Considerate Constructors Scheme creates e-learning course on Best Practice Hub to achieve greater awareness of vulnerable road users. The Best Practice Hub – the construction industry’s free to access online platform for sharing best practice – has produced an e-learning course about Vulnerable road users. Launched on 9 January, the
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution, Derek Mackay MSP, visits latest property project by Glasgow Together, aimed at reducing re-offending rate. Glasgow Together, a social enterprise dedicated to creating full-time jobs for ex-offenders by building new affordable homes and bringing empty properties back into use, has started work on its
All it took was a faulty boiler in a school in Manchester to destroy an entire basement, thus calling for a complete reparation of the entire location. Stretford Grammar School have been using the help of Sika to transform its basement from a water-logged concrete mess into a brand new
The annual search for the North-east’s top tradespeople and businesses is once again underway, launching officially at a special event being held at Trinity Hall on Thursday 19th January 2017 at 6pm. The launch event, held in association with main sponsor Stewart Milne Group, will highlight the benefits and opportunities
Is It Possible To Remove Risk From Your Property Development? Investments all come with risks, and the property market has its fair share of those to consider before any decisions can be made. However, it is possible to reduce risk from your property development, to protect yourself, those working for
A North Tyneside Customer First Centre will undergo work from next week to make it more disability-friendly. Starting Monday 16 January, North Tyneside Council’s partner Kier North Tyneside will begin work on a brand new Changing Places facility at Wallsend Customer First Centre. The work involves extending the current disabled
The dangers of sub metering are first of all that it is hardly considered such an important stage in re-building and developing projects. However, research directed by Joanne Merry shows that this is not an aspect of metering that should be ignored or taken lightly by landlords and their tenants
With so much to do on a daily basis, it can be easy to shrug off health and safety procedures or forget to implement strategies that could keep your workforce safe. Unfortunately, slacking in these areas could have disastrous results. So, here’s how to improve your workplace practices. Invest
One of Hull’s best known companies has filed for administration after hitting financial difficulties. Hall Construction Group, which employs around 110 people in their Clay Street site, in east Hull, filed for administration this week, just months after posting a loss of more than £2m in their annual accounts. The
The fruition of the plan to turn Manchester into a central hub of railway interconnectivity has been in place since the 19th Century when in 1830 George Stephenson implemented the works that would result in the first transport connection link between it and the city of Liverpool. More recently, Network
Considerate Constructors Scheme creates e-learning course on Best Practice Hub to achieve greater awareness of vulnerable road users. The Best Practice Hub – the construction industry’s free to access online platform for sharing best practice – has produced an e-learning course about Vulnerable road users. Launched on 9 January, the course is designed to increase knowledge and understanding of the risks construction activity can pose to vulnerable road users and provides practical methods which can be adopted to minimise these risks. It is available to all registered Best Practice Hub users. A fundamental part of the course is to provide participants with an understanding of CLOCS – the national standard for Construction Logistics and Community Safety – and how it can be adapted for any type of construction activity across the UK. Other learning sections include current road safety legislation, the Highway Code and details of other important road safety programmes including FORS – the Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme. The course, which is eligible for CPD, has already received a huge uptake, with hundreds of individuals from Scheme-registered sites, companies and suppliers completing it. To drive higher standards nationally, the Scheme has also introduced a dedicated section about the CLOCS Standard on the Best Practice Hub as well as additional questions about CLOCS in the 2017 Monitors’ Checklist. All types of construction activity can involve potential risks to vulnerable road users. Considerate Constructors Scheme Chief Executive Edward Hardy said: “All types of construction activity can involve potential risks to vulnerable road users. It is, therefore, essential that the industry knows and understands these risks and does all it can to minimise them, both for the general public and the workforce. “The Vulnerable road users e-learning course and section about the CLOCS Standard on our Best Practice Hub provides an easily accessible and practical way for everyone within the industry – including site managers, contractors, suppliers and clients – to raise safety standards for every road user and pedestrian affected by construction vehicles.” CLOCS Project Director Derek Rees commented: “The CLOCS team commends the Considerate Constructors Scheme for creating the Vulnerable road users e-learning course and providing a dedicated CLOCS section on the Best Practice Hub. Both resources provide an invaluable way to help raise awareness of the daily risks presented to pedestrians and cyclists and how the industry can effectively manage the impact vehicles accessing sites have on the local community and workforce.” Click here to visit the Best Practice Hub. Click here to take the Vulnerable road users e-learning course. Click here to view the CLOCS section.
