MSA Safety is spearheading the use of virtual reality (VR) in the safety market, enabling customers to experience its products in a truly immersive environment, without actual exposure to the potentially life-threatening hazards faced by people working at height. MSA is a global leader in the development, manufacture and
Energy Assets Utilities is playing a key role in ensuring that the 2,200 new homes planned for a major development in Wallyford, Scotland, will be at the leading edge of the digital revolution sweeping across the residential new build sector. With people’s increasing reliance on digital connectivity to support devices
Miller Homes has recruited two new senior planning experts to support its ambitious growth plans. Mark Jackson has joined the award-winning house builder as Strategic Planning Director – Midlands & South, while Ben Hatt is now on board as Strategic Planning Manager – South, both based at the company’s Basingstoke
A Thermal Insulator has beaten off competition from all parts of the UK to win a major national apprenticeship award. Brand Energy and Infrastructure Service employee Adam Brophy scooped the Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) Level 2 Apprentice of the Year Award at a recent ceremony held in London. Adam
Local school and college students were given an insight into the wide variety of career opportunities available in building maintenance and construction at a special event organised by Magenta Living, one of the North West’s leading housing providers, to encourage more young women into the industry. The Girls in Construction
With stress, depression and anxiety now the leading cause of workplace absences in the UK, leading compliance expert Bureau Veritas is calling on organisations to tackle the problem head-on by reviewing how they recognise, assess and manage work-related mental illness. It comes as annual figures released by the Health and
The A6 Manchester Airport Relief Road, a £290 million dual carriageway that links the A6 at Hazel Grove to the M56, has officially opened. It aims to improve connections from the city to its airport, as well as provide better connections to the £1 billion Airport City business park and
The construction industry is facing a crime epidemic that is costing more than £400 million per year. What can be done to combat the criminals? Every business needs to protect itself against the actions of criminals, but the sheer scale of crime within the construction sector makes this an industry
With constant changes across home, interior and building trends, the question on most people’s lips is – what features do new-build seekers really want? Builders, architects, and industry experts come across different demands and preferences every year, depending on the newest trends and features. Here are the latest in-demand features
MSA Safety is spearheading the use of virtual reality (VR) in the safety market, enabling customers to experience its products in a truly immersive environment, without actual exposure to the potentially life-threatening hazards faced by people working at height. MSA is a global leader in the development, manufacture and supply of safety products that protect people and infrastructure. It is now capable of tangibly showcasing its solutions and effectively demonstrating the true value of highly engineered, superior quality fall protection, and the competitive advantage it holds over market alternatives. Evelyn Webb, MSA’s Customer Marketing Communications Manager, explained: “VR has undoubtedly been a gamechanger for MSA. It offers a new and innovative way to convey our suite of products to customers and transforms sales meetings. We’ve been using these technologies at trade shows and in presentations, with fantastic customer engagement and feedback. “We worked with immersive technology specialists, Render, to develop VR to showcase our fall protection products in a completely new, interactive way. The technology makes our products come to life for our customers. The VR scenarios can be accessed through HTC VIVE® headsets or through a mobile app on both iOS and Android. It has enabled us to truly showcase our fall protection expertise and the benefits that brings to customers.” Render’s Chief Executive, Mark Miles, added: “You’re not just seeing and hearing, you’re feeling. An immersive narrative gives customers the full sensory experience. “In the VR construction experience that Render and MSA has developed, users climb up to a virtual rooftop, using a controller to ‘clip on’ at every step before they reach the rooftop to carry out vital maintenance. By enabling customers to literally experience the products for themselves in a life-like hazardous environment, MSA can communicate the value of its products in seconds.” After selecting their choice of language for the simulation, users then select the correct equipment for working at height, including a full body harness and a personal fall limiter (PFL). After clipping on and scaling a ladder to the roof of a commercial unit, the user is required to remove an inspection cover from an air-conditioning unit. The worker is in a fall arrest position and the VR user virtually ‘falls’ backwards over the edge of the roof. MSA’s Latchways fall protection system successfully arrests the fall before gently lowering the user to the ground. The experience can be updated to feature new products, different working scenarios and additional instruction languages. A simulation for the oil and gas and aviation sectors has also been launched, offering a representative application. To try our MSA Safety’s virtual reality experience, visit www.msasafety.com/VR.
