Attended by VIPs Lord Taylor of Goss Moor and Councillor Neil Atkin Following on from the government’s spending review announcement, which will see the UK’s housing budget double to £2 billion, Trent & Dove Housing Association and Maplevale Developments Ltd celebrated the completion of a joint £2.4 million project on Milton Road, Repton, as part of their commitment to building more homes in rural areas. Lord Taylor, former founder of the 2009 Rural Coalition, along with local Councillor Neil Atkin attended the launch event on Tuesday 24th November, which marked the completion of the 12 month project. Talking about the development, Lord Taylor said: “I spent a lifetime living in rural communities and I’ve spent half a lifetime trying to persuade people that it is possible to deliver the homes to the people that need them, in ways that don’t destroy places but actually enhance them. “I really like this development at Clayfields. It demonstrates that it is possible to create homes that fit within the landscape of the local community that people, whatever their background or needs, will be proud to live in.” The brand new Clayfields site aims to bridge the gap between quality and affordable housing in the area, encompassing both social rental and low-cost private homes, as Trent & Dove recruited the expertise of inspirational home designers and developers Maplevale. The move comes as South Derbyshire District Council revealed a lack of affordable housing in Repton in their Local Department Framework. Attending on behalf of South Derbyshire Council, local Councillor Neil Atkin said; “We are standing on a site looking towards the future, and a scheme which shows an outstanding partnership between a privately owned company, Trent & Dove, and South Derbyshire District Council, to build new homes in a rural village. Today, Repton is seen as a key service village, with a vibrant community that has access to many amenities such as clubs, societies and shops. “South Derbyshire District Council would like to thank Trent & Dove, along with their chosen construction company, Maplevale Developments, for not only the development, but the building of more affordable properties in the area. Trent & Dove has demonstrated to us and identified the needs of their customers and remodeled their houses accordingly.  They have delivered a successful five year development programme, ensuring that their properties by far exceed the government’s decent homes standards across their portfolio of 1000 properties across South Derbyshire.” Steve Grocock, Director of Property Services at Trent & Dove goes on to explain: “Affordable homes in rural, sought-after locations means that families can continue to live in the same area through the generations. They could provide a home for young people, low-income households or vulnerable people who would have otherwise had to move out of the area and away from where they call ‘home’.” The site boasts 24 stylish homes and apartments, designed and built by Maplevale Developments, each one sympathetically aligned with the local architecture and pastoral surroundings. The specification of each home has set a new level of quality in private and affordable housing, as Maplevale’s high standards stay consistent on every build, whether privately owned or tenanted. Trent & Dove has already sold two low cost shared ownership homes on the Clayfields Repton site, and many of the houses are rented, offering a more affordable option to buying. Friends, Charlotte Brown, mother to Elijah aged 1, and Samantha Cassidy, mother to Archie aged 2 and five months pregnant with her second child, have both privately rented on the Clayfields estate since August, seeing it as an opportunity to stay in the area they grew up in. Samantha explains; “I’ve lived in Repton all my life, and my family all live just down the road, so I was very keen to stay in the area. The new Clayfields estate has given my family the option to rent in an area that is seriously short of housing, and my children can now grow up in a lovely area with great schools.” Maplevale Developments is also celebrating its completion of their 100th affordable house at Clayfields and has pledged to build a further 120 affordable homes in the East Staffordshire and South Derbyshire area as part of Trent & Dove’s commitment to creating 600 affordable homes over the next five years. Ian Reynolds, Director of Maplevale Developments, explains: “This is the third development we have completed in conjunction with Trent & Dove over the past 12 months. By building quality, affordable homes in areas of high demand, the local community becomes more diverse, welcoming and retaining residents in desirable areas who would have been otherwise unable afford their own home, often through no fault of their own. “In order to preserve long-standing, communities that are the heartbeat of every village, we need to make sure younger generations have access to quality homes at a price they can afford. Without this, young home buyers will move out of the area to look for a more affordable option, resulting in aging village communities that are separated from their growing families. “All of our homes are designed to have kerb-appeal, with well-planned layouts, exceptional quality finishes, low heating costs and picturesque external recreational spaces, all in compliance with exacting building codes. “We believe this site is the first of many rural exception developments in the area and we are currently planning schemes in nine other villages in Derbyshire and Staffordshire to build upon the success of Clayfields Repton.” For more information please contact Katie Whirledge on kt@papillonpr.co.uk or call 01543 898 195.