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution, Derek Mackay MSP, visits latest property project by Glasgow Together, aimed at reducing re-offending rate. Glasgow Together, a social enterprise dedicated to creating full-time jobs for ex-offenders by building new affordable homes and bringing empty properties back into use, has started work on its latest, and biggest, residential property conversion in the city. With funding from Social Investment Scotland (SIS) and Robertson Trust, Glasgow Together has purchased, and achieved, planning permission to convert a substantial sandstone villa located in the Pollockshields West conservation area into three premium residential apartments. The project will provide employment for up to 5 ex-offenders, who are actively seeking opportunities to get their lives back on track. Today (Thursday 19th January), Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution, Derek Mackay MSP, visited the site at Nithsdale Road to speak with the team responsible for the refurbishment project. Commenting on the work of Glasgow Together, Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Constitution, Derek Mackay MSP said: “The work of Glasgow Together is a great example of the kind of innovative partnership that can have a positive social impact whilst also delivering clear economic benefits, despite the tough economic climate, particularly in the construction sector. “This model already has a successful track record around the UK, providing ex-offenders with a pathway back into meaningful work whilst supporting a commercially sustainable business model which is delivering high quality and affordable housing.” Glasgow Together is without doubt the most exciting and worthwhile project I have ever been involved in. Barry Mochan, Chief Executive of Glasgow Together, commented: “Glasgow Together is without doubt the most exciting and worthwhile project I have ever been involved in. We’ve enjoyed a busy 12 months since launching and we’re now looking forward to embarking on this, our sixth and biggest, refurbishment project to date. Already we’re seeing the benefit of our work through the employment of local people with previous convictions, who now have an opportunity to get on with their lives and make a valuable contribution to society. Thanks to the ongoing financial support from SIS, Robertson Trust and JRF, I’m convinced we can have a major impact here in Glasgow.” Glasgow Together was launched in 2015 with the ultimate aim of reducing re-offending rates, by building around 50 affordable new homes at a number of sites across the city, as well as refurbishing empty homes. The organisation has already carried out six projects in the city and employed six workers with previous convictions as well as numerous local tradesmen. Although it’s still early days, the organisation currently maintains a 0% reoffending rate and have successfully kept one employee from prison for a previous offence due to his continued work with GT. The organisation has been funded by an investment of more than £750,000 from leading lender to the third sector Social Investment Scotland (SIS), as well as the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) and The Robertson Trust. An additional £1.25 million has been invested through fundraising led by Triodos Bank. Ex-offenders, including many from Barlinnie Prison, are being employed by GT on both new build and refurbishment projects with roles lasting from 12 months or more. All employees are set tailored personal development plans; appropriate to their experience level before progressing to more complex construction tasks. GT is also working with current offenders serving a custodial sentence at Barlinnie Prison. Prisoners have the opportunity to gain unpaid work experience in the timber kit construction workshop and on release they will be considered as potential GT employees. Operating as a Community Interest Company (CIC), a special type of limited company that exists to benefit the community rather than private shareholder, Glasgow Together is part of The Together Social Business Group (TTG), which has successfully run two similar projects in Bristol and the Midlands.
All it took was a faulty boiler in a school in Manchester to destroy an entire basement, thus calling for a complete reparation of the entire location. Stretford Grammar School have been using the help of Sika to transform its basement from a water-logged concrete mess into a brand new water proof center to lead the way to making the school a more environmentally-friendly location. The councillors of Trafford Borough oversaw the repairs that were completed by Grade 2 contractors, who applied an easy-to-use concoction created by Sika to apply directly to the affected walls themselves. The solution’s extra added strength is due to its mixture with concrete so as to ensure that it protects the walls from future damp as much as possible. It has even been approved by the British Board of Agrement (BBA) as a solution of long-lasting impact to ensure that the basement location of the school remains safe from all future possible mold attacks. Another Sika product (405) was used to mend the roof that was falling apart under the constant strain of adverse weather conditions. It was also rid of blemishes and should ensure the safety of the school roof for the full duration of the building’s lifetime, as is also the case with the Sika 1 solution. With its properties designed to withstand extreme temperatures and ultra-violet (UV) rays, Sika 405 was a further long-term solution to the school’s building renovations. Steve Parry, an RM of Structural Repairs, was adamant that these solutions would satisfy all parties concerned and would prove a significant step forward to reducing the impact of the school on the outer environment. It is equally hoped that the pupils of Stretford Grammar School will have benefited from witnessing these important refurbishments and will have seen this as an education to how schools and communities can work together to reduce their carbon impact on the atmosphere.
