On World Mental Health Day which take place today, the 10th October 2022, Alex Minett, Head of Products and Markets at CHAS, offers five steps companies can take to make workplaces more inclusive for workers who have experienced mental health issues. It’s fair to say the covid-19 pandemic has fuelled
SIG Building Solutions has entered the solar car parking structure market with a range of designs developed to help private and public sector organisations with large parking facilities to capitalise on the opportunities the structures provide for generating solar energy and reducing their carbon footprint. Designed and manufactured in the
A local affordable housing association serving Surrey, East and West Sussex is relaunching its sustainability event series, with the first event taking place at the WWF Living Planet Centre in Woking. Greenoak Housing Association which owns and manages 550 homes, is reaffirming its commitment to sustainability through the event, which
Views are being sought on a scheme that will transform the station gateway and enable more people to travel sustainably by train. blocwork – a partnership between Network Rail and bloc Group – is hosting a public consultation ahead of the submission of a planning application on its proposals to
How often do you hear stories about car owners who have had their cars break down due to negligence or poor maintenance? If you’re looking to save some cash on auto repairs, you should take note of these common mistakes. It’s estimated that over 66 million cars are sold each
Assuming that you’ve been thinking about starting your own web-based T-shirt business, you must be mindful that it’s a competitive field in online business. If you want to succeed, you’ll have to ensure that your store stands out from the rest. To guarantee this, it’s important that you source top-notch
Healthcare technology has gained enormous accomplishments in recent years. Nowadays, medical care centres and hospitals are better equipped with amenities, medical tools, and equipment because of the advancement of technology. One technological product that plays a vital role in advancing quick patient recoveries is a medical vacuum pump. What Is
Image is really important in business, and in the construction industry in particular. No one is going to spend huge sums of money employing a company that has a poor image, and they will probably be wary of employing a construction company that has little to no public image at
Panattoni, the largest logistics real estate developer in the UK and Europe, has started construction of it’s 710,000 sq ft speculative logistics development in Rotherham. Panattoni Park Rotherham comprises of two facilities adjacent to junction 1 of the M18 at Rotherham, one of 630,000 sq ft, which will be one
First of two 2,000 tonne TBMs (Tunnel Boring Machines) starts 5-mile journey towards Greenford from West Ruislip in West London First machine named ‘Sushila’, after pupils nominated local teacher Sushila Hirani. Second machine named after ‘first professional’ female astronomer Caroline Herschel. HS2 Ltd CEO Mark Thurston: “The launch of the
On World Mental Health Day which take place today, the 10th October 2022, Alex Minett, Head of Products and Markets at CHAS, offers five steps companies can take to make workplaces more inclusive for workers who have experienced mental health issues. It’s fair to say the covid-19 pandemic has fuelled a global emergency for mental health, and there’s no sign of letup with ongoing disruption to mental health services and access to treatment. This is compounded by the current cost-of-living crisis and the extra stressor this is putting on people’s everyday lives. A recent position statement published by The Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) calls for better workplace support when it comes to meeting mental health challenges to help people with mental health issues return to and stay in work. Indeed, latest statistics from the HSE put stress, anxiety and depression as the leading cause of sick leave, accounting for 50% of ill health absences. While this is a 6% increase on pre-pandemic levels, it’s worth noting that figures were already on the rise in 2019. What’s clear is that employers can play a significant role in providing mental health support not only to safeguard their workers’ wellbeing but to shore up business security and productivity too. 1. Create a culture of transparency One of the biggest barriers to addressing mental health is the ongoing stigma perpetuated by it being an invisible problem, particularly in the workplace. It stands to reason that the best way to create normalcy is to get people talking. The RCPsych report puts the onus on workplace leaders to start the conversation, recommending “that those in supervisory positions, from the most junior upwards, feel confident enough to identify potential mental health difficulties in their staff and to speak with them about such difficulties.” Whether this message is communicated through one-to-ones, informal forums, structured training or toolbox talks, the aim is to open up discussions around mental health so that an employee doesn’t suffer in silence and allow the problem to grow. 2. Offer flexibility and support According to mental health charity, Mind, studies consistently show that employees who feel valued and supported at work will have higher health and wellbeing levels leading to fewer mental health challenges. Being able to offer an improved work-life balance is within the remit of the employer. Where possible, consider offering remote or flexible working that balances employees’ individual needs with the business’s running. It is worth pointing out, however, that loneliness and isolation can be a key factor in mental health issues, so remote work comes with its own risk assessment requirements. Other positive steps employers can take include pointing employees in the direction of recommended counselling and support services and enabling access to them during working hours like they would for other medical appointments. As with any illness, employees returning to work following mental health-related sickness absence should be offered phased returns, return to work assessments and access to training to catch up on any career development they may have missed. 