Bureau Veritas has launched Circular+, a new approach to sustainability, built on a comprehensive suite of services to help companies transition to a circular business model. The launch comes at a time where sustainability is at a turning point, with governments and businesses around the world seeking ways to meet
Health and safety expert Bureau Veritas is encouraging visitors to this year’s Contamination Expo Series to come and witness its intuitive field hazard-testing and air quality technology to see how it is transforming the testing and inspection industry. More than 3,000 contamination professionals are expected to flock to Birmingham’s NEC
Following significant growth in the use of Mobile Plant equipment in the UK, Bureau Veritas is warning firms to be vigilant when it comes to achieving compliance. It comes as the UK Mobile Elevated Working Platform (MEWP) rental market increased by 4% year-on-year, with demand outstripping the rest of Europe
The government’s ban on combustible materials has been welcomed by Bureau Veritas as the “first step in the crusade to improve the industry’s approach to fire safety following the Grenfell tragedy”. Combustible materials will not be permitted on the external walls of new buildings over 18 metres containing flats, according
With little under a month to go until the highly-anticipated 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations come into force, Bureau Veritas is calling on duty holders to step up efforts aimed at reducing the safety risk posed by poor electrics. Due to be published in July, BS 7671 –
Continuing to raise the bar on building standards across the UK, Bureau Veritas building control services proved invaluable during the recent construction of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries at Westminster Abbey. Due to open its doors on 11 June, the new £22.9m gallery and museum will display over 300 treasures
As the long-awaited ‘Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety’ by Dame Judith Hackitt was published last week, prompting much debate amongst the media, general public and industry alike, Bureau Veritas considers the long-term repercussions of the recommendations and calls for more to be done from a technical perspective.
Global certification firm Bureau Veritas is urging business to take safety very seriously and ensure they are ‘ISO 45001 compliant’ to help improve standards for all. Although ISO 45001 is not coming into full effect until March 2021, businesses are encouraged to embrace the new standards now to create the
With just a few months to go until the arrival of the 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations, Bureau Veritas is calling on construction industry to embrace the changes brought by the new Part 8 section – stating it is an important step forward in the UK’s green agenda.
Bureau Veritas has launched Circular+, a new approach to sustainability, built on a comprehensive suite of services to help companies transition to a circular business model. The launch comes at a time where sustainability is at a turning point, with governments and businesses around the world seeking ways to meet commitments to preserve scarce resources, combat climate change, and reduce pollution. Earlier this year, the UK government continued to lead the march on climate change, becoming the first major economy to set out new legislation designed to reduce emissions to net zero by 2050. Meanwhile, for years, businesses have focused on managing environmental impacts: today, they are looking to go beyond that to meet future regulatory requirements and exceed customer expectations. For many, this means evolving towards a circular economy model – a regenerative business model in which resources are continuously reused and recycled. “Public awareness of the threats posed by climate change has grown dramatically in recent years, and governments and companies are increasingly focusing on reducing energy use, resource consumption and waste generation along the product or service life-cycle”, said Sébastien Fox, Vice-President Certification at Bureau Veritas. Many are turning towards a more circular business model to understand and optimise their use of energy, as well as natural resources such as wood, metals and minerals. However, the circular economy is disruptive: it requires businesses to rethink their existing linear business models which generate waste at each stage of production and consumption, and demands new skills for product and process design. It can be challenging to adopt, particularly for large companies in traditional industries. As a global leader in environmental and sustainability certification, Bureau Veritas is now supporting organisations of all sizes with its suite of sustainability advisory, training, auditing and certification services. Ours is a powerful, customisable, standards-based approach that works for all businesses and achieves buy-in from employees and clients alike. Bureau Veritas’ Circular+ services provide organisations worldwide with a practical framework to rethink their processes step-by-step. “Circular+ is a holistic approach that offers process audit and management system services to help organisations manage both their environmental and social impacts,” explained