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Last updateMon, 13 Jul 2026 9am

E-gloves to protect workers from dangerous vibration levels

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Gloves embedded with tiny sensors are being developed by Nottingham Trent University to help protect construction workers from exposure to vibration.

Led by Professor Tilak Dias, of the School of Art & Design, the technology aims to alert wearers to when they experience vibrations likely to cause conditions such as vibration white finger and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Casella announces 2017 noise monitoring course

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Due to high industry demand, Casella’s popular noise monitoring course returns on 23rd May at its headquarters in Bedford.

Attending the one day course enables individuals to gain critical knowledge on Noise at Work regulations; ensuring compliance and saving a business time and money in the long run. It encourages the learning of new skills around occupational noise monitoring and demonstrates how vital this process is for employee wellbeing. After successful completion of a test at the end of the day, individuals are awarded with a certificate, showing their ability to monitor noise in the workplace.

CAI launches new category of membership

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With the dramatic swing of trade towards data networking around the home as well as linear TV, the CAI has opened up a new category of membership.

Hopefully it covers off the new scope of works many installer members of the CAI now find themselves working. The assessment officers find themselves looking at more than DTT and satellite installations, with system installers stretching far beyond the IRS as we know it with the inclusion of broadband and IPTV on many large distribution systems.

Modular classroom saves the day for Suffolk school

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A lost order for a classroom unit and 30 additional children scheduled to arrive at the start of term could have been a disaster – but Suffolk company Portable Space rose to the challenge and saved the day.

Portable Space offers a range of new and used modular buildings – from heavy duty 'Steel Modular' for construction markets to 'Compliant Modular' with a higher specification for organisations requiring more permanent accommodation. Its range includes pre-owned modular buildings which are available immediately from stock.

Ketley to enter Victoria Gate Arcade, Leeds for Brick Awards 2017

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Acme Architect’s outstanding design used a blend of light and dark red Ketley brick slips in conjunction with bespoke special bricks to create precast brick faced panels which have been arranged in a complex geometry with steps and pleats to form an innovative 3 dimensional masonry façade.

It became clear early on in the project that, as many bricks would have 5 exposed faces, choosing the right one would be key to the project’s success. Dimensional stability, an absence of inferior faces, low water absorption and high frost resistance, high strength and the right finish to complement the predominantly Victorian local vernacular were all key requirements.

Half of construction and architecture workers lose sleep over their job

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A nationwide poll by international safety barrier manufacturer, A-SAFE, has revealed that people working in the building, construction and architecture industry lose sleep as a direct result of workplace worries.

The company polled 1,000 people working in industries including automotive, food and drink, logistics and transport, retail and government, and found that nearly half (48%) of building, construction and architecture workers lose sleep over their job. The data showed that around 16% of workers regularly lose sleep, with a further 32% experiencing occasional loss of sleep.

With 17% growth Nationwide Platforms still world’s largest IPAF provider

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Nationwide Platforms has once again retained its position as the world’s largest IPAF provider after training 14,896 delegates in 2016. With IPAF registrations up 17% from 2015, it achieved the highest number of registrations ever recorded by the International Powered Access Federation (IPAF).

The company offers the full range of IPAF operator, management and PAL+ training courses either at its customers’ premises or from 26 depots strategically located throughout the UK. Particular achievements in 2016 included providing more than 11,000 3a/b Operator courses, 1,085 Harness courses, 350 PAL+ courses and 775 MEWPs for Managers courses - 540 courses more than the second highest provider.

New - ‘getmeviewing’ web from the CAI

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The Confederation of Aerial Industries Ltd (CAI) as the UK’s leading trade association for the home entertainment installation industry has launched a major new initiative with the viewer and listener in mind. The CAI has for 38 years been the first choice reference point for broadcasters, government and the construction trades when advice is needed on signal reception and network distribution around the home or business.

BDA growth as new members sign-up

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The British Drilling Association (BDA) has got off to a great start in 2017, signing up four new members. The new additions to the BDA are: R J Blasting (Scotland) Ltd; Bulroc (UK) Ltd; 4Site Construction Ltd and Tyneside Site Investigations.

Membership enquiries are also up for the first quarter of 2017, indicating strong support for the Association’s aims and goals as well as the progress it has made towards fully representing the drilling industry.

ProntoCALC PRO section now available to all builders during free trial

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The web-based build cost calculator, ProntoCALC allows the Builder to quickly and accurately produce a price for a project, and it hold all the Builder’s rates. As the quantities are entered, a cost schedule in PDF format of 14 pages is produced, detailing every aspect of the project. The second section, ProntoCALC PRO, is for when the work is won and construction begins. This section of the cost estimator helps Builders and their Clients to financially manage the project.

The most important aspect of project cost management is the control of design changes/variations. There are two ways to apply a variation in ProntoCALC. On the main site a variation list is created which adjusts the budget. If there is an item not covered in the quantities of the main site, or you have something you wish to remove from the budget, it can be done here. The variations in the PRO section work slightly differently. It is often important to have evidence based records of additional labour and material costs. Here the daily costs of individual labour and materials can be recorded which are then immediately applied to the budget. It is never a good idea to leave these adjustments to the final moments of a project. This record can be sent as a PDF to the client that will fulfil contractual requirements.

Up, up and away - house development by Mick George

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Mick George Ltd, all things Skips, Concrete, Aggregates and big construction plant or equipment, or at least until last year where the dynamics changed and the business introduced its Home and Garden range, tapping further in to domestic markets outside of their familiar territories.

That venture was just the start of things to follow. October 2016, saw the launch of Mick’s Mates the installation service for residential and commercial premises, which brings together the use of local, accredited tradesmen from various disciplines.

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