3. Review policies and procedures All relevant HR policies (including health and safety, sickness absence, grievance policies etc) should be joined up in their inclusion and approach to mental health. HR leaders should bear in mind that mental health issues might contribute to incidents leading to disciplinary action and performance management. They should also consider the impact of dismissal and redundancy on individuals by ensuring that appropriate support and access to advocates are available for those who need them. In terms of legislation, the Equality Act 2010 considers it a disability if someone has “a mental impairment that has a substantial, adverse, and long-term effect on [their] ability to carry out normal day-to-day activities.” This means that employees with a mental health disability have the legal right to request reasonable adjustment changes to their job and receive protection from discrimination, victimisation and harassment. 4. Lead from the top Managers and leaders are in a unique position to send a clear message to staff about the importance of workplace wellbeing. In the first instance, they should prioritise understanding the triggers for workplace mental health issues, which may include working long hours without breaks, to overly pressurised working environments. They can then take steps to tackle where these issues may arise in their organisations by, for example, actively encouraging and role modelling healthy working habits such as taking full lunch breaks and annual leave as well as working sensible hours. Employee engagement is also crucial for employers to identify what they may need to do regarding challenging mental health issues. Staff forums and surveys are all useful for employers to take stock of their current approaches to mental health and identify where improvements are needed. 5. Strive to be better Promoting an organisation-wide mental health strategy signals a serious commitment to the issue of mental health, particularly when looking at it through the lens of a broader fairness, inclusion and respect (FIR) approach to working practices which include mental health among its many other topics. A strategy should centre around promoting staff wellbeing, identifying the causes of work-related mental health problems and what support staff need. Where employers are looking to strengthen their approach to this issue, undertaking the CHAS FIR growth assessment will set a benchmark for what they are doing now against what more they need to do to achieve industry best practice and ultimately become industry leaders in supporting mental health challenges in the workplace. Conclusion Positive employment has a vital role to play in promoting better mental health. Where, according to RCPsych, a ‘good workplace’ offers “benefits such as job security, an appropriate wage, positive work-life balance, opportunities for career progression, and supportive mental health and wellbeing policies”, employers can look to be rewarded by a loyal, more productive workforce contributing to better business performance.
SIG Building Solutions has entered the solar car parking structure market with a range of designs developed to help private and public sector organisations with large parking facilities to capitalise on the opportunities the structures provide for generating solar energy and reducing their carbon footprint. Designed and manufactured in the UK from UK held steel stock, SIG Building Solutions’ structures can be developed, manufactured and delivered in a matter of months, depending on planning approvals. SIG works in conjunction with the solar system provider to provide the structure element. With a number of solar car parking structure projects already in the pipeline for SIG Building Solutions, including large commercial and industrial schemes, the business is well positioned to continue to meet the growing demand. Guy Chilvers, SIG’s Solar structural canopies business development manager, has spent ten years in the market, including five years specialising in car parking structure design with involvement in projects such as Bentley Motors, Crewe, and Falkirk Council’s EV Hub, which has 200 parking spaces and was officially opened in September 2020. He says, “With solar car parking structures, any organisation with a significant area of parking space, can generate power and save money. At the same time, the watertight canopies help to protect vehicles from the elements. Our structures are designed to have a fully watertight canopy, guttering and cable containment.” In 2017 SIG Building Solutions company Steadmans manufactured the steel framing for the Bentley Motors solar car parking structure in Crewe, which covers 1,200 car parking spaces and provides 25 per cent of the electricity demand for the factory. Darren Hall, Steadman’s commercial director, said, “Having supplied the steelwork for the Bentley project we are excited to have re-entered the market.” During 2022 SIG Building Solutions has developed a range of structure designs for the commercial market with the aim of providing an ‘off-the-shelf’ solution at a viable price. The investment has resulted in unique structural designs that require less steel, so reducing the cost, and can be installed efficiently to minimise disruption to car parking during installation. SIG offers a choice of canopies depending on clients’ requirements and on-site analysis. The options are based around three main designs: a double gull wing design ideal for east/west facing panels; a double mono version providing maximum area for south facing panels; and a single row structure specifically designed for EV charge points. To specify the most effective structure, SIG Building Solutions undertake a complete analysis of potential car parks, looking at location, shading, drainage and power requirements. The location of the canopies within the car park and orientation is vital to obtaining a good return on investment, says Guy Chilvers. Renders of the site are produced to