Construction National

Championing safety and efficiency in utility infrastructure

A focus on safety can expand work opportunities and open up a contractor to new and innovative business areas. KM Group, a prominent civil engineering contractor based across Wales and the South West of England, has carved a niche for itself in the industry through its specialisation in multi-utility mains installation, repair, and maintenance. Renowned for its commitment to safe working practices and ethical operations, KM Group partly puts its success down to its longstanding partnership with the supply chain risk management experts, Veriforce CHAS. 

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Stoke on Trent College officially launches its Construction Skills Hub

The official launch event for the College’s Construction Skills Hub, as part of its new strategy - Skills Ready, Future Ready, was held on Tuesday 5^th March. As part of this, the College officially opened its new Advanced Construction Centre at the College’s Burslem Campus in Stoke-on-Trent.

The Construction Skills Hub brings together the industry-standard facilities, expertise and equipment that can be found at the College’s Burslem Campus. It responds to the skills needs set out in the new government Local Skills Improvement Plan led by the Chambers of Commerce.

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East Surrey College gains RICS accreditation – the first in the country!

East Surrey College is excited to announce we have been awarded RICS accreditation for our new Quantity Surveying Degree. This is an outstanding achievement and one not matched by any other College in England.

We have been offering the Quantity Surveying Degree for a while in conjunction with University of Chichester. We saw a gap in the market and an opportunity to make the qualification simpler to achieve without taking away any of the quality of the course. Currently to qualify, students undergo 6 years of education, including work placement before gaining RICS accreditation, which is needed to work in industry.

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Innovative offshore wind turbine project completed by students

In a pioneering educational venture, students from the College of West Anglia (CWA) have successfully completed the construction of a scaled replica of an offshore floating wind turbine at Constructionarium based in Bircham Newton, Norfolk. This groundbreaking initiative, named AngliaZero, is the result of a collaboration between Constructionarium, a not for profit educational specialist in scaled hands-on construction experiences, and the New Anglia Growth Fund.

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Inclusivity: five ways construction workplaces can support women

The construction industry has long been dominated by men, but times are changing, and it's essential for workplaces to evolve with them. Creating inclusive environments for women in construction not only fosters diversity but also enhances productivity and innovation. In the run up to International Women's Day, which takes place on March 8, 2024, Nyaisha Sullivan, Construction Lead at Veriforce CHAS, explores five key strategies to make construction workplaces more inclusive for women.

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Delivering PPE that fits the bill

Whether workers are male or female, their PPE needs to fit properly to guarantee adequate protection. uvex’s Clair Weston explains how PPE “fit clinics” – and product ranges that cater for all sizes – can help keep employees safe

When it comes to personal protective equipment, it is clear that one size does not fit all. Ill-fitting, uncomfortable, or impractical PPE can pose significant safety risks, hinder performance and erode confidence. If employees find their PPE uncomfortable, it also increases the chances they won't wear it.

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SoTSIoT celebrates exciting construction milestone

A traditional ground breaking ceremony has taken place to mark the first official day of construction on the brand new Stoke-on-Trent and Staffordshire Institute of Technology (SoTSIoT), which will be located off Castle Street at the heart of the new multi-million pound Stafford station gateway regeneration scheme.

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Mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain: What small developers need to know

While February, 2024, saw the rollout of the mandatory Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) requirements for larger developments, small sites have until April to adapt. Lucy Dixon, Sustainability Lead at Veriforce CHAS, outlines some key considerations for small site developers aiming for compliance.

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ASFP to host fire safety seminar in Bristol

The Association for Specialist Fire Protection (ASFP) is hosting a CPD seminar at the Aviva Centre in Stoke Gifford, Bristol on Tuesday 12th March 2024. Bringing together a range of expert ASFP and guest speakers, the event will explore best practice in passive fire protection (PFP) design and installation.

Starting with registration at 9.15am, attendees will be welcomed to the event by ASFP Managing Director Mike Ward at 10am. The ASFP’s Technical and Regulatory Affairs Officer Niall Rowan will then kick off the morning session with an introduction to PFP, providing an overview of key concepts, materials, and regulations.

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Paramount praises new 40m Hinowa as a ‘gamechanger'

National spider lift rental specialist Paramount Platforms has become the first access hire company in the UK to take delivery of the new Hinowa 40.18 Lightlift Performance IIIS.

Access Platforms Sales (APS) has supplied the company with the tracked spider boom - now the largest in the Hinowa range, with a maximum working height of 40.2 metres.

Read more: Paramount praises new 40m Hinowa as a ‘gamechanger'