A major project has begun to breath some life into Saughton Park. The historic Edinburgh park will be worked on in a scheme of work that is expected to last a year. The work on the park began this week and is the culmination of a great amount of effort
Construction work has started on the new sheltered housing development in Saltcoats. The construction work is being carried out on behalf of North Ayrshire Council and the new unit has been tailored to the needs of the older population of North Ayrshire. The project has recently had their ground-breaking ceremony
Plans that have been put forward to create a completely new community to the East of the Scottish Town of Aviemore are expected to successfully go through the final set of approvals. The project is awaiting approval from the Cairngorms National Park Authority and it is thought the will approve
Develop Training Ltd has received top marks from an audit that was carried out by the Institute of Learning and Management. The expert training provider is based in Derby and focuses of offering training for those working in the construction and energy sector. Develop Training Ltd offers a wide variety
Balfour Beatty, the British multinational infrastructure group, and civil engineering company has revealed that they have managed to move back into profit for the first half of 2017. This year the company has recorded a pre-tax profit of £12 million. In the same period last year, the company was in
A new development of luxury care homes has been completed by Wates Construction. The completed care homes are located in Berkshire and Surrey. Wates carried out the construction work on behalf of Signature Senior Lifestyle. Ascot Grange, the Signature Sunninghill Care Home in Berkshire offers the highest quality accommodation across
Green energy supplier Ecotricity and campaign group Greenpeace have threatened to mount a legal challenge if Hinkley Point C receives any more state funding. The planned nuclear plant was awarded a 35-year Contract for Difference (CfD) with a strike price of £92.50 – more than twice the
Carbon monoxide testing pilot study commences Published: 12 October, 2016 Public Health England’s (PHE) carbon monoxide (CO) pilot study, which aims to develop a protocol for coroners to test for CO at post mortem, is set to commence. The study is being funded by the Gas Safety Trust (GST). The
Despite ongoing inventory shortages and faster price growth, existing home sales in the United States have sustained their recent momentum and moved higher for the second consecutive month. The latest data from the National Association of Realtors shows a surge in sales in the Midwest and a decent increase in
Book Course HSL is to run a 1 day course on Management of Hand Arm Vibration in the Workplace – An Introduction. 8 September 2016 Introduction The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 is designed to protect workers from injury resulting form exposure to hand-arm vibration. To manage the
A major project has begun to breath some life into Saughton Park. The historic Edinburgh park will be worked on in a scheme of work that is expected to last a year. The work on the park began this week and is the culmination of a great amount of effort that has been put in over the course of the last five years to raise the £5.2 million needed for the work to go ahead. The Heritage Lottery Fund were a significant help in the fundraising efforts, contributing £3.8 million to the project. Saughton park was last redesigned in 1908 in order to make room for the Scottish National Exhibition that was then visited by more than 3.5 million people. Hopefully this restoration will have the same amazing effect on the park. The work will revive some of the key features of the Exhibition such as the bandstand, botanic garden and the winter garden. There will be a collection of other improvements made to Saughton Park including the refurbishment and restoration of the stables at the park in order to create a community venue as well as providing a base for project partners the Royal Caledonian Horticultural Society. There will also be a new cafe constructed in the park with restorations and additions made to the furniture, lighting and paths on the site. The contractors for the site are P1 Solutions and this week they carried out the ceremonial sod-cutting in the Walled Garden of the park in order to commemorate the start of the project. At the event were a number of council officials as well as staff that work at the park and representatives from the Heritage Lottery Fund. After the work has been completed there will be a management plan created and maintained with a range of events and activities included as well as opportunities for volunteering in order work towards the next target for the park, achieving the Green Flag status.