support the quotation and these can be used for planning applications. “Hospitals, schools, leisure centres, airports, office complexes, factories, shopping centres and railway station car parks – really the scope for solar car parking structures is tremendous,” adds Guy Chilvers. SIG Building Solutions SIG Building Solutions group businesses produced over three million metres of profiled steel sheeting in 2021. Across its six sites the business sold over 800,000 metres of insulated panel. SIG Building Solutions is part of SIG plc, a leading supplier of specialist insulation and sustainable building products and solutions with an emphasis on expertise and service. SIG plc has 6,800 employees, 432 sites and 250,000 product lines. SIG plc is committed to supporting customers to make tangible steps towards a greener future. For more information, contact Guy Chilvers, SIG Building Solutions, on 07528 777513 Email: GuyChilvers@SIGbuildingsolutions.co.uk
A local affordable housing association serving Surrey, East and West Sussex is relaunching its sustainability event series, with the first event taking place at the WWF Living Planet Centre in Woking. Greenoak Housing Association which owns and manages 550 homes, is reaffirming its commitment to sustainability through the event, which will take place on 14 October 2022, and is relaunching its commitment to share good practice with others through periodic briefings prior to Covid. The event will see representatives from Greenoak collaborate with speakers from architects, Studio Partington, and fellow housing association Stonewater. The session, which runs from 12:30pm to 4pm, will cover topics such as building standards for low carbon projects, the urgent transition to becoming a zero-carbon housing provider as well as a panel discussion. The relaunch of the series follows the announcement earlier in 2022 of a proposed partnership between Greenoak and Stonewater, with the aim of delivering more sustainable new homes and driving the net zero agenda as sector leaders. Vicki March, Director of Development and Sustainability at Greenoak said: “Climate change mitigation has been at the centre of Greenoak for over 20 years. We adopted our first sustainability policy in 1999 where we moved away from developer-led and design and build schemes to developing low environmental impact housing using expert design teams. “Our previous series of sustainability events came to an end in 2017 and with delays due to the Covid-19 pandemic, now is the perfect opportunity for us to revive our sustainability series to really focus on transitioning to a zero-carbon organisation and sharing our insight from this process. “By bringing in the expertise from Stonewater, which shares our ambition to grow with a commitment to sustainability, we’re further strengthening the relationship following our partnership proposal.” Adam Masters, Assistant Director of Environment and Sustainability at Stonewater said: “We’re excited to be participating in the inaugural relaunch of Greenoak’s sustainability series as the relationship between our two organisations is based on a shared commitment to environmental sustainability. “With a wide range of challenges facing the sector, a partnership with Greenoak will enable us to be at the forefront of combatting environmental issues and the sustainability series is just one of the steps we’re taking to build collaboration.” Vicki added: “We look forward to welcoming delegates from other housing associations, Councils and organisations across the sector to the event at this highly sustainable and beautiful building, which is the world headquarters of the World Wildlife Fund (WWF). We hope the discussions that take place will help inspire others to continue on their own pathway to the important actions needed.” To register to attend the event, visit https://www.greenoakha.org/news.html or contact ericka.gastaldon@greenoakha.org for more information.
Views are being sought on a scheme that will transform the station gateway and enable more people to travel sustainably by train. blocwork – a partnership between Network Rail and bloc Group – is hosting a public consultation ahead of the submission of a planning application on its proposals to regenerate an area surrounding Northampton Train Station. The plans will see a new multi-storey car park constructed to allow for an increase in passengers using the station. Once complete, a further two sites will then be developed in a second phase which will provide a hotel and new homes. These will be developed on the area of land where the existing surface and deck car park currently sit. A covered walkway is also planned for pedestrians travelling between the station and the car park. The site currently consists of two areas of open surface car-parking, alongside an adjoining single deck car park. The current parking provision fails to meet demand resulting in many people choosing instead to commute to London and other areas by car rather than by train, despite the town enjoying good rail links that offer far more environmentally sustainable journeys and the opportunity for commuters to avoid road traffic congestion. The current use of the whole area for parking means the area lacks vibrancy and can feel unwelcoming. The new proposals will change this and deliver a new gateway into Northampton. The new homes and hotel are intended to bring more people to the station area, helping to stimulate the local economy and facilities around the station, while making the area feel more welcoming by day and night. The new car park, to be built ahead of the hotel and apartments in a first phase, will increase the total amount of parking available, improving the capacity for people to travel by train, while also providing a new modern parking facility. By constructing the new car park first, parking provision for the station can be maintained throughout the delivery period of the project. As part of the regeneration of the site, new public realm improvements, such as new planting and paving, are planned to improve the access to the station and passenger access to the wider project. Commenting on the proposals, Chris