Rigorous safety checks on the materials used to build homes will be enforced by a new national Regulator for Construction Products. Largely brought about in response to testimonies made about some manufacturers of construction materials at the Grenfell Inquiry, the Regulator will have powers to remove materials with significant safety risks from the market; to investigate cases and conduct its own product-testing; and to prosecute companies that fail to follow the rules.
Today (the third Monday in January) is known as ‘Blue Monday – a gloomy title that’s usually awarded to this day because the festive season is over, the days are cold and dark, and there’s still a bit of a wait until pay day. This year, we are of course all facing the added weight of the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic and national lockdown restrictions. Low mood can really impact on our ability to stay motivated so we thought we’d try to help by offering a few tips that might help you be the one who keeps smiling.
The construction sector continued its trend of recovery during December 2020, thanks largely to a sharp rise in house-building along with strong order books and new business wins on projects that had been deferred since the beginning of the pandemic. While that’s good news, stretched supply chains and delays at UK ports means our industry has simultaneously faced purchasing prices that have risen at a pace not been seen for nearly two years!
As the country moves into a third national lockdown, many people will be keeping their cars firmly on the drive while they stay at home/ work from home but this will not be the case for construction workers who are recognised by government as ‘essential to keeping the country operating’ and will therefore continue to be on the road. With adverse weather and darker days, it’s vitally important to know how to prepare for any journey and how to adapt to changing conditions.
As we approach the end of 2020, we’re guessing we’re not the only ones who are looking back over all the challenges this year has brought, counting our blessings to be among the businesses who survived and looking forward to what will hopefully be better times in the New Year. But, while we can’t ignore the impact that Covid-19 has had, Sheriff has actually had many positive moments this year. Here’s our highlights.
When construction sites close up for Christmas, theft, arson, unwanted visitors, bad weather and public safety issues all have the potential to disrupt the festivities or bring nasty surprises in the New Year. Prevention is always better than a cure so follow our ‘site shut down’ checklist to enjoy a worry-free break.
Increased workloads, rising stress levels, imbalances caused by remote working, untaken leave and the risk of burnout. These are all issues which are affecting many workers as a result of the pandemic. If you’ve not taken much of a breather this year, why not use the Christmas break as an opportunity to truly switch off, relax and unwind. Read on for some tips on how to do just that.
All CSCS cards should have a smart chip embedded into them by March 2022. That’s the recommendation being made by the Construction Leadership Council which it says will improve security and efficiency, thereby protecting the integrity of the system. CSCS cards are widely recognised as the industry-standard requirement for all on-site construction operatives.
With most of our commercial contracts involving home building and our own property development arm growing, we’re always interested to see what’s going on with house prices. So, what has 2020 thrown up for the housing market? Well there’s only one way to put this – it’s definitely been a bit of a surprise.
In a week that’s been a bit shaky for the UK government, you might have missed the moment when Business Secretary, Alok Sharma thanked the construction sector for facing the challenges of remaining open, supporting the economy and carrying out vital work throughout the pandemic. In an open letter to all involved in the industry,…