Construction work has started on the new sheltered housing development in Saltcoats. The construction work is being carried out on behalf of North Ayrshire Council and the new unit has been tailored to the needs of the older population of North Ayrshire. The project has recently had their ground-breaking ceremony and is thought to be the first sheltered housing project delivered by the construction and infrastructure partnership Hub South West for North Ayrshire council. The £6.1 million project will deliver 36 new dwellings and will be located on the former Canal Court site in Saltcoats. When complete, Canal Court will offer 36 one and two-bedroomed flats. All of the accommodation will be wheelchair accessible and on the site will also be a social services hub which will allow older people to live independently in their own homes. There will also be a range of communal areas constructed such as a lounge, dining room, private courtyard and a ‘visiting services’ room. The construction of the Canal Court complex will showcase the excellent supply chain services on offer in the area. Hub South West Scotland have never taken on a housing project before, and this project will therefore be a great way for the organisation to expand into a new sector. The hub; a partnership that seeks to enable the design and construction of community facilities and services, hopes to demonstrate the excellence of the supply chain in this area. The contractor for this project is a local construction business, Ashleigh Building Ltd. The sheltered accommodation is expected to be complete with the handover of the project back to North Ayrshire Council predicted to take place on the 31st of July 2018. The Canal Court complex is a great contract for Ashleigh Building Ltd, as a tier-1 contractor as is allows them to boost their local employment figures and also improve their apprenticeship programme and offering other supply chain opportunities in the area.
Plans that have been put forward to create a completely new community to the East of the Scottish Town of Aviemore are expected to successfully go through the final set of approvals. The project is awaiting approval from the Cairngorms National Park Authority and it is thought the will approve the plans at some point this week. Planning Permission in Principle was first granted for the project in March 2014, which when completed would create a new community filled with 1,500 homes, business and community facilities and the necessary infrastructure needed to support the development at An Camas Mòr. However, since this permission in principle was first granted, the developers have applied to alter a condition of the plans which could lead to a more phased approach to the construction work when carrying out the development. Condition one of the original planning permission states that no development above 630 homes will be carried out before the developer has completed a review into the impact the development has. This means that the developer must review what affect the development is having on the environment, landscape and ecology before building more than 630 homes. It is this condition that the developers want to change, pressing for a Site-wide Phasing Plan to be submitted instead. The planning committee for the Cairngorms National Park Authority will be considering the planning application on Friday the 18th August and will also be looking at the amendments suggested by the development company in order to decide whether to grant planning permission. The National Park Authority Planning department is recommending that the plans be approved, as there have been no significant changes made since the Planning in Principle was granted in 2014. The department also suggest a number of measures and conditions to better monitor the development after the alteration to the conditions.
Develop Training Ltd has received top marks from an audit that was carried out by the Institute of Learning and Management. The expert training provider is based in Derby and focuses of offering training for those working in the construction and energy sector. Develop Training Ltd offers a wide variety of ILM qualifications such as Learning & Management apprenticeships as well as the Level 3 Award, Certificate and Diploma in Leadership in Management. The organisation also offers a range of Mentoring and Coaching programmes. The Head of Corporate Management at Develop Training Ltd, Clive Lawrence-Forbes has said that the successful audit is amazing news and is a true demonstration of the quality of the training facilities and services on offer. The audit results show that the organisation has been delivering ILM qualifications at the highest possible standard. The audit that was carried out looked into the company’s internal processes, which were recorded as being a high standard as well as the range of procedures that support the qualifications that are on offer by Develop Training Ltd. Develop Training Ltd is known for being the leading provider of compliance safety and technical training in the UK. Through the training they offer, the company supports thousands of construction and energy firms by meeting their training needs. The training that is offered by Develop training includes topics such as water and environmental, gas and energy, safety, electrical and mechanical, apprenticeships and management development. The training organisation deliver their sessions in centres across the UK including Romford, York, Derby, Lisburn which is near Belfast and Linlithgow near to Edinburgh. This amazing feedback for the auditors is a seal of excellence for the training offered by Develop Training and rewards the efforts put in by those working for the company to deliver the best training which is vital for assuring quality and safety in the construction and energy industries.
