CSCS

13.11.18

Has the rise impacted you?

Some positive news… Wages rose at the fastest pace in nearly a decade in the three months to September, Office for National Statistics (ONS) figures show. Compared with a year earlier, wages excluding bonuses, rose by 3.2% – the biggest rise since the end of 2008 and up slightly on the previous quarter.

Followed by some not so positive… However, the ONS warned that real wage growth was below the 2015 level. The unemployment total went up for the first time this year, rising by 21,000 in the same period to 1.38 million. Click here for the full story.

I’m a Celebrity 2018 line-up revealed! ITV confirms 10 names, including Actor John Barrowman, football manager Harry Redknapp and TV presenter Nick Knowles.

Stars pay tribute to Marvel Comics pioneer, Stan Lee, who has died at 95.

In construction news this week…

Pre-construction work starts on £1bn Silvertown Tunnel. Structural and environmental monitoring is now underway on the site of the 1.4km twin-bore road tunnel.

Plan for Sheffield’s tallest building approved. Property owner Turner Investments has gained outline planning for the redevelopment of Midcity House in Sheffield city centre.

Spurs strike deal to use Wembley for whole season. Tottenham Hotspur have agreed a deal to use Wembley Stadium for the remainder of the season as a back-stop in the event of further delays handing over their new ground.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

UKATA Asbestos Awareness – 19th November 2018

H&S Awareness – 20th November 2018 (ask us about completing your CSCS test on the same day)!

CCNSG Safety Passport – 22nd & 23rd November 2018

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

2.07.18

England v Colombia

Following Germany and Spain’s shock eliminations, no previous winners now stand between England and the World Cup final. Now, Gareth Southgate’s team are the second highest-ranked side in their half of the draw, behind sixth-placed Switzerland.

This means one of England, Colombia, Sweden, Switzerland, Croatia or Russia will definitely be in the Moscow final on 15 July.

Not that anybody should be getting too carried away – this is England, and a record of two World Cup knockout stage wins since 1990 makes for grim reading.

In construction news this week…

Skanska Papworth hospital job fails cladding check. Skanska has suffered a major setback on its £165m Papworth hospital project after flammable cladding was found fitted to the building.

M&E specialist Lorne Stewart suffers £8.5m loss. Building services specialist Lorne Stewart has counted the cost of problem contracts suffering a £8.5m loss last year.

Kier terminates Mackintosh building contract. Kier and the Glasgow School of Art have both mutually agreed to terminate the Mackintosh building contract following the devastating fire.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

Health & Safety Awareness – 11th July 2018 (ask us about completing your CSCS test after the course)!

SMSTS Refresher – 12th & 13th July 2018

UKATA Asbestos Awareness – 16th July 2018

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

21.05.18

Britain’s biggest rail timetable shake-up

More than four million trains have been rescheduled in what’s been touted as the biggest timetable alteration in UK railway history.
The timetable changes came in on Sunday with the aim to improve rail efficiency – affecting Gatwick Express, Great Northern, Southern and Thameslink.
Some travel experts say the overhaul will benefit passengers and make journey times 15 minutes faster. But passengers in a number of smaller locations have complained, saying they will be served with fewer or slower services.

Just incase you have been hiding under a rock this weekend (or have been for the last 6 months) – Harry & Megan have now been pronounced husband and wife at their wedding ceremony in front of the Royal family, celebrities and the eyes of millions from around the world. For those of you who did watch it there may have been some moments you missed!

In construction news this week…

Homes for England launches consultants framework. Homes England launches the procurement of its new multidisciplinary and technical services frameworks at the end of this month.

Contractor saved after being sunk by the “Carillion effect”. A Telford based contractor sunk by the collapse of Carillion has been bought out of administration by its directors.

Wates Living Space looking for new subcontractors. Wates Living Space is looking to add new subcontractors to its supply chain.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

Emergency First Aid – 29th May 2018

Health & Safety Awareness – 30th May 2018 (ask us about completing your CSCS test after the course)!

PASMA (Mobile Tower Scaffolding) – 30th May 2018

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

9.05.17

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.

25.10.16

Just cut it off!

Svetlana Kuznetsova asked for a pair of scissors and cut her ponytail at the start of the third set at the WTA Tennis Finals. She remarked “It was bothering me a lot. When I was hitting the forehands I hit a good shot and it would hit my eye, I thought, ‘what’s more important? My hair, which can grow, or the match?'”! Svetlana then went on to beat defending champion Agnieszka Radwanska.

Our thoughts go out to Dead or Alive singer, Pete Burns’, family and friends at this sad time.

Heathrow airport expansion has been ‘approved’. Ministers approved the decision at a cabinet committee meeting on Tuesday morning. However, Downing Street has yet to officially confirm the decision.