Energy Assets Utilities is playing a key role in ensuring that the 2,200 new homes planned for a major development in Wallyford, Scotland, will be at the leading edge of the digital revolution sweeping across the residential new build sector. With people’s increasing reliance on digital connectivity to support devices ranging from smart TVs, games consoles, and tablets to home security and energy control systems, superfast broadband is becoming a ‘must-have’ for home owners…and developers are responding. At Wallyford, Energy Assets Utilities has been responsible for laying the conventional gas, electricity, and water infrastructure up to the spine road running through the site, but is also leading on the roll-out of fibre-to-the-home. “The first few homes are now benefiting from superfast connectivity, with many hundreds more to follow to support lifestyles increasingly reliant on digital technology…and to connect to who knows what as we enter the era of the ‘Internet of Things’,” said Craig Topley, Energy Assets Group Managing Director (Construction). The Wallyford scheme is the largest multi-utility network design and construction project ever undertaken by EAU, with services now available not only for residential homes but also for a new primary school, currently being built, and potentially some commercial units. It’s all part of East Lothian Developments’ plans for a new community at St Clements Well, which stretches to the south, east and west of Wallyford. The construction project illustrates Energy Assets Utilities’s growing position as a leading provider of gas, electricity, water – and increasingly fibre cable – networks for residential and commercial schemes across Britain.
Miller Homes has recruited two new senior planning experts to support its ambitious growth plans. Mark Jackson has joined the award-winning house builder as Strategic Planning Director – Midlands & South, while Ben Hatt is now on board as Strategic Planning Manager – South, both based at the company’s Basingstoke office. The pair will work under the leadership of Scott Chamberlin, Divisional Managing Director – Strategic Land, whose appointment was announced in the summer. Bringing with him a wealth of experience from planning consultancies and local authorities, Mark comes to Miller Homes after a seven-year spell at Gleeson Strategic Land, where he was Planning Director. Ben spent a decade working for a local authority, before moving to Churchill Retirement Living’s planning department. Commenting on his appointment, Mark said: “I am pleased to join Miller Homes at a time when it is moving closer towards hitting its medium term target of delivering 4,000 new homes a year. “This is a fantastic opportunity to work across an extensive portfolio of existing sites, while adding to it with new sites in desirable locations that will satisfy the needs of prospective homeowners, including proximity to quality schooling, good transport links and high employment.” Ben echoed his comments, adding: “This is a very exciting time to join Miller Homes and I’m looking forward to working alongside Scott and Mark to help steer the business to further growth in the south by bringing in more strategic sites.” Scott Chamberlin added: “We have ambitious growth plans for the business and strategic land delivery is a fundamental aspect of this. The appointments of Ben and Mark strengthens our wider Strategic Land team and they will play an important role in helping us achieve our goals.” Last year, Miller Homes completed almost 2,800 new homes in regional markets outside London. For more details on its latest developments visit www.millerhomes.co.uk.
A Thermal Insulator has beaten off competition from all parts of the UK to win a major national apprenticeship award. Brand Energy and Infrastructure Service employee Adam Brophy scooped the Thermal Insulation Contractors Association (TICA) Level 2 Apprentice of the Year Award at a recent ceremony held in London. Adam joined industrial access, insulation and painting specialist Brand in 2017, and now works on a major maintenance contract near Immingham. He overcame challenges from 7 other hopeful competitors who were representing various companies from different parts of the UK, to take the award. TICA’s 2018 Skills Test saw them undertake a rigorous practical assessment test, before Adam emerged as the outright winner to earn the Apprentice of the Year title. “The finalists were selected on the basis of their practical skills, their overall attitude to training and their behaviour and commitment at work.” explains Ronan Sheils, managing director of Brand Energy and Infrastructure Service UK & Ireland. “Adam had impressed people with his very professional approach to his work, as well as his outstanding skills and his great keenness to learn. Those attributes helped him gain a place in the competition, and ultimately to win the title. We’re extremely proud of his performance, and delighted that he’s achieved this success which he undoubtedly deserves.” “We place a great emphasis on training so that we can guarantee our customers will receive the high levels of quality, safety and service they have come to expect from us. The recognition that Adam’s success has earned is evidence of our strategy in action, and we really wish him well for the future.” For more details, visit www.beis.com/uk or call 0844 335 8860
Local school and college students were given an insight into the wide variety of career opportunities available in building maintenance and construction at a special event organised by Magenta Living, one of the North West’s leading housing providers, to encourage more young women into the industry. The Girls in Construction open day was held at Magenta Living’s Building Services Depot in Birkenhead, home to the housing provider’s team of more than 150 highly-skilled building services technicians. The team provides a broad range of specialist services to Magenta Living customers, across the 13,000 properties the organisation currently owns and manages in Wirral and throughout the North West. Services delivered include 24/7 emergency response repairs, refurbishments, maintenance, building renovations and conversions, electrical engineering, plumbing, joinery and decorating. Female students were invited to see the team in action, with a series of practical demonstrations and talks put on to increase awareness of the diverse career paths available to them across the building maintenance and construction industry. Plumbing, joinery, plastering and decorating were all showcased, and students heard from Magenta