Volker Fitzpatrick
Rock Steady Board Holders
This contractor is using a product to hold down split packs of plasterboard to keep them secure and prevent any potential of them being blown away and causing injury or damage. The Rock Steady clip prevents accidents by protecting visitors and contractors from the potential harm of falling drywall. It does this by securing sheets of drywall, leaned against a...
Use of QR Codes for Charity Events 
On this site they have developed a way of people using their phone camera to join a charity event. They have put the charity event as a QR code on a poster which links to a ‘Just Giving’ page so they can receive donations online without the need for as much promoting.
Elf on the Shelf To Assist Reporting Hazards
This contractor have purchased an Elf on the Shelf for Christmas time and have decided to have the elf in a different hazardous situation every day. Site staff can then use their digital site reporting tool to report what the hazard is. The first person to correctly identify the hazard will get a point. A First, Second and Third place...
Thermocouple to Assess Concrete Strength in Real Time
This contractor is using a thermocouple to assess concrete strength. The thermocouple is fixed by cable ties and then connected to the wireless transmitter. The contractor will then cast and pour the concrete and using the web portal view the results Using this method of concrete testing has benefits for the project which are: The requirement for manually making cubes...
Speaking Newsletter Card for Neighbours that Struggle to Read
One of the contractors site team members was made aware that one of the neighbours that the monthly newsletters get posted to does not know how to read. To overcome this issue they created a voice recording of them reading the newsletter into a greeting card, similar to those that make a noise when you open them. This has been...
Face Arms Speech Time (FAST) Workshop
This contractor has conducted a toolbox talk and test on site with all of their workers to ensure they understand the principles of Face Arms Speech Time (FAST). Strokes are serious and extremely life threatening especially when they are not caught straight away. By conducting this toolbox talk they have greatly increased the chances of their site team recognising a...
Occupational Mental Health
This contractor has arranged for their assigned mental health first aider to come to site on a monthly basis to have a short sit down with a randomly selected group of site workers. The group chosen will change from month to month and if anyone would like to request a sit down anonymously they can request one and be added...
Coloured Filters to Assist those with Dyslexia 
On this project they used different reading aids to assist dyslexic people with one example of this being coloured filters over paper. Because of this realisation they now incorporate coloured filters on the hoarding for ease of reading of the project newsletter which in turn helps them to be more inclusive for those with hidden disabilities. They have also decided...
Plantable Seed Paper for Handouts
Whilst considering what could be included in their site handout leaflet this contractor realised that a lot of paper would be used that would damage the environment if it was not recycled. To combat this issue they have invested in plantable seed paper. All of their leaflets have been and will be printed on this paper with “plant me” logos...
Smart Camera System
This contractor is constantly looking at ways to minimise risk and achieve a zero AFR rating. To do this they have used technology to help them achieve this, and carry out research and development pilots to push boundaries utilising cutting edge technologies. For this project, the aim was to use digital technology to help automate the data collection process and...
Spraylat Protectapeel
Protectapeel is a peelable protective coating, which is a liquid when applied, and then dries to form a tough protective film. VolkerFitzpatrick have utilised this to protect doors, surfaces and cladding from weathering and general wear and tear. It is a quick and effective method to protect finished works, and is an easily disposable, water based solution that does not...
SmartRock Concrete Sensors
This project is utilising SmartRock wireless concrete sensors to monitor concrete maturity, curing time, temperatures and other data relevant to the pouring process. The information is transmitted to a mobile phone or tablet and provides real time status of the concrete lifecycle. Using this system eliminates the need for potential errors in break tests and the need for invasive testing...
Roof Level Handrail System
The site team has developed a handrail system for the roof level. This utilises half style casts in channels and the permanent handrail uprights are fitted with a temporary connector to provide edge protection during the construction phase but without having to then fit permanent handrails with an exposed edge. The permanent uprights are resized to give protection during earlier...
