A man who fitted central heating boilers at two houses in Greater Manchester has received a suspended prison sentence, after he admitted he did not have the required safety registration to do the work. Christopher Dignam, trading at Blue Flame Plumbing and Heating Services, has never been on the Gas
9 September 2016 | Marino Donati MPs will have to vacate the Palace of Westminster for years so that essential repairs can be done, or face the increasing risk of a ‘catastrophic’ event, according to a committee of MPs and Peers. In a report published yesterday, the Joint Committee on the
More than 100 guests donned their hard hats and gathered on site at the new £33.5m Circle Birmingham Hospital in Edgbaston for a ceremony to mark the project’s progress. Guests of honour attending the event at the former Pebble Mill site included the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Yvonne Mosquito
Housebuilder Story Homes has welcomed seven apprentices as part of its ongoing commitment to investing in and developing young talent, with this year’s cohort including the developer’s first female bricklaying apprentice. The new bricklaying, joinery and technical apprentices will work across Story Homes’ key regions of Cumbria and Scotland, the
The average British homeowner has seven DIY projects that need doing in their property, either projects that were left unfinished or not even started, according to a new research. What’s more, over two thirds of Britons say that they have tackled a home-improvement task themselves before having to hire a
If you are looking to invest in a new boiler, the first thing you ought to know is the variety of boilers on the market. There are plenty of boiler options on the market, and if you are to make the right decision for your home’s boiler, you need to
The design contract for the new £12.5 million extension for Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has been awarded to Watson Batty Architects. “We are delighted to cement our partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport with our biggest project to date. We have worked closely with the team at LBA over the last
Ballymore continues to be celebrated for its pioneering approach to creating places where people live and thrive. Putting quality of life and a rooted connection to arts and culture at the core of the business, Ballymore take great seriousness in their role as a place maker. Standing proudly as one
A man who fitted central heating boilers at two houses in Greater Manchester has received a suspended prison sentence, after he admitted he did not have the required safety registration to do the work. Christopher Dignam, trading at Blue Flame Plumbing and Heating Services, has never been on the Gas Safe Register, the body which ensures those who carry out gas work are competent to do so. One of the two boilers fitted by him in November and December 2014 was found by a Gas Safe investigator to be ‘at risk’ – meaning that faults were present which could constitute a danger to life or property. Advertisements for Blue Flame Plumbing and Heating in two local publications showed a Gas Safe Register logo and a registration number which does not belong to Dignam, confirming that he knew he should be Gas Safe Registered, the court heard Speaking after the hearing, HSE inspector Caroline Shorrock said: “Dignam showed a reckless and flagrant disregard for health and safety requirements. He knew he should be registered with Gas Safe and he exposed customers to a risk of serious injury or death.” Dignam, of Kenyon Lane, Middleton, Manchester, pleaded guilty to two breaches of Regulations 3(3), and for breaching 3(7) and 26(1) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998. He was sentenced to 12 months custody, suspended for two years. He was ordered to pay £460 and £400 compensation to the two homeowners and £3,000 costs. 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/ More information on managing gas appliances and equipment safely can be found at:http://www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/ 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
9 September 2016 | Marino Donati MPs will have to vacate the Palace of Westminster for years so that essential repairs can be done, or face the increasing risk of a ‘catastrophic’ event, according to a committee of MPs and Peers. In a report published yesterday, the Joint Committee on the Palace of Westminster has proposed that all MPs, Peers and staff move out so that a major programme of works, costing £3.9 billion and taking six years, can be carried out. It proposes that ahead of this, a delivery authority should be established to develop a business case and budget for Parliament’s approval, with a detailed preparatory stage to ensure value for money ahead of the start of works in 2020. The report concludes that the current “patch and mend” approach is unsustainable, and the Palace of Westminster “faces an impending crisis which we cannot responsibly ignore”. It says that there is a growing risk of either a single, catastrophic event, such as a major fire, flooding or gas leak, which would lead to Parliament no longer being able to occupy the Palace. The Committee concludes that the House of Commons could occupy Richmond House, the Department of Health’s current head quarters and the House of Commons’ Northern Estate, while the House of Lords could establish a temporary chamber and supporting offices in the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre. The committee recommends complete replacement of the Palace’s M&E systems, installing proper fire safety measures, improving