The UK Construction Blog

Galliford Try Construction pays the price for poor planning and lack of supervision

A construction company has been prosecuted after a cherry picker operator was catapulted 4m into the path of a moving bus on London’s Euston Road.

Two workers from Galliford Try Construction Limited were working on an apartment near St Pancras Renaissance Hotels and Chambers on the 4^th of March 2011. As the cherry picket was being reversed onto Euston Road, a double-decker had just turned the corner and struck the operator platform, catapulted the driver from the platform onto the tarmac in front of the moving bus. Amazingly he was pushed along by the bus, found under the front nearside with serious head, arm, pelvis and leg injuries, but returned to work earlier this year, despite the severe injuries.

The construction company, of Uxbridge, Middlesex, were fined £12, 000 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of over £16, 000 after pleading guilty to two serious breaches of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. The Health and Safety Executive’s investigation concluded that the incident could have been avoided if the firm had fulfilled their duties to properly plan and supervise safe work. The hearing took place on the 11^th of April and HSE Inspector Paul Hems said:

“This worker narrowly escaped death after a series of events which almost seem unbelievable but in fact could have proved fatal.

“A 14-metres long slow-moving machine, not suitable for use on a public highway, was moved against the flow of traffic on to a three-lane road. Both workers were without high visibility clothing and there were no visible warning lights on the cherry-picker despite it being early morning and still dark which made it, and the men, effectively invisible to the bus driver.”

Despite the risks of using cherry pickets being well-known, the company failed to ensure safe movement of the vehicle between different compounds, and also failed to provide adequate levels of instruction and information to their employees.

Mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs), cherry pickets, scissor lifts and vehicle-mounted booms provide a safe way of working at height, allowing workers to reach high tasks quickly and easily. They have guard rails round the edge of the platform to prevent workers from falling off the platform, and can be used indoors and out.

When using MEWPs construction companies are advised to check ground conditions to ensure there is no risk of the device becoming unstable or overturning. Operators should be fully trained and competent, and should check to ensure that the MEWP cannot be caught on any protruding overhead hazards including scaffolding, trees and power lines. They should also assess the risk of passing traffic and take measures to prevent the risk of collisions.

Alan Cairns writes on a number of subjects including cherry picker hire and health and safety

The Chartered Institute of Building has called for smarter regulation in response to the Government’s proposed changes to the Building Regulations.

Chris Blythe Chief Executive at the CIOB said, “Smarter regulation is not about diluting protection, but about making life easier for businesses who are stifled from over regulation.  Building Control plays an important role but that also needs to be resourced appropriately and we have to find ways to alleviate the pressure on them.”

As part of its call for smarter regulation, CIOB has backed the proposal for an agreed ‘service plan’ that allows better use of building control bodies’ time and resources, and that will also reduce costs and delays for construction companies.

In its response the CIOB supported the removal of fire protection provision in Local Acts, but has urged government to ensure key parts are harmonised nationally to maintain robust fire protection provisions. The Institute has also supported the removal of the Warranty Link Rule, which has proved ineffectual since its introduction in 2005.

The CIOB welcomes a greater emphasis for a ‘fabric first’ approach to Part L, though has highlighted the energy performance gap as an important issue to tackle, from both a Part L and Green Deal perspective. The Institute has strongly encouraged the use of regularly updated user guides for building occupants as a means of tackling this gap and to advise users on how best to operate low carbon technologies in buildings.

“It is vital that there is a joined-up approach across different government initiatives. Recently  the UK Contractors Group made the point that implementation of Part L should link with the work of the Green Construction Board on low carbon build and we would echo that,” continued Blythe.

He added, “It’s difficult to get a coherent direction on green policy and perhaps the government needs less cooks spoiling the broth. The recent decision to reduce solar feed-in tariffs for example impacted on contractors gearing up for an expansion of that market.”

A number of organisations say that VAT for repairs and alterations to listed buildings should not be increased to 20 per cent.

A letter to chancellor of the exchequer George Osborne opposing the move has been signed by 17 groups, including the Royal Institute of British Architects, the National Home Improvement Council, the Institute of Historic Building Conservation, the Campaign to Protect Rural England and the Federation of Master Builders.

The correspondence sent to the politician claimed this measure has already caused disruption to a number of intended construction projects and might threaten the future of some of the UK’s historic structures.

FMB chief executive Brian Berry pointed out “sympathetic alterations” are often required so listed buildings can maintain their economic, cultural and social value.

“We shouldn’t underestimate the role these buildings play when it comes to supporting our local economies,” the expert added.

Heritage tourism boosts the UK’s economy by £20.06 billion every year and supports the employment of 466,000 individuals, the letter stated.

People thinking about implementing artwork in their home decor could consider using parts of the art to inspire their interior design.

Renaissance Arts Academy UK, Arts Retreat in France and drawing for the petrified managing director and creativity expert Elinor Martell noted: “Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.”

She said the layout and appearance of a home could exploit and accent themes from a painting or similar feature.

