Pile Desilting System

Published 14 December 2020 | No comments
Written by Jack Endean
CategoriesSpill prevention
Background Balfour Beatty are contracted by Doncaster Council to replace and extend the existing rail bridge BKS 66 to allow for expansion of the highway underneath to a duel carriageway including footpaths and cycleways Scope The main scope for the project comprises replacement of a pre-existing rail bridge spanning the A18 using a combination of piling methods & innovative design....

Envirohorn Drain Filters

Published 19 October 2020 | No comments
Written by Charles Stotesbury
CategoriesSpill prevention
Road gulleys are a fairly innocuous item in the road and most people do not realise that they are there. But as part of the new road alignment at East Wick & Sweetwater SIW the project team took part of the existing road network and therefore surface drainage into the site area, due to this there was a possibility of...

Promotion for National Inclusion Week

Published 12 October 2020 | No comments
Written by John Cairns
CategoriesEDI/FIR training
As part of promotion for National Inclusion Week during the week of 28 September 2020, Balfour Beatty published a video to share staff views on what inclusion means to them. This helps to raise awareness of inclusion and diversity within the workplace and the role we all play in creating an inclusive culture. Watch the video below.

Culvert Detail Allowing Fish to Swim Upstream

Published 12 October 2020 | No comments
Written by Jack Endean
CategoriesIdentification of flora, fauna and natural resources Landscaping Protect the local environment
Amongst the many different types of obstructions that occur in watercourses, culverts represent the most difficult structures through which to allow upstream passage of migrating fish and eels.   Whereas natural waterfalls and weirs can be easily engineered with a sequence of open pools allowing fish to jump between the pools and swim upstream, culverts present a difficult design challenge due...

Virtual Site Tours for Schools

Published 5 October 2020 | No comments
Written by John Cairns
CategoriesColleges and universities Community engagement Schools and nurseries
The project team arranged for a live transatlantic virtual site visit of one of their large construction sites in Philadelphia, USA for pupils at local secondary schools in North East Scotland as part of ongoing supports for a local Developing the Young Workforce (DYW) North East group. Pupils from Lochside Academy, Westhill Academy & Portlethen Academy joined the call to...

Digital Work Experience

Published 5 October 2020 | No comments
Written by John Cairns
CategoriesColleges and universities Community engagement Promoting construction as a career choice Schools and nurseries
In May, Scape launched Learning in Lockdown, a virtual work experience programme for students aged 14-15. More than 300 schools and many thousands of students from across the UK joined Learning in Lockdown. The initiative was supported by over 150 people from 32 of the biggest names in construction, giving well over 200 hours of their time collectively. Overall, the...

Support for Graduate Apprenticeships

Published 15 September 2020 | No comments
Written by John Cairns
CategoriesTraining plans Workforce development plans
Balfour Beatty Site Engineer Fraser Conway has recently completed his 4 year civil engineering modern apprenticeship and has now progressed onto a new Graduate Apprenticeship Civil Engineering programme. Fraser joined Balfour Beatty in 2016 and is a former pupil at Northfield Academy. Fraser initially joined Balfour Beatty as an apprentice civil engineer working on the AWPR as was part of...

Openspace Reality Capture System 1 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 51 vote, average: 5.00 out of 5

Published 15 September 2020 | No comments
Written by Bethany Welsh
CategoriesInspection and assurance
The Openspace reality capture system allows us to easily create an immersive visual record of progress on site in real time. 360 images are captured at half second intervals and stitched together to create a streetview style walkthrough that is mapped onto a 2D plan of the area using machine learning and object recognition technology. Captures from different days can...

Bridges to Schools Workshop

Published 15 September 2020 | No comments
Written by John Cairns
CategoriesCommunity engagement Schools and nurseries
Balfour Beatty supported 255 pupils from Aberdeen City primary schools through delivering the Bridges to Schools workshops at Lochside Academy during week of 4 November 2019. The sessions were arranged as part of partnership with Lochside Academy and engaged pupils from Loirston Primary, Abbotswell Primary, Charleston Primary, Walker Road Primary, Tullos Primary and Kirkhill Primary. The Bridges to Schools week...

Tracking Systems for Monitoring the Movements of the Existing Bridge Deck

Published 7 September 2020 | No comments
Written by Jack Endean
CategoriesControlled access
The contractor has utilised a combination of two tracking systems for monitoring the movements of the existing bridge deck during works to replace and widen an existing rail bridge with minimal disruption to the rail networks. The project required the replacement of a railway overbridge structure. As part of this, the clear span was to be increased from 17.50m to...

Interactive 4D Animation to Show Daily Construction Progress

Published 17 August 2020 | No comments
Written by Jack Endean
CategoriesRegular updates of progress Reviews and lessons learned
Creation of an interactive 4D animation that combines the BIM 3D Revit model with the latest animation technology. This model is then linked to the construction programme to inform the user on daily construction progress. This is interrogated by the site team using touch screen technology during daily short interval control meetings to inform construction planning, design issues and clash...

Webinar Support for Barnardo’s Training Groups

Published 29 July 2020 | No comments
Written by John Cairns
CategoriesSupport for local charities
During lockdown, Balfour Beatty have delivered webinars for young people involved in the Barnardo’s training groups based in Scotland. Balfour Beatty’s community team are supporting online careers advice and industry insights to participants that are involved in the Barnardo’s Works employability programmes. Participants involved in sessions are 16-24 years old and are being supported to find opportunities in further learning...

Support for Female Engineer Mentoring Scheme

Published 29 July 2020 | No comments
Written by John Cairns
CategoriesSupport for careers advice Training plans Workforce development plans
Balfour Beatty are supporting the University of Dundee’s new Civil Engineering mentoring scheme which pairs female engineers with students to support and empower their transition through University and into their chosen career. Balfour Beatty Construction Manager Leigh Clark, project team member on the Badenoch & Strathspey Community hospital in Aviemore, is part of the newly launched mentoring scheme to encourage...

Support for Career Ready Mentoring and Work Placement Programme

Published 29 July 2020 | No comments
Written by John Cairns
CategoriesCommunity engagement Promoting construction as a career choice Schools and nurseries
Balfour Beatty are supporting the UK Career Ready programme and are in the third year of supporting the programme which runs in Moray, Scotland. The Career Ready programme is a commitment to providing young people with mentoring over a two year period and also involves supporting a four week summer work placement for participants. In Moray, Balfour Beatty staff members...

Rainbow Flags on Sites to Promote and Support Pride Month

Published 22 June 2020 | No comments
Written by John Cairns
CategoriesDisadvantaged and minority groups support Engagement and commitment from the workforce
Balfour Beatty project sites across Scotland are flying the rainbow flag with pride as part of ongoing support for #pridemonth2020. Flags were put in place at the Skye, Lochalsh and South West Ross community hospital project in Broadford, the Badenoch & Strathspey community hospital project in Aviemore and at the Edinburgh IRR project in the Edinburgh Bioquarter.

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