Mecsafe Limited

Health & Safety Training

Text Size:+-
01302 775900
Unit 9 Snape Lane Industrial Estate, Harworth, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN11 8SP

First Blog in a while!

The Prime Minister is expected to face fierce criticism in the Commons today as she defends her decision to bomb Syria without consulting MPs. Theresa May will reiterate her belief that the overnight strikes on chemical weapons plants was in Britain’s “national interest”. Opposition members, including Jeremy Corbyn, have questioned why Mrs May gave the go-ahead to the strikes without Parliamentary approval.

On a slightly different note – Is drinking wine good or bad for you?
Bon viveurs have been left reeling by reports that drinking ten glasses of wine a week can shorten life expectancy by two years.
Or to put it another way, you lose “15 minutes of life for each unit above the safe amount, the equivalent of smoking a cigarette”, says The Daily Telegraph’s science editor Sarah Knapton.
The warning comes in a study led by the University of Cambridge and the British Heart Foundation that makes for sobering reading.
In construction news this week…

BAM wins £90m King’s Cross office deal for Argent. Bam Construction has secured another major office scheme for developer Argent in the wake of Carillion’s collapse.

Carillion collapse hits 2018 commercial property lending. The collapse of Carillion is being blamed for a unexpected 4% fall in lending to the commercial property sector in January to £4.1bn.

SME contractors agree 3.1% pay rise deal. Employers and unions have agreed a one-year pay rise deal of 3.1% under the Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council (BATJIC) agreement.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

H&S Awareness (required for the green Labourers CSCS card) – 25th April 2018

SSSTS Refresher – 27th April 2018

UKATA Asbestos Awareness – 30th April 2018

If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

Ready for a break from all the politics?

With just two more sleeps until the election, all the politicians and media are going crazy. With Jeremy Corbyn calling for Theresa May to resign as Prime Minister over cuts to police numbers, last night the media was going mad over the car crash interview with Diane Abbott, this morning it’s the car crash interview with Boris Johnson – It’s all we are hearing about at the moment, politics, politics, politics… So if you’re ready for a break, you’ve come to the right place!

This weekend saw the Manchester One Love concert in aid of the Manchester terror attack. Which was a great gesture and an entertaining evening. Since the concert, drama has unfolded between the Gallagher brothers (again) and Piers Morgan has issued an APOLOGY to Ariana Grande (who would have ever thought Piers would have got it wrong?!).

This morning bosses have confirmed that the tiger that killed Rosa King, a keeper at a Cambridgeshire zoo, will not be put down. Rosa King was attacked by the animal at Hamerton Zoo on 29 May, after it entered an enclosure she was in.
The decision not to destroy the animal has been “fully supported” by her family.

 

In construction news this week…

Telford Homes signs luxury Battersea build to rent deal. Telford Homes has signed a pre-construction development agreement with property investor Greystar to deliver 894 build to rent homes at Nine Elms in Battersea.

Speller Metcalfe workers to lead fight on safety. Speller Metcalfe is encouraging site operatives to highlight unsafe working practices.

Race starts for £25m Birmingham Uni phase 2. University College Birmingham has invited bids for phase two of the redevelopment of its site within the Jewellery Quarter.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

SMSTS – 12, 19, 26 Jun, 3 & 10 Jul 2017 (day release)

PASMA (Mobile Towers) – 12 June 2017

SSSTS – 15 & 16 June 2017

If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Will Russia’s absence spoil Ukraine’s Eurovision party?

Performers from 42 countries strode down a long red carpet near Ukraine’s parliament this week, as a curtain-raiser to this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

But one nation, Russia, was missing.

For the first time in Eurovision history, the host nation barred another country’s singer!

In 2015, in violation of Ukrainian border rules, Russia’s Julia Samoilova performed in Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula annexed by Russia a year earlier.

Russian MP Vitaly Milonov has said “I think it’s a stupid reaction. They’re even afraid of such a small girl to enter Kiev.”

You can follow coverage of Eurovision here and find out more on the Ukraine/Russia stand off here.

 

In construction news this week…

Cemex drivers vote for strike action over pay. Major projects like Mersey Gateway and Heathrow could be hit by shortages of construction materials after HGV drivers at Cemex UK voted for industrial action in a dispute over pay.

Small contractors have 15% of turnover tied-up in late payments. A shock survey of SME contractors shows construction companies have an average of 15.4% of their annual turnover hit by late payment.

Race starts for £20m Silverstone motor racing museum. Contractors are being called to the grid to bid for a £20m motor racing museum at Silverstone race track in Northampton.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

  • Health & Safety Awareness – 16th May (ask us about completing your CSCS test after the course)!
  • UKATA Asbestos Awareness – 18th May

If you would like any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us.

