Health and safety expert Bureau Veritas is encouraging visitors to this year’s Contamination Expo Series to come and witness its intuitive field hazard-testing and air quality technology to see how it is transforming the testing and inspection industry. More than 3,000 contamination professionals are expected to flock to Birmingham’s NEC
Social enterprise Mytime Active has appointed B38 Group to provide a range of facilities management services at its 26 sites over the next three years. The Wakefield-based FM company will carry out mechanical and electrical engineering on heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Mytime has 22 golf and leisure sites
Chandlers Building Supplies in Banstead,is celebrating its recent refurbishment and expansion with a week of trade demos and promotions for builders starting on September 9. Despite Brexit uncertainty, Chandlers Building Supplies has invested more than £1m to refurbish and expand its retail outlets as well as increase its range of
Bull Products, a manufacturer of life-saving fire protection equipment, is enhancing high-rise safety on the Wardian London development, thanks to its Cygnus wireless alarm system. Wardian London is a prestigious residential development in Canary Wharf. Combining modern architecture with innovative landscaping, it sets a new standard for the high-rise living
Whether a commercial property has just been constructed or undergone a renovation, it will need a clean up before it is let or employees can return following a refurbishment. A great deal of dust and debris is generated during any construction project or renovation, and as commercial premises are usually
Mainstay Group has announced the acquisition of a national property management portfolio, spanning London, Nottingham and Wallasey. The portfolio, formerly managed by Keith Perry Chartered Surveyors, officially transitioned to Mainstay on 1 July 2019 and will continue to be overseen jointly by Mainstay and Keith for the next 12 months.
Clark-Drain Ltd unveils Technodrain®, a new addition to its popular linear drainage range that broadens the choice for UK construction. Designed for surface water management, the versatility of Technodrain® enables it to be used across all construction environments as a light, robust, technical solution for run-off surface design. Made
Conduit systems have many applications but are extremely common in telecommunications utilities and the power supply market. PVC-coated steel conduit is often used. However, an increasing number of businesses are realizing that fiberglass conduit systems offer more advantages than PVC. When compared side by side, fiberglass conduit is superior to
Alpine Fire Engineers are celebrating a series of recent successes – 36% YOY growth to over £19m, office relocation to accommodate a doubled workforce, and several award nominations in recognition of their impressive achievements and employee-focused initiatives. Alpine Fire Engineers are specialist providers in Design, Project Management and Maintenance of
Office Visions, the South Wales family-run company that specialises in creating stunning office environments, has completed a multi-million pound project with dnata Travel Group, owner of 14 well-known consumer and business-to-business travel brands in the UK. The Travel Group’s brief to Office Visions was to create an inspiring working environment
Health and safety expert Bureau Veritas is encouraging visitors to this year’s Contamination Expo Series to come and witness its intuitive field hazard-testing and air quality technology to see how it is transforming the testing and inspection industry. More than 3,000 contamination professionals are expected to flock to Birmingham’s NEC for the event on 11th and 12th September this year, which brings together suppliers and partners from across all aspects of contamination including land, spill, clean air, hazardous, waste, nuclear and geothermal. With an established reputation for providing bespoke consultancy services around regulatory compliance in areas of hazardous chemical and environmental management, Bureau Veritas’ respected thought leaders will be on hand at stand F85 to share best-practice advice and guidance in areas including emergency response planning, asbestos, air quality and hazardous materials – to name just a few. Fire science consultant, Sarah Bergin, will also be delivering a presentation in one of the ‘speaker slots’, discussing the air quality considerations during a major incident, bringing in her own experience as a scientific advisor during the Moorland fires of 2018. Keen to showcase how its technology is helping to improve testing, inspection and certification, experts from the renowned Bureau Veritas Technical Centre are calling on visitors to pop along to its stand to see its latest solutions. Bureau Veritas’ scientists have combined the capabilities and strengths of the existing HazMat testing kits to create a wet chemistry testing system designed to allow emergency responders to quickly and accurately classify unknown chemicals. The CHASE kit, which will be demonstrated at the Expo, enables the responder to quickly identify the hazards of the substances involved and understand the implications of this when planning the emergency response, as well as protecting emergency responders, other personnel, and the environment, in the process. Mike Shaw, Principal Consultant at Bureau Veritas, comments: “Our specialist Technical Centre leads the industry in providing innovative solutions that add value to customers. As a business we are dedicated to best practice in health and safety and we’re excited to showcase our latest solutions in hazardous chemicals management, air quality issues, industrial risk assessment and asbestos management at the Contamination Expo Series. “So whether you are seeking to invest in new compliance services, or simply looking for help and advice on everything from fire science and emergency response to air quality and asbestos inspections – we’d urge all attendees to pop along and talk to our thought leaders to find out more.” Bureau Veritas offers a wide range of specialist services to help firms achieve compliance. Attending and conducting demonstrations at the Contamination Expo will be thought leaders and experts from across the Bureau Veritas business, including fire science, who are dedicated to the provision of appropriate scientific advice at emergency and other incidents; asbestos, who offer assistance overseeing asbestos surveyors, as well as supporting with feasibility studies, risk assessment and management studies; and air quality, who work with a large number of organisations to undertake feasibility studies, bring forward air quality compliance and assess the potential benefits of air quality improvement measures prior to implementation. For further information on Bureau Veritas, call 0345 600 1828 or visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk. To find out more about attending the Contamination Expo Series, please visit the Contamination Expo website or contact Daniel Rogers on 0117 990 2005.
