The CICV Forum has issued a new health and safety animation

The Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum has issued another in its series of engaging advice videos, reminding workers how to keep themselves and others safe as the COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed. The 90-second animation is the latest in a string of easy-to-follow Forum films designed to help construction workers protect themselves and their colleagues, customers and families after Scotland moved out of Level 0 this week. It follows the Forum’s warning last month that the sector is “not out of the woods yet” and that each worker has a vitally important role to play in continuing to maintain good hygiene. Among the practical advice, the animation reminds construction professionals to make sure they’re vaccinated, register with Test and Protect, take regular lateral flow tests and familiarise themselves with the rules around self-isolation. While on-site, it also reminds them to carry out thorough risk assessments, keep work spaces ventilated, wash hands, tools and surfaces regularly, continue to observe physical distancing and wear appropriate face coverings where required. Rebecca Crosland, Chair of the Forum’s Health and Safety group, and Head of Health & Safety at the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), says: “With the recent relaxation of COVID-19 rules, we are now entering a new phase where it is still vitally important to be careful both in our professional and personal lives. “This video is designed to remind construction professionals that it’s vital not to forget the lessons learned so far, and of the practical steps they should all keep taking to protect themselves and their customers, colleagues and loved ones. “Make no mistake – COVID-19 is still a very real threat and we can’t afford to relax yet. However, hopefully this will serve as a practical reminder to familiarise themselves with the latest government advice and continue carrying out the safe working practices that have been adopted over the past 18 months.” The new guidance follows a range of other informative Forum videos that have helped to steer the sector through the pandemic, including advice on face coverings, guidance on travel and information for those carrying out domestic work. The video was developed by Iain Mason, Chair of the Forum’s Communications sub-group and Director of Membership & Communication at SELECT, another leading member of the Forum. He adds: “Since the CICV Forum began in March 2020, our animations have proved to be highly effective in delivering vial health and safety messaging, and we hope this new video will continue to get more important advice across to construction professional everywhere. “It’s been heartening to see how people across the industry have pulled together to get us through the past 18 months, and as we enter this new phases we must ensure that we all continue with this level of cooperation and collaboration. “This latest animation continues the Forum’s key message that we are all #InThis Together and the importance of workers taking personal responsibility to protect themselves, their colleagues and the wider community.” [embed]http://youtu.be/UxjPUdhvBYE[/embed]

Business confidence among tradespeople at highest since July 2018

Business confidence among UK tradespeople is now at its highest level since July 2018, according to research released by omnichannel retailer, Screwfix. Screwfix’s Business Confidence Index includes a range of measures, and almost all of them rose in July, as part of the company’s regular survey of the trade. Measures which rose include the percentage of tradespeople that are busier than expected, those preparing more quotes than 12 months ago, and those who say business activity is better than last year. The Business Confidence index has risen to +35 from +33 in May and +5 in January. This measure is now at its highest level since July 2018. The only measure not to rise in June 2021 was the proportion who think their business activity will improve in the next 12 months, although more still think it will improve in the next year than believe it will get worse. Reported workloads remain high with 86% of the trade now working, with more work in the pipeline. The survey is the first in a regular series of insights about the trade from Screwfix. John Mewett, CEO of Screwfix, comments: “Not only have tradespeople continued to work throughout the last 18 months, but it’s clear many of them have confidence for their businesses for the future, with our Index showing optimism is at its highest level for three years. “This is very encouraging. To ensure we play our part in helping our customers get their jobs done and make the most of their business opportunities, we continue to expand our store network by opening at least 50 UK stores this year, bringing Screwfix closer to even more tradespeople.”

