The National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) and National Demolition Training Group (NDTG) are proud to announce that they are the first company to be audited and approved by the CSCS to issue their new “One Card” scheme as a CSCS Affiliate. The compliant CCDO card scheme has given the
All over the UK, businesses and local authorities are taking steps to become more energy-efficient. It’s not just a case of reducing emissions and protecting the environment – it’s also about lowering costs and making the most of our resources. According to recent data from BP, the UK is the
Improving existing governance for industry codes without resorting to licensing would be a more cost-effective solution to code governance, Northern Powergrid has said. In its response to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) energy market inquiry, the distribution network operator said it was “uncomfortable” with licensing of code administration on
The subject of testing for legionella in domestic water systems of let property continues to do the rounds. There is no better advice on this subject than from the Health & Safety Exectuive (HSE) themselves and they have published a very useful article on legionella testing in let property. In
As part of the Control of Dust and Emissions during Construction and Demolition SPG the London Mayor has introduced new standards to reduce pollution emissions from the construction industry thereby creating the world’s first ‘Ultra Low Emission Zone’ (ULEZ) for non-road mobile machinery (NRMM). The new standards are as follows: From 1 September
A company that installs solar panels has been fined after a worker fell through a roof-light whilst installing solar panels on the roof of a barn at a property in Newton Stewart. Stranraer Sheriff Court heard that on 25 April 2014, an employee was placing solar panels onto a roof
Kier, the leading property, residential, construction and services group, has been retained by public sector owned built environment specialist Scape Group as the sole contractor to deliver up to£1.5bn of construction and maintenance work over the next four years. The Scape National Minor Works framework covers the whole of the
Worcestershire County Council’s Planning & Regulatory Committee has granted planning permission for the new Worcestershire Parkway Regional Interchange Railway Station. Groundwork for the £22 million station, which will link the Cotswolds and Birmingham to Bristol lines, is scheduled to begin by the spring of next year and open in autumn
Workers from nine sub-contracting companies will be staging a wave of industrial action in the escalating dispute at Sellafield in Cumbria to improve health and safety and productivity at the nuclear facility. Construction workers involved in the decommissioning and renewal project at the site are angry at the refusal by
Costain, the engineering solutions provider, announces that it has been awarded the £605 million contract for the East works package of the Thames Tideway Tunnel in London in Joint Venture (‘JV’) with VINCI Construction Grands Projets and Bachy Soletanche Ltd. The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a major new sewer, urgently
The National Federation of Demolition Contractors (NFDC) and National Demolition Training Group (NDTG) are proud to announce that they are the first company to be audited and approved by the CSCS to issue their new “One Card” scheme as a CSCS Affiliate. The compliant CCDO card scheme has given the NFDC and NDTG an opportunity to develop a robust and progressive training scheme that meets the demolition industry’s needs and ensures a CDM compliant and competent workforce. The NFDC and their training arm, the NDTG offer a wide range of demolition specific training throughout the UK and have trained over 15000 individuals in the past 12 months. www.demolition-nfdc.com www.ndtg.training
All over the UK, businesses and local authorities are taking steps to become more energy-efficient. It’s not just a case of reducing emissions and protecting the environment – it’s also about lowering costs and making the most of our resources. According to recent data from BP, the UK is the only country in the world where energy consumption is lower now than it was fifty years ago, despite the economy and population growing by a factor of three. So just what have governments and businesses been doing to improve their efficiency? Leicester’s LED revamp This month, Leicester City Council is starting a £966,000 modernisation programme to fit its traffic lights and pedestrian crossings with energy-efficient LEDs (light-emitting diodes). Nearly 6,000 traffic lights and more than 600 pedestrian crossing units will get an upgrade over the next five months, following the success of a trial installation in back in 2013. It’s expected that the new LED bulbs, which are more efficient and longer-lasting than the halogen bulbs they’ll be replacing, could save the city almost £100,000 per year. Which means that after 10 years, the project will have paid for itself, and the money saved can be put to better use elsewhere. ‘This work is another big step forward as we continue to reduce our carbon footprint proactively,’ says Councillor Adam Clark, assistant city mayor for environment and sustainability. ‘In addition to the direct environmental benefits, reduced running and repair costs will also enable spending on other important transport schemes, and contribute to the necessary savings we need to make in the coming years.’ Manchester’s green growth Since 2001, the Manchester Growth Company (MGC) has offered its services to businesses all over Greater Manchester and Cumbria, providing green intelligence monitoring, on-site reviews and workshops to help more than 1,600 companies save over £100 million. As well as the obvious benefits of helping companies to lower the cost of their business electricity, the MGC also claims that it’s managed to save 5 million cubic metres of water, and rescued 372,000 tonnes of waste from being sent to landfills. It’s an impressive step in both environmental care and resource management. But according to the MGC, there’s plenty more to be done. ‘These figures are proof that there is significant progress being made in Greater Manchester to boost business competitiveness and profitability by improving resource management,’ according to Samantha Nicholson, MGC’s manufacturing and low-carbon manager. ‘But with [the] government estimating that there are £55 billion in savings waiting to be unearthed, we’ve barely touched the surface of what we can achieve.’ Could your business make money by being more efficient? You don’t have to wait for a government initiative to start putting your own company under the microscope. Even small changes can have a big impact on your bottom line. Just by improving the efficiency of hot water boilers, for example, UK businesses could save a total of more than £400 million a year, according to the Carbon Trust. On top of that, taking steps to become more energy-efficient could also mean higher customer and investor confidence. A 2010 survey (pdf) by the Economist Intelligence Unit found that more than half of the businesses surveyed improved their brand reputation as a result of their energy efficiency programmes – which means that your reduced costs could also lead to increased sales.
Improving existing governance for industry codes without resorting to licensing would be a more cost-effective solution to code governance, Northern Powergrid has said. In its response to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) energy market inquiry, the distribution network operator said it was “uncomfortable” with licensing of code administration on the grounds that “the benefits from this solution may not outweigh the additional costs”. Northern Powergrid added that further work on “applying best practice” across the 11 industry codes could be more cost effective than licensing, pointing out that different codes have different arrangements for forming recommendations to Ofgem on whether a change should be accepted or rejected. “Some codes use party voting to establish the recommendation and some use a panel of experts,” the firm said. National Grid agreed, suggesting it is “difficult to see” how the pace of change could be accelerated by changing the status and remit of the administrator. The company said code administrators would be unlikely to be able to effectively identify and implement efficiencies within change processes without “significant change” to governance procedures, and the level of authority given to the them. In its provisional remedies document, the CMA said it had found that the conflicting interests of parties and their limited incentives to promote and deliver policy changes, along with Ofgem’s inability to influence the code modification process, had stifled innovation. The Authority argued that, by making the roles of code administration and delivery of code changes a licensable activity, this remedy would give Ofgem the power to efficiently monitor performance, leading to more consistency between governance and modification arrangements across codes. “As a result, we would expect the process of developing changes to the codes to be accelerated, and modification proposals to be initiated and developed more efficiently, improving outcomes for consumers,” it added.
The subject of testing for legionella in domestic water systems of let property continues to do the rounds. There is no better advice on this subject than from the Health & Safety Exectuive (HSE) themselves and they have published a very useful article on legionella testing in let property. In essence, Health and Safety law doesn’t require landlords to produce a ‘Legionnaires testing certificate’. Legionella testing is required only in exceptional circumstances, and generally not in domestic hot and cold water systems. Exceptions to the rule There are, of course, exceptions (student houses sitting empty over a warm summer being a classic) and the HSE site provides guidance specifically for landlords. It is important that lettings and property management staff are aware of the subject and assess the risk of legionella to catch those exception cases. However, we are pleased to report, it’s clear there is no need to burden the industry with needless legionella testing. https://youtu.be/lUFd62Gzx8E
As part of the Control of Dust and Emissions during Construction and Demolition SPG the London Mayor has introduced new standards to reduce pollution emissions from the construction industry thereby creating the world’s first ‘Ultra Low Emission Zone’ (ULEZ) for non-road mobile machinery (NRMM). The new standards are as follows: From 1 September 2015 NRMM of net power between 37kW and 560kW used in London will be required to meet the standards set out below. This will apply to both variable and constant speed engines for both nitrogen dioxide (NOx) and particulate matter (PM). These standards will be based upon engine emissions standards set in EU Directive 97/68/EC and its subsequent amendments. NRMM used on the site of any major development within Greater London will be required to meet Stage IIIA of the Directive as a minimum; and NRMM used on any site within the Central Activity Zone or Canary Wharf will be required to meet Stage IIIB of the Directive as a minimum. From 1 September 2020 the following will apply: NRMM used on any site within Greater London will be required to meet Stage IIIB of the Directive as a minimum. NRMM used on any site within the Central Activity Zone or Canary Wharf will be required to meet Stage IV of the Directive as a minimum.
