CICV Forum Issues Health And Safety Guidance For Construction Industry

The Construction Industry Coronavirus (CICV) Forum has issued a raft of new health and safety guidance to help steer workers through the phased return. The Forum has launched seven new pieces of open source collateral, offering in-depth industry advice on topics including face coverings, hand washing, domestic working and what to do if there is a case of COVID-19. In addition, it has updated its comprehensive 42-page document, COVID-19 Construction Operating Guidance, which underpins the Safe Operating Guidance produced by Construction Scotland, Scottish Government and the wider industry. Rebecca Crosland, Health and Safety Adviser at the Building Engineering Services Association (BESA), a leading member of the Forum, says, “This new collateral is another important step in protecting both our workforce and the Scottish public as we all work together to minimise the spread of infection. “The Forum’s Health and Safety sub-group has worked collaboratively to produce clear and practical guidance that is easy to follow and which can be used immediately by businesses of all sizes to help in their ongoing return.” The seven new guidance documents are available to download from the Forum website and cover:  Advice for businesses carrying out non-essential domestic work Health and safety checklist before work is carried out Effective use of face coverings Good hygiene and hand washing A questionnaire for clients before site visits What to do if someone displays symptoms of COVID-19 Template letter for confirmed cases of COVID-19 In addition, the COVID-19 Construction Operating Guidance has been updated to reflect the latest developments on face coverings, physical distancing, travel and prevention of cross-contamination, with all new content clearly signposted. The latest documents were compiled by members of the Forum’s Health & Safety sub-group – Pete Walker, Director of Health, Safety and Training at the British Constructional Steelwork Association, Craig Hartley Head of Health, Safety and Improvement at Hugh LS McConnell, Jim Cornwall, Technical and Safety Adviser at SELECT and Martyn Raine, Technical and Skills Manager at SNIPEF. Raine says, “As the construction industry moves to the next stage of the phased return, it’s vital that everyone works together to continue the excellent work done so far. Health and safety will be vital in the weeks and months ahead, and it’s paramount that we don’t compromise ourselves or our customers at this crucial time. The sector is relieved to be returning at last, but workers everywhere must be aware that there can be no let-up in health and safety awareness.” Walker adds, “This is yet another important demonstration of how the CICV Forum has the best interests of the construction at its heart. It’s up to everyone to use this clear and concise guidance to make sure that we operate in accordance with the highest possible standards. I know it will be welcomed by those constructors who continue to help rebuild Scotland responsibly and safely.” The latest campaign follows two recent animations in which the Forum outlined key health and safety steps and reminded workers to observe physical distancing when not at work. It also reinforces the Forum’s reputation for proactive innovation, which has seen it at the forefront of clear and concise information distribution throughout the COVID-19 crisis. Made up of more than 70 trade associations, professional services bodies and companies, the Forum has maintained a steady supply of information and practical advice to the sector as well as carrying out surveys, producing animations and posters, hosting webinars and making appeals to Government Ministers.

JTL Calls For Employers To Hire New Apprentices

JTL is encouraging employers to harness the new government funding initiative and hire new apprentices now. Covid-19 has had a devastating impact on those employed in the UK, and the Prime Minister has highlighted the fact that young people have been hardest hit. During the delivery of the summer statement, the Chancellor provided further detail on the government’s plan for jobs to tackle unemployment post Covid-19. The statement included a number of new initiatives, offering funding incentives and schemes aimed at helping young people. JTL believes that the funding now accessible to employers will have a hugely positive impact on businesses being able to make the most of the resources and skilled labour available to them, and in turn further support the country’s economic recovery. Data from the Department of Education reveals that employer vacancies for apprentices in April and May 2020 were 2,020 and 1,850, which compares to 10,400 and 12,580 in the same months of 2019, respectively. With this in mind, and taking into account that the industry was already facing a skills shortage, JTL wants to encourage and support employers to utilise the funding now available to them and to take on the next generation of skilled tradespeople.  Caroline Turner, Director of Policy & External Relations at JTL, comments, “Data reveals that there has been a significant 85% drop in apprenticeship vacancies. Although this is an exceptionally dismal statistic, it is reassuring that the government is now willing to support apprenticeships and invest sizably to encourage employers to take on more apprentices. We believe the new government initiatives are an important landmark for both traineeships and apprenticeships and will play an important role in the UK’s recovery effort. “This is the optimum time for employers to harness the new funding and take on apprentices to further support their individual business, as well as helping the wider Covid-19 economic recovery plan. As part of JTL’s support offering and to ensure the pipeline of skilled tradespeople continues, we are on-hand to speak to employers who are keen to invest in the training and development of an apprentice, and to help employers make the most of the government financial assistance available to them.”  

All Aboard The Priva Bus Tour!

