Construction workers protest over ‘derisory’ pay offer
The construction industry’s unprecedented skills shortage will worsen without a better deal, says GMB Union
Yesterday, construction workers were protesting a ‘derisory’ pay offer made by the Construction Industry Joint Council (CIJC).
Workers gathered outside a CIJC meeting in Central London in anger at an offer which is just over a third of today’s rampant 11 per cent inflation figure.
The CIJC is the largest agreement in the construction sector and governs the pay and conditions of around 500,000 workers (principally those in civil engineering and the biblical trades).
A pay claim was submitted by the joint trade unions in February, calling for a 10 per cent increase as well as radical improvements to sick pay and other benefits to bring them in line with other construction agreements.
The CIJC has so far failed to make an offer that comes anywhere near GMB members’ pay aspirations.
Charlotte Childs, GMB National Officer said:“The construction industry is facing an unprecedented skills shortage.
“Without meaningful improvements to the CIJC agreement, which sets out the minimum rates for all grades covered by the agreement, the shortage will likely worsen.
“The CIJC needs to show leadership in setting the appropriate rates for this highly skilled and highly motivated workforce – not this derisory offer.
“Our members are here today, ahead of pay negotiations to demonstrate the strength of feeling amongst the workforce.”
CITB to invest over £233m in British construction
With a strong focus on three core challenges for construction, CITB has published its Business Plan today (18 May), announcing it will be investing over £233m across Britain to support construction throughout 2022/23.
CITB’s investment plan responds to the estimated demand for an additional 50,000 workers every year and is primarily focused on securing construction’s talent pipeline. This year, the organisation will run and support a whole host of initiatives aimed not only at inspiring people outside of the industry to choose construction as their career, but also upskilling and retaining existing talent.
The three challenges set out by CITB are:
- Responding to the skills demands
- Developing the capacity and capability of construction training provision
- Addressing future skills needs.
Responding to the skills demands
Following the findings of the recent Rethinking Recruitment report, CITB’s plan details how it will invest in supporting apprenticeships and building bridges between further education and work to get more learners into construction. Initiatives such as SkillBuild, work experience, taster events, and the 350-strong STEM Ambassador network, aim to inspire more young people than ever to consider construction. In addition, CITB will collaborate with employers on the Go Construct website and promote the wide range of careers construction has to offer. Coinciding with efforts to get more people to think again about a construction career, CITB will create even more accessible routes into construction, focusing on apprenticeships, alongside on-site experiences, and future rollout of occupational traineeships. A total of £60.3m in direct grants will be available to employers who take on apprentices, supporting the industry to address its current and future need for a skilled workforce.
Developing the capacity and capability of construction training provision
As the industry recovers from the pandemic and demand for construction projects increases, CITB will make it easier to access the right training at a time and place that is right for them. CITB will:- Invest £25.9m in direct training delivery to enable the continuation of core skills training and training provision in niche and at-risk skills through CITB’s National Construction Colleges
- Support more than 300,000 Health Safety & Environment tests over the next year, ensuring there is good availability of tests in as many locations as possible, bringing assurance to employers that their workforce can keep themselves and those around them safe
- Offer enhanced grant support for priority skills such as Drylining apprentices and rainscreen cladding achievements.
Addressing future skills needs
Looking to the future, CITB’s plan sets out how it will address long-term challenges. The construction landscape is changing and issues such as net zero, digitisation and modern methods of construction are becoming increasingly important. CITB is investing £2.1m into research to better understand construction’s changing environment. This research will help focus CITB’s work on interventions that have the greatest impact, helping shape new training and standards development. Tim Balcon, CITB Chief Executive, said: “I am proud to be sharing my first business plan as Chief Executive at CITB, which sets out how CITB will approach its role in supporting industry going forwards. “While progress has been made, the construction industry has faced significant challenges in recent years, including inflation, rising fuel prices, the pandemic and Brexit, to name a few. In many ways the industry is still experiencing and feeling the impact of these events, which we know has shifted priorities greatly and pushed the demand for skills to the forefront. It’s essential now more than ever that efforts are focused on helping to alleviate those pressures and address the key needs of industry.” Read the full plan here.Coles Scaffolding Owner Nominated for Prestigious Award
The owner of Coles Scaffolding Contractors based in Swindon has been shortlisted for a National Diversity Award following his ground-breaking efforts.
