DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) has announced the creation of a new Commercial Department, established to support the organisation’s on-going growth, and in particular, its training offering. Marketing Manager, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens, has been promoted to the post of Commercial Manager, and will oversee the new department’s development, with an emphasis
For the first time, UK construction workers seeking to obtain the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Labourer card will now be able to complete a course online. Operated by COSAC, the work-focussed training academy based in Runcorn, Safe2Site is the first online course approved by CSCS as a route to
“So often, an approach to health and safety is characterised by compliance and audits can be seen as a major headache for contractors,” says Beverley Holden, Director of DCM Surfaces. “I’m of the opinion that I’d rather know if something is unsafe than not and auditing is very much a
Aesthetics is everything and good interior design has the ability to transform a building, mark its entry into the modern-day, and is key to creating something which is more than purely functional. Acknowledging the imperative of flooring as a key component of an aesthetic structure, and doing so in a
BDC 319 : Aug 2024
DHF (Door & Hardware Federation) has announced the creation of a new Commercial Department, established to support the organisation’s on-going growth, and in particular, its training offering. Marketing Manager, Patricia Sowsbery-Stevens, has been promoted to the post of Commercial Manager, and will oversee the new department’s development, with an emphasis on streamlining training course booking processes and delivering the very best service and value to its members. With responsibility for overseeing both marketing and training functions, Patricia, who has worked at DHF for three years, will be tasked with taking the trade association’s training department ‘to the next level’, including offering online booking facilities for all training courses and ensuring that new entrants into the industry are presented with the opportunity to become proficient with the necessary accreditations, qualifications, such as NVQ, and CSCS cards. DHF, established in 1897 and committed to raising standards, is renowned industry-wide as the ‘go to’ place for technical advice and training. Regarded as a ‘centre of excellence’ with an expert team of professionals that can provide help and support across all sectors, DHF’s distinguished training programmes provide delegates with a deeper understanding of legislation affecting supply, installation, maintenance and repair. To date, more than 2300 delegates have successfully completed one of its four training courses and earlier this month, DHF moved its head office premises to ‘The Barn’ at ‘Shuttington Fields Farm’, a larger office space with a state-of-the-art Training Academy, demonstrating its continued commitment to training. “Training remains one of DHF’s biggest growth areas,” says Patricia. “The creation of a new Commercial Department will enable us to co-ordinate and restructure our training offering to ensure our programmes continue to provide both members and non-members with the support, technical expertise, information and knowledge they need to operate in their chosen sector, successfully and compliantly. Currently, DHF has four training courses on offer: the well-established two-day Diploma courses for Automated Gates and Industrial & Garage Doors, the one-day Industrial & Garage Door Certificate course, and now the recently-launched one-day Automated Gate Safety certificate course. Additionally, DHF will continue to work with BRE on the Fire Door Inspection training courses. I am delighted to have been given the opportunity to develop this department and look forward to a new and exciting chapter in DHF’s continuing expansion.” “Patricia has more than proved her value as a key member of DHF’s senior management team; she was therefore the logical choice for taking the association’s training provision forward,” said DHF’s CEO, Bob Perry. “In a year that has seen tremendous growth and a move to improved office facilities, we look forward to the next stage for DHF and congratulate Patricia on her new position.” For further information about DHF’s training provision, please visit: https://www.dhfonline.org.uk/training.htm
For the first time, UK construction workers seeking to obtain the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) Labourer card will now be able to complete a course online. Operated by COSAC, the work-focussed training academy based in Runcorn, Safe2Site is the first online course approved by CSCS as a route to the Labourer Card. The Labourer card was introduced to help site managers verify that people working in Labouring occupations have achieved the RQF Level 1 (Level 4 in Scotland) Award in Health and Safety in a Construction Environment, or an approved alternative course, such as Safe2Site. In a move that aims to revolutionise the way that construction health and safety courses are delivered, those seeking the CSCS Labourer card will be able to take the Safe2Site course at a place and time that suits them – using a computer or laptop. CSCS cards provide proof that individuals working on construction sites have the required training and qualifications for the type of work they carry out. By ensuring workers hold the appropriate qualifications and training, the CSCS card plays its part in improving standards and safety of UK construction sites. Although not a legislative requirement, most contractors and major house builders require construction workers to hold a valid CSCS card before permitting them on their site. Last year alone, there were approximately 140,000 green Labourer cards issued. Andy Mason, managing director of COSAC, said: “We’re delighted to be able to offer this new, more convenient method of gaining the CSCS Labourer card. “One of the main challenges currently being faced in the construction industry is getting workers qualified to the required standards for their occupation. However, our Safe2Site course allows Labourers to study in short, interactive bursts which maximises knowledge retention and helps them get the necessary skills to obtain the CSCS Labourer card. “In addition, this new initiative will also deliver many benefits for