A year has now passed since the UK went into its first lockdown and, as well as this being such a tragic time for so many people, it’s also been a period when the government has poured an unprecedented £340bn into schemes intended to support companies and individuals through the crisis. Amidst all that COVID-related spending, it can be easy to forget that the country has several other priorities – not least of which is the urgency around climate change. Kicking off what is being dubbed the ‘green industrial revolution’, the government recently unveiled a £1bn funding pot for projects across England that will help to cut emissions from public buildings, schools and hospitals.
To succeed in construction today and over the coming decades, the workforce needs to think about a continuous skills upgrade. We’re not only talking about the technical skills or upgrades required by particular trades. For anyone working in construction to make a leap from ‘good’ to ‘great’ performance, there are a host of other skills and knowledge that should be also nurtured. This week’s blog includes three steps which construction companies can use to encourage a culture of life-long learning plus some great examples of the online training options available.
When working with hot melt or torch-on systems, the roofing environment can easily become hazardous. But, if workers are committed to following the right safety procedures and have an attitude where safety always comes first, any potential hazards can just as easily be avoided. We’ve just issued all our operatives with a detailed Toolbox Talk to ensure their understanding of this issue is completely up-to-date. Here, we share some of some of the key points.
In case you missed it, Rishi Sunak presented the government’s Spring Budget yesterday. Unsurprisingly, the global pandemic and the billions of pounds of national expenditure that it has made necessary dominated what Sunak had to say. There were also several announcements which will undoubtedly have an impact on construction. To save you time, in this week’s blog, we’ve picked out some of the key measures.