Living painter Cathy Jackson who shared her own personal development story, having originally joined the organisation ten years ago via an apprenticeship. The event was opened by Michelle Plimley, Magenta Living Head of Voids and Allocations, who explained her role in the organisation, along with Head of Business Development for Building Services, Mike Cliff, who talked about the vital part apprentices play in delivering excellent services for Magenta Living’s customers. Students were able to take a tour around the Building Services depot, which included a session with Leona Roper, assistant branch manager for Travis Perkins Managed Services, who explained what her role is and how her company manages Magenta Living’s repair and maintenance supplies. Leona gave her audience a sneak peek into the Travis Perkins dedicated store facility at Magenta Living’s Building Services Depot, which gives repair and maintenance staff instant access to the materials they require on a daily basis. Magenta Living also invited three of its IT high-fliers to talk to the young women attending the open day, to help illustrate that building and construction also encompasses a wide variety of business support roles. Jen Tyler and Anne Carr, who have reached the finals of this year’s Women in IT Excellence Awards, along with Paige Carr, ICT Apprentice, gave an insight into their day-to-day work and the opportunities available to women in STEM related areas of the industry. The event was designed in conjunction with Wirral Metropolitan College, a further and higher education college offering courses and diploma qualifications from entry level to degree. The college has been a source of local, talented apprentices for Magenta Living for some time and earlier this year, the two organisations formed a new mutually beneficial partnership. Under the agreement, the college provides insight and expertise to help Magenta Living strengthen the capabilities of its workforce whilst Magenta Living helps to shape the development of Wirral Met’s curriculum to ensure it meets the needs of its business. Magenta Living also provides work experience and apprenticeship opportunities for students. Students from Wirral Metropolitan College joined year 9 to 11 pupils from Birkenhead Park School and Bebington High at the open day. Joanne Francom, Director of HR & Organisational Development at Magenta Living said, “It was fantastic to engage with young women from our local schools and colleges through this event and, hopefully, to open their eyes to the exciting variety of careers avaliable within the building maintenance and construction industry. The housing sector relies heavily on skilled tradespeople and we need to tap into female talent to help ensure we have the right skills in place going forward. We have some outstanding female team members at Magenta Living but we recognise that our organisation, along with the rest of the industry needs to do more to encourage women into building and construction. “While there have been some positive changes in terms of gender diversity in building and construction in recent years – with more than a quarter of positions in the industry expected to be filled by women by 2020, we still have a long way to go. “Of course it’s important that women of all ages come to see building and construction as a viable career path, and Cathy Jackson who joined us as an apprentice in her 30s illustrates that age barriers aren’t an issue to entry, but a big part of making change happen is building awareness of opportunities from an early age and helping to break down the gender stereotypes by engaging with school children and actually demonstrating to girls that they can do what would have traditionally been male-dominated roles. This was a pilot event for us but, given its success, we look forward to holding similar events in future.” The event was sponsored by The Liverpool City Region Apprenticeship Hub,and funded as part of the Employees Support in Skills Project funded by the European Social Fund / Education and Skills Funding Agency. Chris Eriksen, Hub Skills Broker from the Liverpool City Region Apprenticeship Hub attended the open day and said, “It’s fantastic to see a local company opening up its business like this to help bring apprenticeships and career opportunities to life for young women.This was an excellent showcase of the types of sought after skills that can be acquired via an apprenticeship with organisations like Magenta Living.” Carmell Denton, a joinery student from Wirral Metropolitan College who went along to the open day added, “Pro-active events like this will help to shift the balance in what has been a very male-dominated environment and encourage more women like myself to pursue a skilled trade and make their mark in the industry.” Pictured: Wirral Met Students (right to left: Jenny Yarrow, Carmell Denton, Jamie-Lee Wockenforth, Zoe Martindale) and their tutor, Victoria Dann- Head of Construction, with Magenta Living Plumber Dave Stenhouse
With stress, depression and anxiety now the leading cause of workplace absences in the UK, leading compliance expert Bureau Veritas is calling on organisations to tackle the problem head-on by reviewing how they recognise, assess and manage work-related mental illness. It comes as annual figures released by the Health and Safety Executive show that in 2017/18, a total of 15.4 million working days were lost as a result of work-related stress, anxiety or depression, up from 12.5 million last year. Overall, this now equates to 57% of the 26.8 million work days lost to ill health in the UK during the same period. In light of this, Bureau Veritas has revealed that companies that are certified to 18001 will benefit from transitioning to ISO 45001, due to come into force March 2021, as for the first time ever, the new international standard for occupational health and safety, requires employers to put measures in place to improve employee mental health and well-being. Carol Robinson, Health, Safety and Environment Manager at Bureau Veritas, said: “The HSE statistics show that a record number of Britons now suffer from work-related stress, depression and anxiety, and as the leading cause of work place absences in the UK, employee work-related mental ill-health is said to cost UK employers up to £42bn a year1. “As such, it’s never been a more appropriate time for employers to take action and review how they recognise, assess and manage work-related mental ill-health. This will not only help to understand the root causes of stress, anxiety and depression in the workplace but will no