Sébastien Fox. “A range of advisory, training, independent verification and certification products enable businesses to tackle both individual processes and entire business models at a customised speed, revealing supply chain issues and improving transparency. Audits provide a way to identify issues, report on the effectiveness of controls, and track the achievement of objectives over time.” The ISO 14001:2015 standard for environmental management systems is central to the Circular+ approach; it encourages a lifecycle view of products and services, and provides a framework for addressing impacts. Bureau Veritas is also supporting clients on energy management via training, audits and certification to ISO 50001. Risks relating to raw materials are addressed through dedicated schemes, for example FSC and PEFC for wood-based products, or ASI for aluminium. Companies today also face a number of social concerns: two of the most important being health and safety and ensuring the use of ethical labour practices throughout the supply chain. To accompany clients in these areas, Bureau Veritas offers accredited certification the new ISO 45001:2018 standard for health and safety management, can conduct ethical trade audits (SMETA), and delivers social accountability (SA8000®) certification. For more information on Circular+, to download a copy of the whitepaper, please click here: https://www.bureauveritas.co.uk/sustainability-services/circular-economy Alternatively, please call 0345 600 1828 or visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
Health and safety expert Bureau Veritas is encouraging visitors to this year’s Contamination Expo Series to come and witness its intuitive field hazard-testing and air quality technology to see how it is transforming the testing and inspection industry. More than 3,000 contamination professionals are expected to flock to Birmingham’s NEC for the event on 11th and 12th September this year, which brings together suppliers and partners from across all aspects of contamination including land, spill, clean air, hazardous, waste, nuclear and geothermal. With an established reputation for providing bespoke consultancy services around regulatory compliance in areas of hazardous chemical and environmental management, Bureau Veritas’ respected thought leaders will be on hand at stand F85 to share best-practice advice and guidance in areas including emergency response planning, asbestos, air quality and hazardous materials – to name just a few. Fire science consultant, Sarah Bergin, will also be delivering a presentation in one of the ‘speaker slots’, discussing the air quality considerations during a major incident, bringing in her own experience as a scientific advisor during the Moorland fires of 2018. Keen to showcase how its technology is helping to improve testing, inspection and certification, experts from the renowned Bureau Veritas Technical Centre are calling on visitors to pop along to its stand to see its latest solutions. Bureau Veritas’ scientists have combined the capabilities and strengths of the existing HazMat testing kits to create a wet chemistry testing system designed to allow emergency responders to quickly and accurately classify unknown chemicals. The CHASE kit, which will be demonstrated at the Expo, enables the responder to quickly identify the hazards of the substances involved and understand the implications of this when planning the emergency response, as well as protecting emergency responders, other personnel, and the environment, in the process. Mike Shaw, Principal Consultant at Bureau Veritas, comments: “Our specialist Technical Centre leads the industry in providing innovative solutions that add value to customers. As a business we are dedicated to best practice in health and safety and we’re excited to showcase our latest solutions in hazardous chemicals management, air quality issues, industrial risk assessment and asbestos management at the Contamination Expo Series. “So whether you are seeking to invest in new compliance services, or simply looking for help and advice on everything from fire science and emergency response to air quality and asbestos inspections – we’d urge all attendees to pop along and talk to our thought leaders to find out more.” Bureau Veritas offers a wide range of specialist services to help firms achieve compliance. Attending and conducting demonstrations at the Contamination Expo will be thought leaders and experts from across the Bureau Veritas business, including fire science, who are dedicated to the provision of appropriate scientific advice at emergency and other incidents; asbestos, who offer assistance overseeing asbestos surveyors, as well as supporting with feasibility studies, risk assessment and management studies; and air quality, who work with a large number of organisations to undertake feasibility studies, bring forward air quality compliance and assess the potential benefits of air quality improvement measures prior to implementation. For further information on Bureau Veritas, call 0345 600 1828 or visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk. To find out more about attending the Contamination Expo Series, please visit the Contamination Expo website or contact Daniel Rogers on 0117 990 2005.
