Mecsafe Limited

Health & Safety Training

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01302 775900
Unit 9 Snape Lane Industrial Estate, Harworth, Doncaster, South Yorkshire, DN11 8SP

Another day, another Twitter outburst!

An insult about Donald Trump’s age was enough to prompt another Twitter outburst from the US president. In response to being called “old” by Kim Jong-un, Trump wrote on Twitter: “Why would Kim Jong-un insult me by calling me “old,” when I would NEVER call him “short and fat?”.

Northern Ireland’s World Cup dreams are over, after they failed to beat Switzerland in the second leg of their World Cup qualifier game. The green and white army had to overturn a 1 0 deficit they suffered in the opening leg, but failed to break the deadlock in the city of Basel and drew the match 0 0.

 

In construction news this week…

Worker set on fire by cable strike. Court hears how site was not mapped out properly and worker had no training.

Kier tops October contracts league after 30 wins. HMRC win in Cardiff gives McAlpine biggest new work haul over 12 months.

 

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

SSSTS (Supervisors) – 16th & 17th November

UKATA Asbestos Awareness – 20th November

SSSTS Refresher – 24th November

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

Time is running out to spend your old pound coins

Prince Harry is set to team up with the Ministry of Defence to promote a new mental health strategy for those in the military, including veterans. The joint initiative is the latest in a series of Royal efforts to highlight mental health issues in the armed forces.

Dove has apologised after their brand was accused of racism in their online marketing campaign where it showed a black woman turning white. Dove responded to the huge social media backlash with the following tweet: “An image we recently posted on Facebook missed the mark in representing women of color thoughtfully. We deeply regret the offense it caused.”

Time is running out to spend your old pound coins – we have just under a week before the coins cease to be a legal tender. Check down the back of your sofa, coat pockets, bags and piggy banks to make sure you don’t have any old pounds in your possession.

England finished the World Cup Qualifiers with three points as they beat Lithuania 1-0 thanks to a Harry Kane penalty. Northern Ireland are through to the play-offs, meanwhile, Scotland’s World Cup hopes were dashed after drawing with Slovenia 2 2.

 

In construction news this week…

Scaffolder loses hands and feet after hitting power line. A scaffolding company and its director have been sentenced after a worker lost his hands and feet in a horrific site accident.

London Mayor doubles affordable housing at Barratt scheme. London mayor Sadiq Khan has approved an application for 460 homes on a green belt site in north-west London after developer Barratt doubled the number of affordable homes.

Mace tipped for Mitsubishi London skyscraper. Developers Mitsubishi Estate London and Stanhope are understood to be in talks with contractor Mace to build their planned London tower project at 150 Leadenhall Street.

 

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

UKATA Asbestos Awareness – 16th October

Health & Safety Awareness – 17th October

SSSTS (Supervisors) – 19th & 20th October

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

Time flies when you’re having fun!

Our first blog of July 2017! Can you believe we are in JULY already (and we are halfway through it)?!
Here’s a few random findings of this month so far:

The London black cab is turning green, with an all-new electric taxi set to launch. The cab maker ditches diesel to produce a petrol and electric-powered taxi that will be rolled out in November.

Astronomers have just discovered the smallest star ever known to science… But it is the size of Saturn!

Growing competition for land and natural resources saw a record number of environmental activists killed in 2016, says Global Witness. The green group’s report details at least 200 murders across 24 countries, up significantly from 2015. Disputes over mining were the cause of the greatest number of killings, followed by logging and agribusiness.

In construction news this week…

Carillion under pressure to inject funds amid growing pension concerns. Stricken building contractor Carillion is facing growing calls to launch an emergency fundraising as it threatens to plunge further into financial crisis.

HS2 contracts worth £6.6bn awarded by UK government. Contracts announced as transport secretary prepares to unveil changes to final Manchester and Leeds routes.

UK construction sector growth slows. UK construction sector growth slowed during June, as political uncertainty and concern about the economic outlook deterred new orders.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

SMSTS – 24th-28th July 2017 (block week)

SSSTS (Supervisors) – 27th & 28th July 2017

Fire Warden – 31st July 2017

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.