Priva Building Automation UK has announced that it will tour the UK with its traveling ‘exhibition’, the Priva Bus during October 2020. The Priva Bus enables the company’s UK team to take its solutions directly to customers and stakeholders - wherever they are located. The Priva team will plan a route around the UK taking in all four countries within the United Kingdom. Depending on distancing measures in place at the time, customers and partners based in Southern Ireland may need to travel to locations across the border.  The company believes its touring showcase offers a safe and attractive alternative to its usual schedule of third-party events and on-site briefings.  Gavin Holvey, General Manager – UK and Ireland comments, “With so many trade exhibitions and face to face opportunities postponed this year, we knew we needed to find a safe, alternative way to keep in touch with people. Sometimes, a video call just isn’t enough. The Priva Bus is a brilliant initiative: it will be a place where visitors can learn - in a safe environment - about our Building Management System (BMS) packages, Cloud Services, natural ventilation and smart, healthy building technologies. And, the real benefit is, we can bring our Priva Bus right to customers’ doorsteps.  Companies interested in booking a visit from the Priva UK Team and the Priva Bus can do so by email, phone or online. Strict social distancing and hygiene measures will be in place to ensure the safety of visitors and Priva’s staff.   

Ovia Launches Free Lighting Design Service

Ovia is offering a dedicated lighting design service, allowing customers to access free lighting design schemes for their commercial projects.   The free service is available to electrical contracting companies, M&E consultants and anyone involved in the specification of lighting and lighting control equipment.  The aim is to provide expertise in choosing the right products and solutions to create a scheme that meets all the requirements and objectives of the project in question, and that is compliant with all the relevant regulations and standards.  Playing a major role in this new service is Gareth Hunt, Ovia’s Lighting Scheme Designer.  Hunt is a highly experienced and qualified member of the Ovia team.  He has spent eight years in the role of lighting designer for a number of high profile lighting manufacturers, and has also had responsibility for managing a team of lighting designers.  He holds Lighting Industry Federation’s Lighting Design Certificate and Lighting Design Advanced Certificate. In a typical week recently, Hunt and the team were working on 12 different lighting projects, which included large office buildings, industrial warehouses, schools and a medical centre. The lighting design request will normally come through the Ovia area sales managers, who will be actively promoting the service and will be the first point of contact to field the enquiry.  An Ovia Prequalification Form will need to be completed for each request, with the aim of gathering as much relevant information as possible about the project and any specific requirements  Where necessary a site visit will take place.   With all the relevant information gathered, including drawings and specifications, and taking into consideration the customer’s requirements together with the latest legislations and guidelines, a Lighting Design Proposal will be prepared.  A schedule of lighting and lighting controls will be shared with the Ovia internal sales team who will prepare a quotation.   The Lighting Design Proposal and prepared quotation will be sent back to the Ovia sales team member and the quote will then either go through the wholesaler of choice, or the enquiry will be directed through one of Ovia’s supporting Elite stockists. 

Ellis Patents to Supply Cable Cleats To Brazilian Company

Ellis Patents has secured a specification to supply its UK designed and manufactured cable cleats to a pulp and paper producer in Brazil. Metso Brasil specified the North Yorkshire company’s 2F+ cable cleats to secure electrical cables in a multi-million Brazilian Real (R$) extension of Suzano Papel e Celulose’s factory in Imperatriz – a city with a population of over half a million in the state of Maranhão.  Kelly Brown, Ellis’ export sales manager, says, “The success of our export business is built on relatively simple foundations. We thoroughly research any new market and appoint a local distributor prior to even considering commencing sales. It does, of course, help if your products are widely viewed as the best available anywhere in the world.” “In the case of the Latin American countries this research showed we needed another local layer to help develop the various individual markets, which led to us recruiting a business development manager – a role carried out by Gabriela Castro-Fontoura from her base in Montevideo, Uruguay.” Since commencing export sales to Latin America in 2009, Ellis has secured a string of high-profile specifications for its electrical safety products, including most recently an order for its Vulcan+ cable cleats for installation in an $800million desalination plant being built as part of the $2.5billion expansion of BHP’s Spence copper mine in Chile’s Atacama desert.  “We don’t solely measure the success of our export operation by the number of cleats specified,” continues Brown. “We also like to look at the reasons for securing orders, and in the case of Metso Brasil we were delighted that the project engineer saw the value added benefits of Ellis Patents cable cleats and specified the products on the back of that.”  