ECS check welcomes 750th registration

Braid Mechanical and Electrical, a member of the Joint Industry Board (JIB), has become the 750th organisation to register for ECS Check. Based in Ballymena, Braid Mechanical and Electrical has been providing mechanical and electrical services to industrial and business customers for over 85 years and is one of Northern Ireland’s longest running electrical contracting businesses having been established in 1926. Launched in early 2020, ECS Check provides a free-to-access digital platform that enables the electrotechnical industry to conduct audits to verify all electrotechnical personnel on site throughout the supply chain. Following approval as a pilot that meets the Licence to Practise (LtP) requirements on government public sector construction contracts in Northern Ireland, ECS Check is recognised by the Northern Ireland Government as meeting procurement guidance note 01-16. ECS Check continues to help electrical contractors meet their LtP requirements free of charge. Some of Northern Ireland’s most significant public bodies have already signed up for ECS Check, including the Northern Ireland Housing Executive, Translink, NI Water, Belfast and Western Health and Social Care Trust. Adrian Campbell, Director at Braid Mechanical and Electrical, says: “Signing up to ECS Check is a significant move for our business. We believe in and support direct employment as being necessary for the highest standards of work, professionalism and training in our workforce. Becoming registered with ECS Check adds to our professional ethos as a company and we are delighted to be playing our part in helping to promote a safer working environment and raising employment standards. The system is simple to use and gives us the advantage of being able to meet the LtP requirements and achieve ECS recognition for our employees, recognised UK wide, preventing duplication of costs and administration for our team.” Andy Reakes, Head of Growth at the JIB, adds: “For us to be the 750th organisation is a major milestone for ECS Check. We hope that it will carry on gaining momentum and continue to play an important role in establishing the highest levels of on-site competency in England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Every week more clients are engaging to use the digital system for greater visibility in their supply chain and recognise the role CSCS and Partner Schemes play in raising the bar across more than 2 million workers in construction and the wider built environment across the UK.”

Football fever swept the nation with the Youngman Freestyler challenge

Whilst the nation was on the edge of their seats this summer, WernerCo was encouraging tradesmen to get on their feet with the Youngman Freestyler challenge. Fronted by nine times world record holder and freestyle footballer, John Farnworth, tradesmen were challenged to demonstrate their best freestyle football skills. Kicking off in April, the nationwide tour spanned over 160 trade events, visiting 41 different merchants across the country, including Crown Decorating Centres, LBS Builders Merchant, Selco Builders Warehouse, MKM Building Supplies and Speedy. In total, across the trade events and online submissions, over 817 entries were received, with top-scorer Tomos Rogers heading up the leaderboard by the end of the challenge with an impressive 1,194 keepy uppys! Additionally, thanks to their impressive entries, 8 branded team kits were won by grassroots football teams across the country. By sharing the star entries across its social media channels, including Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok, the Youngman Freestyler challenge generated over 112,000 impressions, 19,000 video views and 5,400 social media engagements.

CityFibre begins work on next stage of a full fibre rollout in Glasgow

Plans to future-proof the digital infrastructure of Glasgow has moved a step closer as CityFibre, the UK’s largest independent full fibre platform, has started work to connect homes and businesses in the north west of the city to its full fibre network. Construction has now started in the Netherton area and is being delivered by Glenevin on behalf of CityFibre. With work progressing at pace, it is set to get underway in the next areas, Anniesland and Temple, in late September, followed by Port Dundas in November. The team will use a range of construction methods while working in close partnership with Glasgow City Council and local communities to deliver a fast rollout, while minimising potential disruption. Each area will usually take a few weeks to complete; however, construction teams will typically only be outside each home for two to three days and CityFibre will be in touch by mail ahead of any work starting. Construction in the north west of the city is the next stage of the network installation, with work beginning in the south of the city earlier this year. The overall project, which is one of the largest city-wide full fibre rollouts in Europe, is expected to reach completion by 2025. David Cannon, CityFibre’s City Manager for Glasgow, says: “Our ambitious plans to deliver full fibre connectivity to almost every home and business across Glasgow is a major undertaking and I am excited to see our plans progressing, with the rollout now underway in the north west of the city. “We have previously worked with our build partner Glenevin to deliver projects in other areas of Scotland, and I know they will work to deliver the project quickly, with as little disruption as possible to residents. I would like to thank the local community for their patience as we work to make Glasgow one of the world’s best digitally connected cities.” Councillor Angus Millar, Chair of the Digital Glasgow board, comments: “As so many of us are now aware, being digitally connected in our homes and workplaces is vitally important, supporting Glaswegians to live, work and access services in an increasingly digital world. The further rollout of this full fibre network in the north west of the city is to be welcomed, giving more of our people and organisations access to very fast broadband speeds and bringing real social and economic benefits to our communities.” As the network is completed in each neighbourhood, internet service providers (ISPs) will ‘light them up’ with some of the fastest and best value broadband packages available in the country. The network is not yet live, but once activated, services will be available from an increasing range of broadband providers. Across the UK, CityFibre is already working with launch partner Vodafone to supply full fibre infrastructure for customers on selected Vodafone Pro Broadband plans, and TalkTalk, with other providers expected to join the network soon. CityFibre is bringing full fibre connectivity within reach of up to 8 million homes in towns and cities across the UK as part of its up to £4 billion Gigabit City Investment Programme. 

