The Explosives Regulations 2014 (Amendment) Regulations 2016 (ERAR2016) came into force in Great Britain (GB) on 20th April 2016 and implement the recast of the civil use explosives directive.  Equivalent requirements will come into force in Northern Ireland in due course. ERAR2016 amends and updates the requirements for making civil use explosives available on the EU market and must be read alongside the Explosives Regulations 2014 (ER2014). The civil use explosives directive is one of 9 directives that have been updated, or ‘recast’ as part of a package known as the new legislative framework (NLF). The NLF aims to improve market surveillance requirements across a range of products on the single market. The recast pyrotechnics directive has already been transposed into GB law through the Pyrotechnic Articles (Safety) Regulations 2015 . Some of the main changes between the requirements in ER 2014 and ERAR2016 include: Clearly defined legal duties for all economic operators (manufacturers (their authorised representatives), importers and distributors) involved in the supply chain. Clearly defined legal duties for Market Surveillance Authorities (MSAs), such as HSE, in terms of their cooperation with other member states. MSAs, such as HSE, can require corrective action to be taken by economic operators, or commensurate with any risk, can require economic operators to withdraw or recall conforming civil use explosives from the market. Civil use explosives placed on the market must now be accompanied by instructions and safety information, in a language which is easily understood by consumers and end-users. In the UK, this information must be in English. Record keeping duties have now been widened – manufacturers (their authorised representatives) and importers are required to keep a copy of the EU declaration of conformity and technical documentation, in a readable format, at the disposal of the MSA for 10 years. Explicitly brings commercial ‘own use’ of explosives within the scope of conformity assessment. Non-compliance is now explicitly considered as both administrative (i.e. no CE mark applied) and safety based. Makes accreditation the key route for Notified Bodies. The regulations are supported by a suite of overarching and subsector guidance. Further information Source link

Employers ‘to get 90% of apprentice funding’ Published:  19 August, 2016 The government has sought to dampen speculation about the future of funding for apprenticeships by publishing new proposals that would see £2.5 billion invested in apprenticeship training by 2020. Only employers with an annual wage bill of more than £3 million will pay into the Apprenticeship Levy, which is due to start next May. According to the Department for Education, this means that 98% of employers in England will not have to pay anything into the Levy, but will still receive 90% of the costs of training an apprentice from the government. Extra support worth up to £2,000 per trainee, will also be available for employers and training providers that take on 16- to 18-year-old apprentices or young care leavers. Employers with fewer than 50 employees will also have 100% of training costs paid for by the government if they take on these apprentices. “This will help to ensure every young person, regardless of background or ability, has the chance to make their first step into work,” the department stated. The government has also proposed to simplify the apprentice system by creating 15 funding bands – ranging from £1,500 to £27,000 – to reflect the different costs of training in the various industry sectors. All existing and new apprenticeship frameworks and standards will be placed within one of these funding bands, but employers will then be expected to negotiate with training providers to secure the best price. Tony Howard, director of training at the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), welcomed the proposals, but called for greater urgency. “We applaud the potential 90% government funding and the uplifting of STEM subject areas by 40% for Level 2 apprentices and 80% for level 3 apprentices,” he said. “However, this is not approved yet and if we are to move successfully into the Trailblazers and Future Apprentices programmes we need that funding to be available now – not next year. “If the government could accelerate the 90% funding to September – or even January – that would show real commitment to apprentice training and avoid employers delaying recruitment,” added Mr Howard. “The building engineering services sector has a huge part to play in generating economic growth in the wake of the ‘Brexit’ vote, but it is suffering from a skills shortage – along with many other technical professions. “We need to be moving forward as fast as possible to improve the skills of existing workers and encourage new people from all backgrounds into the sector so engineering firms can help the government meet its own targets for building and infrastructure projects.” Source link