Social enterprise Mytime Active has appointed B38 Group to provide a range of facilities management services at its 26 sites over the next three years. The Wakefield-based FM company will carry out mechanical and electrical engineering on heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems. Mytime has 22 golf and leisure sites nationwide, plus a head office in Bromley. Established in 2004, Mytime Active aims to “improve wellbeing by making it simple for people to get active, be positive, spend time with friends and eat better”. The organisation runs lifestyle preventative health services across the UK at six leisure centres and 16 pay-and-play golf courses in London, the Midlands, and on the South Coast. B38 Group will take a more strategic role including the provision of maintenance staff, training and support, as well as building life cycle management with forward maintenance planning. The FM group offers a comprehensive range of operations for private sector clients and blue-chip organisations nationwide, working across the retail, manufacturing, logistics, corporate, education and healthcare sectors.
Chandlers Building Supplies in Banstead,is celebrating its recent refurbishment and expansion with a week of trade demos and promotions for builders starting on September 9. Despite Brexit uncertainty, Chandlers Building Supplies has invested more than £1m to refurbish and expand its retail outlets as well as increase its range of stock in Banstead by more than 50 percent. Angela Straker took over as branch manager last year. Angela has forged her career in this traditionally male dominated industry and is currently in the running for two prestigious industry awards for her commitment and knowledge of the sector. Angela, said: “I just love the construction industry. At this stage in my career, I feel I know what Banstead builders require for pretty much any building project they undertake. I am delighted to have been able to expand our offering here in Banstead and hope the local tradespeople will come and see the changes we’ve made.” Sue McKinney, Chandlers Building Supplies said: “Our customers require a wide range of roofing and building supplies on a daily basis, they also often rely on the advice that our branch manager and building specialists can share with them. We have strong indications that expanding our offering locally in Banstead is exactly what local tradespeople want and need.” The new store is running free trade demo days from September 9, including free breakfast and plenty of giveaways and promotions on offer. Chandlers Building Supplies also has outlets in Surrey at Chertsey and Bookham.
Bull Products, a manufacturer of life-saving fire protection equipment, is enhancing high-rise safety on the Wardian London development, thanks to its Cygnus wireless alarm system. Wardian London is a prestigious residential development in Canary Wharf. Combining modern architecture with innovative landscaping, it sets a new standard for the high-rise living experience in the heart of London’s new financial centre. Once complete, it will include two iconic apartment towers with 764 rooms, restaurants, shops and a cinema. In partnership with Wingate Electrical, M&E contractor for Ballymore, Bull has supplied its Cygnus Fire Call Point Alarm System – a range of devices that have been designed to provide temporary fire protection on construction sites. Thanks to the alarm system’s high-strength signal and connectivity, the alarms can communicate despite signal interference and obstacles such as concrete and steel, ensuring workers are notified immediately in an emergency. Bradley Markham, director at Bull Products, says: “Our wireless alarm system is the ideal solution for residential developments such as this as it can be moved around as the site changes or grows, saving time and money. There’s no compromise on site safety as our innovative technology offers maximum protection to workers around the clock. “With high-rise buildings in particular, there is a real need to protect all levels from a fire during construction – the Cygnus system is the ideal solution to provide end-to-end fire safety.” Providing comprehensive fire safety protection through a fully linked network of detectors and call points, wireless fire alarm systems are the most effective and safest solution for construction sites and workers. For more information, please visit www.bullproducts.co.uk or email enquiries@bullproducts.co.uk
Whether a commercial property has just been constructed or undergone a renovation, it will need a clean up before it is let or employees can return following a refurbishment. A great deal of dust and debris is generated during any construction project or renovation, and as commercial premises are usually quite large, the post-build clean is generally a pretty big operation. Dust and mess can be extremely hazardous, so it is important during office refurbishments that employees are briefed about where they can go as there is a chance they could breathe in harmful dust or chemicals. See tips on how to maintain safety during your office refurbishment here. Let’s take a look at what the post-build clean of a commercial property involves. There are generally two stages to a post-build clean: The initial rough clean An in-depth clean The initial rough clean The first stage involves getting rid of any rubbish, debris and excess concrete dust left by the builders. Some of this will be done before the build or renovation is completed, such as cleaning dust prior to carpet or floor tiling installation, or before fitting kitchen and sanitary facilities. The external windows, frames and cladding may also be cleaned before internal work is finished up. Who does a post-build clean? Most