Regular readers will know all about Todd Scanlon, the talented scaffolder with downs syndrome employed by Martyn Coles. This young man has been proving nothing should be a barrier in life given the wonderful opportunity provided by his mentor. Todd loves his role as a scaffolder and Martyn always goes the extra mile to support his professional development going forward.
Mr Coles has been a long-time advocate and supporter of Swindon Downs Syndrome Group, the DSA and WorkFit. He’s also a greatly experienced advanced scaffolder in his own right.
The businessman, well known throughout Wiltshire is passionate about both diversity and inclusion. Not just talking the talk, this popular figure believes fully in setting the best example to everyone not just in the scaffolding industry but across the board.
And to prove it, he employs a diverse and inclusive team, creating work opportunities for all kinds of people, including those with disabilities, individuals coming out of prison, or recovering from alcohol and drug addiction. In fact, anyone who has the required drive, skill and talent to succeed no matter what background they come from.
Martyn works tirelessly to support communities, including those with disabilities and mental health illnesses. Over the years, this heart-warming entrepreneur has raised thousands of pounds as an active trustee for Swindon Down’s Syndrome Group.
The group has been supporting people with Down’s syndrome, and their families since 1984. They now have more than 100 members ranging from children and adults with Down’s syndrome, their parents, carers and supporters in the local community.
Established in 2013, Martyn’s company are a small firm priding itself on being fast, reliable and compliant, with friendly and highly professional staff at its core. They specialize in all types of scaffolding from access towers, new builds and temporary roofs – not forgetting domestic and commercial scaffolding.
For Martyn it’s not just about running a successful business, it’s also about putting something back into the community, it’s just as important. This vibrant approach is winning him friends without question, but also setting others onto a path ready to transform the scaffolding industry here in the UK and hopefully beyond.
Those who have a presence on LinkedIn can search for Martyn to find out more about his incredible work. People across the scaffolding and access industry are being asked to offer their support by voting for Martyn. The deadline for votes is this Friday, May 20th.
Anyone can vote for Martyn by clicking on this link https://lnkd.in/eruGv6nN
His company hashtag #Nostigmahere
ITP expands presence in Leeds at another major renewal project
ITP’s Powerclad scaffold sheeting has been chosen to provide containment and protection throughout a landmark redevelopment in Leeds which will transform two of the city’s historic buildings into 17,490 sqm of student living space.
The £62m project is currently underway on Rossington Street, which will see the refurbishment of both Leonardo Printworks and Thoresby House alongside the construction of a new block.
Acquired by McLaren Properties, the Grade II listed Victorian buildings will provide contemporary accommodation with 476 rooms in a mix of studio and cluster apartments. The additional 11-storey property will be built on the existing car park and the site will boast a wide range of amenities, from student hub facilities to outdoor communal space.
Robertson Construction has been appointed as contractor for the Cartwright Pickard-designed scheme, which is set for completion by August 2023 for use in the following academic year. The new accommodation is located in the city’s Civic Quarter, ten minutes’ walk from the University of Leeds, Leeds Teaching Hospitals and Leeds Beckett.
ITP’s Powerclad Premium FR printed sheeting and Powerclad Standard FR unprinted sheeting were supplied to Crossway Scaffolding to provide an improved working environment with significant environmental and safety benefits.
Powerclad’s usage minimises weather-induced delays to projects, enhances site safety by preventing the fall of debris and improves the working area by reducing wind-chill factor and aiding heat retention. Powerclad FR sheeting is independently tested to achieve fire retardancy certification to all relevant standards including BS 7955, TS 62, TS 63 and Euroclass B-s1,d0 EN 13501-1.
Joanna Fearnehough, Commercial Assistant at Crossway Scaffolding, said: “Crossway Scaffolding are proud to have been appointed the contract by Robertson late in 2021, to provide scaffolding to Leonardo Building, Leonardo Printworks and Thoresby Building as well as the new build.
