Things you need to know about...
| Topic (click on links for more info) | Details |
| Roofer fined after Leicester man’s fatal fall from height | A roof worker has been fined
£3,500 with £2,742 costs after a man fell to his death in Leicester.
The landlord died after falling around 3.5 metres through a fragile roof
light at premises he owned in Saffron Road, Leicester on 8 March 2010. He
had gone onto the roof to observe a Director of Roofwise (UK) Ltd, whom
he had asked to provide a quote for repairs. An investigation found the roof was made of fragile asbestos cement sheets and clear plastic roof lights, but the Roofwise Director took no reasonable or practicable steps to ensure his safety or that of others in going on to the roof. The investigation also found he had failed to inform the building's tenants of his intention to go on to the roof. For full HSE press release click on the topic. Click here for guidance on working at height. Working at Heights (including Rooftop Safety) training is available as a 1-day course, cost £130 + VAT. Contact Group Training Officer to arrange. Added 10/11 |
| Reduce, reuse and recycle your business waste | From 28
September 2011, you must declare on your waste transfer note
or hazardous waste consignment note that you have applied the waste management
hierarchy.
For full details on how to reduce, reuse and recycle
your business waste, click on the heading link. |
| Update on CSCS cards | The
CSCS (Construction Skills Certification Scheme) has unveiled plans to make
its skills card a high-tech, one-stop ID for all construction workers that
would carry information about an operative’s qualifications and additional
training. It could also act as a security card to control access to individual
sites. The ambitious plan for the card underlines the determination of the
CSCS to shake off industry scepticism after CITB-ConstructionSkills said
it was ending its 16-year tie-up with the scheme. CSCS cards are currently used as proof of competence by most major clients and contractors. The move also comes at the same time as a report for the Health and Safety Executive by Pye Tait Consulting called for the establishment of a single authority to monitor and be responsible for the industry’s card schemes that would also maintain a database of cardholders’ skill levels and safety qualifications. But CSCS Chief Executive Brian Adams said: “We want the CSCS card to be the single card for all the industry’s needs. Instead of site workers carrying around a dozen different cards, one for getting through site security, another for showing their skill level etc., a single CSCS card could carry all the information employers need, and employees require on site. The CSCS card became a smart card with a microchip in 2010. That means the card can now hold a permanent record of an operative’s qualifications, including any additional qualifications people choose to gain by ‘upskilling’ in new areas applicable to the industry.” Adams believes the card would also enable and encourage craft workers, who often work for a range of employers, to undertake CPD (Continuing Professional Development) something that has remained the preserve of technicians and managerial operatives. He added: “We’re talking to contractors about adopting this on a wider scale. Right now we’re rolling out around 25,000 of the smart cards each month, but we only made the switch in January 2010, so there are still a number of old cards with three and a half years left on them, but it’s where the CSCS scheme is heading.” Added 08/11 |
| Green Deal | The
Green Deal is expected to create 200,000 jobs, provide millions of pounds
worth of work in retrofitting energy efficiency measures into existing homes
and there are other transformational policy changes in the pipeline for
the commercial and housebuilding sectors. The question is, does the industry have the right skills to take up this work? And how do you make sure your firm is at the front of the queue? Housebuilders must prepare to deliver zero-carbon homes by 2016 and there is speculation that the government will seek to strengthen the existing Code for Sustainable Homes before this. From next year, the carbon reduction commitment comes into force, which will tax energy-intensive companies at a rate of £12 for every tonne of carbon they produce. There is also talk that the government will propose a Green Deal for retrofitting energy efficiency measures in commercial buildings. But according to the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC), the skills deficit is the biggest challenge facing the construction industry. “The UK’s ambitious carbon reduction targets will only be met by a skilled and knowledgeable workforce,” says John Alker of the UK-GBC. “We need people to take this increasingly seriously and for those that do there are strong market opportunities.” So how do you get the skills to get the work? For those wanting to tap into this growth market, there is an increasing number of courses teaching sustainability. Many provide training on technical advances in areas such as renewable energy and carbon reduction technologies. But academics stress the importance of gaining an understanding of the principles behind sustainability in order to meet the demands of the market. Dr Andrew Knight, head of construction management at Nottingham Trent University, says: “We keep track of the latest technology but the problem is that it gets out of date quickly. If you learn the environmental principles it sets you up with the right attitudes for the rest of your career.” Alker agrees: “A