doubt go a long way in reducing absenteeism. “For businesses unsure of where to begin, following the requirements of ISO 45001 from Occupational Health and Safety (OHSAS 18001) will help to manage workplace mental health. The new international standard goes much further than just preventing workplace injuries and is the first-of-its-kind to put the onus on employers to improve employee health and well-being.” Overall, the HSE figures show that the rate of workplace injuries in the UK is in general decline and coincides with findings by Bureau Veritas that it has seen a 63% reduction in workplace accidents across the organisation. Carol adds: “This improvement is a result of organisations in recent years making a concerted effort, in terms of their values, attitudes and practices, to improve workplace safety. There’s always more that can be done to prevent employees being injured at work and our advice to businesses is to review their culture and processes on a regular basis and find ways to continually monitor and improve their overall health and safety strategy.” Bureau Veritas offers a wide range of services to help firms achieve ISO 45001 compliance, including implementation, management and certification of health and safety frameworks. For further information please visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk.
The A6 Manchester Airport Relief Road, a £290 million dual carriageway that links the A6 at Hazel Grove to the M56, has officially opened. It aims to improve connections from the city to its airport, as well as provide better connections to the £1 billion Airport City business park and development sites in Handforth Dean and Woodford. “We are investing more in improving our roads than ever before – making it easier, safer and quicker for people to get where they want to go. This new road will not only make it easier for people to get to the airport and away on holiday, but it will help businesses in the North West improve their access to world trade through flights from Manchester,” said Transport Secretary Chris Grayling, who opened the road. “It will also lead to the creation of thousands of jobs, boosting the economy and further demonstrating the strength of the North West’s role in the Northern Powerhouse,” he continued. The A6 Airport Relief Road is expected to create more than 5,000 jobs in Greater Manchester and deliver a £2.5 billion boost to the regional economy. “This new road connects Manchester Airport with the people and businesses of Stockport, Manchester and East Cheshire. It was only made possible by Department for Transport and Greater Manchester Combined Authority funds and it is a good example of central government working together with a city-region to deliver major infrastructure that improves people’s lives,” added Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester. “The A6 to Manchester Airport Relief Road will enable people to make quicker and easier journeys, and will cut congestion, especially on local roads. The supporting cycling and walking infrastructure will also make active travel more attractive and safer for more people and supports our ambition to make them the first and natural choice for short journeys. Greater Manchester is emerging as a world-class city-region and we want to work with government to deliver a transport system to support it,” Andy concluded.
The construction industry is facing a crime epidemic that is costing more than £400 million per year. What can be done to combat the criminals? Every business needs to protect itself against the actions of criminals, but the sheer scale of crime within the construction sector makes this an industry where measures need to be taken urgently. Last year, the Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) surveyed construction firms up and down the country, and their findings make grim reading. 21 percent of those surveyed said they experience theft on a weekly basis, while that figure rose to a staggering 92 percent being the victims of crime weekly, monthly or yearly. In this age of rising insurance premiums and potential liability if intruders enter a site and injure themselves, these numbers seem all the more shocking. Clearly, the industry needs to take a closer look at its use of construction site security systems and procedures. Theft on every scale Theft is by far the most common form of crime to take place at construction sites, and it is rife at all levels. Career criminals working for organised gangs break into sites at night, removing plant and equipment such as mini diggers that can be worth thousands of pounds. Often, the stolen property has left the country in the back of a van by the time the theft has been discovered. Not all thefts are on such a large scale, however. Pilferage from within is also endemic within the industry. The survey revealed that 90 percent of construction sites had had tools and building materials pilfered, and of these more than half believed the crime was committed by staff and subcontractors. Crimefighting tools Modern video surveillance that is remotely monitored during the hours of darkness is an important tool in staving off the large scale crime, as is the fitting of tracking equipment to plant. Thieves are usually brazen and unsophisticated, typically adopting the “quick in and out” strategy, and taking minimal effort to conceal or disguise faces or vehicle registration numbers. They rely on the element of surprise, so taking this away from them could have a significant impact. Reducing the smaller, but equally damaging, bleed from internal pilfering demands a different approach. Tracking the whereabouts of tools using technological asset tagging is certainly one solution, and protects both employers and the honest employees and subcontractors who simply want to get the job done. It makes it quick and simple to book tools out and in, and provides the company with real time information that doesn’t only improve security, but also gives a picture of total inventory, making it easy to know when new tools are needed. It is more efficient and less time consuming than traditional manual paper-based methods, which only serve to increase operating costs and are typically ineffectual. An escalating problem Perhaps the most sobering conclusion of all to come out of the survey was that 40 percent of respondents feel that instances of theft are on the increase. The construction industry is facing enough economic difficulties, and these are likely intensify as Brexit takes effect. Now is the time to initiate some basic controls to turn the tide and reduce crime.