Claim A Free Battery With Makita’s Latest Promotion

To celebrate the launch of its new XGT 40V Max battery platform, leading power tool manufacturer, Makita UK, is offering professionals the opportunity to claim a free 40V battery (2.5Ah) with selected XGT product purchases via a brand new redemption scheme. The battery promotion entitles end users to claim a free 40V 2.5Ah lithium-ion battery with purchases of selected products within Makita’s new cordless 40V XGT range. The selected products must include the suffix ‘GD101’, ‘GD102’, or ‘GD103’ and be purchased before September 30, 2020. The promotion offers customers a cost-effective way to expand their capabilities with XGT, as a genuine solution for high demand, industrial applications with a simple claim process. Once a qualifying XGT ‘GD101’, ‘GD102’, or ‘GD103’ product has been purchased within the promotional period from an authorised Makita dealer, the end user customer needs to register their claim within 28 days of purchase, via a dedicated microsite by submitting their details and proof of purchase. On successful application, customers will receive their free gift after 30 days. Claims must be submitted between July 1 and within 28 days of the offer closing on September 30, 2020. Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita UK, says, “We are delighted to release a new redemption scheme that celebrates the launch of our new XGT 40V Max battery system. XGT machines offer the same high power associated with corded and petrol machines, but with the increased flexibility of cordless, making XGT the ideal solution for high demand applications. “We are pleased to offer a cost-effective gateway into our new 40V XGT system so that professionals can enjoy more flexibility with equipment that is durable, reliable and perfect for the job.” For more information on the promotion, a full list of qualifying products and terms and conditions, visit www.makitauk.com/redemption.

New Grid Faceplates Put Knightsbridge In Pole Position

Knightsbridge, one of the UK’s leading brands of wiring devices, accessories and lighting, has enhanced its product range with the introduction of grid faceplates to its popular screwless matt black portfolio of switches and sockets. Available in one, two, three, four, six and eight gang formats, the new additions provide a stylish way to accommodate a variety of switching needs in one convenient place. The discrete lines – a profile of just 4.3mm – and concealed screw fixing mean that the finished installation looks elegant and unfussy, adding a touch of class and refinement as well as practicality. The new grid faceplates are an exciting addition to the already comprehensive matt black range of switches and sockets, further increasing the versatility and scope of this sought-after line-up. Offering a contemporary aesthetic, the matt black finish is just one of six available in the Knightsbridge range of wiring accessories that offer a modern twist in terms of style and functionality. Other finishes include matt white, brushed or polished chrome, black nickel and polished brass, all crafted to ensure lasting good looks. Whatever the application, whether charging iPhones, accessing a network, listening to music over Bluetooth or simply switching and dimming lights, there’s a Knightsbridge product that can do it beautifully. For further details of Knightsbridge’s innovative wiring accessory and lighting products, please visit www.mlaccessories.co.uk or call 01582 887760.

Industry-Wide ‘Skills For Climate’ Consultation Launched

A major new industry-wide consultation has been launched to ensure the UK has the necessary skillbase for delivering a low carbon economy in the coming years. The consultation is being run by ECA, in association with the REA, STA, BESA and The Electrotechnical Skills Partnership (TESP). It is also being supported by an array of bodies from across industry, including EnergyUK, FETA and SELECT. A number of recent reports have indicated that hundreds of thousands of green jobs could be created in the coming years. The consultation will play a pivotal role in understanding the current state of play, and what steps businesses and the Government need to take to ensure there is a skilled workforce available. ECA Energy Advisor Luke Osborne comments, “It’s vitally important that the skillbase exists to deliver ambitious plans for a green recovery and a low carbon economy in the UK. This consultation aims to understand the state of play, and what actions are required to ensure skilled and competent people fill the likely major expansion in green jobs. ECA urges businesses from across industry to complete this important consultation.” Dr Nina Skorupska CBE, Chief Executive of the REA adds, “Achieving net zero means ensuring we have hundreds of thousands of qualified staff in the UK doing everything from installing public charging points to upgrading our gas and electricity networks. Whilst we have made good progress to date, the pace of deployment needs to ramp up this decade and the skills need to be in place to facilitate the transition. “This is an important and timely survey, the outputs of which should be carefully considered by the Government as they prepare the National Infrastructure Strategy and develop plans for a green economic recovery.” BESA Director of Training Helen Yeulet furthers, “This important survey will provide insight into the practical obstacles to solving not only the current skills crisis, but how to ensure we have the capacity to deliver a green recovery in the built environment. “We suspect SMEs are struggling to access the Apprenticeship Levy in order to recruit or retain apprentices, so this will survey will help us gauge whether there is the appetite and budgets within businesses to enable the required upskilling and reskilling to happen.” The consultation is open until Friday August 14 and will take around 15 minutes to complete. Respondents who complete all questions and provide their email address will be entered into a free prize draw to win £200 worth of Amazon vouchers. Please click here to complete the consultation.

