A food manufacturing firm was sentenced today for safety breaches after a worker suffered partial de-gloving of his hand. The worker had several fingers broken in an incident that happened in February 2015, when his hand was pulled into a pastry lid maker that had been modified to improve its
An insulation company has come up with a new modular roofing system for pitched roofs that could help speed construction. Above: Recticel Insulation’s self-supporting room-in-a-roof system Recticel Insulation’s L-Ments system comprises cable gap, breather membrane, counter battens and integral structural timber in one polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation panel as a single
Manchester property market remains resilient Manchester continues to lead the Northern Powerhouse as the strength of its housing market builds. As one of the UK’s thriving second cities, Manchester has become an investment honeypot for more and more domestic buyers and those from overseas. Demand for high quality property stock
You’ll be forgiven for thinking that giving your bathroom a makeover requires a complete remodel with a new bathroom suite, a change of tiles and a lot of expense. It’s the reason why so many household bathrooms gradually fall into a sorry state. If your bathroom is looking like it
Catering trade association ceda have offered their support to foodservice sector companies affected by the liquidation of construction giant Carillion, announced on Monday. The news sent shockwaves through the construction industry, its supply chain and the nation. Build UK, the leading representative organisation for the UK construction industry, has thrown
Pod Point has completed the installation of 67 electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints for Skanska UK, one of the country’s leading contractors, at its Hertfordshire head office. The installation is believed to be one of the largest to date in Europe. The company, which employs 6,000 people in the UK, worked
AECOM is set to deliver a wide range of planning and environmental services to help communities across England develop their neighbourhood plans and shape development and growth in their local area. The four-year appointment is part of a major Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) contract that will
A food manufacturing firm was sentenced today for safety breaches after a worker suffered partial de-gloving of his hand. The worker had several fingers broken in an incident that happened in February 2015, when his hand was pulled into a pastry lid maker that had been modified to improve its operation, including removing parts of the guarding system. When the modification was removed because it was ineffective the guards were not replaced. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated the incident and took action against Thomas of York Ltd. Thomas of York Ltd in Helmsley, York pleaded guilty to breaching the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations, regulations 11 and 14, and was fined £6,500 with £691.45 costs at Northallerton Magistrates’ Court. After the hearing, HSE inspector Julian Franklin commented: “Modifying machines should always involve a reassessment of the safety of that machine. Guard checking routines should be periodically audited to ensure they remain effective.” 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/ 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
An insulation company has come up with a new modular roofing system for pitched roofs that could help speed construction. Above: Recticel Insulation’s self-supporting room-in-a-roof system Recticel Insulation’s L-Ments system comprises cable gap, breather membrane, counter battens and integral structural timber in one polyisocyanurate (PIR) insulation panel as a single lightweight roofing element. The underlay felt is pre-glued and vapour permeable with self-adhesive overlaps. The counter battens are already fixed to the panel, the multi-layered facings act as a vapour and air barrier on the inside, the PIR insulation core performs thermally to 0.023 W/mK, and the timber stiffeners incorporated within the PIR core provide sufficient strength for self-support, Recticel says The system has been designed with U-values of between 0.13 and 0.19, as well as fast installation and reduced construction costs, with maximum savings on space and energy usage, the manufacturer claims. The panels have shiplap joints and are available in four thicknesses and five lengths. This article was published on 17 Jun 2016 (last updated on 17 Jun 2016). Source link
Manchester property market remains resilient Manchester continues to lead the Northern Powerhouse as the strength of its housing market builds. As one of the UK’s thriving second cities, Manchester has become an investment honeypot for more and more domestic buyers and those from overseas. Demand for high quality property stock in Manchester is rising rapidly and competition is fierce, with online estate agent Purplebricks revealing that properties in the city have been on the market for only 60 minutes before being let. And this fast-paced market promises to advance on a positive trajectory, with the Greater Manchester Housing Investment Fund announcing plans this month for more than £20 million in loans to support the development of new housing in the city. Combine this with a significant slump in the value of sterling over the last few days and Manchester’s market quickly becomes the picture-perfect environment for foreign investors looking