accessibility and maintaining the historic fabric of the building. The report said: “Much of the M&E plant dates from the mid-20th Century; some of it dates from the Victorian era. Many of the systems reached the projected end of their lifecycles in the 1970s and 1980s. They have been patched up year after year, often with new cables and pipes laid on top of old, and with little knowledge of what the existing services are, where they go, or whether they are still live.” It added that the significant amount of asbestos throughout the Palace added to the complexity, cost and time needed for the work. The report said: “The challenge of the Restoration and Renewal Programme is immense, but it also offers scope to deliver some significant improvements to the way the Palace works, turning a masterpiece of 19th Century architecture and design into a building that is fit for a 21st Century Parliament.” The programme of repairs will present significant opportunities to engage with small and medium-sized enterprises, the committee also concluded. How apprenticeships and other training schemes could be delivered as part of the restoration programme to provide a lasting legacy of skills, should also be considered, it said. The Joint Committee was appointed last year to consider a range of options to protect the Palace and to maintain it as a working parliament. Baroness Stowell of Beeston, co-chairman of the committee, said that this was an increasingly urgent problem. “We can’t put off the decision to act any longer if we are to protect one of the most important and iconic parts of our national heritage,” she said. “The next phase of work, to be conducted by the Delivery Authority, will be vital in ensuring that Parliament has a fully costed and tested plan for conducting the work, before being asked to give the final go-ahead for the works to start.” Committee member and Committee spokesperson, Chris Bryant MP, said: “All the evidence points to having to move out of the whole Palace simultaneously. That is the lowest risk, most cost-effective and quickest option.” Source link
More than 100 guests donned their hard hats and gathered on site at the new £33.5m Circle Birmingham Hospital in Edgbaston for a ceremony to mark the project’s progress. Guests of honour attending the event at the former Pebble Mill site included the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Councillor Yvonne Mosquito and Councillor Dierdre Alden. The ceremony included the unveiling of a plaque to mark the ‘topping out’ stage of the build. The hospital, which is being built by Simons Group, will be complete in Summer 2019 and will be the second largest private hospital in the UK. It will be an addition to Circle Health’s other hospitals in Bath, Nottingham and Reading. Guests including surgeons and other health professionals, along with all site workers who were invited to down tools especially for the event, watched the ceremonial unveiling.
Housebuilder Story Homes has welcomed seven apprentices as part of its ongoing commitment to investing in and developing young talent, with this year’s cohort including the developer’s first female bricklaying apprentice. The new bricklaying, joinery and technical apprentices will work across Story Homes’ key regions of Cumbria and Scotland, the North West and the North East. The new recruits were selected at an apprentice assessment centre earlier this year, beating tough competition from a number of high quality applicants. The recruitment of Chloe Bland, 22, is an important step for Story Homes in encouraging more females to apply for roles on its construction sites. Chloe, who has completed her Level 1 qualification in Bricklaying, commented: “Bricklaying runs in my family so I have wanted to follow this career path for as long as I can remember. I studied Health and Social Care at college and I considered professions such as hairdressing, but I just couldn’t imagine working long-term in a role that didn’t involve being hands-on out on site. “I find the concept of a bare plot of land being transformed into a beautiful home absolutely fascinating and I take a real sense of pride in being part of that journey. In future I hope I can progress my career with Story Homes, with the ultimate ambition of becoming a trainee site manager and even a site manager one day.” Story Homes’ apprenticeship scheme forms a key part of its strategy to ensure it can achieve its future plans, as well as making a contribution towards closing the growing skills gap in the housebuilding industry. The developer’s Aspire Apprenticeship Scheme, which launched in 2016, aims to recruit the brightest and most passionate school and college leavers from 16 years and upwards. Apprentices undertake a full development programme which includes working towards an NVQ Level 2 or Level 3, on-the-job training and the potential to move into trainee site management at the end of the programme. Before beginning their roles on-site and in the office, the apprentices completed a five-day residential team building and induction programme, aimed at building their confidence and problem-solving skills from the outset. Fred Story, chairman and CEO of Story Homes, said: “Our apprenticeship scheme has proved successful over the years, with a number of people recruited now in more senior roles. Bringing future talent into the business is very important to us so I am pleased to welcome our seven new apprentices. I look forward to seeing them working with their teams, developing their skills and contributing to our mission to design and build quality homes that people aspire to live in.”