the wider company that the individuals work for, saving both time and money as staff will have less time off-site. “In line with Theresa May’s bid to prioritise house building in the UK, the need for fully trained construction workers has never been more pertinent. We are committed to providing new, innovative and convenient training options to help even more workers get the safety training they need.” Using the power of remote invigilation technology, the online course allows a course supervisor the ability to monitor candidates as they take part in the exam using audio, video and remote screen share tools. CSCS scheme manager, Angeleen Hill, added: “Ensuring the integrity of the examination process is absolutely paramount to CSCS and we work closely with our partners in the industry to tackle fraudulent behaviour “I am pleased to confirm that Safe2Site is the first course to adhere to CSCS’s strict e-assessment policy. COSAC has demonstrated that learners can sit their exam online while being monitored in real-time by TestReach supervisors, who fully maintain the security of the exam process. This is the first time a course has met all the Regulatory Principles contained within CSCS’s e-assessment policy.” COSAC delivers courses in a range of specialities, including one to five-day classroom programmes and online self-study courses for the construction, retail and utilities industries. Find out more about COSAC at www.cosac.co.uk
“So often, an approach to health and safety is characterised by compliance and audits can be seen as a major headache for contractors,” says Beverley Holden, Director of DCM Surfaces. “I’m of the opinion that I’d rather know if something is unsafe than not and auditing is very much a way of doing that.” Expressing utmost respect for employees and observing keen emphasis on health and safety, DCM Surfaces is one of the few subcontractors in the sector to express its unwavering commitment to the needs of its staff, as well as those of clients, which is why the company is regularly billed an exemplar of corporate responsibility. Established in 1995, DCM Surfaces has developed a unique identity in the sector, revered for its knowledge and flexibility when it comes to outdoor surfacing. Whilst the company was originally borne out of local and national initiatives to increase safety in public parks and playgrounds, the business has since grown exponentially to include a range of outdoor surfaces beyond purely safety surfacing. With the recent purchasing of a separate tarmacking business, the company is also able conduct civil engineering, groundworks and tarmacadam as Macadamize. As a result of an extending portfolio of services, DCM Surfaces now works for clients across industries and on a nationwide basis, acting as subcontractor to private and public sector clients. With new office and warehouse space, DCM Surfaces is well-equipped to handle its growing client base and widening repertoire. The new facilities represent a significant gain in efficiencies, and the company has gone from a storage capacity of 90t to 400t. Now able to mobilise material more quickly, serve projects of greater size, DCM Surfaces performs at a pace to outstrip any other. The company has established a loyal client base and is favoured for its quality and responsibility. DCM Surfaces aspires to much the same standard as the biggest and brightest in the construction industry, pertaining to the same principles and standards as one would expect of a main contractor. The company benefits from a close-knit team of specialists in design, installation, management and delivery, all operating in synergy. As Holden corroborates, “By directly employing all our staff, we safeguard the quality of work and encourage repeat business. More importantly though, it improves the morale of our team and inspires pride in the job. They get to know one another; each have the same over-arching ambition and the same ethics of safe, efficient and effective project delivery.” On-site safety continues to be challenged by the interfacing it demands between contracting parties involved. The same is true within a firm; safety requires everyone, from directors to installers, to take accountability for their own practice so as to prevent placing themselves or others at risk. Alongside a strong staff ethic, DCM Surfaces regularly unites on-site operatives to deliver toolbox talks, ensures each member understands his duties and responsibilities on a daily basis, and sources relevant health and safety training for all employees. On-site operatives each have an up-to-date CSCS card while supervisors and managers have been through the Site Supervisors Safety Training Scheme (SSSTS) or Site Management Safety Training Scheme (SMSTS) as appropriate. With the addition of CHAS membership, DCM Surfaces evidences that strict code of practice and is provided not only a framework for its ambitions, but a means of testifying its continuous ethic to potential clients and partners. “CHAS is a means of differentiating the serious contractors from the ordinary,” attests Holden, “And it has always been our ambition to be a leader in surfacing design and installation. Alongside ISO 9001 accreditation, CHAS membership has provided us key competitive advantage and a quality assurance that simply isn’t available elsewhere.” One such client attracted by DCM Surfaces’ strong corporate values and exceptional quality products was one the of the UK’s leading main contractors, Kier Construction. A discerning client with exacting expectations, Kier posed distinct challenges for the sub-contractor as Holden explains: “During projects in Halesham and New Haven, we had to adapt our working methods so as to meet their health and safety requirements, purchasing four new mixers fitted with emergency stop buttons. Flexibility is a core value of the business and whether we’re working for a main contractor like Kier Construction or a small school, we always strive to deliver and produce something we can be proud of.” With ongoing audits and a growing order book, DCM Surfaces is determined to retain the quality workmanship by which it is known. And as it continues to promote employee development and welfare, and boasts a health and safety ethic beyond that of any like competitor, the company’s prestige is only set to enlarge and, with it, comes the opportunity to develop further capabilities and services.