A CONSTRUCTION firm walked away with another top award after a glittering ceremony held in London this week. Gus Robinson Developments Ltd was awarded the Heart of the Community Business of the Year at the British Chamber of Commerce’s national awards in London. The firm won the Teesside section of the North East Business Awards earlier this year before going on to take the regional gong in the North East finals held at Hardwick Hall, in Sedgefield. Steve Bell, Managing Director of Gus Robinson Developments Ltd, said: “To win such a prestigious honour at a national level is an excellent achievement for us. “We were delighted to win the regional stages of the competition, but to be awarded the overall national trophy at the British Chamber of Commerce’s National Awards is something we are very proud of and it is a great honour to everyone on our team.” Gus Robinson Developments Ltd prides itself on its strong link-up with the local community, and has been involved in various projects in recent years including opening up its car park to help ease traffic problems with neighbours to setting up a gymnasium for local youngsters and helping organised Christmas parties for disadvantaged kids. The company’s chairman Dan Robinson also set up a Foundation in his late father’s name which awards engineering and aeronautical scholarships to hard-working students at Hartlepool College of Further Education. The citation for the latest success read: “Gus Robinson Developments Ltd, a national building and civil engineering contractor based in Hartlepool, wins the Business in the Community Award for delivering £25,000 annually through its Foundation which goes back into supporting the community.” Nora Senior, President of the British Chamber of Commerce, said: “These awards are the perfect opportunity to thank British businesses, of different size and sector, for their contribution to the UK’s economy. “I am constantly impressed by the determination, innovation, and the contribution business makes to their local communities. “I look forward to seeing the winners and finalists of our awards continue to prosper, creating more jobs and opportunities for our nation.” The event was held at The Brewery, in London, and was supported by DHL, BT Business, Qdos Consulting, NFU Mutual, Dell, The British Library, Composite legal Expenses and Sky News.

The NASC has announced the results of its Apprentice of the Year 2016 Award at its Annual General Meeting in Leeds today – with Paul Howell of Complete Access winning, and Scott Curtin of Connect Scaffolding named as runner-up. Paul, 28, will be presented with a trophy and a cash prize of £500 by NASC Training Manager and CISRS Scheme Manager Dave Mosley imminently, whilst the apprentice’s employer Complete Access will also receive a trophy and £500 – to be spent on scaffolding training with a CISRS approved training provider. Now in its second year, the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS)-sponsored NASC Apprentice of the Year scheme is aimed at individuals who are directly employed by an NASC Member company and are either part way through a formal scaffolding apprenticeship with an approved CISRS provider, or alternatively have successfully completed the apprenticeship programme in 2015. And this year saw a raft of good entries from the confederation’s 200+ full contracting member companies. The criteria for the apprenticeships award states a successful candidate “needed to be conscientious, have shown a willingness to learn and develop skills and have gone above and beyond the call of duty whilst working their way through the qualification.” NASC Apprentice of the Year Scheme Judge and Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) Scaffolding Specialist Account Co-ordinator Diane Wood wanted to see “evidence of someone who through hard work, personal development and a commitment to the industry would be viewed as a shining example to others looking to enter the scaffolding sector.” CITB’s Diane Wood said: “I have chosen Paul for this award as he has demonstrated immense strength of character and commitment as he faced the most difficult of personal challenges throughout the whole period of his apprenticeship, without requesting any adjustments either at work or college. Testimonies from both his employer and tutor are that he is an inspiration to everyone. Throughout this very testing period in his life he managed to offer advice, guidance and encouragement to other apprentices and continues to do this with the new apprentices at Complete Access, who look upon him as a mentor.” Mrs Wood said: “It’s always very difficult choosing a runner-up, as I believe everyone nominated is demonstrating commitment to the industry. A couple of things have just given Scott the edge for me: He is attentive to instruction (particularly handovers and toolbox talks) which a lot of people feel are unnecessary aspects of the job, but are highly important. And Scott has also demonstrated regularly how he works in a methodical manner and effectively responds to carrying out challenging jobs in sensitive environments, ensuring minimum disruption to the client and in meeting tight deadlines.” Dave Mosley, NASC Director of Training and CISRS Scheme Manager said: “Congratulations to both winner Paul and runner-up Scott – both of whom demonstrated real excellence in their apprenticeships and are an inspiration to all those training in scaffolding.” For details about scaffolding apprenticeships, becoming an NASC member and to find out more about the latest SG4:15 ‘Preventing Falls in Scaffolding Operations’ Safety Guidance notes, the TG20:13 full suite and the NASC – the UK scaffolding industry trade body – please visit www.nasc.org.uk or email: enquiries@nasc.org.uk. And for more details on CISRS training, scaffolding apprenticeships and a list of current providers, please visit: www.cisrs.org.uk.