Click here to get the latest!

The head of Europol has warned that the threat from the cyber attack that crippled international services “will continue to grow” as people return to work on Monday. Since Friday’s breach more than 200,000 victims – including the NHS – across 150 countries have been infected by the Wanna Decryptor ransomware, also known as WannaCry.

 

Today, Labour will promise an extra 37 billion for the NHS and pledge to remove a million people from NHS waiting lists today. The Tories are talking about workers’ rights, including new rights for those who have to leave work to care for family members, or experience child bereavement, a greater stake for workers in their companies, and a commitment to continue increasing the National Living Wage. While the LibDems say they would get rid of the public sector pay cap.

 

Emmanuel Macron has promised to restore France’s global standing, as he was inaugurated as the country’s youngest president at the age of 39.

In construction news this week…

Nominate your construction heroes now. There is less than a month left to nominate potential winners of this year’s Construction Enquirer Awards.

Hunt for £250m London concert hall design team. City of London Corporation has started the search for a design team to work up concept plans for a world-class concert hall in London.

Hero Keltbray worker steps in to save commuter. A Keltbray machine driver turned have-a-go-hero this week when a raging commuter confronted a woman at London’s Liverpool Street Station.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

SSSTS (Supervisors) – 18th & 19th May

Health & Safety Awareness – 24th May (ask us about completing your CSCS test on the same day)!

CCNSG – 25th & 26th May

SSSTS Refresher – 26th May (book before your current cert expires to save time and money)!

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.

 

Stick to the Speed Limit!

The Queen celebrated her 91st birthday on 21st April. Her majesty is the oldest monarch to have reigned in Britain.

Jeremy Corbyn will tell trade unionists today (Mon 24th April) that if Labour wins the general election, they’ll overturn what he calls the ‘vicious Tory Trade Union Act’. The laws brought in by David Cameron meant that for any strike action, there had to be a 50% turnout at the ballot for the action to be legal.

Tougher fines for motorists who drive well above the speed limit are set to come into force from today. Drivers caught doing 41mph in a 20mph zone, 51mph in a 30mph zone, 66mph in a 40mph or 101mph on a motorway will face penalties starting from 150% of their weekly income – up 50% on the previous level. The new regulations apply in England and Wales.

 

In construction news this week…

Multiplex turnover soars to record £1bn on tower boom. London high-rise builder Multiplex has ramped up revenue by two-thirds to a record £1bn as a dozen major projects topped out last year.

BAM takes £30m Southampton Uni job. BAM is set to start main building work for Southampton University on a learning and teaching block at the Highfield Campus in the city.

Small builders bullish despite rising costs. Small construction firms enjoyed rising workloads in the first three months of 2017, despite growing concerns over the cost of labour and materials.

In MECsafe news this week…

We have new 2017 CSCS revision material in stock! We will be selling the books at £11.50 each (no VAT, RRP £11.50).
Don’t forget, you can also book your CSCS test at MECsafe in Doncaster, on your preffered date/time. We also offer a card applying service – Please ask us for further information.

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

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

The Round Pound Is No More!

The government has confirmed the new 12-sided £1 coin will enter circulation TOMORROW (28 March).

The round £1 will be legal tender alongside the new, more-secure coin until 15 October.

The public are being urged to use their current £1 coins or bank them before they lose their legal tender status.

The government estimates around a third of the £1.3 billion worth of coins stored in piggy banks or saving jars around the UK are the current £1 style.

Some of those returned by the public will be melted down and used to make the 12-sided version.

The new style was announced in the 2014 budget and has been billed by the Royal Mint as “the most secure coin in the world”.

So why is the new coin is harder to counterfeit?