With constant changes across home, interior and building trends, the question on most people’s lips is – what features do new-build seekers really want? Builders, architects, and industry experts come across different demands and preferences every year, depending on the newest trends and features. Here are the latest in-demand features across both the home and workplace, taking over the interior industry: 1. A less cluttered effect Millennials also driving the push toward a modern, streamlined feel with less clutter. People want the things they really need, rather than cluttered home and workspaces littered with ‘things’. Decorative items and any flashy extras are being cut back, creating more of a minimal feel. It’s also more to do with being thrifty and keeping things affordable, as people want to get more for their money. This means homeowners and businesses are now looking at interiors and building plans with affordability in mind. 2. Open plan floors Following the minimal interiors trend, it comes as no surprise that open floor plans are the next thing on people’s lists. Centred around living room spaces, kitchens and meeting rooms, people want the openness effect. It also means that smaller houses or smaller rooms can feel much bigger. Built in fixtures like in wall shelving and TV’s mounted on walls are one easy way to create this feel. Also, ceiling to floor windows are a great option to recreate this feeling. Bifold doors which take up one whole wall such as these examples from Vufold, give this open plan effect instantly and are also perfect for letting tons of natural light in. 3. Flexibility Formal living rooms and dining rooms are now given way to spaces that can convert into a home office, a second bedroom, or whatever other purpose suits. Builders and designers are wanting to create flexibility into the homes they are working on so that buyers can use the space however it fits their needs. This makes the homes more flexible and versatile. 4. Large Kitchen Spaces As kitchens continue to become the social hub of the home, large kitchen islands are being requested more and more, serving a multitude of roles. Large size, open plan kitchens with islands act as prep stations for preparing food, sociable homework spots for kids, places to eat for the family, and acting as a great communal area. 5. Universal design Buyers are realising that they’re not just purchasing homes and buildings for today, but for 20 to 30-plus years down the line. People are considering their future investments, and want to own buildings and homes which will act as an investment. Those looking to buy homes and office spaces are becoming much savvier in that regard The beauty is that many design elements that are also safe to install no longer have to look institutional. These can be anything from grab bars that double as towel rails in the bathroom, to low/no-threshold showers to comfort-height toilets and more. Downstairs toilets are requested more than ever, with builders and designers prioritising large space downstairs toilets and bathroom areas when working on new houses. 6. Floating and freestanding features When builders and designers start to work on a space, whether it be a home or an office renovation, floating and freestanding furniture and fixtures have become a huge trend. By installing and fixing floating vanities – such as sinks and freestanding bathroom features – can make small spaces look larger and open up the room. They also make any room look so much more modern and sophisticated. Offices have started to utilise floating desks attached to the walls, to free up space in the centre of the rooms and to provide a sleek feel. By eliminating the chunky furniture which attaches to the ground, you instantly gain the illusion of more space. 7. Wireless compatibility Now that we’re becoming a more technology and online obsessed world – not to mention social media driven – the need for constant wireless connection is higher than ever. Wireless compatibility throughout the whole house is something builders are keeping in mind more than ever before. The growth of wireless needs within residents is only set to grow, from kids doing homework to work-at-home adults, to working from anywhere and always needing connection. Homes and offices are now also being fitted out with lots of outlets for wireless technology. This means that charging areas don’t stop at the drop zone. By increasing outlets ensures that homeowners can plug in at the kitchen island, at the living room sofa, out on the patio, and pretty much anywhere else! As you can see, the way our buildings are being created by both builders and designers alike are changing. The modern, minimalistic style is strong, making way for charging outlets and wireless compatibility, in rooms which are clutter free and filled with freestanding and floating furniture.