The average British homeowner has seven DIY projects that need doing in their property, either projects that were left unfinished or not even started, according to a new research. What’s more, over two thirds of Britons say that they have tackled a home-improvement task themselves before having to hire a professional in. The study, conducted by the team at www.MyJobQuote.co.uk, polled 2,689 Britons over the age of 18, with all respondents revealing they owned a property in which they had lived with a partner for a minimum of 5 years. The participants were first asked if their home has any DIY jobs that needed doing, to which the majority (84%) responded with ‘yes’, while 16% said there wasn’t anything that needed attention. When asked if there were any serious repairs that needed desperate attention, 34% said that there were. After that, the participants were asked to estimate how many DIY or home-improvement jobs needed doing in their house, and the average number was revealed to be seven. When asked what jobs required attention in the home (participants could choose multiple answers) the most common jobs were ‘painting and wallpapering’ (68%), ‘laying new flooring’ (52%) and ‘fixing a leak’ (46%). All respondents were then asked if they had attempted a DIY job in the home before ending up having to call in a professional, to which 68% said that they had. Of those that had attempted DIY jobs before hiring someone in, just under half (43%) revealed that they had made the job worse initially. The average amount spent per failed DIY job was revealed to be £86. Relevant participants were asked for the reasons why they had DIY jobs outstanding, and the top answers were ‘I can’t afford the repair’ (49%), ‘I don’t have time to do it myself’ (32%) and ‘I keep putting it off’ (21%). Relevant respondents were asked when they thought they would be able to get the jobs completed; only 31% thought they would be able to complete the jobs in the next 12 months, whilst 14% said they thought they would never complete all the outstanding DIY jobs in their home. “It’s a shame that so many British homeowners feel that they don’t have enough time or money to complete the outstanding DIY jobs in their homes. It’s a good idea to set aside some time every now and again to complete some jobs around the house, or hire a tradesman for those that you can’t, especially as some people end up costing themselves more by attempting jobs themselves,” commented on the findings Lisa Evans, spokesperson for www.MyJobQuote.co.uk.
If you are looking to invest in a new boiler, the first thing you ought to know is the variety of boilers on the market. There are plenty of boiler options on the market, and if you are to make the right decision for your home’s boiler, you need to have an intricate understanding of the various boilers. Importantly, you need to understand their differentiating performances, and, therefore, choose a type of boiler that will not only meet your needs but also run efficiently and economically in your home. Herein is a boiler guide to give you insight into the types of boilers available. 1. Combi Boilers Combination boilers, better known as combi boilers are some of the most popular, if not the most popular boilers in the United Kingdom. Its popularity stems from its ability to provide hot water and heat a house without needing or using a water storage tank. Since they do not need a water tank, they are space efficient. Moreover, they can be connected to the main council line, therefore, providing hot water on demand with the council waterline pressure. Additionally, homeowners have the liberty to choose a gas-powered or electric boiler. That being said, they do have some cons. For instance, when you need hot water supply from more than one tap, you will experience a drop in water pressure. It is also of critical importance that you a hire professional and experienced boiler installer as the installation of this particular type of boiler is quite complex. 2 . System Boilers This is the perfect boiler for households that require/need stored water. They provide hot water to multiple taps at the same time with ample pressure. It runs more efficiently than the regular boiler, thereby offering huge cost saving. Furthermore, since the vast majority of the system components are contained in the boiler, they tend to be easier and much faster to install. Furthermore, they are space economic as they do not need a storage tank in your loft to operate. However, due to the system design, you do not get hot water instantly. Instead, you have to wait for a while for the water to heat up and collect in the boiler cylinder. Furthermore, in cases where the hot water runs out, you have to wait for the additional water to be heated. 3. Gas Boilers Gas boilers are boilers that make use of Methane (CH4)/ Natural Gas as the main fuel. These types of boilers are some of the most popular boilers on the market owing to the fact that natural gas is one of the most popular heating fuel. Being available in the mains, many homes get the supply to natural gas quite easily. Furthermore, they do not need to store the fuel in their home, making it easier for them to use the gas. However, the mains that supply natural gas is not available everywhere. Hence not all houses have a gas boiler as an option. 4. Electric Boilers Electric boilers use the same principle as the gas boiler to heat water. However, instead of using gas as the energy source, they use electricity. They are particularly well-suited for properties that have restrictions on the use of gas boilers or properties that have no access to main gas supply. They also offer the benefit of running quietly, and their small and compact sizes mean they are space efficient. You should be aware of their potential to have higher running costs, especially if you are on a split plan. 5. Regular Boilers/Conventional Boiler/Open Vent For the most part, regular boilers are increasingly losing their popularity with regards to typical household hot water supply new and more efficient boilers gain more acceptance. For starters, they are somewhat less efficient than other modern systems. Moreover, they require enormous amounts of space for the water tanks and cylinder. As such, you will find them in old homes. That being said, they still remain a viable boiler option, especially for homes with high demand for hot water or for homes with numerous bathrooms. This is due to their ability to supply water to a large number of taps without the flow rate or pressure weakening. 