A leading safety training firm is building on its portfolio of services on offer at its North-east base with the introduction of new health and safety courses for construction personnel. Falck Safety Services UK (Falck), which has 32 training centres across the world including four UK sites in, Peterhead, Aberdeen, Montrose and Teesside, has opened up registration for four CITB approved construction safety courses from its training centre in Aberdeen. Expanding into the new market, the new courses will include Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS), Site Supervisor Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) and both SMSTS and SSSTS refresher courses. The new courses are available for project managers, site managers, supervisors, business proprietors and client-based personnel working on UK Contractor Group (UKCG) sites. Valid for five years, the certifications will provide construction personnel with the knowledge and skills to ensure healthy and safety conditions for construction site employees, including the need for risk assessments and adequate communication on site. Managing director for Falck Safety Services UK, Colin Leyden, said: “As a leading safety training firm, we are always looking for means to develop our training offering; not only to implement modern training techniques into our current programmes, but also to expand into new markets. Although well known for delivering expert training within the oil and gas industry, we are also working in partnership with other key industries to help drive and implement the highest quality safety training. “The construction industry, similar to oil and gas industry, has recognised the need for competence throughout the workforce and Falck are committed to providing the necessary training for this sector, offering the same expert instructors and service levels that our core oil and gas customers receive. Falck already provides realistic training, in a safe and controlled environment, to more than 340,000 people each year within a range of industries including global oil and gas, shipping, renewable energy, military, maritime and aviation industries. For more information on the new construction courses on offer, visit http://www.falck.co.uk/safetyservices/ourcourses/construction/

Apprenticeships are high on the agenda for display specialist Octink, as the company puts a lot of emphasis on support for school and college leavers as they start out in their careers. Keen to give young people work experience and employability skills, and develop staff both for themselves and for the benefit of the company, it is an area of significant focus, and has been for many years. The company also backs local initiatives like Spark! to prepare people for working life and to enhance their employability through practical, accredited and inspiring work-related experiences. Mike Freely, Managing Director at Octink, comments: “The skills shortage and what industry can do about it has been very visible in recent months, and as a company we pride ourselves on being active in supporting young people and staff in their progression. We believe that everyone should have development plans, and embarking on an apprenticeship is a great way to kick start those plans, while also bringing talent and skills into the company.” Recent examples of where Octink has encouraged staff to develop include a school leaver who has just completed a signmaking apprenticeship, and an office junior who showed such initiative that Octink had no hesitation in enrolling her as an apprentice to complete an NVQ Level 2 in Business Administration. And it’s not just for young people – long standing staff member Mike Bains is embarking on a higher apprenticeship in construction operations management. Mike has worked at Octink for 15 years, and in this timeframe he has been given opportunities for development in nearly every area of the business. “As a long term employee, I can honestly say that Octink puts people at the heart of how it conducts business. Since I started out in the sign workshop all those years ago, whenever I have shown interest or an aptitude for a certain area of the business then the company has supported me and encouraged me to pursue those skills and obtain qualifications in that area. The higher apprenticeship that I am just starting will really help my career leap forward, with the option to extend it in 2016 to convert it to a full construction management degree,” says Mike. Mike Freely concludes, “We hope that our efforts to develop our staff and young people within our local community not only help them in their career paths, but also set a good example for all companies of our size. With more apprenticeship opportunities opening up in industry then hopefully the skills shortage will start to resolve.”

The Construction Industry’s Latest Health and Safety Statistics We know that work related injuries can occur in any commercial sector, and that companies should adhere to health and safety regulations to decrease the amount of accidents occurring. This 2014-2015 health and safety report indicates that:   While 3% of workers suffered injuries that they believed to be work related: 15% were from other illnesses. 20% were from stress, depression and anxiety. 64% were musculoskeletal disorders. Annually around 69,000 construction workers in Great Britain were suffering from an illness which they believed to be caused or made worse by their work. A breakdown of this is: 45,000 were cases of musculoskeletal disorders. 14,000 were cases of stress, depression or anxiety. 10,000 were cases of other illnesses. Other illnesses include; respiratory disease, occupational asthma, silicosis and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Other health conditions that can affect construction workers include occupational cancer and skin disease. The report however, also shows that over the last decade the rate of work-related illnesses have had a downward drift. The annual average rate for 2013/2014 is around a quarter less than from 2003/2004. From this musculoskeletal disorders have also decreased, whereas depression and anxiety have remained level. Further information on this report can be found at hse.gov.uk. Building maintenance is essential in making sure employers are compliant with health and safety regulations. For PAT testing, drainage solutions, or for anything else contact Chequers Contract Services.