Byrne from Network Rail said: “It’s really exciting to be able to share these plans with local people so they can shape how we transform the area around Northampton station and make it fit for the future. We know that there have long been calls for better parking at the station and with the railway at the centre of this redevelopment we believe it will encourage more people to make long distance journeys by using the greenest form of public transport and encourage passengers to make more sustainable travel choices.” The consultation will run from Monday 10 October to Friday 28 October 2022. A consultation website is available to view the plans and provide feedback at www.northamptonstationgateway.co.uk and an email address is also available for people to comment or ask questions (info@northamptonstationgateway.co.uk). The team will be on hand to answer questions about the plans between 3pm and 7pm on the concourse level at Northampton Station on Monday 17 October. The consultation displays will then remain in situ until Sunday 23 October. We want to hear local people’s views on our plans for the Northampton Station Gateway. You can leave feedback by: Filling in our feedback form on our website www.northamptonstationgateway.co.uk Ringing us and telling us your thoughts 0808 175 3293 Emailing us info@northamptonstationgateway.co.uk
How often do you hear stories about car owners who have had their cars break down due to negligence or poor maintenance? If you’re looking to save some cash on auto repairs, you should take note of these common mistakes. It’s estimated that over 66 million cars are sold each year worldwide. Coincidentally, many drivers don’t realize that they can save money by taking care of their vehicles themselves. The average American drives over 100,000 miles per year. That means there’s a good chance you’ve made at least one mistake in maintenance that could cause serious problems for your vehicle. Preventing costly breakdowns is one of the reasons why car maintenance is important. However, many people are not familiar with the proper way to perform basic checks. If you want your car to run smoothly, you should never ignore these seven things. 1. Ignoring Worn Brakes If you’ve ever had a flat tire that led to a breakdown, you know how important it is to get it fixed immediately. The same goes for your brakes. They should always be inspected regularly. Brake pads wear out over time, causing them to become less effective at stopping your vehicle. This can cause your brake system to fail completely, resulting in a dangerous situation. Your brakes need to be checked once or twice a month. Replacing them before they stop working is the best thing to do if they begin to show signs of wear. Your safety, and that of other drivers, can be at stake if your brakes aren’t working properly. You need to check them regularly and replace worn brake pads as soon as possible. 2. Not Changing Engine Oil Regularly An engine when being overlooked can result in serious damage if the oil isn’t changed regularly. This is because old oil contains metal particles from wear and tear. These particles can clog your engine’s valves, causing them to stick open or close too frequently. When this happens, your engine won’t run properly. Changing your engine oil every 3,000 miles (4,828 km) is recommended by the manufacturer. Waiting too long can damage your engine, so it’s better to act sooner rather than later. It’s easy to forget to change the oil when your car isn’t moving, but it’s one of the most important things you can do to keep your engine healthy. You should also remember not to put too much oil in your car as this will result in unnecessary trouble with engine problems. 3. Overlooking Repairs A car is probably one of your biggest investments. If you want to get the most out of it, then you should invest some time in its maintenance. The cost of vehicle repairs has risen dramatically over recent years. As a result, even minor problems can result in thousands of dollars in repairs. If your car is old or expensive, you should take proper care of it. You will be able to ensure the smooth and safe operation of your car by performing regular servicing and checks. 4. Neglecting Tires It’s easy to forget about tires when you’re driving through rush hour traffic, but neglecting them can lead to serious damage. A flat tire can cost hundreds of dollars to fix, so make sure you check your tires every few months. Drivers are warned when their tires are underinflated or overinflated using tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS). They also provide information on the remaining tread life of each tire. TPMS sensors are installed into the valve stem of every tire. Tires play a vital role in ensuring safe driving conditions. Properly maintained tires ensure better fuel efficiency, lower emissions, and improved handling. 5. Failing to Check Engine Lights You’ve probably heard of the term ‘check engine light‘ before. The vehicle displays these warning signs when there is a problem. The problem is, checking these lights can be tricky. There are three types of check engine lights: 1. Malfunction indicator lamp (MIL) – These lights indicate problems with the ignition system or other components. They come on intermittently and usually go off after a short period of time. 2. Low/high oil pressure light (LHOP) – These lights warn you that your engine has low or high oil pressure. They also come on intermittently and go off after a short time. 3. Service engine soon (SES) – These lights signal that your engine is going to fail within a certain number of miles. They come on constantly and don’t go off until the engine fails. Ignoring a warning light on your dashboard can cause problems down the road. If you don’t pay attention to your vehicle’s warning lights, you might miss important signs of trouble. You should immediately stop if you notice any warning lights while driving. You will be able to determine whether your vehicle has a problem by doing this. 6. Running Car On Reserve Fuel Running your car on reserve fuel can cause serious damage to your vehicle. People always forget to check their fuel level before leaving home. This can lead to a runout of fuel in the middle of the way, hence there are no options except to run the car on reserve fuel. The idea of running your car on reserve fuel might appeal to you if you want to save money. But this practice can cause serious damage to the engine. The first step to preventing such problems is to ensure that your gas tank is properly topped off and checked regularly. 