commercial property developers hire a professional cleaning company to do this work, often tendering the contract to a selection of cleaning businesses before choosing the best deal (who incidentally may not necessarily be the cheapest). Some builders will do a rough clean and remove rubbish and debris before contracting out the in-depth post-build cleaning to save money, while others may leave a lot of the construction debris on site for the cleaning company to deal with. What about health and safety? Health and safety for cleaners on a post-build site is paramount. There are many risks associated with an almost constructed or newly constructed buildings. Common risks include trip hazards and improper supervision. Post-build cleaning operatives should have sufficient health and safety training. A risk assessment is also an important step required to protect workers. Supreme Cleaning are one of many commercial cleaning companies who send cleaning operatives on Site Safety courses and provide them with CSCS cards (CSCS is the Construction Skills Certification Scheme). Cleaning operatives are required to understand site-specific method statements and risk assessment requirements before they are assigned to a particular job. Where cherry pickers or scissor lifts are required for cleaning work at height, operatives should be IPAF qualified (this is a bit like a driving license for mobile elevating working platforms). What does the in-depth clean involve? The specification for a post-build clean will obviously vary according to the type and size of the commercial property and the scale of the build or renovation, but can include: The removal of stickers, paint splashes, render and protection from internal and external windows and frames The removal of protection from floors, doors, radiators and other areas Thorough cleaning to remove builders’ dust from all surfaces, including inside cupboards – this can involve some cleaning at height Cleaning of light switches and electrical points, radiators and fire extinguishers Removal of dust and finger marks from ceiling panels Cleaning of all doors, woodwork, ledges, shelving and skirting boards, as well as door handles and hinges Floor scrubbing and buffing and any carpets or matts vacuumed Thorough cleaning and sanitising of all kitchens and bathrooms, including the removal of stickers, paint spots and plaster, and the polishing/wiping of tiles and chrome to leave it free of smears Removal of grout haze from tiles and paint spots from flooring Cleaning of glass entrance doors (inside and out) and the reception desk Cleaning of all staircases and lift cars, including lift doors, balustrades and handrails Ventilation duct cleaning Most cleaning companies operating a large post-build commercial clean will allocate an on-site project manager to liaise with the commercial property manager or the business conducting the renovations. The cleaning project manager is responsible for checking the quality and progress of the clean. How to choose a post-build cleaning company Regular domestic cleaning companies aren’t suitable for the post-build cleaning of commercial properties. Be sure to choose a reputable cleaning company with construction cleaning experience. It’s a good idea to check out testimonials. It could be worth contacting a previous client of your preferred cleaning company for a reference. If the cleaning company is as good as they say they are, they won’t mind you doing that. Above all, before hiring a cleaning contractor, be clear about budgets, what is included in the clean and time-frames.
Mainstay Group has announced the acquisition of a national property management portfolio, spanning London, Nottingham and Wallasey. The portfolio, formerly managed by Keith Perry Chartered Surveyors, officially transitioned to Mainstay on 1 July 2019 and will continue to be overseen jointly by Mainstay and Keith for the next 12 months. It comprises substantial apartment blocks in Stoke Newington, Bloomsbury, and Bethnal Green, London, together with three smaller schemes in Nottingham, and the iconic Portland Court block, on the Wirral. Charles Lucas, Technical Director at Mainstay, said: “I’m very pleased to share the news of Mainstay’s latest acquisition, which forms a key part of our accelerated growth plans. “We felt it was important that Keith assists us with the onboarding process; he’ll be able to bring his wealth of experience and invaluable technical expertise, ensuring a smooth transition as we begin to welcome our new clients, and customers to Mainstay. “Mainstay is perfectly placed to handle the management of this national portfolio, as our team has a wide geographical spread and expert knowledge with high levels of customer service throughout our teams. We’re excited to build on the excellent service Keith has already provided, and bring the Mainstay experience to this new customer base. We look forward to continuing and sustaining the company’s growth in line with our 2020 corporate strategy and beyond and ensuring Mainstay properties are embedded into the wider communities they are present in”. The news comes hot on the heels of Mainstay’s recent appointments on the landmark Hallsville Quarter scheme in Canning Town, and Salford’s luxury Downtown development. Established in 2000, Mainstay was founded by Glyn Miles, Graham Donaldson and Andrew Tilly and now employs 726 people. With this latest acquisition, Mainstay will manage in excess of 80,000 homes UK-wide. The business is headquartered in Worcester however operates across the country – with schemes in Manchester, Nottingham, London and more in its portfolio. This year alone, Mainstay is on track to turnover a record-breaking £25.9 million in line with their 2020 corporate strategy.