As sub-contractors, we were responsible for providing external fire retardant Powerclad 2.2M in 40M rolls. We contacted ITP to supply this as we usually do, and with next-day delivery our requirements were met immediately.
Crossway chose to use 2.2M sheeting to reduce gaps in the Powerclad, reducing weather impacts and increasing site-safety. ITP gave us draft images of what the printed sheeting would look like to give to the client and provided an excellent service throughout. We look forward to working with them on future projects.”
ITP Account Manager, Dave Gilmore, added: “ITP are very proud to be part of another high-profile development in Leeds, which will see a thoughtful reuse of two existing listed council buildings into well-designed student accommodation.
We are delighted to continue working in support of Crossway Scaffolding and we’re looking forward to seeing the completion of the buildings.”
LIFTBOT opens access to the digital world
Since receiving CE certification in December 2020, KEWAZO has delivered its robotic material hoist LIFTBOT to its customers throughout Europe.
While the German market leader Bilfinger arnholdt already relies on LIFTBOT since April 2021, now, and among others, Bilfinger UK as well as Altrad Services, with its facilities in the UK and Belgium, have followed suit.
In addition to LIFTBOT, the Munich-based startup also provides its Data Analytics platform KEWAZO ONSITE as part of its comprehensive solution. Operational data crucial for the construction progress and performance is collected via an array of sensors. This data is analyzed and displayed on KEWAZO ONSITE in real-time using an integrated LTE interface via a cloud-based infrastructure and services.
KEWAZO ONSITE focuses on three key metrics:
Sebastian Dietrich, Project Manager of KEWAZO’s lead customer Bassenberg & Schwarting, appreciates the motivating character of KEWAZO ONSITE. Now Dietrich has a new way to set concrete targets for his site managers and scaffolders.
The project progress is communicated through automated WhatsApp notifications from KEWAZO ONSITE. In this way, all employees receive daily feedback on their performance and progress automatically and without additional effort.
To further increase motivation at work, KEWAZO is currently piloting a gamification concept, where scaffolders have the opportunity to compare their performance with each other and even with peers from other companies. Awards, in the form of gift cards and/or vouchers, will further serve as motivating incentives for outstanding achievements.
In the future, KEWAZO plans to expand its digital products and services. The data collected will soon, for example, be used to create the basis for automated project planning. Artificial Intelligence via Machine Learning will enable KEWAZO’s customers to use resources more efficiently as well as to enhance their logistics strategies.
https://www.kewazo.com/
This article was first published in the ScaffMag Magazine Issue 16
- Efficiency: Weight transported, target height of the scaffold, and utilization rate.
- Internal factors: Status of individual LIFTBOT components such as motors, breaks, and battery.
- External factors: GPS, the worksite itself, and local weather conditions.
Sebastian Dietrich, Project Manager of KEWAZO’s lead customer Bassenberg & Schwarting, appreciates the motivating character of KEWAZO ONSITE. Now Dietrich has a new way to set concrete targets for his site managers and scaffolders.
The project progress is communicated through automated WhatsApp notifications from KEWAZO ONSITE. In this way, all employees receive daily feedback on their performance and progress automatically and without additional effort.
To further increase motivation at work, KEWAZO is currently piloting a gamification concept, where scaffolders have the opportunity to compare their performance with each other and even with peers from other companies. Awards, in the form of gift cards and/or vouchers, will further serve as motivating incentives for outstanding achievements.
In the future, KEWAZO plans to expand its digital products and services. The data collected will soon, for example, be used to create the basis for automated project planning. Artificial Intelligence via Machine Learning will enable KEWAZO’s customers to use resources more efficiently as well as to enhance their logistics strategies.
https://www.kewazo.com/
This article was first published in the ScaffMag Magazine Issue 16 Exclusive: Layher set to launch ground-breaking new beam at UK event
Layher the world’s largest system scaffolding manufacturer is poised to reveal a brand-new revolutionary beam at its UK open day in Letchworth later this year.