7. Overfilling Gas Gasoline is a highly flammable liquid that contains hydrocarbons and additives. When gasoline is stored in a container, it begins to evaporate. This evaporation causes air pockets to form inside the container. These air pockets can become explosive if enough pressure builds up inside them. When you fill your tank, you should only fill it to the maximum level recommended by your manufacturer. The reason is simple, putting too much gas in your tank can cause your car to break down or
Assuming that you’ve been thinking about starting your own web-based T-shirt business, you must be mindful that it’s a competitive field in online business. If you want to succeed, you’ll have to ensure that your store stands out from the rest. To guarantee this, it’s important that you source top-notch products, have your T-shirt designs, and figure out how to brand them. Moreover, one of the best textile wholesaler is the Wordans that can assist you in starting your own t-shirt business. You can also look for fruit of the loom t shirts wordans. 1. Find a Specialty for Your Internet-based T-Shirt Business As an online business entrepreneur who is hoping to start a fruitful web-based T-shirt business, it might be valuable to track down a specialty for your store. Assuming you create a truly novel T-shirt store, either in terms of brand picture or the products that are accessible, your opportunities for progress will be significantly higher. Take your time, and properly investigate things if you choose to create a specialty store. Glance through other internet-based stores that you like, and use them to brainstorm T-shirt thoughts for your own business. Jot down anything that you think is great, and afterward take a time to think about how you can make your web-based T-shirt business surprisingly better. Ultimately, you can target any specialty that interests you. Assuming you think that there is an untapped market, take advantage of it. It’s more straightforward to stand out when there’s little competition, and it’ll be a lot less expensive, too! 2. Design Your T-Shirt While you’re trying to send off an effective web-based T-shirt business, your design thoughts are critical. If your T-shirts have great designs, you’re as of now on the ball. Your products will act as a strong foundation for your store’s prosperity. It’s a lot simpler to market great products, so try to nail this part. Be creative. Don’t fear thinking outside the case. Try out different T-shirt design thoughts that relate to your brand, and see which ones fit best with your crowd. To try making your T-shirt designs, there are many design websites out there. We investigate a portion of these in our T-shirt templates for your web-based store article. If you don’t feel confident in your ability to design great products for your web-based T-shirt business, look for help from others. You can contact neighborhood designers for their administrations. You can likewise take advantage of online independent platforms, such as Upwork and Fiverr, that you can use to liaise with independent designers. There are a variety of ways that you can source great design work at a reasonable price tag. 3. Validate Your T-Shirt Designs Whenever you’ve collected a couple of strong design thoughts for your web-based T-shirt business, you’ll have to look for validation from others. You might think that the designs that you’ve concocted are prepared for printing, but others might point out a few vital improvements that will help your products over the long haul. It’s likewise important that the input you get for your designs is fair. You can accomplish this by posting your designs on certain discussions (ensure that you watermark your designs so it’s not possible for anyone to steal them). You can likewise get some expert criticism by getting in contact with a few neighborhood consultants – they will furnish you with proficient, unprejudiced suppositions. Online conversation platforms, such as Reddit, can end up being a vital tool while you’re checking the outcome of your T-shirt business’ designs. You can create T-shirt mockups and post your prospective designs onto the relevant subreddits, and you’ll get honest criticism from individuals who are interested in your products. Assuming that you get positive reactions from your post, you’ve proactively equipped yourself with a few potential customers who you can contact when you send off your products. 5. Print Your Designs Having great prints on your products is essential for an effective internet-based T-shirt business. On the off chance that your customers observe that your designs are breaking or blurring after a couple of washes, this will have them with a terrible impression of your business. You can take advantage of different options to print your designs. Direct-to-film (DTF) printing, especially with the Prestige L2 DTF printer, offers vibrant and durable results. Other methods, like screen printing for bulk orders, direct-to-garment (DTG) for detailed designs, and sublimation for polyester fabrics, also provide excellent options depending on your specific needs. You can get in contact with nearby printing businesses, which will permit you to check the quality of your prints before you transport them to customers. In any case, this might be a costly cycle, particularly when your internet business develops, and the interest for additional print increments. 6. Set a Cost Another important aspect of starting a t-shirt business is determining the value of your products. You’ll have to factor in your price tag in addition to the cost you cause in printing the designs. Expecting you want to sell at a half-edge, you can multiply the general cost by 2 to determine your unit cost. Let’s say you purchase 50 t-shirts for $300, and it costs $500 to print a one-variety design. For this situation, you paid $6 for one shirt and $10 to get the design printed on it. Your per-unit cost would be $16 ($10+$6). So it would be ideal to sell the t-shirt at $32 (16×2). You might charge $5-$10 more if you’re selling a retail quality t-shirt (individuals are often able to pay something else for better-fitting and soft material). 7. Pick Your Business Model On the off chance that utilizing a nearby printing business is too costly, outsourcing could be your solution. It’s straightforward and modest, and you can run it from any place on the planet. Connect an application like Modalyst with your Shopify store to import products, communicate with providers to print your T-shirt designs, and start outsourcing easily. Allude to our Shopify outsourcing