Clark-Drain Ltd unveils Technodrain®, a new addition to its popular linear drainage range that broadens the choice for UK construction. Designed for surface water management, the versatility of Technodrain® enables it to be used across all construction environments as a light, robust, technical solution for run-off surface design. Made from High Density Polyethylene, Technodrain® encompasses all load classes (A15-F900) in accordance with European standard EN 1433, comprising an array of grating design options in ductile iron, galvanised steel and stainless steel. The Technodrain® system will be available in 100mm, 150mm, 200mm and 300mm internal widths. With the advantage of light-weight, polyethylene – e.g. the EXEL 200HV has a 42.61 l/s hydraulic capacity ideal for use in road drainage and car parks and weighs 26.1kg, complete with D400 ductile iron grating – its size to weight ratio maximises savings in transport and installation cost. Technologically advanced, Technodrain® is resistant to temperature change with a thermal range between -60OC and +100OC. It is also resistant to a wide range of acids, salts and hydrocarbons so that it can be used in challenging environments such as chemical plants, petrol stations and surfaces where ant-freeze salts are used. Technodrain® incorporates many other benefits. Its robust design adds to its sustainable life, whilst installation is eased with tongue and groove joints enabling the connection of multiple channels with a ready-mounted grate. Its preformed lateral and vertical channel outlets also provide quick and easy connection to discharge pipes. Furthermore, project design is supported by integrated Tee-and Cross-section joints that can adapt the drainage line, enabling control over the accuracy and cost effectiveness of the whole system. An important additional accessory is the Technodrain® sump unit. It can be installed as a terminal unit off the line or as a central element of two converging lines. The sump is equipped with an optional anti-odour siphon that can be removed easily for cleaning purposes and a grating to filter leaves and debris. Use of the sump allows you to increase the out-flow diameter of all channels up to Ø200. John Carter, Head of Sales and Marketing at Clark-Drain comments: “Both for the contractor and the operator, Technodrain offers technical innovation and a high degree of cost saving, whilst providing a highly efficient system for surface water design and management right across the construction project spectrum”
Conduit systems have many applications but are extremely common in telecommunications utilities and the power supply market. PVC-coated steel conduit is often used. However, an increasing number of businesses are realizing that fiberglass conduit systems offer more advantages than PVC. When compared side by side, fiberglass conduit is superior to PVC in many ways. Fiberglass Conduit Takes Less Work to Install PVC conduits have to be bent to the proper specifications with special installation tools. These tools are difficult to come by for the average field contractor. Fiberglass installation is done with a common PVC hot box that many field contractors already possess. PVC is also much heavier than fiberglass, resulting in a slower installation process that is less safe and costs more money. Because it is easier to install, fiberglass costs less in labor than PVC, too. Lightweight Fiberglass weighs far less than PVC, but the benefits it provides go beyond installation. It also means that less stress is put on supporting structures. Fiberglass systems are more efficient and flexible and cost less to maintain. The benefits of these qualities extend far beyond installation into the full life span of the project. Better Coefficient of Friction Cables often need to be pulled through conduits, resulting in burn-through. This is when friction from heating damages the structure of the conduit. While PVC can resist burn-through pretty well, fiberglass is even more resistant. That allows cables to be pulled through even faster. Fiberglass is also less likely to be damaged by common lubricants used to counter conduit burn-through. Corrosion Resistance Fiberglass resists corrosion in a wide variety of environmental conditions. It is more resistant to corrosion than PVC when exposed to extreme operating temperatures and chemicals. In some cases, PVC is more resistant to corrosion (such as in the presence of high amounts of ammonia), but this is not usually the case. Resistant to Impact Fiberglass conduit stands up to impacts better than PVC. It maintains its shape after impact since it is designed to be strong but flexible. These qualities help it hold up far better in tough environments like earthquake or flood-prone areas. PVC is far more susceptible to these environmental dangers. Easy to Customize Fiberglass conduit is made from epoxy resin reinforced by fibers that can be altered to improve certain qualities. For example, fiberglass can be made more resistant to corrosion or shielded against electromagnetic interference and radiofrequency. No Dangerous Chemicals In the event of an accident, fiberglass releases no halogens. This makes it far safer for people to be around. PVC can release chlorine, which can damage central nervous and respiratory systems, as well as bromine, a common pesticide. Containing no dangerous chemicals means less chance of liability should an accident occur. Better Vibration Resistance Large structures, like bridges, can experience continuous vibrations that shorten their life span. Fiberglass conduit is regularly used for such structures because of its high vibration resistance. This helps maintain the integrity of larger structures and extend the time needed between maintenance.