A company that installs solar panels has been fined after a worker fell through a roof-light whilst installing solar panels on the roof of a barn at a property in Newton Stewart. Stranraer Sheriff Court heard that on 25 April 2014, an employee was placing solar panels onto a roof stepped back on to a roof-light and fell through it 3.6metres to the floor below. The court was told that RJW Electrical Services (Lochmaben) Limited of Lockerbie had no measures in place to prevent the risk of falling from the edge of the roof in question or falling through roof-lights, exposing the employee to the risk of injury. RJW Electrical Services (Lochmaben) Limited of Vendace Place, Lochmaben, Lockerbie pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and Section 33(1)(c) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and was fined £10,000 at Stranraer Sheriff Court.
Kier, the leading property, residential, construction and services group, has been retained by public sector owned built environment specialist Scape Group as the sole contractor to deliver up to£1.5bn of construction and maintenance work over the next four years. The Scape National Minor Works framework covers the whole of the UK and delivers schemes valued between £50,000 and £4m, ranging from refurbishment and maintenance to new construction projects. The framework is open to any public sector organisation, with projects ranging from schools, health centres, police and fire stations to town halls, leisure centres and community buildings. Kier was first appointed to Scape’s National Minor Works framework in September 2011, which encompassed projects valued up to £2m, and this latest agreement extends the partnership for a further four years, increasing the value of projects to £4m. Kier has already delivered over 500 successful projects through the first framework and at its peak it was delivering the equivalent of one project per day for six months. Haydn Mursell, Kier Group chief executive, commented: “This agreement provides an ideal opportunity to build on the excellent relationship we have already developed with Scape Group, cementing our role as a leading provider of solutions to the public sector and underlining the strength of our national construction offering.” “Kier and Scape share a very similar ethos and we are both committed to using our extensive market experience to deliver exceptional projects, whilst creating opportunities for employment and training in the locationswhere we operate. We have already delivered successful projects together, and we look forward to working on an even broader spectrum of schemes over the next four years.” Mark Robinson, Scape Group chief executive, added: “Kier has successfully established the Minor Works framework as a highly valued service for the public sector. The team have executed over 500 projects with a quality approach, a steadfast focus on creating client value and a continued passion for stimulating local economic growth. “The public sector continues to weather a perfect storm; the mounting pressures associated with budget and talent shortfalls, coupled with increased demand for public services, places extraordinary pressure on our colleagues. By raising the upper project value to £4m, our aim with the new Minor Works framework is to offer more flexibility that will allow the public sector to work more efficiently, by combining more projects into diversified programmes.”
