Safe Handling of Surveying Equipment

Published 9 May 2022 | No comments
Written by Anne Edwards
CategoriesHealth risk assessments and monitoring Positive reinforcement for good safety practices
Engineers can carry a lot of heavy surveying equipment whilst out on site. One of the heavier items they carry is a theodolite which can weigh up to 12kg. As this equipment is stored in a case, the weight cannot be spread across the body but is instead distributed to the one hand causing the body to twist when walking...

Football Tournament for Charity

Published 9 May 2022 | No comments
Written by Anne Edwards
CategoriesCommunity engagement Support for local charities
This contractor have teemed up with Business Fives Corporate Charity Events to raise money for mental health charity MIND. They played a five-a-side football tournament against other teams within the construction industry to raise money for their chosen charity. Business Fives events represents a fantastic team building opportunity and a brilliant way to bond with colleagues outside of the office...

Bluebell Relocation

Published 9 May 2022 | No comments
Written by Anne Edwards
CategoriesIdentification of flora, fauna and natural resources Identify potential natural environment detriment Involvement Protection of existing natural habitat Specialist input
A number of bluebells were identified in the hedgerow around this site during initial environmental surveys on the project. They were relocated by their ecologists after being granted a licence from Natural England. This took place during the vegetation stripping works in  as part of enabling works. A second growth of bluebells were discovered in the substation exit; the same...

Converting Christmas Trees into Biomass Fuel

Published 20 April 2022 | No comments
Written by Anne Edwards
CategoriesSupport for local charities
Staff from this construction company supported Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice and John Taylor Hospice as part of their Treecycling campaign, helping to collect over 5,500 Christmas trees from local residents across Birmingham, Sandwell and Solihull in return for a donation to The Hospice Charity Partnership. This year’s campaign raised over £100,000, with every pound going directly towards providing expert care...

Fire Protection in Construction Training

Published 27 January 2022 | No comments
Written by Anne Edwards
CategoriesEmergency preparedness Risk assessments
By combining their commitment to improve standards and embed industry best practice, this contractor has various learning modules designed to provide staff with an insight into some of the key considerations when managing the selection and installation of passive fire protection. These learning modules are stored on the company’s Sharepoint which everyone in the organisation has access to. The videos...

Decarbonising Communities

Published 27 January 2022 | No comments
Written by Anne Edwards
CategoriesCarbon reduction Specialist input
This contractors environmental policy states their commitment to minimising the impact of their activities on climate change and the communities in which they work. Each division implements ISO 14001 environmental management systems to ensure that they protect the environment; reduce waste and energy consumption; source construction materials responsibly; minimise disturbance; and train their employees and subcontractors on environmental issues and...

Reducing Carbon Footprint

Published 27 January 2022 | No comments
Written by Anne Edwards
CategoriesCarbon reduction Colleges and universities Community engagement Involvement Reduced use of single use plastics Schools and nurseries
Students are playing a key role in helping to reduce the carbon footprint of this new school. The contractor is involved in consultations with students at Kenilworth Multi Academy Trust (KMAT) during the build process on issues which will help minimise the school’s impact on the planet. Ideas are discussed by the KMAT’s ‘Green Team’ and the wider student population...

Using a Container as a Sample Room

Published 27 January 2022 | No comments
Written by Anne Edwards
CategoriesInspection and assurance
As part of this project’s commitment to ‘Get it right first time’, they have bought in an open plan container unit and fitted it out as a sample room for a science laboratory. The project team will snag this sample room before offering it up for inspection and acceptance from the client body including the end users. This sample room...

Two Part Diamond Core Drill Bits

Published 27 January 2022 | No comments
Written by Paul Watkins
CategoriesConserve of resources
This contractor is currently working on a hospital and are putting up several kilometers of timber which requires thousands of core holes to be drilled into concrete. They had found that traditional metal cores once used would just be thrown away and bearing in mind it was just the tip of the core that wears away and became unusable this...

Growing Natural Capital 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 24 January 2022 | No comments
Written by Anne Edwards
CategoriesEngage with community facilities Landscaping
Natural capital refers to the elements of the natural environment which provide valuable goods and services to people. For example, a woodland can be regarded as a natural capital asset, from which flows valuable benefits, or ecosystem services, such as flood risk reduction and carbon capture. This contractor is creating 9 new woodlands in partnership with Blenheim Estate in Oxfordshire,...

Eco Hybrid Lithium Welfare Cabin

Published 13 January 2022 | No comments
Written by Beth Miles
CategoriesConserve of energy
On this project they received the new Eco Hybrid Lithium welfare cabin with increased lithium battery capacity. These mobile eco welfare units use smart Lithium Hybrid technology for silent green running, as well as a smart water system. The next generation units will also use rainwater harvesting to bolster the smart water system and telemetry to fully enable usage and diagnostics...

Mass Barrier Movement

Published 13 January 2022 | No comments
Written by Beth Miles
CategoriesCarbon reduction
On this project, operatives on site came up with a solution to moving mass barriers. The attachment is a 3m timber post that’s been modified to assist with moving of the mass barrier. It has two timber chocks firmly secured on either end to prevent any sliding and there is also a rotating wheel at the one end to make...

Mental Health First Aider Cards

Published 2 June 2021 | No comments
Written by Beth Miles
CategoriesAccess to health practitioners and counselling services Mental health
Mental health can have a considerable impact on the industry. It was important that this contractor found a system which supported their employees to not feel ashamed or embarrassed to seek help. During an on site meeting the Public Liaison Officer and operatives discussed how they could further support mental health on site. They asked the operatives how they can...

Fatigue Management Controls for 24 Hour Working 2 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 52 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5

Published 29 March 2021 | No comments
Written by Emily Edwards
CategoriesControls and expected behaviours
Major transport infrastructure projects often require periods of working around the clock during planned closures (e.g. on the rail network, motorways). This contractor recently executed a 9 day period of 24 hour working during a ‘blockade’ closure of the Network Rail East Coast Mainline. Various blockade specific controls were introduced around fatigue to protect workforce safety and wellbeing, including the...

Laptop Donations in Aid of Digital Poverty

Published 22 March 2021 | No comments
Written by Alexander Lockey
CategoriesCommunity engagement Schools and nurseries
The contractor donated five laptops to a local School to assist students with limited access to technology at home with their school work through the pandemic. For many children it has been difficult participating in school work from home and in some cases pupils are working from a mobile phone. To show their commitment to the local community the contractor...

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