Layher system scaffolding users and customers in the UK are set to benefit from the launch of a ground-breaking new multifunctional beam named the ‘TwixBeam’.
The new two-piece beam which is rumoured to be named after a well-known chocolate bar is made entirely from high-grade aluminium and produced at the world-famous Layher Eibensbach factory near Stuttgart in Germany.
Scaffmag understands that bosses at Layher UK are planning to reveal the new TwixBeam at its invite-only open day later this year.
The hotly anticipated event which attracts hundreds of Layher system enthusiasts and customers alike will be the first Layher UK event since the Covid pandemic hit our shores in 2020.
The new TwixBeam that will be headlining the event is marketed as a low weight, easy to dismantle and incredibly strong beam that effortlessly integrates into the Layher Allround System.
It even works perfectly in tandem with the highly successful and incredibly versatile Flexbeam that launched in 2018.
Check out the promo video below highlighting the TwixBeam’s benefits and uses.
Weighing just 12kg/m the new smart multifunctional beam will be available in an array of lengths from 0.8m to an impressive 6.6m and will have more uses than you can shake a stick at.
According to sources, the TwixBeam will have umpteen uses for specialist scaffolding contractors including conventional scaffolding, industrial scaffolding/boiler scaffolds and shoring in combination with TG60.
Speaking about the new TwixBeam, Sean Pike Layher UK’s Managing Director said: “We are proud of our long standing reputation for being the innovators in the industry, and the new Twixbeam is testament to our commitment to our customers and finding new fields of business for them with these solutions parts”.
Two men seriously injured in London steelwork and scaffolding collapse
Two men have been seriously injured after steelwork collapsed onto scaffolding erected on a town hall at a construction site in West London.
Dozens of police, fire and ambulance vehicles attended Hammersmith town hall in King Street after the incident at around 5.30pm on Wednesday.
According to reports, both men had suffered ‘life-threatening injuries and were rushed to a major trauma centre “as a priority”.
The Metropolitan police have said the men were taken to a central London hospital, and the Health and Safety Executive had been informed.
A source told Scaffmag: “The steelwork collapsed and took the scaffolding down with it, when the steelwork failed it knocked over the cherry picker the steelworkers were working on.”
It is believed that one of the steel erectors was thrown 30m from the cherry picker and the other was still attached by his harness.
The London ambulance service said: “An investigation has been launched after two men were injured after scaffolding attached to Hammersmith town hall collapsed late on Wednesday afternoon.
“Officers from the Metropolitan police attended along with firefighters.”
Thousands download CSCS Smart Check App
Over 15,000 people have downloaded CSCS Smart Check app since its launch in April.
It is already improving site safety and card checking procedures on UK construction sites. Developed by the 38 schemes displaying the CSCS logo, CSCS Smart Check allows those responsible for checking cards to verify all 2.1 million cards using one app on their smartphone or tablet.
Alan O’Neile, Head of Communications at CSCS, said: “CSCS Smart Check is the perfect solution for construction sites that do not have sophisticated card checking apparatus such as turnstiles. All you need is a mobile phone or tablet device in order to verify the qualifications and training of over 2 million construction workers in the UK.”
Since its launch, CSCS Smart Check has been downloaded over 15,000 times and is primarily used by construction site managers and gatekeepers to ensure people are qualified and have the right training for the role they do on site.
The app was designed and implemented to meet Construction Leadership Council requirements, which demand the development of a solution that uses smart technology to validate all cards displaying the CSCS logo.
Andy Reakes, chair of the app’s working group, said: “Having one app to check all physical and virtual cards at site gates, or on project entry, will continue to ensure greater efficiencies for employers and those checking cards.
“CSCS Smart Check is the biggest change to site entry processes since the introduction of CSCS more than 20 years ago, so to see it already make an impact across the industry is welcomed by all involved. Clients and employers have a responsibility to ensure those working on their projects are qualified and competent and CSCS Smart Check makes it simpler than ever to undertake these essential checks.”
Currently CSCS Smart Check functions as a standalone application, incompatible with existing site entry systems such as turnstiles and desktop card readers. There is no immediate impact on existing card checking operations and employers can continue to use these systems if required.