Following significant growth in the use of Mobile Plant equipment in the UK, Bureau Veritas is warning firms to be vigilant when it comes to achieving compliance. It comes as the UK Mobile Elevated Working Platform (MEWP) rental market increased by 4% year-on-year, with demand outstripping the rest of Europe by two to one[1]. Under the Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations (PUWER) 1998*, users of work equipment have a responsibility to ensure that the plant or asset is safe to use. Regulations state that regular inspections must be carried out by a competent person and documented. In some cases there are additional regulations to consider, such as the Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment Regulations (LOLER) 1998*, which covers all work equipment for lifting and lowering loads. According to Bureau Veritas, the rise of MEWP use and potential confusion around responsibility for the equipment could pose a compliance risk. Shaezar Karim, Director for the Statutory Inspection division for Bureau Veritas UK, explains: “The growth in MEWPs has led to inevitable compliance challenges, stemming from contractors hiring assets and being able to transport them around the UK. “Meeting statutory obligations for mobile plant and equipment can be a logistical nightmare – and that’s if users are even aware of their obligations. Many mistakenly believe it is the sole duty of the hire company to undertake PUWER and LOLER inspections but it is the user who must ensure that thorough examinations and inspections are carried out in line with the regulations. “Organisations that face difficulties in overcoming the logistical challenges of mobile equipment inspections and therefore meeting their obligations, are at risk of costly fines, so it’s critical they ensure that the location of an asset does not affect their compliance.” Bureau Veritas has a dedicated Mobile Plant Unit to deliver on-hire inspections; helping clients meet the logistical challenges of meeting statutory obligations for Mobile Elevated Working Platform (MEWP), lifting and crane equipment when hired out to contractors. The unit enables Bureau Veritas industry-recognised specialists to meet the demands of clients across a wide range of sectors, including construction, insurance, aerospace, automotive and facilities management. For further details about Bureau Veritas and services for Mobile Plant, call 0345 600 1828 or visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
The government’s ban on combustible materials has been welcomed by Bureau Veritas as the “first step in the crusade to improve the industry’s approach to fire safety following the Grenfell tragedy”. Combustible materials will not be permitted on the external walls of new buildings over 18 metres containing flats, according to the new ban. Same applies for new hospitals, residential care premises, dormitories in boarding schools and student accommodation over 18 metres. “The government moved quickly in passing the amended regulations and perhaps exceeded expectations by including not only new but also change of use buildings. The quick turnaround may also have caught some off guard, with not much time to ensure that new buildings of this type do not include timber cladding or combustible insulation,” said Andy Lowe, Technical Director of building control at Bureau Veritas. The government will also give support to local authorities to carry out emergency work to remove and replace unsafe aluminium composite material (ACM) cladding. “There are much wider discussions and ramifications for the construction industry still to come, with the government also making clear that it expects immediate action to speed up emergency remediation works to replace unsafe cladding on existing high rise buildings. Here, the onus is very much on building owners and developers, with an emphasis on costs not being passed on to leaseholders. There is also some debate around how the amended regulations can be interpreted when it comes to balconies and timber decking. It will be interesting to monitor progress on this and how the industry responds over the coming months,” Andy Lowe added. The amendments will come into effect from 21 December 2018 and any existing Building Regulation applications will only be exempt if site work has commenced within a two month period from that date.
With little under a month to go until the highly-anticipated 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations come into force, Bureau Veritas is calling on duty holders to step up efforts aimed at reducing the safety risk posed by poor electrics. Due to be published in July, BS 7671 – IET Wiring Regulations 18th edition will apply to all new and rewired installations designed after January 2019. The legislation is set to include a number of significant changes in relation to protection against fire, protection against overvoltages and clarity on special location installations, in a bid to optimise safety in domestic, industrial and commercial locations. The more stringent standards will look to address the risks presented by faulty electrical installations and wiring systems, after estimates show that electricity is the leading cause of over 20,000 accidental fires in the UK each year1. In the run up to implementation, global certification firm Bureau Veritas is urging all duty holders to review their existing electrical safety standards and intensify their ‘safety first’ approach to compliance. Nathan Cliff, electrical principal engineer for electrical systems at Bureau Veritas, said: “With poor electrical installations still responsible for five accidents in the UK every single day, it’s no surprise the 18th Edition will force us as an industry to place a greater emphasis on the protection of people. “For duty holders, our advice is clear – do not wait until the regulations take hold to take action. Instead, start by reviewing existing electrical safety protocols to ensure they take a ‘safety first’ approach to protecting employees, students and residents so that best practice is achieved every step of the way.” According to Bureau Veritas, one important aspect for duty holders to consider is that the 18th edition puts a greater onus on a risk assessment when it comes to protection against transient overvoltage (e.g. lightning) required for buildings to protect against the risk of fires and loss of supply. In addition, protection must be provided for high risk and sensitive locations, such as medical locations, heritage buildings, banks, IT centres etc. Nathan adds: “For many, these new regulations will no doubt be hard to decipher and put into practice. However, it’s literally a matter of life and death for duty holders to get to grips with these reforms as soon as they can as achieving compliance now ahead of the January 2019 deadline will, ultimately, help to save lives.” To find out more about Bureau Veritas please call 0345 600 1828 or email info@uk.bureauveritas.com. Alternatively, please visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