©Bloomberg A slumping energy sector was one of the dominant forces behind US equities in 2015 Oil may have “bottomed out”, said the International Energy Agency on Friday in some of its most postitive comments this year, reflecting optimism that the 20-month price rout has finally forced high-cost producers to curtail production. The IEA, which ini February warned that the recovery in prices might be a “false dawn”, now sees signs the market may be balancing quicker than previously thought. More On this topic IN Commodities While cautioning that supply will probably outstrip demand until 2017, the comments from the west’s energy adviser suggest that the near 50 per cent rally since prices hit a 13-year low around $27 a barrel in January could be sustained. “For prices there may be light at the end of what has been a long, dark tunnel,” the Paris-based group said in its monthly report. “It is clear that the current direction of travel is the correct one, although there is a long way to go.” The IEA expects output from countries outside the Opec production cartel to drop by 750,000 barrels a day this year, against a previous estimate of 600,000 b/d, led by declines in US shale output. The more bullish outlook from the IEA stands in marked contrast to other forecasters who believe the recovery in prices has come too soon and could delay the rebalancing of the market. Goldman Sachs, one of the most influential banks in commodity markets, said on Friday an early rally in oil prices could prove “self defeating” as it would reverse “nascent supply curtailments”. Brent, the international oil marker, hit $41 a barrel earlier this week and on Friday the benchmark was just shy of that level. Attempts by Saudi Arabia and Russia to lead some of the world’s leading producers in an output freeze agreement have helped put a floor under prices. Supply outages in Iraq, Nigeria and the UAE, the IEA said, also helped. However, there are doubts that a deal will be struck, with Iran unlikely to back any agreement that forces it to restrict production as it tries to re-establish higher exports after years of sanctions. Although lower than the 500,000 b/d targeted by Tehran, the IEA said Iran had increased output by 220,000 b/d in February to 3.22m b/d. The resumption of crude oil sales to Europe and more deals in Asia helped it push crude oil exports above 1.4m b/d from about 1.15m b/d before restrictions on Iran’s oil industry were eased in January. Iran exported about 2.2m b/d before 2012. “It appears that Iran’s return will be gradual,” the IEA said. The US remains the major source of production declines in 2016, with production expected to fall 530,000 b/d this year as US shale companies slash spending. US oil production increased from around 5.5m b/d to almost 10m between 2010 and 2015, leading Opec and its de facto leader Saudi Arabia to increase output in an attempt to maintain market shares. Last month, the kingdom’s powerful oil minister Ali al-Naimi warned shale drillers to trim costs or go bust. Some US producers have responded to the recent uptick in prices by moving to hedge future production. The agency left its demand growth forecast for 2016 unchanged at 1.2m b/d, driven by India and smaller Asian economies. China, which was the pillar for global oil demand for the last decade, will see growth of 330,000 b/d this year. This compares with an average of 440,000 b/d for the last 10 years. The IEA cautioned that any further rises in oil prices could damp demand growth. “The foundations for global demand growth are sound, but not rock-solid,” the IEA said. The oil collapse has benefited organisations such as consumer companies — from airlines to refiners — and also certain countries. But exporter nations have seen their budgets shredded, while oil groups have had to slash costs and lay off staff amid a cash crunch. Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2016. You may share using our article tools. Please don’t cut articles from FT.com and redistribute by email or post to the web. Source link

29 April 2016 | Herpreet Kaur Grewal The maintenance of parks and waste services risks significant decline by 2020 because of the “huge funding pressures on local councils”, according to a new report.   An Association for Public Service Excellence (APSE) and New Policy Institute (NPI) report found that by 2020, the combined current and capital spending by UK local government will be lower than at any time since before 1948. Should current trends continue, council tax, until recently a minority source of local government finance, will account for at least half the money coming in to all English local authorities by 2020. For shire counties, it will account for three quarters. By 2020, the revenue support grant will be mainly confined to metropolitan, unitary districts and London boroughs, which means that shire counties and districts will be almost entirely reliant on council tax and business rates. Paul O’Brien, chief executive of APSE, said: “With huge funding pressures on local councils this report highlights the hidden costs of decline in council finances. Whilst new funding for social care is of course welcome, the overall picture for local council finances remains grim. Without adequate funding we risk abandoning liveability services like parks, refuse and recycling, highways, and street lighting to long term decline.” The report advocates a sustainable future for liveability and public realm services. Allowing liveability services to decline through a lack of funding will force up ancillary care demands at a neighbourhood level, reveals the report. The report explores the precarious financial position placed upon frontline services and, in a series of recommendations, calls upon councils to ensure sufficient future funding for frontline services, recognising the impact of such services on the quality of life for local residents, and providing good places for businesses to locate. In March, Croydon Council reported that it is considering using community groups and volunteers to help manage its green spaces. The council said it was committed to keeping green spaces for future generations, but said that it was facing a significant challenge in trying to maintain high-quality services. Source link

