Construction industry facing 'workforce time bomb' - 01-07-2008 - 16:57

Ageing people in construction jobs is leading to a "workforce time bomb", according to sector skills council ConstructionSkills.

The problem is most evident in manual jobs but trades such as architecture, civil and mechanical engineering could lose up to 20 per cent of their staff base over the next decade, according to New Civil Engineer.

Since the mid-1990s the number of people in construction jobs aged 60 or over has doubled, while the number of younger workers aged 24 or under has fallen by 27 per cent.

Mark Farrar, the new chief executive of ConstructionSkills, told the magazine employers need to act now to avoid a "serious skills shortfall".

He said: "As well as making more training places available, construction employers need to be more open-minded about who the perfect candidate might be.

"Last year we saw a 19% increase in female apprentice applications, but we were unable to translate this into the same increase in females placed."

ConstructionSkills recently revealed firms are failing to recruit apprentices for construction jobs.

The Financial Times reported 12,000 people applied for construction apprenticeships in England but only 2,400 places were provided.

Liverpool eco-village 'to create 800 construction jobs' - 01-07-2008 - 10:55

The development of a green village in the centre of Liverpool is set to create 800 construction jobs, it has been revealed.

Situated on an "eyesore" site on the edge of the city centre, the £85 million Via Verde project will see the development of 356 homes, offices, bars and restaurants, the Liverpool Daily Post reports.

Residents in the scheme are set to be offered bicycles and encouraged to sign up to a public transport plan as developers Viride Holdings aim to make the scheme "one of the greenest in Liverpool".

Alistair Cattrell, spokesman for Viride, told the newspaper management of the eco-village will be delivered by social businesses.

He added: "People have sometimes been concerned city centre schemes do little to create prosperity or opportunity for local people and communities.

"Via Verde and Eldonians will see a formula ensuring local people drive real and direct economic benefits."

In related news, construction jobs are set to get underway at the new home of Liverpool FC at Stanley Park in the north of the city.

Number of fatal injuries in construction jobs falls - 30-06-2008 - 15:58

New figures from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) show the number of people fatally injured in construction jobs has dropped.

Figures from the organisation show the number of deaths in the period 2007/08 was 72, compared to 77 in 2006/07.

The organisation has warned this should not lead to complacency, particularly as five-year results show an overall plateau.

Judith Hackitt, chair of the HSE, said Britain's position in European terms is fairly creditable but insisted 228 deaths across all industries cannot be tolerated.

She added: "After many years of improvement, it is disappointing that we are on a performance plateau.

"This stresses the need for everyone, employers and employees alike, to make a further effort to reduce this total of human misery."

Newcastle firms have recently been targeted by the HSE in an effort to protect people in construction jobs in the area.

Random spot checks earlier this year on 30 contractors led to the closure of five sites which failed to adhere to health and safety requirements.

Eastern Europeans in construction jobs 'left virtually destitute' - 30-06-2008 - 09:22

Foreign nationals in construction jobs have been taking home as little as £8.80 per week, it has been claimed.

According to the Guardian, 12 eastern European workers have been left "virtually destitute" by the low level of wages they have been receiving for working on a government-backed PFI project in Nottinghamshire.

One worker was paid £8.80 for a 39 hour week after his entire monthly rent was deducted in a week, while another was paid £79.20 for 63 hours and a third £66 for a 70 hour week.

Alan Ritchie, general secretary of the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, told the newspaper: "This is the worst case we have ever seen."

His colleague, regional secretary Steve Murphy, added: "We will be able to eventually get a fair resolution for these workers.

"What is truly frightening is to think what happens on many unorganised sites in our country."

Meanwhile, Britain's General Union has called for a limit on the number of foreign nationals in construction jobs, claiming the UK needs to focus on being self-sufficient, Whitehaven News reports.

Greenford construction jobs begin - 27-06-2008 - 16:33

Construction jobs have begun in Greenford town centre near London after an official launch by the leader of Ealing Council, it has been revealed.

Paving work is underway at the Brent River Bridge as the £5.1 million Good for Greenword project began, reports the Society of Procurement Officers.

Ealing council is providing £3 million of the investment as it spends £15 million on regeneration construction jobs across the borough.

Jason Stacey, leader of the council, said he is excited work has begun to "transform Greenford".

He added: "New and existing retailers are excited about the opportunities a new and improved town centre will bring.

"I'm confident that the work here will attract new business to the borough and mean a greater choice for shoppers."

Meanwhile, construction jobs on bridges in the Olympic Park in London.