Over the coming months, the app’s project team will reach out to employers and stakeholders to begin the process of enabling existing card checking systems to become compatible with CSCS Smart Check.
The app is free and available to download from the App Store and Google Play. For more information visit www.cscs.uk.com/smartcheck.
Free Training Initiatives to Support Mental Health Awareness Week
The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity has announced some fantastic initiatives to coincide with Mental Health Awareness Week and is reminding everyone in construction about all of the freely available resources they offer.
The charity is launching three fantastic new masterclasses to complement the huge variety of free wellbeing masterclasses already available to anyone in construction and these can be booked now.
Free New Masterclasses
Crossing the line – Bullying vs Banter: Looks at what is meant by banter and when does it go too far and become bullying.
Taking Control -Drugs & Alcohol: The importance of why and how organisations carry out regular testing on their employees and the physical and mental effects of drugs and alcohol.
Promoting Happiness: Introduces happiness habits and provides an understanding of how to develop your attitude and improve your mindset.
As well as announcing their new masterclasses, the charity has also launched their Road to Wellbeing package as part of their Company Supporters programme. As from 1st May all Company Supporters will be able to access as many scheduled online mental health courses as they wish, completely free of charge. This even includes MHFA England approved Mental Health First Aider Courses.
Free Mental Health Training
- MHFA England Mental Health Awareness ½ day
- MHFA England First Aid Course 2 day
- Managing Mental Health in the Workplace – 1 day CPD accredited
- 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline offering free and confidential emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support with translation services for those that need extra support.
- Construction Industry Helpline Self Support App which complements the helpline and signposts to over 3000 accredited organisations offering specialist support.
- Free text HARDHAT service that gives immediate access to text back counselling
- Lighthouse Beacons. 160 volunteer centres across the country that offer a safe place to meet in a confidential environment.
- CPD accredited Wellbeing Masterclasses covering topics such as Managing Stress, Building Resilience and Financial Management to name just a few.
Altrad Raises a New €2.4 Billion Financing Package
Altrad has successfully raised a new €2.4 billion financing package to refinance existing facilities and strengthen its liquidity.
Industrial services giant Altrad has raised the new €2.4 billion financing package to refinance its existing debt facilities, finance future acquisitions and additional general working capital needs.
The firm said today the financing package put in place is composed of a mix of Term Loans, Acquisition & Capex and RCF facilities.
Based in France, Altrad offers high value-added solutions, mainly in the energy, power generation, process, oil and gas, environment and construction markets.
Its multi-disciplinary activities include engineering, mechanical works and projects as well as specialist services, access solutions, insulation and coatings. The Group is also a leading manufacturer of equipment for construction.
Altrad’s success is in part a product of its growth strategy and strong capacity for integration and transformation. Following major acquisitions between 2015 to 2017 (Hertel, Prezioso and Cape, adding c.€2 billion in revenue) and a significant number of acquisitions already announced in 2021/2022 (11 acquisitions adding c.€1,3 billion in diversified, recurring revenue streams), Altrad will turn over approximately €4,1 billion and employ 55,000 people worldwide.
This financing package consolidates numerous prior loans and provides a stable financial platform for Altrad’s continued growth plans, supported by its long-term relationship with banks and the introduction of new banks into Altrad’s banking pool.
The financing was provided by BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole CIB and Natixis CIB acting as Coordinators and Mandated Arrangers & Bookrunners. CIC, HSBC and Société Générale acted as Mandated Arrangers & Bookrunners and Arkéa, Commerzbank, Crédit Agricole, Crédit Lyonnais, Crédit Mutuel, JP Morgan and La Banque Postale acted as Arrangers. Natixis CIB is Agent of the facilities.
Founder and President, Mohed Altrad, and Group co-CEO Ran Oren said: “We have always valued our relationships with our financial partners and we are delighted that both existing and new banks have demonstrated their trust in the Group through this new financing package. We wish to thank all participating banks for their support.
Altrad is now well-positioned to continue its relentless focus on operational performance and will continue to pursue its acquisition strategy in order to create value and diversify its services and products offering.”
