A leading figure in building control for England and Wales has warned that a new requirement for inspectors to register with a new Building Safety Regulator is leading to an impending breakdown in the system.
That means, from 6th April, there could be a number of local authorities where the building controls service that oversees safe and compliant construction is much reduced or ceases to operate altogether. Find out more in this week’s blog.
We’re living in a time when many of our roads, bridges and buildings are getting old and showing signs of wear. It’s like they’re all getting sick at the same time, making it impossible for inspectors to keep up with the job of checking out every crack, creak or crumble. This is a big problem, because if problems are not caught early, they can deteriorate and even lead to dangerous failures.
Here’s where some clever minds at Drexel University in the US come in. Read this week’s blog to find out more about how they’ve developed a system that uses robots and artificial intelligence (AI) to help with the inspections.
Last week, Sheriff Construction was delighted to be presented with a trophy as the winner of the January 2024 IKO Contractor Recognition Award for our roofing projects at the former Ford HQ in Brentwood and Epping Gate.
This is the second time Sheriff has been recognised by IKO, having been ‘Highly Commended’ in relation to our roofing works in Charlton back in 2021. Find out more in this week’s blog.
Toolbox Talks have long been a staple part of a construction team’s day, but are they truly effective? Are your crew members simply going through the motions or are they actively listening, learning and improving?
In this week’s blog, we’re sharing five simple techniques you can use to boost the engagement, understanding and impact of your next Toolbox Talk, thereby driving safer and more skillful work
New rules that came into play this week mean that developers in England now have to deliver 10% Biodiversity Net Gain when building new housing, industrial or commercial developments.
This makes England the first country in the world to make Biodiversity Net Gain a legal requirement so take a look at this week’s blog to find out more about what this means and how it will be implemented.
The British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) is warning anyone whose job involved buying personal protective equipment (PPE) and safety products to be vigilant after their latest tests on some key products highlight the widespread availability of substandard and dangerous items.
Between December 2022 and December 2023, the federation examined 123 non-BSIF-registered products, assessing them for performance, adequacy and compliance with standards. Shockingly, only 21% products proved fully compliant, leaving 79% falling short. Worryingly, many of these substandard products are still available and in use. Find out more, including how to avoid buying such products, in this week’s blog.
The roar and clatter of bulldozers and excavators have been a long-running soundtrack to construction sites across the world but it seems like something a bit quieter might be on the horizon here in the UK.
The UK government recently published a ‘call for evidence’ on decarbonising non-road mobile machinery (NRMM), which includes construction equipment, hinting at a potential shift away from the diesel-powered giants towards cleaner alternatives. Read this week’s blog to find out more.
While construction has long been known for its focus on hard work and technical expertise, research suggests that one of the key strengths of our industry comes from it having embraced a broader range of thinking styles and experiences beyond the ‘typical’.
A new study by the Association for Project Management (APM) has revealed that almost half (46%) of construction professionals identify as neurodivergent, compared to a cross-sector average of 31%. Read on to find out more about what this means and the potential benefits this offers for our industry.
With crimes like theft and trespass already costing the construction industry a staggering £800 million per year, it now seems that things are getting worse.
According to a survey carried out by site security firm, BauWatch, 60% of construction professionals in the UK have seen crime on energy, infrastructure and commercial construction projects worsen over the past year. Read this week’s blog for more of the survey results and some ideas about how to mitigate the risks by maintaining good security.
Back in November last year, we reported on a free masterclass for bricklayers that was being offered by the Home Builders Federation (HBF) and how an equivalent opportunity would soon be made available for roofers.
This month, the HBF have released that opportunity so, if improving your roofing skills is on your ‘to do’ list, read on.