Working from height remains one of the biggest causes of fatalities and major injuries in the UK. In the first of a four-part series, David Thomas reflects on 40 years of progress.   “Those who work at height should never forget that gravity is no respecter of persons. It affects everyone; too many times with disastrous consequences resulting in serious, permanent injuries or death…” So declares the foreword to BS 8437. [1] Gravity is a part of nature that will never change and its consequences have affected countless individuals since the dawn of time. Much has been published over the last 40 years to catalogue the toll of misery. Much has been undertaken to improve the planning of work at height; new products have come to market and new techniques adopted to help make work easier, safer and more cost-effective. New regulations have also acted as both a catalyst and a driver in requiring, and promoting, suitable and sufficient measures to be taken. A number of historical reports provide essential reading for all construction and safety professionals. The four that are reviewed below all include ‘work at height’. The past Construction [1978] [2] was published to place the 1976 accident statistics in an historical context and, “… focuses attention on relatively simple measures which, if tackled nationally, could dramatically reduce the toll of accidents in the construction industry…”. In an interesting review of the development of legislation in construction the report concludes, “… whereas legislation has applied to an ever wider range of building and construction activities, the causes of fatal and serious accidents have generally remained the same for the last 60 or 70 years; falls of persons, particularly from ladders, roofs and scaffolds…”. There were 154 fatal accidents in building operations (117) and engineering construction (37) in 1976. The “… somewhat gloomy, if predictable, message… is that although overall accident levels may vary from year to year, the construction industry continued … to be unable to cope with a large number of well-known and well documented problems…”. The incidence rate of fatal accidents was 15.7. Falls of persons accounted for 30 per cent of all reported accidents in construction processes and 48.1 per cent of fatal accidents. Accidents from ladders and stepladders were consistently the highest category of falls, with the principal cause of ladder accidents being the failure to tie or to satisfactorily foot the ladder. The second highest category of falls was of persons and materials from working platforms, in particular during the erection, alteration and dismantling of scaffolds. It was noted that, “Techniques and equipment should be developed for the scaffolding industry …”. The similarity in the rate of accidents from platforms less than 6 ft 6 inches above the ground and those from platforms above this was noted. Examples of prohibition notices against steelwork erectors were given. It was suggested that, “Further research by the industry is necessary into methods of securing the safety of persons laying roof sheets at exposed edges… consideration should be given to… the proper use of safety nets …”. In terms of fragile roofs, “… All too often, inspectors find that no precautions have been taken or that they were wholly inadequate. Although the provision of suitable crawling boards, crawling ladders and duck boards is quite simple, too often little attention is paid to preventing them slipping, tipping or otherwise being displaced.” Opinion is expressed that, “One of the basic problems is that serious accidents are regarded as happening only to other people. Hazards seen on site are not connected with the accidents which they could cause …”. Safety in Steel Erection [1979] [3] stated, “The incidence rate for injury and death for steel erection workers present a particularly serious problem…” Investigation of accidents revealed, “…a widespread belief that a pre-requisite for the task of fixing steelwork at heights is a state of mind which consciously accepts risks which would be unacceptable to most construction workers… although safety belts and harnesses are often available, they are seldom used and the provision of safety nets is rare…”. Between 1961 and 1969 there were 253 fatalities of steel erectors, equating to 21 per annum (a rate of 1 in 60). With very few exceptions the facilities provided for steel erectors to gain access to their working places was, “…exceptionally poor…”. In terms of working platforms, in the majority of cases little or nothing was done and erectors were, “… left to fend for themselves…”. Very few safety nets were used on steel erection sites and safety belts, although usually available, were, “… seldom worn …”. There was, “…no doubt that steel erectors are prejudiced against the use of safety belts and harnesses and it is likely that only a few have even tied to use them…”; a multiplicity of objections being cited. Used correctly, “…safety belts and harnesses can save lives or prevent serious injury …”. It was noted that where it was possible to the drop to exceed 2 ft the shock of the arrest of the fall should be distributed by the use of a safety harness as distinct from a belt only. Roofs, a study of fatal accidents at work [1985] [4] – part of the series Deadly Maintenance – outlined the dangers to which people are exposed while engaged in maintenance work on roofs, based on information contained in reports of fatal accidents in 1980, 1981 and 1982 and with the aim of promulgating the lessons learnt first-hand by some people at the cost of the life of a colleague or friend. A detailed analysis is made of fatal accidents on roofs (63), with the largest number being falls through fragile roofs (30). It is reported, “… It is clear that over 80 per cent of the accidents could have been prevented. Management and workforce alike seem unable to appreciate, or chose to ignore, the obvious and ever present risk of falling during roof work…”. It was determined that absence or failure in system of work (26) and absent or unsafe equipment, working