Alpine Fire Engineers are celebrating a series of recent successes – 36% YOY growth to over £19m, office relocation to accommodate a doubled workforce, and several award nominations in recognition of their impressive achievements and employee-focused initiatives. Alpine Fire Engineers are specialist providers in Design, Project Management and Maintenance of active fire suppression systems. May 2019, their operations were moved from the village of Littleborough where they employed 30 people, to the new premises in Bury to accommodate the fast growth of their expert team. Now in excess of 60 colleagues, the team includes a number of home-grown talents in both the design and service engineering teams. The move was celebrated in July 2019 when the family-focused business opened its doors to friends and family, revealing their newly refurbished open plan ‘connected’ space where knowledge share and camaraderie is encouraged. Their new location was based on the analysis of all existing employees to minimise any impact on their journeys – an important consideration for a company that values the wellbeing of its employees. Figures for financial year 18/19 show the business has already exceeded growth expectations against their five-year business plan. Steven Nanda, CEO commented: “Alpine has invested heavily in creating a dynamic and progressive environment for all to thrive in readiness for our aspirational growth plans. Whilst we have delivered outstanding financial results our greatest success is the creation of trainee roles and development pathways for all our staff – reconnecting engineering with the young talent of today and embracing the very latest technology in delivering life safety and risk management for our customers…’’ In recognition of the impressive achievements, they have been nominated for local business awards, alongside Steven Nanda being nominated for Transformational Leader and Empowering Potential Leader in the Northern Leadership Awards 2019.
Office Visions, the South Wales family-run company that specialises in creating stunning office environments, has completed a multi-million pound project with dnata Travel Group, owner of 14 well-known consumer and business-to-business travel brands in the UK. The Travel Group’s brief to Office Visions was to create an inspiring working environment in a completely refurbished and redesigned 65,000 sq. ft space in Preston, Lancashire. The company acquired the old Leyland DAF headquarters in the town earlier this year specifically to convert it in to a ‘signature office’ for almost 700 staff who work across a number of the brands in its portfolio – including the locally-established businesses of Gold Medal Travel and Netflights. The project included asbestos removal, new curtain walling, the installation of a new roof, a new car park and a complete interior and exterior refurbishment. Simon Gambarini, the managing director of Office Visions, said the contract was the biggest ever completed by the company, which has a long track-record of completing high-profile refurbishments having worked on the Cardiff City Stadium, a new ambulance station in Barry and the new offices of law firm Blake Morgan to name but a few. “This is a fantastic project for us and one we are truly proud of,” said Simon. “Our designers did a fantastic job creating a unique concept that utilised British materials and is based on eco-friendly ideals. The finished project is a fantastic showpiece of how old buildings can be brought into the modern era.” John Bevan, CEO, dnata Travel Europe, said: “We wanted an environment that was modern, vibrant and a place that would inspire our people to produce their best work for our customers. The iconic Lancaster House building, well-known locally as the old home of Leyland DAF, was ideal for our needs and we’re delighted to have given it this new lease of life. Office Visions has succeeded in creating an environment there that has surpassed our expectations. There’s a real buzz about the place, and our teams have really taken to their new home.” Office Visions was founded by Roger Gambarini in 1975 in Newport. Originally called Abacus Office Equipment, Roger built the business into a multi-faceted office equipment and design company before selling a large part of its operations in 1994. It rebranded and relaunched as Office Visions and has established itself as one of the premier office refurbishment and fit-out companies in the UK renowned for its cutting-edge designs and can-do attitude. It currently employs directly and indirectly, over 100 people.