The annual search for the North-east’s top tradespeople and businesses is once again underway, launching officially at a special event being held at Trinity Hall on Thursday 19th January 2017 at 6pm. The launch event, held in association with main sponsor Stewart Milne Group, will highlight the benefits and opportunities available to businesses who take part in Trades Awards 2017, as well as offering general hints and tips to any company considering entering for the first time. The Trades Awards launched in 2012 to reward excellence within the trades and construction industry. Now entering its fifth year, the ceremony continues to be the largest construction event in the North-east, with 13 award categories open to trades businesses of all sizes and disciplines. The awards are run by creative marketing agency, Mearns & Gill. Michael Wilson, Managing Director of Mearns & Gill said: “Thanks to the incredible continued support from the local trades and construction industry, the Trades Awards 2017 has already received the highest number of registrations to date. “The launch event is a chance for potential applicants to hear first-hand from previous award winners how winning a Trades Award has positively impacted their business, and we would encourage anyone with an interest in entering this year to join us on Thursday.” Neil Thomson, Construction Director of Stewart Milne Homes comments, “Construction is a hugely exciting and dynamic industry to be in, and Aberdeen and the North has some of the most highly skilled workers in the UK. “It’s important that we reward and recognise their hard work and commitment, both to motivate them to help the industry flourish and to attract new, up and coming talent into the trade. I’m already looking forward to meeting this year’s potential applicants, and hearing about some of the wonderful success stories that Trade Awards 2017 discovers.” The Trades Awards 2017 launch event is free to attend, and is open to anyone with an interest in entering or supporting this year’s awards. For more information, or to secure your place, contact Isla Stewart on isla.stewart@mearns-gill.com or call a member of the team on 01224 646311. For further information on Trades Awards 2017, including the full list of categories and remaining sponsorship opportunities, visit www.tradesawards.com.
Is It Possible To Remove Risk From Your Property Development? Investments all come with risks, and the property market has its fair share of those to consider before any decisions can be made. However, it is possible to reduce risk from your property development, to protect yourself, those working for you and the development itself. RIsk cannot be removed altogether but you can put precautions in place to ensure your losses are minimised. If you have been considering how best to minimise risk in your latest project, read on to discover just how you can go about doing so: Team up with a reputable, knowledgeable builder When it comes to hiring a builder, don’t shop around on the basis of cost alone. Quality is key when working in the property development field, which is why you need to look for a builder who knows what they’re doing, who you can rely on and even turn to advice when it comes to renovations and putting together your vision. They should also be able to overcome any hurdles along the way, they’ll know when to apply for planning permission, who to turn to in the event of an emergency repair and can help you correctly plan timelines for builds and work. Look at what the big players are doing The big property development players and land acquisition companies have got to where they are for a reason, the First Urban Group for example has curated a portfolio of developments, where sustainability is key and the local area is considered carefully. Look carefully at what companies such as this are doing and follow in their footsteps to avoid any risk of taking the wrong path. Take time to understand the property market You should stay up to date on property news, especially with Brexit continuing to cause confusion and caution. If buy-to-let is your main ambition, it’s very important you read up on the latest restrictions applied to this area, making decisions without understanding the implications can have a negative effect on your investments and future as a property developer. Educating yourself about the processes will significantly reduce risk; help you become knowledgeable in the financial areas and ensure you know what you are talking about when dealing with future buyers. Work with the right estate agent Whether you are selling the property on for potential profit or teaming up with a letting agent, ensure you select the right one and avoid risk of taking on the services of an incompetent team. A big name doesn’t always mean the best service, so speak to people in the industry and ask who they recommend. Always ensure you are covered The simplest of things can be forgotten, such as property developer insurance. Ensure you are covered for any house building work to ensure that should something go wrong while the builders are in you are protected financially and legally. It’s worth paying out for and is the simplest way to reduce risk. Before you begin your next development project, check through this list and ensure you feel confident that risk is at a minimum before taking the next step.
