway maintenance contract in the East Midlands. The region, called Area 7 in Highways England jargon, is the first to return to a more traditional contract model, where the client takes more responsibility for managing its contractors rather than outsourcing everything to an agent. Area 7 was previously looked after by managing agent contractor Aone+, a joint venture of Halcrow, Colas and Costain. Highways England said that the bids were evaluated 80% on quality and only 20% on price. However, Amey’s price was substantially under the £500m estimate in the contract notice last autumn. As previously reported, Highways England’s predecessor body, the Hiwgahys Agency, scrapped its procurement process for an asset support contractor in Area 7 last year and made the switch to the new procurement model. [See our previous report here.] This article was published on 21 Mar 2016 (last updated on 21 Mar 2016). Source link
Willmott Dixon is claiming the title of the first contractor to achieve company-wide BRE Global BIM Level 2 Certification. Willmott Dixon’s certification applies across all its construction, residential and interiors activities. Its aim is to have BIM expertise in every office rather than a central team for the group to call on. The company is increasingly relying on building information modelling (BIM) for projects, including the National Space Technology Centre in Oxford and three secondary schools in Liverpool, a new home for the Met Office’s supercomputer in Exeter and national colleges for High Speed Rail in Birmingham and Doncaster. Garry Fannon, head of BIM for Willmott Dixon’s construction business, said: “BIM provides huge benefits that enable all teams to work better throughout the construction process to achieve the high quality finish we expect. Being a recognised provider of BIM Level 2 means we are also well positioned to meet the government mandate for BIM use on public funded projects.” He said: “While we don’t mandate BIM level 2 as it requires total buy in and input from our customer and their team, we do advocate it as a better way of achieving certainty of outcome.” Richard Kelsey, head of BIM at Willmott Partnership Homes, said: “It’s a huge milestone to be the first residential construction company to achieve Level 2. BIM level 2 allows us to offer robust design, control risk and offer the client the information they require to make further savings in managing the FM process.” Willmott Dixon Interiors BIM manager Amador Caballero adds: “Implementing BIM on fit-out projects is now a viable objective for clients and with our skill-set at Interiors, the challenge is no longer as great as it used to be.” This article was published on 27 May 2016 (last updated on 27 May 2016). Source link
Invisible Connections has been chosen as one of the companies shortlisted for this year’s British Construction Industry Awards. The company is the primary supplier and manufacturer of ‘invisible’ connections for precast beam construction and precast staircase construction and has been chosen to be one of the contenders in the category for the Product Design Innovation Award. For the initial judging stage, the company submitted an innovation project called ‘Telescopic connection system for achieving robustness in precast concrete stair-landing installations’. Having been named on the shortlist, the nominees are to present their innovations to the judges, with visits to the different sites taking place prior to the ceremony. The judging panel is made up of 33 construction experts, consisting of prominent engineers, architects, contractors and clients in the country. Finalists will be presenting their projects in person to the panel. Among the judging panel are Rab Bennetts, who is the founding director of Bennetts Associates and Katrina Dowling, Skanska managing director. Mark Hansford, editor of New Civil Engineer, said that this years list of nominees demonstrates the breadth and depth of quality in the British construction industry. He added that the judging panel are looking forward to choosing their winners at October’s awards dinner and that the panel will be looking at how the projects have made an impact on communities. Managing Director of Invisible Connections, Derek Brown, said that the company is thrilled to be chosen as a contender for the award and that their industrious team have put forward an innovate product. The glamorous awards ceremony will take place at London’s Grosvenor House Hotel, with more than 1,300 elite members of the construction industry coming as one for a memorable night of celebration, networking and entertainment. Further information about the awards and a full shortlist of finalists can be seen at: bci.newcivilengineer.com
Nationwide says it is looking at ways for parents to pass their wealth on to their children. The lender reported that it intends to remodel its mortgage plans and go into the equity release market, while it also wants to aid homeowners in unlocking wealth that is stuck in their property. The Times says that the company is developing an access charge-free equity release product with no negative equity guarantee. Group Retail Director, Chris Rhodes, said that the group is looking at how to ensure parents wealth is passed on to their children, however he admitted that such a product is not due to be launched in the immediate future. He added that they were working hard to find a solution to the problem, of which there is a definite customer need, and that they were still in the development and research phase. Technical Director at Key Retirement, Dean Mirfin, said that he welcomed Nationwide’s acknowledgement of the growing role of parents and grandparents in ensuring that their children and grandchildren are able to make their way onto the property ladder, one of the most popular uses of equity release. Meanwhile, Retirement Advantage’s Product and Communications Manager, Alice Watson commented that Nationwide is correct in stating the importance of developing safe and secure products. However, she said that there are already a range of products in the equity release market that offer comfort, safety and flexibility to customers. She added that many people’s conception of the equity release industry is outdated, often from over a decade ago, and are sceptical about its viability for today’s retirees. She said that, conversely to this opinion, it is an industry that has matured and grown at a very fast rate. She concluded by saying that the equity release market is a well planned and proactive choice of income for over-55s across the UK and that it should no longer be regarded as a ‘last resort’.