to the UK Jonathan Stephens, Managing Director of property consultancy Surrenden Invest, has certainly witnessed this growth in overseas buyers looking to Manchester for their ideal investment: “Here at Surrenden Invest we have already seen an influx of overseas buyers over the last nine months, with enquiry levels going through the roof when the pound falters, a perfect example being last Friday’s ‘flash crash’. Overseas buyers who may have been sitting on the fence are presented with a window of opportunity to exploit a volatile sterling. Our international investors are especially prevalent in Northern UK cities such as Manchester, where rental yields far exceed that of their South Eastern counterparts. And that, combined with a lower entry point and strong market fundamentals, will further drive the sales of new build developments in the North as the market opens itself not just to portfolio buyers but one-time investors looking to cash in on the current exchange rate.” Join our mailing list: Source link
You’ll be forgiven for thinking that giving your bathroom a makeover requires a complete remodel with a new bathroom suite, a change of tiles and a lot of expense. It’s the reason why so many household bathrooms gradually fall into a sorry state. If your bathroom is looking like it could do with freshening up, but you can’t afford the luxury of a complete remodel with an expensive bathroom designer on board, read on for some brilliant tips. With just a few simple changes, you could breathe new life into your bathroom for years to come. Here are 11 little extras that will give your bathroom a new look: The deep clean The bathroom, along with the kitchen, is probably one of the few rooms in the home that gets more than its fair share of cleaning. As a result of regular cleaning, a deep clean in the bathroom often gets overlooked. It’s easy for limescale to build slowly around the base of taps, for grouting to become blighted by unsightly mould, and for blinds to become tainted with grubby marks. Begin your bathroom refresh with a deep clean. It’s a great way to make some small but effective changes. Here are a few tips to get you started: Use a limescale remover or try a natural alternative if you prefer to get your basin, bath, tiles and taps shining like new. Use a fabric cleaner to give your blinds a new lease of life. Soak your showerhead in white vinegar overnight. Wash your shower curtain in the washing machine. Clean grout with bleach and a grout brush (an old toothbrush will do, but dispose of afterwards!), or if you want to avoid using bleach try a natural alternative. Wipe down paintwork, tiles and woodwork with anti-bacterial cleaner. Thoroughly clean windows. Wash floor with gusto. Vigorously clean the toilet; use a cup of baking soda to remove stains. A lick of paint Most bathrooms aren’t particularly large in size so can easily be redecorated in a short space of time. Be sure to prep wood carefully. With a little bit of effort, a coat of paint can lift your bathroom from tired to fresh in little more than a day or two. A treat for the windows If cleaning hasn’t breathed new life into your bathroom blind, consider a replacement. You can change up the colour scheme for a modern funky splash, or stay neutral if you’re going for a more elegant theme. New fluffy towels and a sumptuous bath mat This is such an easy trick. Tired, threadbare, washed-out towels make any bathroom look sad. Whether you go for luxury towels exuding understated elegance, or you choose bright towels to match your colour scheme, new bath linens are an easy and relatively inexpensive way to change the bathroom’s landscape. Indulgent spa-style bath and body products It’s time to splash out and upgrade your bathroom products. Invest in a luxury handwash and handcream set, a refined French soap and an expensive scented candle. Whatever luxury brand is your favourite, go for it. A modern sleek shower curtain If your bathroom has an over-the-bath shower or a separate shower cubicle with a shower curtain, a new curtain is a great way to shake up the the style of your bathroom. Whether you want to make an artistic statement, or just bring simple, clean style to your bathroom, replacing your old shower curtain will transform your bathroom space in an instant. Re-grout the bathroom tiles It’s a job most of us shy away from, but regrouting your bathroom tiles really can lift your bathroom from ‘uncared for’ to ‘clean and fresh.’ New taps You will be surprised at how much difference new bath taps can make to the look and feel of your bath and basin, and to the overall ambience of the bathroom. Modernising taps or adding a vintage twist can really lift your bathroom and change the style of the room. A new piece of art It goes without saying that a new piece of art can add interest to your bathroom. Pick something that makes you smile and you’ll love your new-look bathroom all the more. Upgrade your towel rail and toilet roll holder Fixed accessories are something we rarely get around to changing. If your towel rail and toilet roll holder look out of date, upgrade them to bring a more modern feel to your bathroom. Add or update your bathroom storage When we lose sight of the bathroom aesthetic, and our eye for detail slips, we let half used bathroom products pile up on every vacant surface. Use up or get rid of old products and give your bathroom storage a revamp. Add a bathroom cabinet or a storage tower, and replace tired accessories. Your uncluttered bathroom will look all the better for it.
