“As with many traditionally male-dominated professions, there is still a widely accepted assumption that jobs in construction are simply not meant for females,” said Lyndon Wood, CEO and creator of constructaquote.com. To be honest, I couldn’t disagree more with this stereotype, and I would actively encourage any young woman interested in a career in the
According to a new poll conducted by a leading business insurance website, over three-quarters of employers in the construction sector have seen an increase in the number of women working in traditionally male jobs over the last year. Furthermore, ‘earning potential’ and ‘apprenticeship opportunities’ emerged as the most popular reasons why the women polled chose
A scaffolding company in Hemel Hempstead has been fined after a worker suffered life-changing injuries when he fell from the roof of a barn. On July 25, 2013, Hemel Hempstead Scaffolding Ltd arrived at Gaddesden Home Farm, Bridens Camp, on Red Lion Lane to prepare for the installation of solar panels on the barn’s roof.
Corecut, a Scottish concrete contractor, has finished critical infrastructure work on the £60 million Glasgow Queen Street Station tunnel upgrade. Story Contracting chose the drilling specialist to lead the removal of 10,000 tonnes of existing concrete slabs as the station’s tunnel underwent significant improvements after being awarded the track-slab replacement contract for the Edinburgh to
Mabey Hire has collaborated with two of its customers to launch two new products that improve site health and safety, project productivity, and man hours. Q-Kap, which has already been nominated for an award, was created and introduced to the construction market in collaboration with Kitchin Plant Hire. Mabey Hire developed the second product, the
Glen Irwin, MEP & sustainability manager at Stepnell, examines the factors influencing the retrofit industry’s lack of progress. Any building professional with the basic ability to perform a few ‘back of an envelope’ calculations will have determined where the vast majority of carbon emissions in buildings originate: the existing stock. Even during a building boom,
After new research revealed that more than half of firms are struggling to hire tradespeople, there are renewed calls for the construction industry to create more apprenticeships and bridge the skills gap by attracting more workers into the sector. According to IronmongeryDirect’s More Skills Required report, one in every six people (16%) said it took
The main aim of insulating your home is to reduce home heating bills and the amount of fuel you need to stay warm and comfortable all year round. So in a way, all insulation is an eco-friendly option, but there is a new wave of materials that not only prevent heat lose but are also
As he welcomed the first apprentices to a brickwork academy, the Housing Minister encouraged young people to consider a career in construction. ]According to Lewis, the sector was booming again as a result of efforts to rebuild the country, and this represented a “great opportunity to carve out a successful and well-paid career.” The housing
Greenpeace has warned that fracking will harm the housing market, potentially reducing the value of nearby properties by tens of thousands of pounds and making them more difficult to sell. A survey conducted on behalf of the environmental pressure group by market research firm Redshift revealed estate agents’ concerns about the impact of the controversial
Meeting the government’s 2016 BIM adoption target will necessitate a cultural shift, according to Tony Ryan – and one sector must set the example Hindsight is a wonderful thing. It is all too easy for us to sit here today and pass judgement on businesses that failed to recognise the significance of the online revolution
Two construction companies were fined for “appalling” standards on a construction site in the London Borough of Merton. After visiting the site in Wimbledon on several occasions, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted the principal contractor, Kubik Homes Ltd, and the subcontractor, Bellway Developments Ltd. Kubik Homes Ltd, of High Street, Wimbledon, pleaded guilty
Water ingress can be a significant risk factor for underground cable installations, but innovative DOYMA technology from Germany can help to mitigate this risk. The electrical installation at Victoria Underground Station, where Transport for London is investing heavily in a major upgrade programme, includes connecting a new build ‘North Ticket Hall’ to the existing South
After Justine Greening, the transport secretary, approved a £4.5 billion contract to supply Britain with the next generation of intercity trains, more than 900 jobs will be created and thousands more will be secured. A brand new train factory in the north east of England will produce 596 railway carriages. Agility Trains, a consortium comprised
The government has decided to halt construction of the £18 billion Hinkley Point power station in Somerset, just hours after developer EDF gave the project the green light. The South West reactor was supposed to be Britain’s first new nuclear plant in a generation, but Greg Clark, the business and energy secretary, said in a
The construction of a new ‘dementia-friendly’ home on the BRE Innovation Park will begin this autumn in order to learn how to better support those living with the condition. The 100sqm Victorian house will be adapted to accommodate various types and stages of the debilitating illness, with the goal of allowing sufferers to live independently
Construction on the Basketball Arena began after Shona Robison MSP, Scotland’s Minister for Public Health and Sport, visited the Olympic Park with John Armitt, Chairman of the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA). With 12,000 seats for the Basketball preliminaries and quarter-finals, as well as the Handball semi-finals and finals, the Basketball Arena will play an important
Biomass energy describes heat and power produced from wood, forest and agricultural residues and wastes, and a wide range of organic wastes such as animal slurry and kitchen waste. What is Biomass Heating? Modern technology converts biomass to heat, power and liquid fuels efficiently and conveniently. Modern automatic wood heating is very common across Europe, particularly in
According to the most recent government housing construction figures, new supply remains far below what is required to meet the government’s ambitious goal of one million homes by 2020. According to the latest quarterly ONS statistical release from the Department of Communities and Local Government, 139,030 new homes were built in England in the year
Ramboll has finished redeveloping the Lighthouse building in Kings Cross. The completion of the final elements of construction work marked the end of a renovation project on London’s historic seminal building, which now has an additional storey and a mezzanine level. The iconic Grade II listed building, which dates back to 1875 and is located
Cotswold Geotechnical (Holdings) Limited was the first company convicted of corporate manslaughter under the Corporate Manslaughter and Corporate Homicide Act 2007. Guy Bastable, Partner at BCL Burton Copeland, offers his expert opinion. Alexander Wright, a junior geologist and employee of the company, was killed while taking soil samples from the inside of an excavated pit
Housing Minister Brandon Lewis announced today that small builders will receive a £100 million cash boost to recognise and support their important role in keeping the country building. The Housing Growth Partnership will be a dedicated initiative that will invest alongside smaller builders in new developments, providing money to support their businesses, assisting in the
According to the latest Construction Products Association forecasts, construction output will increase 5.5 percent in 2015; however, growth is expected to slow in the following two years due to the effects of election uncertainty. Due to growth in the three key sectors of construction, private housing, commercial, and infrastructure, construction output is expected to increase
According to Sarah Shemmings, an adjudication judge has ruled wisely against those who may use the other side’s poor financial situation as a reason for not paying. The adjudication process is generally liked by the construction industry because it provides a relatively quick dispute resolution, even if it is only temporarily binding. Even so, there