Building sector remains confident following the Brexit result Published:  06 September, 2016 A new poll reveals the building services sector is confident following the EU referendum result, but that access to the single market is a priority. The building services engineering sector – which makes up 40% of the UK’s construction and maintenance industry – believes it will successfully weather the outcome of the EU Referendum over the next few years. That’s according to major new survey findings from the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA) and Scotland’s trade association for the electrical industry SELECT. Almost half of survey respondents (46%) believe ‘Brexit’ will have a positive impact on their company within five years, with less than one in five (19%) saying it will have a negative impact. A further 23% believe the vote will have no discernible impact on their business. However, the largest contractors in the survey (those with a turnover of over £20 million) are revealed to be slightly less optimistic about the short-term business prospects than smaller contractors. The sector puts maintaining access to the EU ‘Single Market’ at the top of its list of Brexit aspirations, closely followed by more control of employment law and the need to negotiate non-EU trade deals. Despite the general positivity, 47% of respondents say they believe the cost of materials will rise as a result, while only 22% do not think this will happen. The vast majority (92%) of those who responded to the surveys said they ‘do not rely on EU migrant workers’, while only 25% agreed that Brexit would ‘worsen the shortage of qualified workers’. In addition, just one in six respondents (17%) said that maintaining freedom of movement was their top priority. BESA chief executive Paul McLaughlin said: “Our survey clearly shows that many contractors are conditionally optimistic in the wake of the Brexit vote. In fact, putting these findings alongside the brighter than expected data for the UK economy as a whole gives us a much more upbeat feel than could reasonably have been predicted back in June. “The survey provides extremely valuable feedback about what matters most to contractors as the UK sets about negotiating a new relationship with Europe. As a result, we will draw up an action plan for the building engineering services sector to focus our lobbying efforts in the coming months.” ECA chief executive officer Steve Bratt added: “No matter how our relationship with Europe develops, our sector has a huge role to play in achieving UK business growth. This includes providing skilled jobs, fully functional buildings and infrastructure, and UK energy security.” The building services engineering sector, which spans construction and maintenance across the UK built environment and national infrastructure, comprises many multi-million pound contracting companies, and many more small contractors. Building engineering services contractors install and maintain a range of equipment such as electrical, heating and ventilating, fire and security, data communications and wireless, building energy management and renewables (e.g. solar PV). The UK construction industry alone comprises some 7% of UK GDP. Source link

In his Annual Dinner speech, EDA president Tom Jones was clear to meet the challenges of a fast changing world new strategies, greater sector cooperation and collaborations, as well as better training will be crucial for success.   At the EDA’s Annual Awards Dinner, held in the InterContinental Hotel in London’s Park Lane, Tom Jones covered a number of themes in his speech. These included the importance of wholesaler / manufacturer cooperation and a focused strategy, sector collaborations to meet the distribution challenges to come, as well as top quality training. “I believe”, he said, “that wholesalers and manufacturers need to increase their level of appreciation for each other. There is a tendency for us to take each other for granted. “Wholesalers are the extended sales arm of our manufacturer partners, providing an unparalleled level of time face to face with customers at a local level. For us to grow our businesses, we need to be out selling, and together whenever possible.” Tom Jones is clear in his view that joint wholesaler/ manufacturer visits to customers are still one of the most effective ways of selling the widest range from within the product basket. “We need to do more of it”, he said. “We also need to establish better