Balfour Beatty, the British multinational infrastructure group, and civil engineering company has revealed that they have managed to move back into profit for the first half of 2017. This year the company has recorded a pre-tax profit of £12 million. In the same period last year, the company was in a worse position, recording a £15 million loss. This amazing turnaround is great news for the group, who have gone through a bad patch with a number of construction contracts not delivering their expected results. The positive financial results for Balfour Beatty has come as the management have been making changes and cuts as part of their Build to Last programme. The business has become more streamlined, offering their services to a narrower market in order to make the most of the capabilities they offer. Through this transformation the company has become more profitable, and these results have surprisingly been made without the disposal of any material investment. In the UK the company has managed to turn itself around from a £69 million loss to a £2-million-pound profit. Another explanation for their recovery is Balfour Beatty’s bidding tactics for contracts. During the company’s loss years, the company appeared to be being too aggressive in their bidding, practically removing all of their margins and then making a loss on the project. With margins vital to maintaining a healthy profit in the construction industry, the company have had to alter this approach in order to improve their financial circumstances before it got any worse. Being more selective when choosing the contracts they bid on has also allowed the multinational infrastructure and civil engineering group to fill their books with contracts offering higher margins and a greater likelihood for profit. It would appear that in order to function successfully as a large multinational organisation the quality of the contract wins out over the number of contracts won.
A new development of luxury care homes has been completed by Wates Construction. The completed care homes are located in Berkshire and Surrey. Wates carried out the construction work on behalf of Signature Senior Lifestyle. Ascot Grange, the Signature Sunninghill Care Home in Berkshire offers the highest quality accommodation across 96 private apartments, with a mixture of one-bedroomed suites and studios. There are also 23 places for individuals who require specialised dementia care. The Signature Camberley Care Home in Surrey is called Pembroke House. In order to complete the construction work of this project, the five storey office building formerly on the site needed to be demolished. In its place is a four storey care home that has 92 bedrooms. The Pembroke House accommodation is close to the town centre, a new type of locations for Signature Senior Lifestyle. Also available at the Care Home is a collection of secret gardens that can be found on the upper levels of the development. Both of the newly constructed projects are fitted with the best possible amenities for residents to make the most of including a cinema room, hair salon, therapy room, bistro restaurant and library. Wates Construction Southern Homes Counties was the division of Wates that completed the work for their client and the construction process has been described as thoroughly enjoyable. Both of the Care Home will now deliver senior living communities that will offer the residents comfort as well as a better quality of life. Wates Construction is a leading name in construction and one of the largest privately owned construction, development and property services. The company’s 4,000 employees work with over 10,000 supply chain operatives in order to deliver a range of different construction projects around the UK. Wates Construction also focuses on delivering the highest quality project possible as well as working with the communities they are operating in in order to leave behind a positive legacy.
Green energy supplier Ecotricity and campaign group Greenpeace have threatened to mount a legal challenge if Hinkley Point C receives any more state funding. The planned nuclear plant was awarded a 35-year Contract for Difference (CfD) with a strike price of £92.50 – more than twice the current wholesale power price. Ecotricity and Greenpeace have written to written to the UK and French governments and EDF Energy, warning that any additional funding from the French government would be “illegal” under EU state aid rules. A final investment decision on Hinkley has been repeatedly delayed because EDF has struggled to secure sufficient financing for the project. In March chief executive Jean-Bernard Lévy said it will not go ahead without the injection of extra capital from its 85 per cent shareholder – the French state. Shortly afterward French economy minister Emmanuel Macron said it would be a “mistake” to abandon Hinkley and suggested his government could help with financing by accepting dividend payments from EDF in the form of shares rather than cash. Greenpeace and Ecotricity have argued that any such support from the French state would not be covered by the European Commission’s approval of state aid in October 2014. They said it would be illegal without a fresh decision by the commission. Greenpeace UK Executive Director John Sauven said: “The only way Hinkley can be kept alive is on the life support machine of state aid.” “The UK government needs to stop penalising the UK renewable energy industry in favour of propping up an