A near-doubling in office starts will help to drive a 6 per cent increase in total project starts in 2016, according to new forecasts. The data from construction intelligence unit Glenigan points to total growth of 6 per cent in the value of starts during 2016 compared with 2015, driven by a 49 per cent increase in office starts. Offices is expected to be by far the strongest performing sector, its growth rate significantly ahead of second-placed private housing, which is forecast to see starts increase by 11 per cent. Other areas forecast to see robust growth in 2016 include community & amenity (10 per cent) and health (6 per cent), with the latter recovering from a low base, having contracted by 21 per cent in 2015. Retail (5 per cent), civil engineering (5 per cent) and hotel & leisure (3 per cent) are expected to record more modest growth in starts during 2016 compared with the previous year. Only three of the major sectors are forecast to see a fall in project starts during 2016: education (-2 per cent), industrial (-3 per cent) and social housing (-17 per cent). The industrial sector is nevertheless declining from a high base, with starts having grown 49 per cent in 2014, and a further 10 per cent rise expected in 2015. However, next year’s predicted fall in social housing represents the third consecutive decline in the sector, following a 1 per cent fall in starts in both 2014 and 2015. Wales is forecast to see the fastest growth in project starts of any UK region during 2016, with an increase of nearly 30 per cent. However, this is from a low base, after starts in Wales declined by an estimated 18 per cent during 2015. Elsewhere, Scotland, the South-west and London are forecast to see significant growth in starts next year, with modest increases expected for the South-east and the North-west. The East Midlands and the East of England are both expected to see a dip in starts during 2016 compared with a year earlier, owing to a decline in industrial starts.

Between 2013 and 2014, 1.2 million people in Britain were suffering from a work-related illness. There were 629,000 injuries at work and 27.3 million working days lost. Of these injuries, 142 workers were killed. 2,538 people died from mesothelioma in 2013 too, underlining the dangers of working in industrial environments. Of all the industries, construction, agriculture, forestry and manufacturing had a significantly higher rate of injury than others. Slingsby, a workplace equipment supplier, has provided a guide to some of the most common injuries workers may experience and how to avoid them. Asbestos-related disease 5,500 cases of work-related cancer are estimated each year in the construction industry. Of these cancers, lung and mesothelioma are the most common. The leading cause of death is exposure to asbestos. Solution: Your employer should have rules regarding asbestos. If you suspect there’s asbestos present, stop working and speak to the building owner or your employer. Ensure you have the correct protective equipment and a proactive policy around washing and cleaning to avoid contamination. Avoid methods that will throw up dust such as power tool usage. Avoid smoking or reusing disposable clothing. Slips, Trips and Falls If you’re stationed in an office, don’t think you’re out of danger — far from it, in fact! The most common workplace injuries come from trips and falls on slippery flooring. In 2007 to 2008, four of every 10 injuries at work were due to slips and trips. Solution: Slippery flooring should be marked with signage or protected with carpet or anti-slip tape. Muscle Strains Every time you’re required to lift something, you should take the right precautions. One of the highest percentages of injuries comes from manual handling, as lifting with incorrect form can strain your back or neck, so take care when lifting even trivial items like boxes. Solution: Lift from your legs rather than your back and ask for proper training if it’s going to be a frequent part of your job. Make sure your back is straight when lifting and ask a colleague to help if it feels too heavy. Falling objects Depending on your workplace, falling objects can be extremely dangerous. On building sites especially, a dropped object can become a fatal projectile. Solutions: Wear your protective equipment whenever you’re on site. Always be aware of people working above you and know the risk. Repetitive strain injury Even if you’re involved with construction but don’t spend much time on site, you’ll have to be aware of the risk of RSI. The problem can grow if left unchecked, so mention to your employer. Solutions: RSI can be prevented with regular breaks, so make sure you take time away from your desk to reinvigorate yourself and prevent injury. You can also ask your employer to bring in ergonomic workstations. Cuts and lacerations When you’re handling any equipment with a bladed edge you should be extra careful. Often this is a case of common sense, but you should always wear gloves and eye protectors when you need to handle bladed equipment such as circular saws. Solutions: A first aid kit or qualified first aider should be near any cutting equipment. Sound pollution If you work in a factory or near loud machinery, you need to be aware of industrial deafness. 130 claims were made in 2014for industrial deafness, a rise on figures in 2012 and 2013 but still an overall fall from figures in 2003 and 2004. Solutions: Ear protectors should be worn if working close to machinery. Frequent breaks should be permitted. With the right precautions, you’ll be protected from the most common injuries in the workplace. You can read more about other injuries here.