Continuing to raise the bar on building standards across the UK, Bureau Veritas building control services proved invaluable during the recent construction of The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries at Westminster Abbey. Due to open its doors on 11 June, the new £22.9m gallery and museum will display over 300 treasures charting the Abbey’s thousand-year history. It has been built in the medieval triforium – a 50ft stretch of gallery previously hidden from the public – which offers spectacular views of the Palace of Westminster and across Parliament Square. The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries will be accessed via the newly-built Weston Tower – the first major addition to the Abbey Church since 1745 – which includes an intricately designed staircase and lift. During the construction, a key challenge for Abbey staff, heritage architects, the fire service and the main contractor was to preserve the historic building’s Grade I-listed features while maintaining the highest fire safety standards for the public gallery’s vast collection of artefacts and exhibits. As such Bureau Veritas, a global leader in Testing, Inspection and Certification (TIC), was called upon to provide Approved Inspector Building Control Services to the project. Using its extensive experience in fire safety, the firm’s dedicated team was able to provide sound regulatory and legislative advice, which proved instrumental in developing a robust fire safety solution essential to meeting the Abbey’s complex design needs. Core to this was taking a holistic approach to fire safety, where Bureau Veritas assessed travel distance aspects, reviewed complex evacuation modelling, as well as reviewing lighting, exit signage and fire alarms so that they met safety regulations while being in keeping with the surroundings. For instance, during the construction of Weston Tower, the team work tirelessly to confirm that the tower’s lift was well equipped with firefighting measures such as a dry riser, without compromising the building’s historic façade. Throughout the project, Bureau Veritas also held numerous workshops for the client, designers, architects and other contractors in order to help manage risk throughout the building lifecycle and subsequently reduce costs. From early involvement during the design stages through to site inspections and final certification, the company was able to give designers confidence that the project will comply with Building Regulations and all relevant legislation. As a result, the team succeeded in making sure The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries met its building control obligations in time for opening. Andy Lowe, director of building control at Bureau Veritas, comments: “We are absolutely delighted to have delivered a solution that not only ensures Westminster Abbey maintains the highest standards in accordance with building regulations for the two million people who visit the iconic church each year, but one that is also in keeping with the building’s magnificent historic features.” Ptolemy Dean, Surveyor of the Fabric at Westminster Abbey, said: “We were incredibly impressed by Bureau Veritas’ building control services during this project. The firm worked meticulously with the Abbey team, contractors and the fire service to certify the striking new tower and museum achieved building compliance. We’d like to pass on our thanks to Bureau Veritas for the invaluable part they played in helping to achieve our vision for The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Galleries.” For further information, call 0345 600 1828 or visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
As the long-awaited ‘Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety’ by Dame Judith Hackitt was published last week, prompting much debate amongst the media, general public and industry alike, Bureau Veritas considers the long-term repercussions of the recommendations and calls for more to be done from a technical perspective. Andy Lowe, director of building control at Bureau Veritas, comments: “The publication of the Hackitt Review comes as we approach the first anniversary of the Grenfell Tower fire and alongside the commencement of the public inquiry into the tragedy; the scenes from which have displayed that the pain of all those affected has not dampened. For many, the Hackitt Review did not deliver what they had hoped and sparked somewhat of a public outcry due to the unexpected conclusion not to impose an outright ban on combustible cladding. Instead, the recommendations of the review focused on the need for a new regulator and a series of proposals to make high-rise flats safer to live in. “From a building control perspective, the Hackitt Review makes interesting reading. Many of the recommendations are encouraging in ensuring a more robust approach is taken to fire safety in the construction industry in the long-term and across all stages of development, from planning and construction to the occupational phases. However, the recommendations are aimed specifically at changes to the overall system rather than relating to the specific technical aspects of a building. The aspects of cladding in particular and the technical measures used to ensure that a holistic approach to fire safety in high rise buildings is achieved, needs to be addressed sooner rather than later. Key aspects such as the use of non-combustible cladding, sprinkler protection and the provision of two staircases for example, are of critical importance in achieving much-needed public confidence, as well as the need to address the existing building stock situation. “It is reassuring then that since the publication of the review, the Government has announced that it is considering going further than the recommendations put by Dame Judith Hackitt