6. Oil Fired Boilers This type of boiler is designed to burn oil. The nature of the oil allows it to be safely stored for a long time in the vicinity of a home. As such, oil is stored nearby the house in a storage unit, where heating oil is topped up as per individual needs. The oil fired boiler is the perfect boiler choice for homes that are not connected to the natural gas mains and or located outside the urban centres. As such, it a popular choice for the over 4 million houses in the UK that are not connected to the main natural gas supply line. 7. Solid Fuel Boilers Solid fuel boilers are not vastly different from other boilers. In principle, they burn a fuel, in this case, a solid in the form of wood, paper, coal, or other solid fuels to provide heat. These boilers are considered by some to be an aesthetically pleasing boiler system. 8. Condensing Boiler Condensing boilers are not a boiler type on its own. Instead, they can be considered as an attribute that a gas and or oil boilers can have. Therefore, you can use a condensing conventional boiler or a condensing combi boiler. That being said, they are typically classified as a boiler type owing to their distinguishing energy efficiency. Condensing boilers are far more energy efficient than the other non-condensing boilers. They achieve the higher energy efficiency performance by condensing the vapour in the exhaust gases, thereby recovering/extracting the latent heat of vaporisation that typically gets waters. As such, they have an efficiency greater than 90%. When you settle down on a type of boiler, you should make sure you contract professionally trained and experienced technicians for your boiler installation. The quality of boiler installation plays an
The design contract for the new £12.5 million extension for Leeds Bradford Airport (LBA) has been awarded to Watson Batty Architects. “We are delighted to cement our partnership with Leeds Bradford Airport with our biggest project to date. We have worked closely with the team at LBA over the last six years, assisting with detailed collaboration and consultation, to support a series of enabling projects, both airside and landside. It is rewarding to know that our transport expertise is helping to build the future of a critical northern hub,” commented Peter White, Managing Director at Watson Batty Architects. As part of the plans, LBA’s terminal building will be extended, adding to it a transformed international arrivals process, with immigration, baggage reclaim and customs, as well as improved departure gates, seating areas and new retail, food, and beverage outlets. Once completed, construction work will move to the existing terminal building, remodelling it and adding a new centralised security search area and a more intuitive departure lounge layout, with an expanded new retail offer. Work on the extension is expected to be complete in late 2019, while for the existing building it is scheduled for completion by the summer of 2020. A future phase will include the completion of the departure pier, replacing the current passenger walkway. The planned extension works will deliver additional job opportunities at the Airport for local people, including apprenticeship roles in key operational areas. Watson Batty has previously assisted Leeds Bradford Airport to improve circulation and flow of passengers around the terminal. It designed the new departure lounge extension last year which provided an additional storey and mezzanine floor to Gate Five.
Ballymore continues to be celebrated for its pioneering approach to creating places where people live and thrive. Putting quality of life and a rooted connection to arts and culture at the core of the business, Ballymore take great seriousness in their role as a place maker. Standing proudly as one London and Dublin’s most active property developers, Ballymore have over 5,500 people engages with them on every level throughout current projects. Current projects include that of new headquarters for the English National Ballet and London Film School, on London City Island. Previous work has seen the business work alongside the US Government, moving their embassy from Grosvenor Square to Embassy Garden, Nine Elms, a project which established a new riverside cultural district for the city. Recently, Royal Wharf has been presented with the Seal of Excellence at the NHBC Awards. An honour presented to Joe Cashman, Director, after the joined the top 450 UK Site Managers to win a Quality Award for the projects Phase 2B Development. Joe Cashman is now part of an elite and recognised group of site managers who have showcased dedication and commitment, leading to a representation of the top 100 site managers in the country. An initial 16,000 enter the NHBC Awards in the hope of being granted the honour of Seal of Excellence. The award stands as a testament to Ballymore’s continuous commitment to the creation of homes of outstanding quality, that are built with the benefits of the client in mind. The NHBC judge Site Managers on six key areas: attention to detail, leadership, consistency, technical expertise, interpretation of drawings and specifications, and health and safety measures. The Pride in the Job Award has been presented by the NHBC since its launch in 1980 and has since helped businesses to showcase their ability and performance, driving the standards that new builds should meet a certain criteria to be the very best they can be. NHBC standards are integrated into the culture and heart of Ballymore, which stands as a company that is forever looking to improve and innovate, to offer the very best in modern home design and construction. Joe Cashman has expressed his pride in being awarded the esteemed honour and is happy to have received recognition on behalf of the Royal Wharf project and Ballymore. Despite the award being granted to individuals, it is an overall representation of the company and every individual involved in a recognised project. “For the company, the awards from the NHBC mean we’re doing something right,” remarks Joe. “For me at Royal Wharf, it is the result of all the team’s efforts. We’ve been here on site as principal contractor for the last three and a half years, and the award represents the successful accumulation of a lot of hard work.” Ballymore offer an ability to not only continuously deliver homes to the highest of standards but have build an established reputation that show a willingness to constantly seek improvements through constant dedication.