An interior that used this effect would be “very personal and creative”, the specialist stated, arguing it could give visitors the impression that the artwork was living or moving through the home.

She described it as a “conceptual extension of the art”.

People who use artwork in home design have a “real opportunity” to create a unique statement with their dwelling’s appearance, Ms Martell remarked.

However, National Home Improvement Council executive director Andrew Leech recently argued homeowners that are planning to put their property on the market ought to make the house appear as normal as they possibly can.

Crest Nicholson has been given £2.3 million through the Get Britain Building scheme, heralding the first project to have been financed through this programme. The money will be used to release 100 homes on a stalled project in the south-east of Ashford, which has already been granted planning permission.

Permits to construct at least 1,000 houses and community facilities such as buildings for healthcare and sports and a primary school on the site have similarly been attained.

Stephen Stone, chief executive of Crest Nicholson, stated: “This funding allocation is not only great news in terms of the delivery of much needed new housing, but will also inject a welcome boost into local economies.”

Get Britain Building could unlock the construction of more than 15,000 new homes.

It has £570 million in its funds, which is earmarked to kick-start work on stalled building sites that have been given planning permission.

The coalition government set up the policy in order to address problems construction firms currently have in attaining finance.

Taylor Wimpey has completed the construction of a housing development in Walsall. The Saddlers Brook scheme in the Rushall area is a tranquil community, close to a number of local amenities.

It is less than 20 minutes travelling distance from Birmingham and two miles from Walsall town centre, providing it with strong links to schools, pubs, shops and the nearby medical centre.

Selected plots can be paid for with assistance from the FirstBuy initiative, while the housebuilding firm has also incentivised potential customers with a part exchange scheme.

“House-hunters in search of properties to buy in Walsall are crying out for high-quality homes in a great location,” the firm’s regional sales and marketing director Jan Titley said.

The development offers “a fantastic lifestyle in a quiet community”, she continued.

Recently, the enterprise revealed it had completed construction at a housing estate in Nuneaton, called Swans Bridge Gardens and accommodation built as part of this scheme can also be paid for through FirstBuy.

The Chartered Institute of Building’s Facilities Management Group in conjunction with Partnership Sourcing Limited (PSL), is launching a seminar about the new British Standard (BS11000) Collaborative Business Relationship Management

The seminar will be of interest to facilities, estate, property, finance and procurement professionals who have responsibility for facilities management services from a client and service provider perspective.

BS11000 represents a landmark for business as the first national standard to address business collaboration. PSL has been a driving force in promoting collaboration between organisations and has played a key part in developing the new standard.

Steve Harrup FCIOB Chair of the CIOB Facilities Management Group said, “Partnerships are a key element to the successful delivery of facilities management services. The new British Standard (BS11000) Collaborative Business Relationships represents a landmark for business as the ?rst national standard in the world to address business collaboration.

“Our seminar will give an insight into the standard and its implementation by the leading practitioners in the field, which should give service providers, consultants and clients the ability to measure their current performance and provide a clear framework and opportunities for the future”

The seminar will be held on 29th May 2012 at the CIOB Headquarters in Ascot, Berkshire and will demonstrate the attributes of BS11000 and its implementation via case studies. The seminar costs £75 per delegate and will include lunch and networking opportunities.

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The Society for the Environment has renewed the Chartered Institute of Building’s license to award the Chartered Environmentalist qualification for a further five years.

Over the last five years more than 300 CIOB members have qualified for Chartered Environmentalist status. To qualify a member has to be able to demonstrate (through qualifications and experience) competency, knowledge and engagement in sustainable management and development.

Michael Brown CIOB deputy chief executive said, “We see the role of the Chartered Environmentalist as important in the overall promotion of sustainability throughout the industry, and a way in which our members can differentiate themselves as experts in green construction. We want green leaders.

“Over the next 5 years we anticipate a significant growth in the number of Chartered Environmentalists in membership. Especially as government initiatives such as the Green Deal come on stream and the overall carbon movement gains more traction.  There will be an increase in the demand for these skills within the marketplace, especially at professional level.”

“So it is with pride that we retain our license and can continue with our drive to give CIOB members every opportunity to demonstrate their expertise in the UK and abroad.”

Building firms have been invited to place bids for a new exhibition centre in Liverpool that is expected to be worth around £57 million.

The space, to be known as the Exhibition Centre Liverpool, will consist of an 80,000 sq ft main hall, plus support areas and an attached hotel, Construction Enquirer reports.

It is hoped a contractor will be appointed by September, with work beginning in autumn of next year for a projected completion date of early 2015.

The building will be next to ACC Liverpool, which is already home to the BT Convention Centre and Echo Arena.

Chief executive of ACC Liverpool Bob Prattey said: “ACC Liverpool will become the only purpose-built interconnected arena, convention centre and exhibition facility in the UK, so this is a sizeable project for us and for the city.”

Elsewhere, the publication reported Balfour Beatty, Laing O’Rourke and Miller Construction have been shortlisted for a £125 million shopping centre project in Barnsley.