A London construction company has been fined £40,000 for an unsafe basement excavation at a house in Parsons Green. Above: Excavated entrance and exit to and from site Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how RS Construction UK (London) Ltd was working at a site on St Dionis Road, London which was inspected by the Health & Safety Executive (HSE). The inspector found there was an excavation directly behind the front door, which was the only entrance and exit for the site. The excavation was approximately 3.5 metres deep with no shoring to support the sides of the excavation and no edge protection around the top to stop anyone or anything falling into it. Of immediate concern was a worker in the bottom of the excavation who was instructed to get out of the pit. An investigation by the HSE found that the RS Construction had received previous enforcement action on similar risks at other sites and still failed to ensure suitable and sufficient safe access and egress to and from the construction site. It also failed to ensure all practicable steps were taken to prevent danger to any person from working in the excavation. RS Construction UK (London) Limited, of International House, Regents Street, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 17(1)(a) and 22(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, and was fined £40,000 (£20,000 for each offence) and ordered to pay full costs of £1,486.     This article was published on 15 Apr 2016 (last updated on 15 Apr 2016). Source link

CITB Wales is calling on the Welsh Government to promote construction careers when the new assembly term begins this week. With major projects planned – and recent rises in Welsh construction vacancies – CITB believes the Government must take a two-pronged approach to the skills challenge ahead and keeping the economy moving. First, it is vital schools and Careers Wales are given sufficient resources to promote careers in construction to young people. Second, the Government’s new National Infrastructure Commission for Wales must have the scope to plan and finance key projects as well as upskill the workforce. CITB Wales’ call comes as: Figures from the Construction Skills Network (CSN) forecast strong growth in the nation’s construction output – 5.8% over the period 2016-2020, leading to the creation of approximately 5,700 new jobs each year; A range of major job-creating construction projects – including the South Wales Metro, Wylfa Newydd nuclear power station and the Swansea Bay Tidal Lagoon – are planned or in the pipeline; The Welsh Government is considering its budget for services such as Careers Wales. “The next decade will present major construction challenges and opportunities for Wales,” says CITB Wales Cymru Strategic Partnerships Director Mark Bodger. “With a number of big projects in the pipeline it is crucial that construction is recognised as an attractive career choice for young people. However, we also need the Welsh Government to do everything it can to get those game-changing infrastructure projects off the ground.” To meet the skills challenge, CITB says the National Assembly for Wales’ Children Young People and Education Committee should improve the resources available to Careers Wales and schools in order to promote construction careers. Encouraging greater diversity in the construction sector should also be a priority, with the industry-backed Go Construct campaign providing young people and job seekers with support on how to enter the industry. “Across Wales there are major projects either underway or in the pipeline, which can inspire confidence in the sector and capture the imagination of anyone interested in a construction career,” says Mr Bodger. CITB Wales outlined how the new National Infrastructure Commission (NICW) can maximise the potential of the Welsh construction Sector. The Assembly’s Economy, Infrastructure and Skills Committee should: bridge the construction skills gap through apprenticeships and upskilling bring certainty to long-term infrastructure planning invest in construction projects so communities across Wales benefit in terms of reduced unemployment, poverty and homelessness ensure specialist construction expertise is on the Commission’s board. “If we ensure these big projects commence, it’ll help attract more young people to join the industry and giving a major boost not just for construction, but the Welsh economy as a whole,” Mr. Bodger said.  Source link

Burmeister & Wain Scandinavian Contractor (BWSC) has begun construction on a new £140m biomass, renewable energy plant in Kent. Above: The Discovery Park biomass plant The Danish contractor is building the plant on Discovery Park in Sandwich. Construction is scheduled to take two years, creating 300 jobs during its construction phase. It will eventually produce all the power and heat requirements for the science and technology park. Biomass fuel will be sourced from various wood types, including coppice grown locally in Kent and East Sussex. Discovery Park managing director Paul Barber said: “Discovery Park has from the start been a place for innovation and we have been successful in building on that past success over the past four years. “The agreement to press ahead with the new biomass energy plant, not only represents a major investment in the site, but puts the park in the unique position of being supplied with a reliable source of green energy. “The new biomass plant, is a vital part of ensuring the site’s ongoing success – part of a number of investments and ongoing work that will not only create jobs and prosperity for East Kent but increases its sustainability too.” The start of work on the new biomass plant coincides with a step up in activity on site with Instro Precision’s 46,000 sq ft new manufacturing plant taking shape over the coming months ahead of a January 2017 launch. Works on the west site development land have also begun with a new 20,000 sq ft unit for specialist timber frame company, OFP Timber Framed Homes.     This article was published on 24 Jun 2016 (last updated on 24 Jun 2016). Source link