Healthcare technology has gained enormous accomplishments in recent years. Nowadays, medical care centres and hospitals are better equipped with amenities, medical tools, and equipment because of the advancement of technology. One technological product that plays a vital role in advancing quick patient recoveries is a medical vacuum pump. What Is A Medical Vacuum Pump? You might wonder: what is a medical vacuum pump? Medical vacuum pumps are devices that handle liquid and gaseous media for monitoring, diagnostics, speciality medicine, dental, critical care, dialysis, sterilization, ophthalmology, and therapeutic and surgical equipment. Aside from medical vacuum pumps, other pump solutions for healthcare include liquid pumps and swing piston compressors. Benefits Of Medical Vacuum Pumps Below are the benefits of medical vacuum pumps: Solid Clinical Diagnostic Results Medical vacuum pumps harness solid diagnostic results as medical professionals test different body fluids and tissues. Healthcare professionals, particularly medical technologists, utilise medical vacuum pumps to test samples quickly. For instance, diaphragm liquid pumps convey the same medium quantity while maintaining media purity and cleanliness over a certain period to obtain solid clinical diagnostic results. Meanwhile, most diagnostic instruments generate waste from probe washing, slide staining, and general draining. These instruments are necessary to pump the liquids to waste. Medical vacuum pumps, on the other hand, collect and remove via vacuum-over-liquid or direct pumping. In that way, medical diagnostic procedures yield more accurate results. Better Therapy And Treatment Results The most reliable medical vacuum devices can perform with high power density, quiet running operations, and superior gas tightness. With these characteristics, medical therapies and treatments harness better results. Medical vacuum pumps are effective across different therapy stages. They can be used in the preparation phase, instrument care, and on actual therapies, including radiation, wound care, and surgery. Medical vacuum pump applications include dental, cardiology, cosmetics, dialysis, Negative Pressure Wound Therapy (NPWT), and more. Medical vacuum pumps help control infection in patients undergoing NPWT. For ear, nose, and throat (ENT), medical vacuum pumps are used in ear flush applications and waste collection. They also help reduce the patient’s discomfort during ENT treatment procedures. And because medical vacuum pumps can handle manual tasks, healthcare professionals can focus on providing patient education and aftercare treatment. Doctors and nurses can monitor patients closely rather than worrying about inaccurate diagnostic and treatment results. Therefore, patients can recover quickly because of successful therapies and treatments. Excellent Patient Care Services Aside from diagnostics and treatment, medical vacuum pumps can positively change patient-healthcare worker relationships. This benefit can help promote better patient experience in medical training facilities, diagnostic centres, hospitals, and clinics. Medical vacuum pumps can help make the job of medical professionals easier and faster. With these devices, they don’t have to manually flush liquids, collect and dispose of liquid waste, and perform other manual pumping operations. Hence, healthcare workers can focus their time and attention on assessing and treating patients. On the other hand, patients feel more valued when a medical staff asks them how they’re doing. Such a scenario can help nurture a good relationship to boost cooperation in various medical procedures. Furthermore, patients gain more strength and confidence to undergo non-invasive and surgical procedures because they trust healthcare professionals. Risks Of Medical Vacuum Pumps Below are the risks of medical vacuum pumps and how to avoid them: Mechanical Hazards Medical vacuum pumps in laboratories can pose common mechanical hazards linked to their moving parts. However, most risks are preventable with proper medical vacuum pump operations. Nevertheless, operators must follow the manufacturer’s instructions for safe operations. In addition, they must ensure that medical vacuum pumps have belt guards. It’s also important to inspect cords and switches for defects. Chemical Hazards Aside from mechanical hazards, medical vacuum pumps can also pose chemical risks. For example, vacuum pumps contaminated with pump oil have volatile substances and gradually release into the laboratory. To avoid these devices becoming chemical hazards, it’s best to have them checked regularly. Moreover, proper maintenance and care are needed to keep them in good condition. Fire Hazards When medical vacuum pumps malfunction, they may pose a fire hazard. The pumps may overheat and catch fire nearby combustible or flammable materials. Hence, avoid placing medical vacuum pumps in enclosed, unventilated storage areas, and never operate them near flammable chemical containers. Conclusion Medical vacuum pumps play a crucial role in healthcare advancement. They’re used in diagnostics, therapies, and other medical procedures. Because of continuous research and development, medical vacuum pumps gain more features and benefits to serve patients with excellent quality of care.