Catering trade association ceda have offered their support to foodservice sector companies affected by the liquidation of construction giant Carillion, announced on Monday. The news sent shockwaves through the construction industry, its supply chain and the nation. Build UK, the leading representative organisation for the UK construction industry, has thrown its weight behind the Carillion supply chain and is representing their needs in on-going talks directly with Government, attending a meeting with the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy on Monday. As a founding member of Build UK, and the only Association member specific to the foodservice industry, ceda are able to feed into these discussions and represent those companies in the foodservice sector affected by Carillion’s collapse. In pledging his organisation’s assistance, ceda Director General Adam Mason said, “As the fallout from the Carillion collapse dominates the political agenda, our unique position within the Build UK membership, places us at the forefront for any foodservice business now facing uncertain times. We are a direct route to help and support and this week to date we have been in regular communication with Members, but we call on any business in the sector, ceda Members or not, who are, or feel they may be, affected by the Carillion crisis, to get in touch. “The immediate concerns and actions are with those businesses in our sector directly affected by the Carillion liquidation, but beyond that we will continue to work with Build UK to highlight that the construction business model needs to change as current conditions, payment terms and operating margins are not sustainable.”
Pod Point has completed the installation of 67 electric vehicle (EV) chargepoints for Skanska UK, one of the country’s leading contractors, at its Hertfordshire head office. The installation is believed to be one of the largest to date in Europe. The company, which employs 6,000 people in the UK, worked with EV charging specialist Pod Point to install the 7kW chargepoints, along with the infrastructure for the solution to be scaled up to 243 chargepoints in the future. The chargepoints enable Skanska employees to charge their vehicles while they work, before returning to a fully powered battery at the end of the day. The installation is part of Skanska’s commitment to decarbonise its company fleet as fast as technology allows, and to have the lowest emissions fleet in the industry. The solution enables Skanska to control access to EV charging centrally, monitor usage and set custom electricity tariffs. Pod Point was selected following a competitive procurement process and the installation was completed within two weeks. Skanska’s Senior Project Manager Paul Jarvis said: “The installation of the EV chargepoints was a credit to all concerned. All site work was done efficiently, on time and to budget with minimal impact on a busy, occupied site.” Pod Point CEO Erik Fairbairn said: “This is the largest single site chargepoint installation that we’re aware of in the UK, but also a sign of a larger shift over the past six months, as more businesses wake up to the benefits of EVs. We’ve certainly seen a big increase in enquiries from companies wanting futureproof chargepoint installations that can be scaled up as their fleets make the switch to electric.” Along with zero carbon emissions, electric vehicles have lower maintenance costs than their petrol or diesel equivalents due to a smaller number of moving parts. There are also tax advantages, with no benefit in kind rates for charging company cars, while the BIK rate for purchases of new EVs will fall to 2 per cent in 2020/2021 compared to up to 20 per cent for petrol or diesel vehicles.
AECOM is set to deliver a wide range of planning and environmental services to help communities across England develop their neighbourhood plans and shape development and growth in their local area. The four-year appointment is part of a major Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) contract that will be led by Locality, the nationwide network of community organisations, with AECOM as its principle subcontractor. The contract follows a three-year appointment previously held by AECOM delivering neighbourhood planning services for over 500 communities across England. Under the new contract, AECOM will support the delivery of potentially hundreds of neighbourhood plans, which include the location of new housing and businesses. Neighbourhood plans that are approved in local referenda will form a crucial part of the development plan for local authority areas and have become a powerful tool when considering planning applications. The new contract will introduce a scoping phase where AECOM will help groups to identify their needs, as well as the opportunities for growth and regeneration in their communities. This information will help the DCLG and Locality determine how community groups can be best supported. Stuart Woodin, Lead Technical Director for the project at AECOM, said: “Our support provides vital evidence to a whole new generation of ‘lay planners’ from all walks of life who are grappling with the opportunities as well as the challenges presented by planning their places. We are thrilled to be involved for another four years with Locality in this unique Private-Voluntary Sector Partnership.” Carole Reilly, Locality Director of Services, commented: “Locality is committed to empowering people to shape their communities; neighbourhood planning brings statutory power for communities to do this. Our unique partnership means that we can combine AECOM’s technical expertise with Locality’s deep reach into communities to deliver expert and lasting change at the most local level. We are delighted to have the opportunity to build on our work so far and to continue our partnership for the next four years.”