Concrete foundations have been set and a 23 metre steel frame is now in place on the access bridge across Carpenters Road.

Apprentices 'not being recruited for construction jobs' - 27-06-2008 - 10:54

Despite government initiatives, firms are failing to recruit apprentices for construction jobs, it has been revealed.

ConstructionSkills has claimed there is currently only one vacancy for every five people seeking an apprenticeship, the Financial Times reports.

Some 12,000 people in England have applied for apprenticeships but only 2,400 places have been provided, according to the newspaper.

Max Hamps, director of apprentices at ConstructionSkills, said only a fraction of firms are taking on staff in construction jobs.

He added: "Unfortunately, many firms still think that taking on an apprentice is costly or time-consuming or that drop-out rates are high.

"In fact, with more than 75 per cent completion rates, ConstructionSkills apprentices are among the best in the industry."

Funding worth £133 million was recently given to ConstructionSkills to encourage more people into construction jobs over the next three years.

John Denham, the skills secretary, revealed the agreement, which the government hopes will solve the current skills shortage in the industry.

£133m to recruit new staff to construction jobs - 25-06-2008 - 18:27

ConstructionSkills is to be given a further £133 million to encourage new workers into the sector over the next three years.

Skills secretary John Denham revealed a new agreement today which it is hoped will tempt more skilled workers into construction jobs.

The body is the sector skills council, covering the whole of the sector, "from architects to bricklayers".

Mark Farrar, the corporate services director of ConstructionSkills, described the funding as a "great opportunity".

The organisation is in a strong position to "provide the support that the construction industry needs to ensure that those entering the industry have the skills they need", he explained.

Last month, ConstructionSkills published analysis which revealed there is one vacancy advertised for every five of applicants.

It warned there is a "severe shortage" for younger people in England who hope to enter a career within construction.

Following its research, the body launched a drive to encourage employers to commit to training their staff and developing their skills.

Temporary staff in constructions jobs 'vital' - 25-06-2008 - 18:26

Temporary workers are a necessary role of the government's plans to encourage training within the workplace, an organisation has remarked.

According to the Recruitment and Employment Confederation (REC), temporary staff will be an option for employers seeking to accommodate the 22 million people who now have the legal right to request time to train.

It has been predicted that as many as 300,000 individuals will use this right to request development.

Employers within the construction sector could find they receive requests for training and development in light of the new policy.

Anne Fairweather, the REC's head of public policy, commented: "It is vital that the government protects the viability of the UK temp worker model. Any introduction of extra flexibility for workers needs to be matched equally with a flexible option for employers."

Earlier this month, the REC called for greater safeguards to be added to the temporary worker directive, the Agency Workers Agreement, to protect jobs.

Olympic bridge construction jobs begin - 25-06-2008 - 18:23

Construction work has begun on one of 30 bridges that are being built in the Olympic Park in London.

Official website of the forthcoming Olympic and Paralympic Games London 2012, reports that the new bridge will cross Carpenters Road providing access to parts of the site for construction workers developing the park.

The concrete foundations for the bridge have now been set and a 23-metre steel frame is to be put in place as the next of the construction jobs.

Officials expect the bridge to be up and running by November this year.

The Olympic Delivery Authority's (ODA) director of infrastructure and utilities, Simon Wright, told the website that erecting new bridges is a "crucial element" of the development.

He added: "Creating new links across the site for construction activity [will] deliver an open and accessible park during the games, and [form] new links between local communities."

In related news, the ODA signed Fitzpatrick Contractors up in a three-year construction deal to undertake development work in the Olympic Park this month.

'Work halted to protect staff in construction jobs' - 24-06-2008 - 15:15

Work on refurbishment sites in Newcastle has been stopped as inspectors have voiced concerns that staff in construction jobs may not be adequately protected.

Health and Safety Executive (HSE) inspectors carrying out random checks looked at the sites to find out, among other things, whether proper safety measures were being taken in construction jobs the require people to work at height.

Jonathan Wills, an HSE inspector, said: "Site safety should be paramount and the simple answer is that too many sites allow bad practices to continue.

"Working at height remains the biggest concern and is the single greatest cause of workplace fatalities."

He added that many in the construction industry did not have a good awareness of the safety issues they faced because they were in a "challenging environment" and often move from one site to another.

Mr Wills recently said that 77 people died in construction while at work last year and more than 50 per cent of these deaths occurred in the refurbishment sector.

Staff in construction jobs warned over safety notices - 24-06-2008 - 10:22

Staff in construction jobs have been cautioned after a scaffolder who ignored a safety warning was jailed for three months following an employee falling when dismantling scaffolding.