C-TEC will be exhibiting at The Fire Safety Event

Leading life-safety systems manufacturer, C-TEC, is exhibiting at The Fire Safety Event. Hosted at Birmingham’s NEC on 7-9 September, the eagerly-awaited show will feature free CPD-accredited educational seminars, 120+ exhibitors and the fire industry’s latest products, technology and solutions. C-TEC will be showcasing CAST, its revolutionary new own-protocol fire alarm and detection system, ENVISION, its futuristic new IoT Cloud-based fire alarm remote access, service and site management software package and Hush, its innovative new BS 5839-6 Grade C domestic fire alarm system specifically designed to increase levels of fire safety in flats, apartments and other residential buildings. C-TEC’s Marketing Manager, Andy Green, says: “The Fire Safety Event is fast becoming a ‘must-attend’ event and we’re looking forward to catching up with all our Northern-based customers at the NEC. We are also excited to be unveiling some new innovations at the show including ENVISION, a revolutionary new IoT fire alarm solution for use with our CAST ZFP, XFP, HUSH & EVAC-ALERT systems.”

Shoal Group acquires Specialist Wiring Accessories (SWA)

Shoal Group has acquired SWA, a leading supplier of essential cable terminations, fastenings, fixings and tools for the electrical and construction industries, on 1st August 2021. SWA was established in 1988 and is committed to providing top-quality products and services to its customers. It stocks over 8,000 product lines at its 50,000 square foot warehouse and currently employs 54 people. Following the acquisition, SWAwill continue to operate under the same brand, from the same location, and with the same unwavering commitment to its customers and colleagues. “SWA and Shoal Group are a great cultural fit with shared values, similar business models and complementary products and end-markets. This acquisition is in line with our growth strategy and will expand our UK footprint with the addition of a trusted brand, innovative and own-brand products with a strong presence in the UK & Ireland Electrical Wholesale market” says Mark Taylor, Managing Director of Shoal Group. Shoal Group is a group of companies operating in the UK and serving 53 countries around the globe. They deliver cable products and accessories reliably and efficiently to their customers in a timely and effective manner, all while supporting and building strong futures for their customers and partners. Shoal Group offers customers access to over 28,000 cable management, identification and termination solutions and over 4,500 flexible and specialist cables products. The Group is comprised of four leading offers – Cablecraft, FS Cables, Shoal Export and Birch Valley.

