News

BAM Construction Limited and Shoreland Projects Limited have been fined after a man suffered multiple life changing injuries including severe burns to his neck. Winchester Crown Court heard how BAM Construction had been appointed by Network Rail to construct a new railway operating centre in Basingstoke. BAM later appointed Shoreland Projects Ltd as the groundworks contractor for this project. On …

Not strictly a trade product but given that we love any products that can make you more productive we had to share this for any builders with babies out there.  For many new parents, there is only one guaranteed solution to putting their baby down at the end of the day – a night-time drive that soothes, calms and eventually …

Boiler manufacturer Baxi has joined Carbon Connect, an independent, cross-party forum that aims to inform and guide the transition to a low carbon future underpinned by sustainable energy. Together with its members and a variety of sector experts, Carbon Connect analyses the opportunities and challenges presented by moves to a low carbon future, and provides a platform for discussion between …

Two companies have been fined after unsafe asbestos work was carried out on a property in Leatherhead, Surrey. Staines Magistrates’ Court heard how Kingsley Asbestos Services Limited (KAS), although a licensed asbestos removal contractor, was sub contracted by Bourne Valley Construction Services Limited (BVCS) to carry out the work. KAS removed some asbestos containing materials and agreed to carry out …

Coldmac Limited has been fined after one of its workers suffered life-changing injuries to his hand which required surgical intervention.

Two roofing companies have been fined after a worker fell nine metres through a skylight onto concrete flooring below.

A London based construction company has been fined for safety failings after complaints from the public. Basildon Magistrates’ Court heard how Malik Contractors and Engineers Ltd were working at a site St John’s Way in Corringham, Essex in 2016 when concerned members of the public contacted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). Malik Contractors and Engineers Ltd are the principal …

When it comes to making vital decisions regarding building work, women are twice as likely to have the final say on the style and scope of the project, according to new research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). In advance of Mother’s Day this Sunday, the FMB also asked female homeowners if they have ever carried out a range …

London startup Plentific.com, a growing home services marketplace, has announced a new feature that will allow customers to book home improvement jobs with just a few taps on their phone. This new service lets customers skip the process of searching for potential tradesmen, comparing quotes and haggling for a fair price just to book a minor home improvement job such …

Baxi is opening two new training facilities in 2017. The Crawley training centre, a partnership with Central Sussex College, opened in January and Godmanchester in Cambridgeshire, a standalone Baxi training centre, will open in March. Each will offer customers access to Baxi’s full range of comprehensive training courses. Designed using feedback from its customers, Baxi training includes hands-on sessions, insider …

Mira Showers is supporting the nation’s young installer talent by sponsoring this year’s HIP UK Heating Apprentice of the Year competition. The annual event, launched in 2009, represents an opportunity to recognise the hard work, ability and dedication of the next generation of installers. The regional heats offered apprentices across the country the chance to participate in a series of …

The Government has made the right decision to row back on its plan to hike up National Insurance Contributions for the self-employed, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said. Brian Berry, FMB Chief Executive, said: “At a time when we need to do everything we can to ensure economic stability, this would have been a destabilising tax increase which …

New  figures from the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) reveal that the UK construction industry could lose almost 200,000 EU workers post-Brexit should Britain lose access to the single market, putting some of the country’s biggest infrastructure and construction projects under threat. RICS has cautioned that for Brexit to succeed, it is essential to secure continued access to the …

A Manchester building contractor and a company owner have appeared in court after a worker was seriously injured on a refurbishment site. The 53-year-old father of two from Salford was employed as a labourer at the site of a refurbishment project at Manchester One, Portland Street Manchester when the incident occurred on 29 August 2014. The incident was investigated by …

The average British worker spends as many as 120 hours per year using their smartphones in the workplace, and those working in construction are among the highest users, according to new research. Research of 2,012 UK adults carried out by gadgets and technology etailer, LaptopsDirect.co.uk, has revealed more than three quarters (78%) of construction workers admit to using their smartphones …

Consumers prefer to hire firms that train apprentices, according to new research from the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Coinciding with National Apprenticeship Week in England, this new research, based on responses from 2,000 homeowners across the UK, reveals that: Almost two-thirds of homeowners would have a more favourable image of a building firm knowing they train apprentices Half of …

Construction firm, Structural Metal Decks Limited, (SMDL) has been fined after a worker was left paralysed following an accident at a building site in Kilsyth. The worker suffered injuries to his spinal cord and is now paralysed from the neck down following the incident. Airdrie Sheriff Court heard how Structural Metal Decks Ltd had been sub-contracted to lay metal deck …

A freedom of information request by Unite, the union for construction workers, has uncovered that thousands of young people are being placed on so-called ‘dead-end’ classroom based construction courses. The figures obtained from the Government’s Skills Funding Agency, reveal the number of classroom based construction courses increased by 14 per cent last year, totally dwarfing the number of apprentices beginning …

A Bedfordshire based contractor has been fined after failing to carry out suitable assessment of asbestos removal work. Luton Magistrates Court heard how Anthony West was contracted to complete demolition work at a building in Biggleswade. West then had a pre-demolition asbestos survey carried out for the building. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) had the demolition work reported to …

During National Apprenticeship Week, Hudson Contract urges more companies to support young talent through apprentice sponsorship schemes.