Image is really important in business, and in the construction industry in particular. No one is going to spend huge sums of money employing a company that has a poor image, and they will probably be wary of employing a construction company that has little to no public image at all too. Customers want a sure thing; they want a company they can trust to handle their construction projects, so if you cannot offer them that, chances are you will not get as much work as you would like. The good news is, there are lots of things you can do to either establish your image as a construction company, or clean it up if things have gone wrong, and most of them are pretty simple, as you will see below. Start right and do a good job It’s pretty obvious, but if you want to improve your construction company’s image, then the first thing you need to do is ensure that all of your working practices are kosher and that you and your team are doing the best possible job you can on every job you do. Yes, there are many things you can do to firefight a poor reputation, but it is far easier not to build a poor reputation in the first place. Respond to complaints (and do so calmly) If you do get a complaint from a customer who is perhaps not entirely satisfied with the work you have done, it can be all too easy to get offended and start arguing the toss with them on social media or in reviews, but this is only going to make you and your company look worse. It is far better to deal with complaints calmly, put your idea across factually if you think that the review has been unfair, and ask what you can do to come to a mutually acceptable conclusion. Even if you do get a bad review, if other people see that you have engaged with it, kept your cool, and acted reasonably, they will be more likely to look favourably on your business than if you act like a lunatic. Oh, and if you have made a mistake, owing in up to it right away and offering to put it right will help a lot because everyone knows mistakes do happen, and if they can see you are willing to own them and put them right, they will be more inclined to giver you a chance than someone who goes into denial. Collect testimonials One thing that can massively help to improve your image as a construction company is positive testimonials. So many people are unwilling to hire a contractor unless they can see that they have done good work for lots of other people in the past. So, a portfolio of your previous works, along with testimonials from satisfied clients, that you can produce when asked, or have readily available on your website, will definitely help you to give your image a positive boost when you need it. Turning up when you say you will Most people, when they hire a contractor, do not expect them to show up when they say they do due to bitter past experiences. It can be really annoying when a construction company tells you that they will start work at 9 a.m on Monday but you don’t so much glimpse them until the Thursday of that week. So, one way you can really set yourself apart and ensure that you have a good reputation is by turning up when you say you will, and furthermore, not promising things you can’t keep. If you will not be able to complete digging the foundations until Friday, don’t tell them it will be done by Wednesday to keep them pacated. Be open, be honest and do what you say you will and your reviews will be glowing compared to the next construction company in your town’s. Offer free quotes Another easy win is to offer free no obligation quotes that are really free and where no hard sell takes place. For one thing, customers love freebies, from promotional USB drives and totes, right down to free quotes, and for another, they hate feeling like they are being pressured into going with a particular company. So, if you offer them a free quote, and you don’t lean on them to go with you, they will almost certainly have a more positive impression of you than many other competing construction companies in the area, and that will position you as the number one choice of many, all other things being more or less equal. Treat people’s homes with respect As a construction company, you are often trusted to enter people’s homes to carry out work, often when they are not there. When doing this, if you want to improve your image, it is important that you treat their homes with respect, making every effort not to knock things over or drag huge amounts of mud in from outside on your shoes, for example. Letting them know that you respect them and their things and will take every care to do the job on time with as little impact to them as possible is only ever going to result in positive reviews and a much more favourable first impression from many., and all it takes is a little extra thought and effort to achieve. Design a new logo Of course, often it is the small things that can improve your reputation, and a case in point is doing something as simple as redesigning your logo so that it is more modern, more up-to-date and more eye-catching. People often make snap decisions, so if your logo is dull o there is a spelling error or anything doesn’t look quite right, they will dismiss your construction company as an option. Make sure this doesn’t happen by having a professional graphic designer create a modern design that is appealing to your target audience. Treat
Panattoni, the largest logistics real estate developer in the UK and Europe, has started construction of it’s 710,000 sq ft speculative logistics development in Rotherham. Panattoni Park Rotherham comprises of two facilities adjacent to junction 1 of the M18 at Rotherham, one of 630,000 sq ft, which will be one of the largest-ever speculative logistics buildings in the north of England, and a smaller 80,000 sq ft facility. The 40-acre site, named Panattoni Park Rotherham occupies a prime position within the in-demand M1-M18 triangle, close to the important east-west axis of the M62, the large markets of Leeds and Manchester, plus the ports of Liverpool, Hull and Immingham. Buckingham’s have been appointed main contractor and are now on-site starting earthworks for the development. Over the next few weeks the contractor will be starting cut and fill operation and forming the main entrance to the site to make sure it’s fully operational. The two speculative developments are expected to complete in Q3 2023. The buildings benefit from a range of sustainable credentials such as EV van and car chagrining points, 15% roof lights, PV ready frame, BREEAM rating of ‘Very Good’ and an EPC rating of ‘A’.Dan Burn, Head of Development; North West & Yorkshire at Panattoni, said: ‘We are glad to be on-site starting construction of such significant scale in the North of England. The development has already seen substantial interest from occupiers, especially with the lack of supply of Grade-A space in the region. Panattoni’s speculative development programme keeps providing these opportunities that are missing in the market.”Letting agents are M1 Agency, Legat Owen and Knight Frank.