ailing state-owned nuclear industry in France,” he added. Ecotricity founder Dale Vince said: “It’s time for everyone to realise that we’ve reached the end of the road for Hinkley Point – it’s not going to happen. “Illegal state aid is one thing, and we’ll work with Greenpeace to challenge that if it happens – but it’s not just financial issues, there are technical problems with Hinkley Point too. “EDF [is] yet to build one of these reactors, their first two attempts are, between them, 16 years late and billions over budget – nobody in a normal business would attempt a third with the first two so woefully out of control.” Last month EDF Energy chief executive Vincent de Rivaz said “categorically” that Hinkley Point C will go ahead. Speaking before a meeting of the Energy and Climate Change Committee he said he expected a final investment decision to be made in mid-May, once the French government had made a decision on financing. Responding to questions raised by committee chair Angus MacNeil, energy secretary Amber Rudd conceded earlier this week that any further delays to the project would not jeopardise the UK’s energy security. Source link
Carbon monoxide testing pilot study commences Published: 12 October, 2016 Public Health England’s (PHE) carbon monoxide (CO) pilot study, which aims to develop a protocol for coroners to test for CO at post mortem, is set to commence. The study is being funded by the Gas Safety Trust (GST). The 2011 All-Party Parliamentary Carbon Monoxide Group (APPCOG) report identified a key role for coroners to support increased detection of CO poisoning in England and Wales. The report recommended that “the government should ensure that all coroners’ post-mortems routinely test for carboxyhaemoglobin (COHb) levels”. The study will take the important first steps towards obtaining a more complete estimate of the number of deaths caused by CO poisoning, by testing for the gas at post-mortem. This pilot is to be carried out before a national data collection exercise can be undertaken so the procedure can be defined, developed and implemented; the aim is to establish a protocol for testing and reporting of CO poisoning at post-mortem in England and Wales. Chris Bielby, GST chairman, said: “We are thrilled that this pilot is due to commence as we have been long been seeking to determine a more accurate number of fatalities caused by CO poisoning in England and Wales. It is generally agreed that CO poisoning may be under-diagnosed by both medics and coroners due to its characteristics. “The only way to properly investigate this is for CO levels to be tested at post-mortem and we are hopeful this pilot will develop a protocol that will allow us to reach the true scale of the problem in England and Wales.” Dr Giovanni Leonardi, head of the Environmental Epidemiology Group at PHE for Radiation, Chemical and Environmental Hazards, said: “This is an important pilot study which will develop a method for establishing how often CO poisoning is being missed by clinicians and the impact this has on CO being identified as a cause of death. We will need to share this information with the coroners before they will consider wider testing for CO at post-mortem. “We will also need to assess the extra burden wider testing would have on staff, including pathologists and laboratory workers.” Source link
Despite ongoing inventory shortages and faster price growth, existing home sales in the United States have sustained their recent momentum and moved higher for the second consecutive month. The latest data from the National Association of Realtors shows a surge in sales in the Midwest and a decent increase in the Northeast which offset smaller declines in the South and West. Total existing home sales, which are completed transactions that include single family homes, town homes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 1.7% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.45 million in April from an upwardly revised 5.36 million in March. After last month’s gain, sales are now up 6% from April 2015. According to Lawrence Yun, NAR chief economist, April’s sales increase signals slowly building momentum for the housing market this spring. ‘Primarily driven by a convincing jump in the Midwest, where home prices are most affordable, sales activity overall was at a healthy pace last month as very low mortgage rates and modest seasonal inventory gains encouraged more households to search for and close on a home,’ he said. ‘Except for in the West, where supply shortages and stark price growth are hampering buyers the most, sales are meaningfully higher than a year ago in much of the country,’ he added. The NAR data also shows that the median existing home price for all housing types in April was $232,500, up 6.3% from April 2015 and this is the 50th consecutive month of year on year gains. Total housing inventory at the end of April increased 9.2% to 2.14 million existing homes available for sale, but is still 3.6% lower than a year ago. Unsold inventory is at a 4.7 month supply at the current sales pace, up from 4.4 months in March. ‘The temporary relief from mortgage rates currently near three-year lows has helped preserve housing affordability this spring, but there’s growing concern a number of buyers will be unable to find homes at affordable prices if wages don’t rise and price growth doesn’t slow,’ Yun explained. Properties typically stayed on the market for 39 days in April compared to 47 days in