  • 12-sided – its distinctive shape means it stands out by sight and by touch
  • Bimetallic – The outer ring is gold coloured (nickel-brass) and the inner ring is silver coloured (nickel-plated alloy)
  • Latent image – it has an image like a hologram that changes from a ‘£’ symbol to the number ‘1’ when the coin is seen from different angles
  • Micro-lettering – around the rim on the heads side of the coin tiny lettering reads: ONE POUND. On the tails side you can find the year the coin was produced
  • Milled edges – it has grooves on alternate sides
  • Hidden high security feature – an additional security feature is built into the coin to protect it from counterfeiting but details have not been revealed

For a photo of the new pound, head back to our October 2016 blog 🙂

 

In construction news this week…

O’Rourke fined £800,000 for Heathrow dumper truck death. Company fined after a worker was killed by a dumper truck driven by his brother at Heathrow Airport.

Lendlease launches “Futurehomes” in London. Lendlease is launching its new Futurehome eco-house concept in central London.

HTC crane drivers reject pay offer. The UK’s largest tower crane operator is facing an outbreak of industrial action over the summer after its drivers rejected a 3% pay offer.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

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

Record Breaking Stuff

In 2016 PASMA issued a record-breaking 73,000 training cards.

Comments chairman of PASMA’s training committee, John McNeilly: “These remarkable numbers only serve to reinforce PASMA’s position as the principal provider of what is now firmly established as the definitive industry standard for mobile access tower training, both in the UK and increasingly overseas. For an overwhelming number of organisations no other form of training, and therefore demonstration of competency, is acceptable.”

“It reflects great credit on the work of PASMA training centres and their instructors, and, of course, on those companies and individuals committed to height safety and keeping people safe.”

The 2017 training programme includes nine training courses ranging from ‘Work at height essentials’ and ‘Towers for users’ to more advanced modules covering ‘Towers on stairs’, ‘Towers with cantilevers’ and ‘Towers for riggers‘.

For MECsafe’s “open” PASMA course dates, please click here.

 

In construction news this week…

School children given no info on careers in construction. Half of school age children have never been given any information on possible jobs in construction by teachers or careers advisers.

Bid race starts for Scottish women’s prison. Scottish Prison Service is inviting bids for a new national women’s prison to be built to replace Scotland’s only female jail at Cornton Vale in Stirling.

Van Elle managing director steps down. Ground engineering specialist Van Elle revealed this morning that group managing director Tom Lindup has resigned.

 

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

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

 

 

Fake News?

Local voting figures shed new light on EU referendum

The BBC has obtained a more localised breakdown of votes from nearly half of the local authorities which counted EU referendum ballots last June.

This information provides much greater depth and detail in explaining the pattern of how the UK voted. Click here to view the key findings.

Donald Trump says ‘any negative polls are fake news’

A CNN survey found he has the worst early approval rating of any US President in history.

Donald Trump has hit out at recent polls suggesting he has one of the worst early approval ratings in US history, saying that “any negative polls are fake news”.

A CNN/ORC International poll released on Friday found Mr Trump had the lowest approval rating of any new President, at 44 per cent.

Mr Trump wrote on Twitter: “Any negative polls are fake news, just like the CNN, ABC, NBC polls in the election. Sorry, people want border security and extreme vetting.”

Read the full article here.

 

Great Britain wins Davis Cup clash by default – after Canadian teenage star puts the UMPIRE in hospital by smashing the ball into his face in flash of temper

Kyle Edmund was already well in control of the deciding rubber when his opponent, the reigning Wimbledon junior champion, hit French umpire Arnaud Gabas flush in the left eye when he angrily smashed the ball away from mid court. Click here for the full report.

 

 

In construction news this week…

Search starts for HS2 Euston development partner. The hunt is set to start this Spring for a developer to deliver the wholesale regeneration of land around Euston railway station as part of the plan for a HS2 terminus at the site.

Skanska holds margin above 2% as profit slips. Tougher market conditions saw Skanska UK’s operating profit slip 8% to £35m despite a 17% jump in revenue last year to £1.68bn.

Deal spurs major PRS and student flats scheme at Old Oak Common. Developer Essential Living is pressing ahead with plans to build the first major build to rent scheme in the Old Oak Common regeneration zone in West London.

 

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

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