A North Tyneside Customer First Centre will undergo work from next week to make it more disability-friendly. Starting Monday 16 January, North Tyneside Council’s partner Kier North Tyneside will begin work on a brand new Changing Places facility at Wallsend Customer First Centre. The work involves extending the current disabled access toilet into the children’s area and reconfiguring the interior to house a hoist and shower facilities. The new facility will comfortably provide space for one person and up to two carers, as well as a safe and clean environment with a non-slip floor. Current baby changing facilities will be moved to the public toilets on the first day and for the duration of the project, the staff disabled toilet will be made available to the public. Delighted with the work, North Tyneside’s Elected Mayor Norma Redfearn said: “It’s fantastic that we are able to start work on this brand new Changing Places facility at Wallsend Customer First Centre. “We know that the Changing Places scheme does so much for people with disabilities and I’m extremely happy that we are supporting it here in North Tyneside. “It is important that we make sure the borough’s facilities are as accessible as possible for anyone who may want to use them and this development will go a long way to helping us do that.” Kier regional director, Mike Furze, said: “We are proud to be delivering this specialist project, which will be of significant benefit to service users for years to come. “By working in partnership with our colleagues at North Tyneside Council we are making a real difference to improving the quality of specialist community facilities for residents across the borough.” Due for completion at the end of February, services at the centre will not be affected but there may be some noise disruption while the work is carried out. Read more at http://neconnected.co.uk/big-changes-customer-first-centre/
The dangers of sub metering are first of all that it is hardly considered such an important stage in re-building and developing projects. However, research directed by Joanne Merry shows that this is not an aspect of metering that should be ignored or taken lightly by landlords and their tenants or private residents. Merry reports an overwhelming number of cases in the West End of London in which more than 80% of the meters installed were discovered to have significant problems with them. This resulted in reparation costs that amounted to over an already staggering amount of 200 thousand pounds. It is therefore of paramount importance that a number of procedures are followed through to ensuring that this sort of thing does not happen. Metering should for a start be viewed as a serious system of its own right to be dealt with considerable caution. The Heat Network Regulations of 2015 were installed in place to ensure that certain standards for even the cheapest meters were met. However, a certain clause of these regulations (Part L) is often considered to be met even without the full and detailed implementation of various tests and measures that would ensure that the installed meters would not break down or give misleading readings. Meters also vary for different environments (one in a workplace would need different requirements compared to, say, one in a small household) and the appropriate meter must be installed properly with all the appropriate installation procedures and testing, including reviewing documents and instruction manuals. These tests and procedures, whilst perhaps lengthy and seemingly unnecessary to the untrained eye, will ensure that such problems as breakages or false misleading meter readings are reduced by a very significant proportion. They will also increase good landlord-tenant relations in rented properties in the long term by enabling the accurate meter readings to be read and the correct and appropriate amounts to be charged.
