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IPAF has confirmed that its PAL Card will continue to be accepted by the UK Contractors Group (UKCG) and Government bodies as proof of appropriate training in the use of mobile elevating work platforms (MEWPs). The confirmation follows a statement issued by the Strategic Forum noting that members of the Construction Leadership Council (CLC) have decided to specify and promote occupational card ... more
More than half of the UK’s homeowners intend to invest in property improvements this year, according to a new survey from Ocean Finance. They reported that 54% of householders hope to conduct home improvements of some kind, which could mean a welcome boost for the construction industry. Discussing the report, Ian Williams, a spokesman for Ocean Finance, said that it remains costly for peo ... more
Julie Hirigoyen, the new chief executive of the UK Green Building Council (UK-GBC), has urged green construction firms to work towards the mass roll-out of sustainable property solutions. She welcomed the fact that sustainability has risen up the corporate agenda to become a “mainstream concern for many organisations involved in the built environment” but argued that more must be don ... more
A construction company with a record of endangering the lives of its workers has been fined by the HSE once again for taking risks with working at height Inspectors who paid a routine visit to AM Construction Ltd’s site in West Bromwich, in May 2014 found men working on the first floor without scaffolding, edge protection, airbags or other fall prevention or mitigation measures. A Prohibit ... more
A firm in East Lothian has been fined for serious safety failings after a worker was left paralysed when he fell almost four metres through a fragile rooflight. Neil Knox, then 69, of Pencaitland in East Lothian, is confined to a wheelchair after suffering irreparable damage to his spinal cord in the incident in March 2013 as he replaced plastic rooflights on a farm shed in Lauder, in the Scottis ... more
A building firm has been fined £10,000 after a 17-year-old mental health patient broke her back and pelvis when she fell over six metres from the roof of the Royal Preston Hospital in Fullwood. W Hughes and Son Ltd was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an investigation found the company had failed to prevent access to the scaffolding on the site. Preston Magistrates ... more
1. Flexible training options. We train 7 days a week at our training centres or at your location* morning or evening to suit your business requirements 2. 20% off returning customers. Either you are renewing your IPAF, PASMA or Ladder certification or want to book additional courses. 3. Excellent pass rates. With 15 years of experience we are one of the oldest and most experienced MEWP training ... more
Businesses ought to turn over a new leaf and stop blaming health and safety for poor or over-the-top decisions, says the Health and Safety Executive (HSE). The regulator launched its 40th anniversary year with a call to stop the culture of blaming anything and everything on non-existent ‘health and safety’ rules. It has also recently published research from the University of Exe ... more
IPAF has issued the one millionth ever PAL Card (Powered Access Licence) under its voluntary, industry-led operator training programme, and to celebrate, it’s calling on all valid PAL card holders to enter a prize draw. There will be five top prizes for verified operators to win a free trip to the access event of the year, the IPAF Summit and International Awards for Powered Access (IAPAs ... more
The Facelift team visited one of the most famous streets in Britain recently, after the Coronation Street production crew hired one of our Skyjack 46AJ to put synthetic snow on top of the buildings. A prudent move given the lack of a white Christmas! ... more