Aesthetics is everything and good interior design has the ability to transform a building, mark its entry into the modern-day, and is key to creating something which is more than purely functional. Acknowledging the imperative of flooring as a key component of an aesthetic structure, and doing so in a manner that affords certainty in both quality and safety, Loughton Contracts has established a mode of practice whereby nothing is left to chance. Over the past thirty years, the company has grown exponentially, rapidly becoming the UK’s leading flooring contractor, successfully entering the commercial market and regularly working on high profile projects across the UK. Despite phenomenal expansion, the ambition of Loughton Contracts remains the same: to be the best flooring installer out there, and the company’s health and safety ethic – amongst its quality and professionalism – differentiates it from many like competitors. Refusing to be ordinary, the company is determined to do things differently, as Tony Mills, Director of Operations at Loughton Contracts asserts: “Within the construction industry, companies tend be reactive, rather than proactive. More often than not, health and safety becomes a box-ticking exercise and that’s not what we’re about. We want to be proactive. We want to find what’s best for our operatives and work hard to protect our staff.” Keen to prevent not just discrete injuries and loss time accidents but long-term health complaints too, the company takes a holistic view of health and safety well beyond either legal compliance or accreditation. In many ways, Loughton Contracts can be defined by being two steps ahead of the pack. The company insists on a 5 Point PPE policy, as well as enforcing any other kit required for each, individual job. Supplying and installing many different materials and in various dimensions, Loughton Contracts is adaptive and able to make subtle changes to working procedure across projects – utilising face-fitting masks for cutting timber and knee-pads for the hard-flooring team being just two examples. Having worked on a number projects, including prestigious universities and major blue chip organisations, during the course of 2015 Loughton Contracts installed flooring on a phenomenal scale at the new Tate Modern extension. It saw the company win Health and Safety Contractor of the Month multiple times over a twelve month period, pitching above around 30 other sub-contractors on site. The accolade came as a result of the combined efforts of management and operatives, each exuding responsibility for the team and business as a whole. The company’s specialist workforce is, in part, indebted to Loughton Contracts’ prolonged investment in training and development; the company recognises the importance of regular and progressive development. It’s with the introduction of a training matrix, listing both administrative and operations staff, that the contractor is able to instantly identify when employees are due for renewal as well as capitalise on upcoming opportunities with external providers. “I’ve done the budgets for this year and, with a quick scan of the matrix, know that 7 people need a CSCS card, four need to renew their SSSTS training, two need to do the SMTS course and, on top of that, we’re looking at promoting asbestos awareness and providing further training where we can.” With such attention paid to staff training and a united code of practice, it comes as no surprise that the company incurred zero accidents last year despite laying over a million square metres of flooring across 700 different projects. Not complacent however, with the log of one accident this January, a minor cut, Loughton Contracts has already launched an investigation as to why it happened in order to prevent it from happening again. As a result of its preliminary findings, the company has already enacted various changes to working practice: for instance, introducing retractable knives for the removal of packaging. Indeed, Loughton Contracts’ keen health and safety practice is set to tighten and advance further with this year seeing the introduction of an intranet system capable of hosting risk assessments, accident reports, toolbox talks and method statements and all other documentation relevant to the job. Tony Mills provides further detail: “Not only does this work alongside our database and is helping us to create a more paperless environment, the intranet allows us greater efficiency with respect to getting the message out there. When out on site, our operatives can go straight to the most up to date forms and processes and go into a job with all the information they need to carry out work to the standard we expect. By the end of this year, the extranet system will be online and will allow greater interaction with the documentation in cases where things need to be amended, adapted or sent out.” Embedded within the company’s core and informing its future development, health and safety is something on which Loughton Contracts is simply unwilling to compromise. As their flooring work on one of the largest construction project in Europe, Battersea Power Station, gets underway, the company’s dedicated ethic and unique industry profile remains unshakeable and will no doubt continue to see Loughton Contracts foster the respect of clients and competitors alike.