Wincanton Opens Fifth Screwfix Distribution Centre In Stafford

Wincanton, the largest British third-party logistics company has opened a new 128,000 sq ft distribution centre in Stafford, to support its customer Screwfix, the major UK retailer of trade tools, accessories and hardware products, in its continuing business growth. The latest site on Prologis Park in Stafford will add to its network of four Distribution Centres (DCs) across Staffordshire. The scale of the new operation will support Screwfix’s customer proposition through its peak period, and enable staff to continue to stay safe at work and observe social distancing guidelines as volumes increase.  The new distribution centre is in addition to volume that Wincanton has taken on through its shared user network during COVID-19, to support the delivery of seasonal products and enhance the customer proposition  Wincanton is drawing on its considerable experience to set up the site to a tight deadline, as operations are due to commence in August. Wincanton’s nationwide logistics network means it can also utilise its shared-user facilities and create scalability opportunities for future expansion that supports Screwfix’s business growth. Paul Taylor, Contract General Manager at Wincanton, says, “Mobilising an end-to-end solution to support the Screwfix business with a seamless customer experience in just four weeks is quite an achievement and demonstrates our agility and commitment to our customers. Wincanton’s ability to match space across our network and work in a flexible way ensures we continue to add value to our customer’s delivery and service proposition.” Rosemary Wilkins, Director of Logistics at Screwfix, adds,“It’s great to work with a logistics partner who can draw upon their scale to mobilise quickly to support the changing requirements of the business.”  

Scolmore Group Shares Its Journey Through The Pandemic

Marie Parry, group marketing director, Scolmore Group, looks at the steps the company has taken through the coronavirus crisis and how it is operating under a ‘new normal’.  These are without doubt the most challenging times that our industry, the country and the world has faced in the last century. It is now more than 100 days since the country was placed into lockdown and our way of working and living was changed overnight beyond recognition. As we start to emerge from the tight restrictions of lockdown, we are learning to embrace a new way of working that puts the safety of our employees, customers and suppliers at the forefront of everything we do.    When we look back to early February we were still talking about coronavirus as something that was happening in China. When it became apparent in March that the UK was heading for an enforced lockdown, we needed to urgently prepare ourselves for the challenges that were coming.  With a company the size the Scolmore Group – in excess of 250 employees – and working across a number of sites in the UK – Tamworth and Redditch in the Midlands, as well as Glasgow – there was a considerable amount of planning and organisation required to work out how best we could keep the company operating in this new environment.   By the time total lockdown was announced on Monday, March 23, the entire workforce was either working from home or placed on furlough.  A lot of work had already been undertaken to ensure all the right equipment, systems and procedures were in place to allow members of the various teams to work safely and securely from their new home environments.   Like many others, we were faced with a sudden and dramatic fall in orders, as construction work was put on hold and wholesale counters decided to close in line with government guidelines.  As we continued to make plans behind the scenes for how best to keep the business going during the early days, we focussed a lot of attention on communicating with our wholesale customers, contractors and installers via direct marketing as well via the various digital platforms. We wanted to let them know that we remained open for business and also wanted to provide them with some valuable resources that they could use during the time when they were unable to work.   Working with a much scaled back operation, and with the safety of our staff a priority, we were able to continue to supply our full range of products to the professional electrical market, through the wholesale channel.  We have always had the ability to hold vast stock levels which means that we were able to continue to fulfil orders from across the group, with our full range of wiring accessories from Scolmore, lighting and lighting control products from  Ovia, security and fire protection products from ESP and cable accessory products from Unicrimp  all currently available. We appreciate that there are many in the industry who have been unable to work, but we believe that this can be seen as an opportunity to spend time we may not normally have, to catch up on some of the latest industry news and developments, get up to speed with recent new product developments and legislation, and maybe even to add to our skillset.   Across the Scolmore Group of companies there is a wealth of resources that contractors and wholesalers can access. Each group company website hosts a vast range of products, including range catalogues as well as technical specification brochures. Product videos that make it easy to understand the workings of individual products can be accessed on YouTube.    There are case studies demonstrating how products from the group have been specified and installed to provide solutions for specific projects and these include the recent use of our Mode antimicrobial wiring accessories at a newly expanded emergency care unit.  The ‘in the press’ sections provide some in-depth articles covering a range of topics from smart solutions, to fire-rated downlights safety.   We are now at the beginning of July and the country is learning to live with a ‘new normal’.  Every aspect of our working environment has been affected as we have had to implement all the necessary measures to ensure that social distancing and hygiene standards are met across all departments and at all points of interaction. As restrictions continue to be gradually lifted and with building projects being resumed, we are seeing a steady increase in orders coming through.  However, with a local lockdown currently in force in Leicester, we are only too aware that we all remain in a precarious situation and we will be taking the progress we are making one day at a time.