and will indeed look to ban the use of combustible materials in cladding on high-rise buildings. Based on the near universal response to the review, this would surely be met with overwhelming support and we are eager to see how the situation evolves in the coming weeks and months.” Bureau Veritas is a leading testing, inspection and certification company with a vast experience of the building control sector. Bureau Veritas Building Control UK combines technical expertise and market-leading systems with unrivalled industry experience to deliver building control services to some of the biggest names in construction. Through effective teamwork, a consistent approach and commitment to excellence, Bureau Veritas’ solutions go beyond just compliance – they can help to reduce costs and manage risk throughout the building lifecycle, from design stages through to site inspections and final certification – whilst giving designers confidence that the project will comply with Building Regulations and all relevant legislation. For further information, call 0345 600 1828 or visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
Global certification firm Bureau Veritas is urging business to take safety very seriously and ensure they are ‘ISO 45001 compliant’ to help improve standards for all. Although ISO 45001 is not coming into full effect until March 2021, businesses are encouraged to embrace the new standards now to create the safest and healthiest environment possible for employees. ISO 45001:2018 was published on the 15th of March this year and it is the world’s first occupational health and safety international standard. It replaces the current OHSAS 18001 and is intended to offer one single set of requirements designed to help organisations of all types and sizes create and implement systems that proactively prevent work-related injury and ill health. “Unfortunately, the reality is that poor workplace safety remains a huge international issue with the estimated global total of fatal occupational accidents and work-related illness increasing by almost a fifth (19%) in the last three years alone,” explained Gregg Elwell, UK technical manager for Bureau Veritas. Customers are also becoming more demanding, which results into tighter deadlines and added pressures. “As such, it is more important than ever for businesses to take proactive steps to improve health and safety management. Although ISO 45001 will only come into effect following a three year transitional period, we would urge businesses to embrace the new standard ahead of time to ensure they are promoting absolute best practice,” added Gregg. To help business understand better this transition, Bureau Veritas has launched ‘Understanding the Transition to ISO 45001’, a paper detailing how the new standard will help organisations improve workplace safety. It explains the benefits of adopting a health and safety management system, while providing information on key differences between the new standard and the existing ones. “The new standards create a fresh framework for excellence and, for the first time, align occupational health and safety certification with other global ISO-certified management systems,” said Gregg. Bureau Veritas supports its clients with the transition to ISO 45001 through the LEAD platform, while also making the paper available for download at: http://bureauveritas.co.uk/white-papers/understanding-the-transition-to-iso-45001-white-paper.
With just a few months to go until the arrival of the 18th Edition of the IET Wiring Regulations, Bureau Veritas is calling on construction industry to embrace the changes brought by the new Part 8 section – stating it is an important step forward in the UK’s green agenda. As one of the most successful countries in its carbon reductions, the UK continues to make huge headway in its target towards reducing emissions by 80% on 1990 levels before 2050 – with the adoption of more energy efficient solutions integral to this. Yet until this point, there has been no official best practice regulation around the design and installation of energy efficient technology – meaning it has been all too common for installations to be completed with little regard to energy use and emissions. Cue the arrival of the 18th Edition this July (2018) which, for the first time, will go beyond just looking at safety requirements to include a section dedicated to energy efficiency in installation – a move which Bureau Veritas states will bring renewed focus on the energy efficiency plight. Mahendra Mistry, technical manager for electrical systems at Bureau Veritas, said: “Although it’s been the subject of much debate, with some stating that the Wiring Regulations should be confined solely to safety requirements, the introduction of an energy efficient section is an vital step forward in ensuring the most current and relevant guidance possible. “Until now, energy efficiency has all too often been a ‘nice to have’, with it all too common for installations to be chopped and changed, with little regard to the distribution of electricity or potential losses. However, by making energy efficiency a primary focus from the offset, we can look to ensure that each and every installation is completely as safety and sustainably as possible.” Comprising 25 pages, the new Part 8 section provides guidance on ensuring the energy-efficiency of electrical installations with a view to lessening environmental impact, reducing energy losses, using energy only when required and potentially at a lower tariff, reducing maintenance by ensuring equipment is installed correctly and enhancing life-time efficiency. The consensus is that the change could help coerce increased demand for smart solutions, such as electric vehicles, LEDs, power factor correction and the like, while, in turn, opening up new business opportunities for electrical contractors. Mahendra adds: “As an industry, we still have a huge job to do in terms of not just meeting carbon reduction commitments but ensuring a sustainable infrastructure; which Part 8 will help to more adequately address. Indeed, it may mean more change for construction sector and contractors to get to grips with but it is an important regulatory reform which not only aid our sustainability plight but create new opportunity.” To find out more about Bureau Veritas please call 0345 600 1828 or email info@uk.bureauveritas.com. Alternatively, please visit www.bureauveritas.co.uk
