While strict health and safety measures have certainly reduced the number of injuries and fatalities in construction, the industry is still one of the most hazardous in the UK. Last year, construction workers suffered 61,000 non-fatal injuries and 40 people died as a result of workplace injury in our sector. What’s most frustrating is that the vast majority of on-site injuries are completely preventable. Today, we’re taking a look at four of the most common causes of accidents and offering some basic tips on what you can do to reduce the risks.
When you visit a friend’s new house, there are many things which might leave a lasting impression – for instance their choice of interior design or perhaps the welcoming tea and biscuits. However, before you get to any of that, a first impression will have been formed by how the house looks from the outside. The traditional brick facade on a house might be common here in the UK but there are lots of other options which can help a house to show its best side. We’re highlighting five ideas in this week’s blog.
As we near the end of August, you can’t help but notice all the ‘back to school’ signs and merchandise laid out at the front of the shops. This got us thinking about how, nowadays, the idea of getting back into learning mode is no longer reserved just for children and young people. The principle of ‘lifelong learning’ has long been something that many adults have embraced but, as our world continues to change at such a fast pace, this seems to be becoming more important than ever. In this week’s blog, we’re exploring the multiple professional and personal benefits that following this approach offers.
The summer holidays – a time when, like many others, people working in construction often disappear for a while (on their holidays or for family visits). But, did you know that, in the UK and for various reasons, more than half of people don’t take their full holiday entitlement? The problem, however, is that such efforts can be counter-productive as taking a break actually offers all kinds of benefits, both to the individual and the companies they work for. This week’s blog outlines the key points.