With so much to do on a daily basis, it can be easy to shrug off health and safety procedures or forget to implement strategies that could keep your workforce safe. Unfortunately, slacking in these areas could have disastrous results. So, here’s how to improve your workplace practices. Invest in the right equipment for heavy lifting Many jobs require some form of heavy lifting, but it’s important to ensure that tasks are carried out correctly by investing in adequate equipment such as hoists, excavators and loaders. This equipment may need to be fitted with heavy duty castors so that the machine can safely handle heavy weights or perform particular functions, so make sure the equipment your business is using is up to scratch. Employees should not be expected to lift heavy items without the proper equipment (or training on how to use the equipment safely), so take the relevant steps to ensure their safety. Provide personal protective equipment Personal protective equipment (PPE) should be supplied to all workers who need it. While hard hats and steel toe boots are required on building sites, those working with dangerous chemicals may also need facemasks, gloves and overalls, as well as other pieces of protective clothing – it all depends on the type of industry you’re in and the requirements of specific jobs 3. Put up health and safety signs In order to comply with The Health and Safety (Safety Signs and Signals) Regulations 1996, you must use safety signs if a significant risk to employees and others remains despite putting in place all other relative measures. From ‘hot water’ signs to ‘mind the step’ and ‘low roof’ signs there’s a multitude of warning plaques you might need to position. Think about fire safety All businesses should have someone responsible for fire safety, be it the owner of the premises, the facilities manager or someone else. This person should follow government advice by: carrying out a fire risk assessment and reviewing it regularly alerting the necessary staff members about any risks identified putting in place and maintaining appropriate fire safety measures planning for an emergency providing staff information, fire safety instruction and training It’s important to take all fire safety rules and regulations seriously – lives are at risk, and you could be fined or go to prison if you don’t put measures in place. Carry out full risk assessments As well as fire safety risk assessments you should also carry out a full assessment of your entire business, identifying anything that could pose a threat to employees or visitors. The Health and Safety Executive provides extensive risk management advice for you to follow (much of which will be useful for the points raised above). Start by addressing the things you current have concerns about. If you discover wobbly steps, for instance, having a driveway repaved could make the entrance to your premises a lot safer. Similarly, if you have a habit of leaving computers on overnight, identify doing so as a fire hazard; send round a company email reminding staff to shut down all electrical equipment properly before leaving at night. Health and safety at work is of paramount importance, so put it to the front of your mind and protect employees in every way you can.
One of Hull’s best known companies has filed for administration after hitting financial difficulties. Hall Construction Group, which employs around 110 people in their Clay Street site, in east Hull, filed for administration this week, just months after posting a loss of more than £2m in their annual accounts. The company told the Mail that it had taken the decision to “protect the company”. However, It is understood some workers have already been looking for work with other city construction firms. The Mail understands the company, which builds schools, houses and offices, is still looking for alternative routes at keeping the family-run company afloat despite. It is thought the process will last until next week. Last night the company’s website was closed down. One of Hall’s most recent projects was the completion of the acclaimed @TheDock auditorous for client Wykeland beside the C4Di building in the Fruit Market. The company, which was established more than 100 years ago, also built the main C4Di building and had been working on the new Williams Den, a £3m play arena which was set to be opening in North Cave in Easter this year. Hall Construction Group, which includes the companies Hall Renewables and Hall Construction, are believed to have filed for administration earlier this week. When the Mail called Hall Construction’s head offices on Wednesday a woman, who was not identified, said: “We have taken the decision to file for administration in order to protect the company but we have not taken the decision yet to go into that. We are hoping this is not going to be the case.” Interested in this article? Read more at Hull Daily Mail.
The fruition of the plan to turn Manchester into a central hub of railway interconnectivity has been in place since the 19th Century when in 1830 George Stephenson implemented the works that would result in the first transport connection link between it and the city of Liverpool. More recently, Network Rail has been working very hard up in Manchester in order to enable the implementation of two archways along the river that splits Manchester. Through this ambitious venture, it will enable the foundations to be made for a brand new railway link that will be able to connect the three main train stations in Manchester together along the same line, so that passengers and travelers to the city can access the treasures of what the city has to offer in an even easier and quicker than ever before. The two arched structures themselves are known as the Ordsall Chord and have added much aesthetic beauty and charm to the impressive Manchester skyline and it is clear that the installation of these archways bring Network Rail yet again one step closer to the completion of the Great North Rail enterprise to renovate the trains and transport links of cities across the whole of the North of the country. It is estimated that through this new “chord” the amount of traffic and congestion that Manchester experiences on a daily basis will actually go down by a quarter, indicating how necessary these improvements to the transport links are to the city and its populace. The vital building of the archways will mean that the 300 meters of railway track will be able to be installed so that the four stations can be reached easily without the need for changes to rail services. Indeed, the Minister for Rail Paul Maynard explains that he is extremely pleased that this crucial step has now been achieved for the city and will enable the further necessary works to continue as planned, where it is hoped trains will be able to be operating on the connecting line by the end of this very year.