Philip Wolstenholme, from Rotherham, was sentenced after one of his workers fell six metres while dismantling scaffolding last year, Contract Journal reports

The worker, who was untrained, received injuries to his spine and foot after the board on which he was balancing gave way and led to his fall.

Robert Cooper, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) Inspector, told the website the authority had already issued the owner a warning to train his staff in their construction jobs, which he ignored.

"As a consequence they were not aware of the vital safe working practices that are necessary when doing scaffolding work," he said.

Mr Wolstenholme pleaded guilty at Sheffield magistrate's court to a breach of health and safety and breach of the notice.

The HSE is currently targeting firms in the Newcastle area to check they are adhering to health and safety standards with their construction jobs.

75 construction jobs cut in north-east - 23-06-2008 - 14:00

Caterpillar UK has decided to lay-off 75 temporary workers in construction jobs at its plant in Stockton-on-Tees, it has been revealed.

It follows the loss of 320 temporary members of staff at its headquarters in Leicestershire, North-East Business reports.

The construction jobs losses have all come in the firm's Building Construction Products Division and economic slowdown has been blamed for its decision.

A spokesman for Caterpillar told the publication it has had to revaluate its position in the wake of world financial events and softening in the European residential construction market.

He added: "We regret this action is necessary but believe it is ultimately in the best interest of our business and serving our dealers and customers."

Cuts at Caterpillar UK follow the loss of 90 temporary engineering jobs at a Komatsu plant in Gateshead.

Peter Howe, managing director of the Japanese firm, told the Evening Chronicle that economic conditions were also to blame for its decision.

Construction firms compete for £900m contracts - 23-06-2008 - 13:58

Competition has been opened up for a four year deal which could see new construction jobs created in Scotland.

Eight firms have been chosen to bid for a £900 million project to build healthcare facilities for NHS boards across the country, CN Plus reports.

Client Health Facilities Scotland is in charge of the tendering process for Frameworks Scotland, the country's equivalent of the Procure 21 programme for the Department of Health in England.

Four of the firms on the shortlist for the award - HBG, Interserve, Laing O'Rourke and Balfour Beatty - are closely linked to Procure 21.

They are joined by former Procure 21 members Carillion and Morgan Ashurst, as well as Morrison and a joint Robertson/Dawn bid, according to the publication.

Between three and five winning teams are expected to be chosen in October, with work on five schemes commencing immediately.

According to contractjournal.com, there were 14 initial bids for the contracts in the first round of bidding.

HSE 'crackdown' for Newcastle - 20-06-2008 - 18:09

Newcastle firms are being targeted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) in an effort to protect people in construction jobs in the area.

It is the second time in five months construction companies in the area have been subject to a crackdown and the focus will this time fall on refurbishment sites.

Random spot checks of construction sites in February on 30 contractors in the city led to the closure of five sites after they failed to adhere to health and safety requirements.

Jonathan Wills, HSE inspector, said 77 people in construction jobs died at their place of work last year, with over half of these incidents taking place in the refurbishment sector.

"When we inspected sites in February our inspectors were appalled at the willingness to ignore basic safety precautions. We will not tolerate poor standards and will take appropriate enforcement action proactively as well as when an accident occurs."

The HSE recently warned construction firms across the UK to be vigilant after a subcontractor was injured at a site in the West Midlands, resulting in his employers being fined £2,000.

100 construction jobs axed in Scotland - 19-06-2008 - 15:52

The collapse of a Scottish firm has led to the loss of 100 construction jobs in the country.

All three divisions of the West-Lothian based company - Scottish Natural Heritage (SNH), Watson Construction Limited and Watson Stonecraft - are to axe construction jobs and a further 200 across the firm are at risk, The Herald reports.

The collapse led to the immediate loss of 22 construction jobs at SNH, while 71 workers have been made redundant at Watson Stonecraft and a further nine at Watson Construction Limited on the conclusion of an outstanding contract.

Fraser Gray, a partner at Kroll, the administrators in charge of handling the firm's affairs, told the newspaper said current economic conditions made it impossible to sell the companies "in the short time available".

"It is regrettable that redundancies are being made and we fully appreciate that this is a concerning time for employees," he added.

"We would like to thank them for their support during the administration process."

The news comes at a time when the Westminster government is trying to recruit 230,000 additional workers to fill construction jobs across the UK.

'Thousands of construction jobs to be created by new Portsmouth stadium' - 18-06-2008 - 16:56

Portsmouth Football Club has unveiled plans for its new stadium and the redevelopment of its existing home, which will create several thousand construction jobs, it is claimed.