Aico, proudly supports lifesavers

Aico is bolstering its lifesaving business mission and supports the Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. Neal Hooper, Aico’s managing director, has recently joined the Board of Trustees at Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. However, the firm’s support of the pre-hospital emergency service has not stopped there with a wide range of employee engagement initiatives being undertaken by Aico’s staff members. Firstly, all employees of Aico, and sister company, Homelink, have been gifted membership to the charity’s well-established Lifesaving Lottery scheme, giving them a weekly chance to win £1,000. This also means the total sum raised in weekly lottery membership will fund two air ambulance missions per year for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity. Neal Hooper is also taking part in the MAAC Moguls campaign, a Dragons’ Den-style challenge, which will engage young people across the Midlands with the lifesaving work of the pre-hospital emergency service, by testing their fundraising and entrepreneurial skills. Matthew Small, finance director for Aico also took part in the charity’s recent Jail or Bail event which saw him receive punishments and spend the night in a cell at Shrewsbury Prison for petty office crimes. With the support of the whole Aico team, Matthew raised in excess of £2,600, funding one of the charity’s air ambulance missions. Neal Hooper says: “We are all committed to giving back to the community and we actively seek to support good causes wherever possible. As well as having the privilege of recently becoming a trustee for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, supporting the service with its strategic goals, I am also passionate about supporting its daily critically-important missions.” Pam Hodgetts, corporate partnerships manager for Midlands Air Ambulance Charity, adds: “Aico truly is in the business of saving lives. We are excited to have the team on-board as corporate partners and look forward to supporting the whole team through our mutually beneficial partnership. “It is thanks to the generosity of local people and companies like Neal and Aico that we are able to make our daily missions possible.”

Vert launches new ‘plug and play’ compressor

With a view to simplifying the fibre optic cable installation process, compressor technology pioneer, Vert Technologies, has unveiled the new A200 mobile compressor. Able to deliver 11 bar of pulse-free air pressure at 100% duty, the A200 has been designed as a lightweight and compact (L800mm x W380mm x H400mm) alternative to traditional petrol and generator-powered compressors. The new compressor provides logistical benefits to fibre-to-the-home/property (FTTH/P) installers when working in multi-dwelling residential units and commercial office blocks. Powered by a standard 240V plug, the 2kW A200 provides installers with reliable, pulse-free air flow up to 11 bar (174psi) with a maximum airflow of 200lpm. Unlike many other ‘plug and play’ mobile compressors, the A200 is able to run continuously at 100% duty, removing the need for periodic downtime for cooling and also to prevent air gapping from occurring during the cable installation process. Its low operating noise level of just 62dBA also ensures minimal disturbance to nearby residents or workers. Nicol Low, COO at Vert Technologies, comments: “With ambitious plans afoot to replace the UK’s aging copper-based communication network with nationwide fibre broadband, there remains significant inefficiencies with the traditional methods of installing fibre optic cables to multiple dwelling units (MDU) and domestic properties. “To date, installers have often had to make a compromise when it comes to compressor choice: prioritising flow at the expense of mobility and noise by using petrol-powered compressors able to deliver 100% duty, or use low-duty mobile compressors which offer easier logistics but are prone to air gapping and in need of regular replacement. We have created the A200 with a view to removing this compromise, and providing FTTH/MDU installers with a quick, quiet and efficient solution to their air compression conundrum.”

'Last chance to save ourselves from climate crisis' says ECA

Electrotechnical and engineering services body, ECA, calls for long-term thinking, delivery plans and concrete action from government in response to the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The recently published landmark report warns that within the next 20 years, global temperatures are likely to rise 1.5oC above pre-industrial levels, making heatwaves, flooding and droughts more common and extreme. The report has been labelled a 'Code Red for humanity'. Luke Osborne, ECA Energy and Emerging Technologies Solutions Advisor, says: “The IPCC’s message is stark, yet it’s not surprising. The worst effects of climate change can still be mitigated if we act now and with maximum effort – this really is our last chance to save ourselves from climate crisis. “The electrotechnical industry is poised to deliver the safe, productive and low-carbon buildings and infrastructure that will meet our immediate and future needs and support the drive towards net zero carbon. “As host nation of COP26, the onus is on us to lead by example and show how a rapid and professional rollout of insulation, heat pumps, solar panels, EV charging, smart meters, battery storage and much more can make a real impact.” ECA has produced extensive guidance to help electrotechnical businesses to make a ‘Green Pivot’ and focus on net zero carbon skills and training. ECA urges its nearly 3,000 member businesses in the electrical and engineering services sector to invest in their workforces and enable training and upskilling that will allow the installation, operation and maintenance of an array of low- to no-carbon technologies. Luke adds: “It’s now time to throttle up and upskill and reskill our electrotechnical workforce. The time for piecemeal, short-term solutions has long passed. We have been warned more than enough – only long-term, concrete government action will pay long-term dividends for society, the economy and the environment.”