Former Labour Transport Minister Lord Adonis has been named chair of the Crossrail 2 project. Adonis is already chair of the National Infrastructure Commission and will use his knowledge and reputation to make the £32 billion project a reality. Previously known as the Chelsea-Hackney line, Crossrail 2 plans to tunnel beneath London between Tottenham Hale and Wimbledon with the goal of improving connections for outer London commuters. In the same way as Crossrail 1, which is now almost complete, the new project will tie the London Transport network in with the national Network Rail system. Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London who is now responsible for Transport for London, put forward the suggestion of appointing Lord Adonis and was supported by the Treasury and the government Department for Transport. Speaking about his appointment, Lord Andrew Adonis said that the Crossrail 2 scheme is vitally important and without it London will not run properly. He said that the challenge of the overcrowded transport network is the greatest challenge London faces alongside the housing crisis and that this project will play a part in tackling both of those issues. He continued by saying that he is very pleased to be chair of the project and that he looks forward to making it happen, while remaining involved with the National Infrastructure Commission. Meanwhile, Khan emphasised the importance of long-term transport infrastructure as London continues to grow and as such he is pleased to have Lord Adonis at the forefront of this major project. He said that Adonis will ensure Crossrail 2 is delivered sooner rather than later and that his experience will prove vital in getting the project in motion. The Civil Engineering Contractors Association also backed Lord Adonis’ appointment, labelling him an ‘outstanding choice’ that shows collaboration between the Mayor of London and the Government in ensuring delivery of the scheme as soon as possible.
Commercial organisations are increasingly demanding domestic-style furniture in the workplace, according to speeches given at Clerkenwell Design Week. Dutch furniture manufacturer Arco’s Creative Director, Jorre Van Ast, spoke at length on the subject of workplace domestication as part of a design week panel. Van Ast said that due to a rising demand from commercial companies to have domestic-style furniture, his family-run business have ventured into the commercial sector over the last few years. He revealed that his company was recently successful in securing a sizeable contract to supply Apple with domestic-style furniture. He said that there is rapid growth in the area which now accounts for about half of Arco’s business and that his organisation now been split up into commercial contracts and domestic contracts having recognised the opportunity. The founder of design consultancy firm PearsonLloyd, Luke Pearson, was on the panel too and said that there is an increasing blend between office workspaces and homes. Pearson said that the trend is reflecting the cottage industry era, in which people’s homes were used as both living and work spaces. He added that there is no longer a need for everyone to work in one fixed space due to the wireless internet era. Pearson believes that the modern worker is less accepting of austere industrial landscapes compared to previous generations and that as a result, companies are meeting their requirements of their flexible new workforce. Also discussed by the panel at design week was the ever-growing number of female designers entering the profession of what was typically a male-orientated world of architecture and design. However, editor-in-chief of design journal Disegno, Johanna Agerman Ross, insisted that the industry should not be trying to ‘feminise’ the workplace. Rather, she argued that businesses should try to ‘humanitise’ the workplace and reject the binary view of masculine or feminine.
Contractor Forrest is to start work its third Manchester development, M-One Central. The Factory Estates development will see the construction of a block of flats in the heart of the city, costing around £12.6 million. The 12 storey project, designed by architect IDP Group, will be built on Great Ancoats Street and will boast 119 apartments. Construction is set to start this week and the building, which will be clad in oxidised metal panels so that it blends in with other structures in its surroundings, has a completion target of summer 2017. The M-One Central development is next in Forrest’s line of Manchester projects, having delivered both X1 The Plaza and X1 Eastbank. These two buildings are also housed on Great Ancoats Street and are privately rented sector (PRS) apartment blocks. Andrew Leaver, Associate Director at the IDP Group, said that the company are excited to be constructing another building at a time when the Manchester skyline is ever-changing. He said that the iconic red brick architecture found in the city is something to be celebrated and the M-One Central project is designed in a way that recognises the feel and look of the city. He added that the apartments will offer buyers an open-plan, modern flat in a dynamic area. Ted Macdougal, Development Director at Forrest, said that the demand for further residential developments is growing as more people make the choice to live in city centres such as Manchester. Mr Macdougal added that Forrest is in prime position to make the most of such opportunities thanks to its track record of managing similar high-rise projects. Meanwhile, Director at Factory Estates Ltd, Chris Bowman, said the company are excited to be working on the project in conjunction with Forrest, which he believes will be an outstanding addition to the latest phase of Manchester city centre residential schemes.
The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) is welcoming nominations for the Annie Spink Award of inspiring teaching. The award recognises outstanding contributions to architectural education and is financed by the Annie Spink Trust Fund, passed on to the institute by architect Herbert Spink in 1974. The award honours the development of architectural education is a long-standing tribute to Herbert’s late wife Annie. Over the years, winner of the award have included Elia Zenghelis, Dalibor Vesely, Peter Salter, Wolf Prix, Isi Metzstein, Andre MacMillan, Dean Hawkes, David Greene, Peter Cook, Nigel Coates and Florian Beigel. The Annie Spink Award is presented once every two years and can be given to any individual or group who teach a RIBA recognised course in either UK or international schools. To be nominated, teachers must show that they have contributed substantially to architectural education for many years, be engaged in the process of learning and show an involvement in architectural education development. Nominations are to be submitted by Thursday 15 September 2016 at 5pm. The winner will be presented with the Annie Spink trophy by RIBA President Jane Duncan and will also secure the prize fund of £10,000 on December 6 2016 at a London ceremony. The judging panel will be chaired by RIBA’s Director of Education, Professor David Gloster and will also feature RIBA Vice President of Education, Alan Jones who is also Queen’s University Belfast’s Director of Education Architecture. Also on the panel are: Zeno Bogdanescu (Professor of Architecture at Romania’s Ion Mincu University of Architecture and Urbanism), Susannah Hagan (Professor of Architecture at University of Westminster), Basmah Kaki (Director and tutor of Saudi Arabia’s Architectural Association Visiting School Jeddah; RIBA Bronze Medallist 2011) and Alan Penn (Dean of the Bartlett Faculty of the Built Environment (UCL); Professor in Architectural and Urban Computing).