March, which is unchanged from a year ago but the shortest duration since June 2015 when it was 34 days. Short sales were on the market the longest at a median of 120 days in April, while foreclosures sold in 51 days and non-distressed homes took 37 days. Some 45% of homes sold in April were on the market for less than a month, the highest since June 2015 when it was 47%. ‘Looking ahead, with demand holding steady and supply levels still far from sufficient, the market for entry level and mid-priced homes will likely continue to be the most competitive heading into the summer months,’ Yun explained. The index show that the share of first time buyers was 32% in April, up from 30% both in March and a year ago. First time buyers in all of 2015 also represented an average of 30%. All cash sales were 24% of transactions in April, down from 25% in March and unchanged from a year ago. Individual investors, who account for many cash sales, purchased 13% of homes in April, matching the lowest share since October 2015, but down from 14% in both in March and a year ago while 69% of investors paid cash in April. Distressed sales, that is foreclosures and short sales, declined for the second straight month to 7% in April, down from 8% last month and 10% a year ago. Some 5% of April sales were foreclosures and 2% were short sales. Foreclosures sold for an average discount of 17% below market value in April compared to 16% in March, while short sales were discounted 10%, unchanged from March. Single family home sales were up 0.6% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.81 million in April from 4.78 million in March, and are now 6.2% higher than the 4.53 million pace a year ago. The median existing single family home price was $233,700 in April, up 6.2% from April 2015. Existing condominium and co-op sales jumped 10.3% to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 640,000 units in April from 580,000 in March, and are now 4.9% above April 2015. The median existing condo price was $223,300 in April, which is 6.8% above a year ago. A breakdown of the data shows that April existing home sales in the Northeast climbed 2.8% to an annual rate of 740,000, and are now 17.5% above a year ago. The median price in the Northeast was $263,600, which is 4.1% above April 2015. In the Midwest, existing home sales soared 12.1% to an annual rate of 1.39 million in April, and are now 12.1% above April 2015. The median price in the Midwest was $184,200, up 7.7% from a year ago. Existing home sales in the South declined 2.7% to an annual rate of 2.19 million in April, but are still 4.3% above April 2015. The median price in the South was $202,800, up 6.5% from a year ago. Existing home sales in the West decreased 1.7% to an annual rate of 1.13 million in April, and are 3.4% lower than a year ago. The median price in the West was $335,000, which is 6.5% above April 2015. BOOKMARK THIS PAGE (What is this?) Source link
Book Course HSL is to run a 1 day course on Management of Hand Arm Vibration in the Workplace – An Introduction. 8 September 2016 Introduction The Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 is designed to protect workers from injury resulting form exposure to hand-arm vibration. To manage the risks from hand-arm vibration exposure and to comply with the regulations you will need to assess, control and monitor exposures, you will also need to ensure that workers understand the risks and have any necessary training. If workers are at risk you will also need a health surveillance programme to monitor any progression of injury and to provide feedback on the effectiveness of your exposure controls. This course provides an overview of your duties under Control of Vibration at Work Regulations 2005 and practical guidance on how you can control and manage hand-arm vibration risks in your workplace. Who should attend? Those responsible for assessing, controlling and managing hand-arm vibration risks in the workplace. What you can expect from the course? This course will review the risks from hand-arm vibration exposure and introduce you to the requirements of the current regulations. It will provide practical advice and examples of how to carry out assessments of vibration risks, how to develop vibration control action plans, providing information instruction and training and what to expect from health surveillance. Presenters include: • Paul Pitts, Head of Noise and Vibration Section • Sue Hewitt, Higher Scientist, Noise and Vibration Section • Alison Codling, Faculty of Occupational Medicine, HAVS Approved Occupational Health Nurse Venue The course will be run at the HSL laboratory in the spa town of Buxton. Buxton is in the heart of the Peak District and has good links to mainline train stations and Manchester International Airport. Details of hotels in the Buxton area can be found at www.visitpeakdistrict.com. Cost The cost of the course is £475 (includes course notes, lunch, refreshments and a certificate of attendance). Book Course Please note the invoice option is not available within 4 weeks of the course date, or for overseas customers. If you are selecting the invoice option for payment, it will be mandatory to input a purchase order/reference number as we are unable to process booking forms without this. For further dates and additional information email: training@hsl.gsi.gov.uk or contact the Training & Conferences Unitat HSL directly on +44 (0)1298 218806. Back to Health & Safety Training Courses Source link