 

CITB Grant Claiming Guide

The CITB Grants Scheme provides funding for CITB-registered employers to train, upskill and qualify their staff.

This ensures that the right skills are available to help the construction industry grow and that standards are maintained on site.

You can claim a grant once the training has been completed.

 

Who can claim a grant?

All CITB-registered employers can claim a grant, including those that don’t need to pay levy.

As an employer, you can claim grants for the employees you declare on your Levy Return who have completed training.

For training completed between 6 April 2015 to 31 July 2015, you can claim grants for:

  • Labour-only subcontractors (LOSC) and
  • Net CIS subcontractors.

For training completed from 1 August 2015 onwards, you can claim grants for:

 

What grants are available

View the grants available in the 2016/2017 Grants Scheme year. There are grants for a wide range of training and qualifications.

 

Is there a deadline?

For training and qualifications completed between 1 August 2016 and 31 July 2017, the CITB must receive your grant claim form by 31 October 2017.

For training and qualifications completed between 1 August 2015 and 31 July 2016, the CITB must have received your grant claim form by 31 October 2016.

 

How to claim

You need to complete your Levy Return by the deadline to be eligible to claim grants.

  1. Select the grant(s) you want to claim for.
  2. Download the appropriate grant claim form:
    PDF (415KB): Grant claim form 2016/17
    Excel (128KB): Grant claim form 2016/17
  3. Fill in the form. Complete a separate form for each training course or qualification you are claiming for.
  4. Keep a copy of each form for your records.
  5. Return the form(s) by email or post to the address below by 31 October. If you post the form, keep proof of postage.Email: 
    CITB
    Levy & Grant Customer Services
    Bircham Newton
    Kings Lynn
    Norfolk, PE31 6RH
  6. You will receive a letter to confirm the CITB have received your claim. The letter will tell you if your claim has been approved or you need to provide further information.

Once your claim is approved, the CITB will pay your grant by bank transfer or cheque, usually within 28 days.

 

MECsafe currently have availability on the following CITB courses:

SMSTS – 20th March-18th April 2017 (day release)

SMSTS Refresher – 16th & 17th March 2017

SSSTS – 2nd & 3rd / 16th & 17th March 2017

SSSTS Refresher – 24th March 2017

Health & Safety Awareness – 7th / 15th / 21st March 2017 (Ask us about completing your CSCS test after the course)

SEATS (Environmental) – 17th March 2017

For further information on our courses, please do not hesitate to contact us or for further information on CITB grants please contact the CITB.

 

 

CSCS take action after recent Fraud expsosure

After the recent exposure of  fraudlent activity, CITB has taken steps to suspend the offending companies and will accelerate plans to introduce new anti-fraud measures. All CSCS cards issued as a result of tests completed at the Found centres will be withdrawn and all cardholders will be required to retake the test.

In relation to the training providers identified in the programme (WEP and Training 4 Jobs), both CITB and the British Safety Council have withdrawn accreditation to deliver qualifications together with the Health, Safety and Environmental test with immediate effect.

This is a high concern for project and site managers as they highly rely on CSCS Cards as a genuine form of confirming a qualification. No one wants unqualified operatives on site so it is vital that this is uncovered and action is taken immediatly.

Site Environmental Awareness Training Scheme

MECsafe now Deliver SEATS Courses at our head office in Doncaster!
The Next course will be:
7th December – £145 + VAT Per Person
The SEATS (Site Environmental Awareness Training Scheme) training course wil provide delegagates with an introductions to environmental issues on constructions sites. The course has been designed to provide the basic environmental knowledge that sub-contractors are required to know and demonstrate to major contractors.
For further details please get in touch on Tel:01302 775900

Construction industry reacts to Budget 2015

With yesterday’s Budget announcement George Osborne has highlighted a series of measures which should potentially benefit the construction industry. Here UK Construction Media takes a look at what people within the industry think of the announcement.

“Relief measures for energy intensive industries will really aid the construction industry.” Says Phil Foster of Love Energy Savings.

Click here to read more

CITB in Row over Changes to Levy Tactics

CITB have been accused off being sly with the new changes to the levy payments.

Around 16% Of Firms will see their levy bills increase in 2017. Contractors are already warning that will start from this April. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding this matter;

One construction boss spoke out saying: “The CITB is obviously sensitive about this issue and has been pretty sneaky in the way it has worded all this.”

Click Here to read more.

CDM Regulations await parmlamentary Approval

The changes of the CDM Regulations were laid before the parliament on the 30th January for approval. The new regulations will be coming into place on the 6th April. A draft guidance has been produced by the HSE for the 5 duty holders; clients, contractors, designers, principal contractors and principal designers. The draft guidance document is available to download from the CITB website. Click HERE to be directed to the draft guidance page.

Click here to read more.