Worcestershire County Council’s Planning & Regulatory Committee has granted planning permission for the new Worcestershire Parkway Regional Interchange Railway Station. Groundwork for the £22 million station, which will link the Cotswolds and Birmingham to Bristol lines, is scheduled to begin by the spring of next year and open in autumn 2017. Worcestershire Parkway Railway Station will be situated just outside of Worcester City, close to Junction 7 of the M5 near Norton. The project is identified as a key priority through the county’s Strategic Economic Plan, which is aiming to create 25,000 new jobs in Worcestershire by 2025 along with boosting GVA (Gross Value Added) by almost £3billion. It also has the backing of the Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP), the area’s MPs, Network Rail and Train Operating Companies First Great Western and Arriva CrossCountry, all local authorities, Herefordshire and Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce and local businesses. Feedback from a public engagement exercise last year showed further support for the scheme. 91 per cent of people surveyed stated that they supported the plans, which aim to improve the county’s accessibility by rail, cut journey times to key locations including London and reduce road congestion. The station is comprised of a single platform on the Worcester to London line and two platforms on the Birmingham to Bristol line, together with a new station building including a booking office, toilets and shop. It will also have 500 car parking spaces (including disabled provision), bus stops, a taxi rank and a passenger drop-off area. The station will be fully accessible to less mobile visitors and those with disabilities. Last year, the Worcestershire LEP provisionally allocated £7.5million from the Worcestershire Local Growth Deal towards a new station. The remainder of the funds (around £14million) is expected to come from the County Council. The Council’s contribution will be recouped through car park and station access charges levied on the Train Operating Companies. Cllr John Smith OBE, Worcestershire County Council Cabinet Member for Highways, said: “Today’s decision is great news for residents and businesses and means we can now start work on making the new Worcestershire Parkway Railway Station a reality. “The County Council recognises how important a reliable and robust transport infrastructure is to the local economy, which is why we are committed to continuing to invest in this key area through several major projects including Worcestershire Parkway. “As well as reducing journey times and congestion, the station will improve rail accessibility and connectivity with the rest of the country. In turn this will attract inward investment and create new jobs.” Gary Woodman, Executive Director of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We know the difference that improved rail connectivity will make to the County’s long term economy and therefore, we prioritised Worcestershire Parkway Railway Station for funding through our Growth Deal. “Today’s decision is great news for businesses. It was recently announced that Worcestershire was the third fastest growing economy in England between 2008 – 2013 and improving our transport networks is vital to ensure future growth. Stronger rail connectivity will complement many other infrastructure and transport improvements taking place in the coming years, provide businesses with better links to and from London and other cities and is yet another reason for companies to locate in the County. “We will now work to increase the awareness of the need for the redoubling of the Cotswold Line which alongside the new station would bring a number of benefits, for example faster journey times to London.”
Workers from nine sub-contracting companies will be staging a wave of industrial action in the escalating dispute at Sellafield in Cumbria to improve health and safety and productivity at the nuclear facility. Construction workers involved in the decommissioning and renewal project at the site are angry at the refusal by Sellafield Ltd and the 14-strong group of sub-contractor companies to facilitate a full-time union convenor on the site. Members of Unite, the country’s largest union, working for Balfour Beatty Engineering Construction Services; Cape Industrial Services; Focus Scaffolding; Hertel UK; Interservice Industrial Services; Jacobs Stobbarts; Meldrum Ltd; Mitie Facilities Services (also known as OneFM) and PPS Electrical will be imposing an overtime ban and working to rule from Thursday 27 August. Workers at all the companies, except Balfour Beatty, will also be striking between 05:30 and 08:00 on 1, 9 and 16 September followed by a 24 hour stoppage starting at 00:01 on 23 September. Unite regional secretary for the north west Mick Whitley said: “The bully boy tactics by the sub-contractors are still continuing as our members raise legitimate concerns about health and safety. “The shop stewards have agreed a future programme of industrial action in response to the intransigence of the various employers. “Unite has repeatedly called for meaningful talks, but they have been rebuffed at every stage, and our members have no alternative but to take industrial action, including a day’s strike on 23 September. “The continuing attitude of the bosses underlines the draconian attitude of the contractors at Sellafield and means that industrial relations are now teetering on the edge of the abyss.” Ballots are also being held at four other sub-contractors: Amec Foster Wheeler; Doosan Babcock; Hargreaves; and PC Richardson & Co for industrial action on the health and safety issues. The ballots close on Wednesday 26 August.
Costain, the engineering solutions provider, announces that it has been awarded the £605 million contract for the East works package of the Thames Tideway Tunnel in London in Joint Venture (‘JV’) with VINCI Construction Grands Projets and Bachy Soletanche Ltd. The Thames Tideway Tunnel is a major new sewer, urgently needed to protect the tidal River Thames from pollution and to modernise London’s Victorian sewerage network for the 21st century, underpinning and enhancing economic prosperity. It is a large complex programme which addresses an urgent need to help ensure London is provided with a safe and environmentally sustainable water infrastructure. The joint venture, of which Costain has a 40% share, will commence work immediately and is expected to complete its programme of works in 2023. Andrew Wyllie CBE, Chief Executive of Costain, commented: “We are pleased to have been selected as a delivery partner for the Thames Tideway Tunnel. This award reflects Costain’s ability to provide the breadth of skills and capabilities necessary for these major schemes, and our ability to operate safely as part of a collaborative integrated team.”
