Whilst modern techniques, tools and innovations have brought some changes to the way on-site construction workers perform their duties, they still generally have to carry out physically demanding tasks in sometimes harsh conditions.
Day after day, year after year, you might think that surely such labour takes its toll, so how is it the case that, even as the workforce ages, a great many construction workers remain physically able to handle the strain? The answer it appears is because they have ‘physical wisdom’. Find out what this means in this week’s blog.
When working as part of a team, it is almost inevitable that, at some point, you’ll experience a situation involving conflict – a difference of opinion, a misunderstanding or possibly an outright argument with a colleague.
This is often because, although you may be working towards a shared goal, most teams are made up of people from diverse backgrounds with different personalities, perspectives and opinions. However, conflict doesn’t have to be seen as wholly negative as, if it’s handled well, it can actually be an opportunity for healthy debate, personal growth and support innovation. See if you can achieve this by following our six conflict resolution tips.
Research shows that nearly four out of five tradespeople in the UK have experienced tool theft with the estimated cost to the industry coming in at a staggering £2.8 billion.
Because the victims of tool theft are often self-employed, the impact of their individual losses on them, their families, livelihoods and mental health can be devastating. However, the criminals targeting construction sites and trade vans rarely stop to think about such things and so it’s vital that construction companies prioritise and put every effort into site security. In this week’s blog, we’ll look at how big this problem has become and what you can do to protect your site.
A few years ago we published a series of blogs which put the spotlight on a particular member of our team, asking them to tell us a little about themselves and their role at Sheriff Construction.
Our last ‘Getting to Know You’ article was all the way back in 2019 so we are long overdue for another one! To get things going, we’ve been speaking with our in-house Quantity Surveyor, Refit Dragoti, who has been with the company for three years and was recently successful in gaining a globally recognised NEBOSH health and safety qualification. Read on for more of his story so far.
Twelve members of Sheriff’s top team have just returned from a five day trip to Dubai, a reward from the company for all their hard work and loyalty over recent years!
Including Company Directors, Contract Managers, Site Managers and Foremen, the team were treated to a stayover in a five star hotel plus an itinerary of site seeing trips and meals out.
Find out more about what they got up to in this week’s blog.
In recent years, it’s not often been possible to talk about the supply of any building materials without including the word ‘shortages’.
Finally that seems to have changed as it’s now being reported that, with a slowdown in housing developments, stocks of bricks and some other construction materials are on the rise.
In this week’s blog, we’re reporting on what industry leaders are saying about product demand and supply in the sector.
In a single year, the UK generates 67.8 million tonnes of non-hazardous Construction and Demolition waste, a figure that represents 62% of the nation’s total waste output.
This waste is made up of all kinds of products – concrete bricks, tiles, ceramics, insulation, wood, glass, plastic, bituminous mixtures, cement, gypsum, paints, varnishes, soil, stones, coal, tar, cables, pipes, adhesives and sealants – to name a few!
While much of this is recovered, taking action to reduce construction waste has proven to be good, not only for the environment, but also for business. Keep reading to find out more…
The cost of living crisis is something that’s repeatedly filling our news streams with reports of how this is affecting people, businesses and whole industries.
Now, it has been revealed that, during 2022, high levels of inflation on building materials has made its mark on the UK’s construction sector – taking the total cost of construction output for the year to a record level of £204bn.
Read on for more on this story as well as what the experts are predicting for 2023…
Having a well-functioning team is one of the most important factors which the success of any construction project relies on.
It’s how people from all kinds of backgrounds, with different skills and experience, find a way to work and cooperate with each other to reach a common goal; and how they maintain high levels of productivity, alongside excellent quality control and safety practices.
However, achieving and maintaining great teamwork does require some effort so, in today’s blog, we’ve got five tips for you.
Tools and equipment are essential to the effective running of any construction site but, because they are used so much, they can suffer a lot of wear and tear, become damaged and eventually be unusable.
However, with proper care and maintenance, the lifespan of your tools and equipment can be extended and that’s good news for four reasons: 1) Better quality tools means better quality work; 2) It reduces costs related to repairs or replacements; 3) There will be fewer accidents/ injuries from faulty equipment; and 4) It’s better for the environment.
With so much to gain, in this week’s blog, we’re sharing some top tips for how to protect and maintain those tools.