First of two 2,000 tonne TBMs (Tunnel Boring Machines) starts 5-mile journey towards Greenford from West Ruislip in West London First machine named ‘Sushila’, after pupils nominated local teacher Sushila Hirani. Second machine named after ‘first professional’ female astronomer Caroline Herschel. HS2 Ltd CEO Mark Thurston: “The launch of the TBMs on the largest section of tunnels through London is a major moment for HS2, and one that demonstrates the brilliant momentum that has built behind Britain’s flagship levelling-up project.” Broadcast quality B-Roll of the switch on available here: Northolt Tunnel TBM launched (6 October 2022) Broadcast quality drone footage of the event available here: Northolt Tunnel TBMs launched (drone) HS2 Ltd yesterday celebrated the start of the next phase of tunnelling on the enormous infrastructure project, launching the first of six tunnel boring machines (TBMs) that will dig over 26 miles of tunnels under the capital. HS2 Ltd’s CEO, Mark Thurston was joined by local teacher, Sushila Hirani, after whom one of the tunnel boring machines at the West London site is named, as it begins on its five mile journey. “Sushila” is the fourth of 10 HS2 tunnel boring machines to be launched. The milestone highlights the progress being made on building Britain’s new high speed rail network, creating jobs and providing contracts for businesses now. Later this year a second TBM, named after 18th century astronomer Caroline Herschel, will also be launched from the West London site to build the second of HS2’s twin-bore tunnels towards central London. Speaking about the launch, the HS2 Minister, Kevin Foster MP, said: “This launch is a landmark moment in the delivery of HS2, helping link London to Birmingham and unlock better connections, quicker journeys and create thousands of skilled jobs across the North and Midlands. “Already well underway, HS2 is set to revolutionise journeys for communities throughout the country, boost local economies and, at its peak, support more than 34,000 jobs across the UK.” Each weighing over 2,000 tonnes and measuring 140 metres in length, both TBMs will bore five miles non-stop for 22 months, except Christmas Day and bank holidays, to Greenpark Way in Greenford, where they will be dismantled and lifted from the ground. Separately, two other equally massive tunnel boring machines will set off towards Greenpark Way from HS2’s Victoria Road site in 2023 to build a further 3.4mile twin-bore tunnel. Together the quartet of TBMs will build 8.4miles of twin bored tunnels between West Ruislip and the new high speed rail super hub station at Old Oak Common. Another 4.5 mile twin-bore tunnel extending from Old Oak Common to Euston will complete HS2’s journey to its London terminus. Each TBM is operated by 15 people, working in shifts. A team of around 40 people assembled the TBMs, with 56 companies involved in getting the site ready and machines launched. In total the 10 TBMs will create 64 miles of tunnels on HS2 between London and the West Midlands. Launching the TBM, HS2 CEO Mark Thurston said: “The launch of the Tunnel Boring Machines on the longest section of tunnels through London is a significant moment for HS2, and one that demonstrates the momentum that has built behind Britain’s flagship levelling-up project. “The construction of 170 miles of new high speed railway between London and Crewe is now in full swing, supporting 27,000 jobs, nearly 1,000 apprenticeships and contracts for over 2,500 businesses.” Local school children from Dairy Meadow Primary School in Southall and Brentside Primary Academy helped name the TBMs after participating in workshops about the tunnelling work. The TBM launched today is called Sushila after local schoolteacher Sushila Hirani, Head of Department and Lead for STEM at Greenford High School. The Willow class at Dairy Meadow Primary School in Southall suggested the name due to her inspiring work and passion for getting more women and young people from BAME backgrounds into STEM subjects. With a background in product design, Sushila has been a teacher for nearly 30 years. Her involvement in local infrastructure and development projects, including the Waterside housing development in Southall, and drive to attract girls into STEM subjects as a path towards Engineering at A Level, apprenticeships, and degrees, has inspired many in the local area. Speaking about having HS2’s first London tunnel boring machine named after her, Sushila said: “I was very surprised that the Willow class pupils at Dairy Meadow chose to put my name forward for this honour. When I met the pupils, I was very impressed by how much work they had already engaged in relating to design and technology and STEM, led by their teacher Prabhjot Uppal, who is the design technology lead at the school. I have always had a passion for industrial design and engineering, and if this event helps young people connect with engineering and inspire them to pursue this path, then my small contribution here has been worthwhile.” The second TBM to be launched has been named Caroline after the German-born British astronomer Caroline Herschel. Considered the first professional female astronomer, discovering three new nebulae (hazy clouds where stars form) in 1783, Herschel went on to be first woman to ever discover a comet in 1786. She made significant contributions to the work of her astronomer brother Sir William, executing many of the calculations connected with his studies. She compiled a catalogue of 2500 nebulae and, in 1828, the Royal Astronomical Society awarded her its gold medal for this work. Her name was put forward for the TBM by pupils at Brentside Primary Academy in Ealing, who were inspired by her contribution to astronomy whilst learning about earth and space in their science lessons. Sushila and Caroline will be operated by Skanska Costain STRABAG JV (SCS JV). The machines are manufactured by worldwide TBM specialist Herrenknecht in Germany. Further facts about the TBMS: Each machine is 140 metres in length, one and a quarter times the length of a football pitch Each has a cutter head that is 9.84m in diameter, slightly smaller than the machines boring through
