Construction National

Firestopping Best Practice Guide receives RIBA approval

The Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) has approved the recently launched Firestopping of Service Penetrations, Best Practice in Design and Installation Guide as assessed Continual Professional Development (CPD) material. This enables architects to download and read the guide and log this towards their 35 hours of required CPD each year.

Read more: Firestopping Best Practice Guide receives RIBA approval

UCLan's first building services degree apprentices complete training

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is marking National Apprenticeship Week (8-14 February) by seeing its first cohort of building services design engineer degree apprentices complete their training.

The six learners’ primary role is to work with other construction professionals to design, install and maintain the mechanical and electrical installations found in buildings. They are now officially Incorporated Engineers having successfully completed their end point assessment with the Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), supported in their endeavour by staff at UCLan and their employers.  

Read more: UCLan's first building services degree apprentices complete training

Duncan Tanner is new CHAS Marketing, Communications & Content Manager

CHAS, the supply chain risk management expert, has appointed Duncan Tanner as Marketing, Communications & Content Manager in the latest phase of the company’s Strategic Growth Program. 

Duncan joins CHAS from Land Securities Group where he held the position of Senior Marketing Manager for the past six years and he brings over twenty years’ worth of multi-channel marketing and PR experience to the role. 

Read more: Duncan Tanner is new CHAS Marketing, Communications & Content Manager

CHAS appoints Bindi Lakhani as new Finance Director

CHAS, the supply chain risk management expert, has appointed Bindi Lakhani as Finance Director in the latest phase of the company’s Strategic Growth Program. 

Bindi moves across to CHAS from Merton council where she has been Head of Accountancy for the past 6 years. She brings over twenty-five years’ experience as a Chartered Accountant within both public and private sector organisations.

Read more: CHAS appoints Bindi Lakhani as new Finance Director

PASMA responds to tower fall prosecution

Roger Verallo, PASMA Chairman and Managing Director of Euro Towers commented: “This case highlights the importance of training for all those who assemble, dismantle, inspect or move tower scaffolds. Just look what can go wrong when it’s done incorrectly. Anyone who has completed a PASMA course knows that guardrails and outriggers, or stabilisers, are absolutely essential for fall prevention and stability.

Read more: PASMA responds to tower fall prosecution

Rapid growth sees expansion at Norwich-based glazing firm

Rapid growth at Norwich-based glazing manufacturer, Norwich Aluminium Limited, has seen the company move to new 80% larger premises and employ five new staff as it continues to fly the flag for UK manufacturing in construction.

Norwich Aluminium was established six years ago by local man Alex Warren. Alex, who was working in the glazing industry at the time, spotted an opportunity to move into aluminium, a material which was growing in popularity for commercial and architectural glazing. By re-mortgaging his house, Alex set up the company in a unit on White Lodge Trading Estate in Norwich, next to other established brands such as Screwfix and SIG.

Read more: Rapid growth sees expansion at Norwich-based glazing firm

Centurion partners with helmet safety technology company Mips in UK first

Above-the-neck PPE specialist Centurion Safety Products, has announced a partnership with Swedish helmet safety technology company Mips, which will see the British manufacturer incorporate the Mips (Multi-directional Impact Protection System) patented helmet-based technology within their market-leading Nexus helmet.  

When the Centurion Nexus with Mips helmet technology launches in March 2021, Centurion will become the first UK manufacturer to offer Mips helmet technology in a hard hat and be the first company globally to incorporate the new Mips ‘cradle’ rotational impact protection system into their helmets.

Read more: Centurion partners with helmet safety technology company Mips in UK first

NASC members to give 290+ young people a start in scaffolding

NASC members will provide more than 290 young people across the UK with scaffolding industry experience through the Government’s Kickstart Scheme, which officially launches today.

A total of 50 NASC members – both contractors and suppliers – have signed up to the Kickstart Scheme through the NASC, committing to provide six-month work placements to out of work 18–24-year-olds.

Read more: NASC members to give 290+ young people a start in scaffolding

Extra 7.5% off steel gutters this February

This February Rainclear Systems, the UK’s leading stockist and online retailer of metal rainwater systems is offering an Extra 7.5% OFF Infinity Galvanised Steel and Colour Coated Galv Steel gutters and downpipes with code ‘X75FEB21’.

Galvanised steel guttering, and the colour coated versions, really are the more environmentally friendly alternative to plastic gutters - with the metal’s considerably longer life and 100% recyclability at end of life (plus it doesn’t contribute to the contamination of the environment by micro-plastics lost into the ecosystem in the production of new plastic and old plastic waste dumped in landfill fragmenting and ending up in the stomachs of earthworms, then birds etc.).

Read more: Extra 7.5% off steel gutters this February

Casella launches Orbi-Trace Smart-Tag to support workplace social distancing

Workers and businesses have never been more aware of the need for positive occupational hygiene culture than they are as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. There has been an unprecedented effect on businesses – in Q2 of 2020, over 32,000,000 working days were lost as a result of Covid-19 related absences, translating into a cost of over £4 billion to UK businesses[1]. The challenge industry now faces in reopening is balancing worker health, the concerns of employee and legal and legislative responsibility around operating a ‘Covid secure’ workplace.

Read more: Casella launches Orbi-Trace Smart-Tag to support workplace social distancing