In construction news this week…

£1.4bn Brent Cross shopping mall expansion has been unveiled. Hammerson and Standard Life have revealed plans for the £1.4bn redevelopment of London’s first major shopping centre.

Construction plant skills card scheme are under review. A review of the industry’s plant skills card scheme is currently underway which could see it offloaded by the Construction Industry Training Board.

A Construction boss has been jailed for £6.9m payroll fraud. A construction boss is among three Kent men jailed for a total of 19 years for stealing £6.9m in taxes to fund their lavish lifestyles.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

SSSTS – 3 & 4 November (£250+vat)

SMSTS – 7, 14, 21, 28 Nov, 5 Dec (day release – 5 Mondays) (£545+vat)

CCNSG – 7 & 8 November (£130+vat)

CCNSG Refresher – 11 November (£100+vat)

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

1.08.16

Latest News

Hereford Construction News
Hereford MP Jesse Norman has been given ministerial responsibility for construction and infrastructure. He was the former chairman of the culture, media and sport select committee and has played trumpet for a parliamentary jazz band. Click here for the full article.

UK Government
EDF director says group not worried after UK government delays Hinkley. The director-level source insisted that “the mood [within EDF] was very positive” despite business and energy secretary Greg Clark saying he would now need more time to consider the scheme.

CSCS News
From 1 August 2016 the following changes to Trainee cards will be introduced:
• Only one Trainee card (irrespective of occupation) will be available
• The card will be red in colour and clearly marked “Trainee”
• The occupation will not be displayed on the reverse of the card. It will simply say Trainee
• The card will be valid for 5 years and will be non-renewable
• Prior to applying for a card an applicant must register for a CSCS recognised construction related qualification
• SSSTS, SMSTS and NEBOSH General will not be accepted as routes to a Trainee card
• Applicants for a Trainee Card must have completed the appropriate CITB Health, Safety and Environment Test within the last 2 years.
• Applicants must complete their qualification before the Trainee card expires
• On completion of their qualification applicants can move onto a skilled CSCS card
For further information, please click here.

MECsafe offer Health & Safety Awareness courses and CSCS tests on the same day (at the same training centre), which is handy if you need to apply for a “Labourers” CSCS card! (We can even apply for your card for you)! You can find out further information here.

12.07.16

New This Week

Infrastructure and housing focus for incoming prime minister. Theresa May, who will get the keys to Number 10 tomorrow, has pledged more government-backed infrastructure bonds, more housebuilding and a revamped industrial strategy.

Like most businesses in construction, developing our own talent has become more crucial than ever. If you would like to develop your career prospects, become a safer worker or just update your knowledge start here.

The demolition of the remaining section of Didcot Power Station could be carried out in two weeks time.

Sites Go Smart with SmartCards.

6.04.16

CSCS Profile Route Eleminated

The CSCS Profiled Route was introduced in 2011 as a route to the Black or Gold Card for construction site managers or supervisors who have on-site experience but no nationally recognised qualification in construction. The primary objective of CSCS is to provide evidence that individuals working on construction sites have the required training and qualifications for the type of work they carry out.

With the announcement made by the construction leadership council, Profiled Route no longer supports industry’s desire for a fully qualified workforce.

Applicants will still be able to apply for a Construction Site Manager or Construction Site Supervisor CSCS card, but will be required to complete an NVQ/SVQ levels 4, 5, 6 or 7*.

Please note that existing cards issued under Profiled Route will remain valid and can be renewed as normal provided applicants renew their cards in line with CSCS scheme requirements.

9.02.16

MECsafe Updates

News & Updates
2016 brings a number of changes to MECsafe, starting off with the Monthly Newsletters. MECsafe LTD are now active on a number of social networking platforms Including Facebook, Twitter, Google + as well as the MECsafe Blog. Everything from News articles to MECsafe Training updates will be available on the social networking applications. With all these platforms in place and information being easier to access than ever, we will no longer be sending a Monthly Newsletter. To keep up to date on all the latest news and updates please follow us on;

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/MECsafe-Limited-842930975767643/

Twitter – https://twitter.com/MECsafeLimited

Google + – https://plus.google.com/u/0/109724436485717604252/posts

CSCS Card Changes
There have been a number of changes made to CSCS with the latest being the removal of acceptance of profiled route applications. The Profiled Route was introduced in 2011 and was intended for construction site managers or supervisors who have onsite experience but do not hold a nationally recognised qualification in construction. From 1^st April 2016 CSCS will stop accepting profiled route applications; this has been introduced to support the industry by encouraging further development of a qualified workforce.

28.10.15

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.