channels of communication between the EDA and manufacturers, so that there is understanding of each other’s challenges and concerns.” He cited the example of faster product introductions and shorter life cycles leading to increase in product obsolescence. This theme was reflected by Jones’ announcement of an important collaboration with the Lighting Industry Association (LIA). This will look closely at the increasing problem of counterfeit and grey market lighting products. “I’m delighted,” he said, “to announce that the LIA and the EDA have signed a joint agreement to work more closely together. This agreement covers a wide range of shared member benefits and services, but is to help wholesalers have confidence that in a world of counterfeit grey market imports, we are clear that what we sell is compliant and performs to its claims. “Furthermore”, he pointed out: “EDA members now have access to the LIA’s brand new UKAS accredited lighting laboratory.” A crucial aspect concerns the fast increasing digitisation of almost everything, the Internet of Things, the ever greater sophistication of factory automation devices and systems, security issues and increasing Internet and retail selling. Jones warned: “Together we are faced with new multi-channel opportunities and also threats. Working together will safeguard our longstanding relationships and ensure that, together, we remain the principal route to market and strong in the face of new and unwanted entrants. “Our staff,” he continued, “will need training on these new smart connected products and contractors will need to be upskilled to install them as the future of electrical and digital building infrastructures grows.” For these reasons, combined with the progressive changes, challenges and opportunities taking place in industry, the EDA Board implemented last July a day dedicated to the future strategy of the Association. The participants took a close look at the fast changing buying and ordering habits of customers using smarter mobile technologies Reflected Tom Jones: “I do believe that wholesalers need to provide electronic ways for their customers to order their goods, provide information…. and sell.” As a result of the strategy day, the EDA is to survey members concerning their views on multi-channel distribution, their state of readiness for this and their plans and aspirations in the future.  “Following this’” said Jones, “we’ll need our wholesalers’ support to move our initiatives forward. We also plan to engage with our affiliate manufacturers, their trade associations including BEAMA to be clear about how the EDA can galvanise, maintain and improve the principal route to market through the wholesaler distribution channel via the use of digital platforms.”  Source link

Browser does not support script. Contact us The RIBA has released a collection of research into ‘Design for an Ageing Population’ to provide access to resources on creating buildings and places that meet the needs of an ageing society. The research is the result of an open call for evidence on design for an ageing population. 450 items of research, guidance and case studies have been collected into one online bibliography. Divided into themes, each section has been introduced by an expert from architecture practice or academia to provide an easy way into the key items of research. In addition, RIBA has published: ’Insights, from me to you’ – a short series of semi-structured interviews with older retired RIBA Chartered Members to communicate their deep understanding of design and the profession for newer RIBA members; ‘An Alternative Age-friendly Handbook’ – a reference for architects, designers, artists and ‘urban curators’ who want to support age-inclusive (re)production of the city – together with, on behalf of, or for older people. The handbook was written by RIBA Research and Innovation Group member Sophie Handler (from Age-Friendly Manchester and the University of Manchester School of Architecture) and produced in partnership with the RIBA, the UK Urban Ageing Consortium, MICRA and Age UK with funding from the ESRC A report on the ‘RIBA Research Symposium 2014: Design for Ageing’ by Matthew Barac, London South Bank University. The symposium was structured around case studies: a series of 6 critical reviews of case studies (by their architects and ageing experts), followed by a narrative keynote case study (of a pre-planning study for a contemporary alms-house, by Stephen Witherford from RIBA Stirling Prize 2013 winning practice Witherford Watson Mann Architects) and panel debate ENDS Notes to editors The research collection is at: www.architecture.com/ageingresearch For further press information contact the RIBA Press Office: 020 7307 3662 pressoffice@riba.org For research enquiries please contact the RIBA Research Team 020 7307 3611 research@riba.org The online bibliography is hosted on Zoetro, a free, easy-to-use tool to help collect, organize, cite, and share your research sources. The RIBA Research Symposium 2014: Design for Ageing took place on 18 November 2014. More information at: http://www.architecture.com/RIBA/Professionalsupport/Researchandinnovation/ResearchSymposium/DesignforAgeing2014.aspx   Posted on Friday 27th February 2015 Source link