Hundreds of permanent jobs are also expected to be created post-completion as Sellar Property Group sets about its redevelopment of the areas surrounding both venues, the official Portsmouth website reveals.

A 36,000-seater stadium and a 10,000 capacity indoor exhibition arena will be created at the new home of Portsmouth, while Fratton Park is set to become home to a new naval diving and training facility, as well as residential homes, retail and leisure facilities.

James Sellar, chief executive of the property group, says it is appreciative of the support of the football club's owner as it sets about a "cutting edge" stadium solution.

He adds: "Our challenge is to deliver a solution that coordinates the needs for user comfort, sustainable access and cost effectiveness while keeping input of materials and energy to run the facility as low as possible."

The Sellar Property Group has also been involved in projects including New London Bridge House and the nearby Seal House in London.

'Health and safety training needed to protect staff in construction jobs' - 18-06-2008 - 13:08

More training needs to be given to staff in construction jobs to improve health and safety standards in the industry, it is claimed.

The Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) says the government's proposals to recruit 230,000 new staff and offer 13,500 new apprenticeships are welcome, but insists new workers need to receive adequate training to meet its target of cutting worker fatalities by ten per cent.

Providing language training for migrant workers and doubling the number of front-line inspectors for people in construction jobs is also necessary to improve this rate, the organisation argues.

John Lacey, chairman of IOSH's Construction Group, says he "very much" hopes training with "health and safety at its heart" will be given to people new to construction jobs, apprenticeships and the country.

He adds: "Construction is a dangerous industry and we can't afford to spend money on training people, only to then injure, maim and kill them because they don't know about health and safety."

The commitment to recruit more staff is likely to please the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians, which argued changes are needed to get more people into construction jobs.

Extra protection given for staff in NI construction jobs - 13-06-2008 - 10:52

People in construction jobs in Downpartick are being given extra protection this summer, after a firm agreed a deal with a local pharmacy to supply them with sunscreen.

The Polly Group has launched the initiative to protect staff from having their skin damaged by the sun, the BBC reports.

All workers will be supplied with cream ranging from sun protection factors of 20 to 50, with foremen expected to set an example to their colleagues.

Colm Murtagh, health and safety officer at the company, said he was pleased by the reaction of the workforce.

"There has been a culture, I think, over this past number of years that the building industry is a macho sort of industry," he added.

"The culture is changing and people are understanding that their health is a lot more important than having this macho image."

Its move is likely to please the Health and Safety Executive, which has called for better protection of workers in construction jobs.

Government and industry commit to filling 230,000 construction jobs - 12-06-2008 - 13:26

A commitment to recruit 230,000 people to construction jobs and offer 13,500 apprenticeships in the sector has been made in a joint move between industry and the government.

Improvements to efficiency and sustainability are set to be made by reducing construction, demolition and excavation waste by 50 per cent and ensuring responsible sourcing of materials by 2012.

Furthermore, the Strategy for Sustainable Construction aims to cut the deaths of people in construction jobs by ten per cent year-on-year.

Shriti Vadera, business minister, said increased efficiency and sustainability will save costs and increase profitability in the future.

"This strategy, which has uniquely been developed by government and business, will provide greater certainty over what is expected from the sector in the future, from training and developing skills to tackling the challenges of climate change," she added.

Commitments to recruit more staff and offer more apprenticeships are likely to have pleased the Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians.

The organisation said recently changes are needed to get more people into construction jobs, otherwise the industry could be damaged.

School new build 'could lead to Warwickshire construction jobs' - 11-06-2008 - 10:50

An agreement to build a new secondary school in Leamington Spa could lead to construction jobs in the area.

Edinburgh-based Miller Construction has been awarded the £28 million contract by Warwickshire county council, which will see a new 15,000 square metre community school and arts college built over 80 weeks.

Five low-rise buildings, three teaching blocks and a sports complex will form the new environmentally-friendly campus for North Leamington School.

Simon Butler, regional director at Miller Construction, said projects like this are "paving the way for the future" of school design.

"In addition to its environmentally friendly credentials and high tech sports and performing arts teaching facilities, it is utilising anti-bullying features to encourage positive behaviour, which is a further step forward in the learning environment."

Meanwhile, it has been claimed construction firms in the area are becoming more eco-friendly, the Birmingham Post reports.

Andy Speight, director of cost and project management consultancy firm Faithful+Gould, told the newspaper the environment is being "pushed to the fore" in the construction sector and more measures are being taken to minimise the impact of projects on the environment.