lot of construction professionals have the skills for sustainable construction, but lack the knowledge. Once you’ve picked up that knowledge you can integrate it into all your work.” “Skills are needed at every level, from the installer who needs to know how to retrofit homes all the way up to FTSE 100 chief executives wanting to take a lead on sustainability,” Construction professionals are having to move away from thinking just about initial capital cost to the environmental costs across the whole life cycle.This requires a whole new way of thinking.” Come along to the next Training Group meeting on Thursday 22 September at Moulton College Management Centre when John Middleton from the National Construction College will talk about ‘Cutting the Carbon’, what it means to you and what you can do to update your skills to help win contracts in the new green economy. For more information go to http://cutcarbon.info/ Added 10/09 |
| Portable Appliance Testing | Portable Appliance
Testing (PAT) – what you need to know: An essential guide for Health and Safety Officers, Company Directors and Business Owners to understand, implement and check Portable Appliance Testing. If this guide doesn’t answer all your questions relating to Portable Appliance Testing, contact Nigel Ford at info@costcontrolservices.co.uk and he will answer them. Cost Control Services is also available on a consultancy basis throughout the UK to help you:
If this is something you could be interested in then
ask the Group Training Officer
for more details and prices. |
| SG4:10 Preventing Falls in Scaffolding | New Guidance
from National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) SG4:10 “Preventing Falls in Scaffolding” - will see more emphasis on the creation of a ‘Safe Zone’ by scaffolders covering a variety of safe methods utilising “Collective Protection Measures”. This revision will also see the removal of the practice of the ‘unprotected traversing element’ from the tunnelling principle. For the full background to the guidance and revision, and to view the 8-minute video toolbox talk, visit the NASC website. »Related
training course |
| HSE ladder exchange | The HSE announces
the Annual Ladder Exchange - helping support small businesses and keeping
their workforce safe. This initiative provides UK businesses with an easy
and simple way to replace broken, damaged or bent ladders and trade them
in for safe new ones. This year's programme will run until 30 November.
Click on the link to find partner retail outlets near you. Added 10/10 |
| NEW Pollution Prevention Guideline 6: Working at Construction & Demolition Sites | These guidelines cover
what you must do, and describes good practice, to reduce the risk of a pollution
incident. Added 07/10 |
Is your site right? 10-point checklist | Use this Environment
Agency checklist to help you ensure your site is correctly dealing with pollution. Added 07/10 |
Landfill tax rises to £48 a tonne | Landfill
tax rose to £48 a tonne on 1 April, and will continue to rise by £8
a year until 2013. Find out how you can spend less on the landfill tax. Added 06/10 |
Construction leaflets in multiple languages | All
construction workers have a right to work on sites where they do not get hurt
or ill through work. This website will help overseas construction workers
and their employers understand their roles and responsibilities under British
health and safety law. Added 06/10 |
Hand Arm Vibration Risks – advice for employers | There
are several free HSE leaflets that are available to download free from the
HSE. The Group Training Officer can
arrange for a practical demonstration of Reactec's new HAVmeter (available
to hire from Speedy) at the next Group meeting in September – please
email if you'd like this! Added 06/10 |
HSE has launched a new 'Worker Involvement' campaign called 'Do Your Bit' | This initiative will
run for the next year and is aimed at both employers and workers. A new website
is available to help employers involve workers more and HSE are also offering
two new subsidised health and safety training courses to either:
Added 07/10 |
Failures of Liftlux Scissor Lifts (SL260-25 & SL245-25) | HSE
has issued a safety alert to inform employers and employees about recent structural
failures of the main support structure (chassis) on Liftlux models SL260-25
and SL245-25 scissor lifts. This information is being provided in advance
of the conclusion of HSE's investigations so that the industry can take prompt
action to prevent a recurrence. If you have one of these machines and have not completed the inspection as required by the manufacturers' bulletins, you should immediately withdraw it from service so that it can be examined by a competent person. Read more on the HSE
website |
Response to redundancy | If
you are a construction employer
with workers that will be or have been affected by redundancy ConstructionSkills
can help. If you are a construction employee, who is about to be made redundant or has been made redundant ConstructionSkills can help. Added 09/09 |
Apprenticeship Matching Service (AMS) | AMS
has been set up to match displaced apprentices with employers enabling them
to complete their apprenticeship. Added 07/09 |
HSE signs enforcement pledge with councils | The
HSE and local-government body LACORS have signed an agreement that commits
them to implement a new standard of enforcement by March 2011. Added 07/09 |
Source Northamptonshire | Source
Northamptonshire is the first point of call for companies searching for contract
opportunities with local government in Northamptonshire. Added 07/09 |