Mecsafe Limited

Health & Safety Training

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

Merry Christmas!

This will be our last blog before the Christmas holidays! In light of this, we thought we would share some upcoming Christmassy events, just incase you still have some free time:

Christmas Markets

  • Belfast (November 19 –December 22)
  • Birmingham (November 17 – December 29)
  • Edinburgh (November 18 – January 8)
  • London (November 18 – January 2)
  • Manchester (November 10 – December 20)
  • York (November 17 –December 23)
  • Cardiff (November 10 – December 23)
  • Chester (November 18 –December 18)

Christmas Concerts

  • Christmas Festival at Royal Albert Hall (13-24 Dec)
  • Christmas Carols in Trafalgar Square (5-23 Dec)
    Advent and Christmas at St Paul’s Cathedral (26 Nov-28 Dec)
    Christmas at Westminster Abbey (27 Nov-25 Dec)

Spectacular Christmas Light Displays

  • Festival of Light and Sound, Eden Project, Cornwall
  • Christmas light trail, Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire
  • Festival of Light, Longleat safari park, Wiltshire
  • Enchanted Parks, Gateshead
  • Christmas Glow, RHS Wisley, Surrey
  • Christmas at Kew Gardens, London
  • Enchanted Christmas, Westonbirt Arboretum, Gloucestershire
  • Magical Lantern festival, Leeds, Birmingham, London
  • Tunnel of Light, Norwich

Then there is always Christmas television!

 

In construction news this week…

Crossrail suspends electrical work at Paddington station. Electrical work has been halted at Crossrail’s Paddington station because of concerns that project delivery has derailed.

Record 3m tonnes steel construction pipeline. The Government has highlighted it support for steel construction by unveiling plans to use 3m tonnes of steel in infrastructure projects by 2020.

Balfour Beatty starts delayed £90m London hospital. Balfour Beatty has finally secured the job to deliver the £90m redevelopment of the Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital in London.

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have availability on the following courses, this side of Christmas:

  • SSSTS – 15th & 16th Dec / 22nd & 23rd Dec
  • SMSTS – 19th, 20th, 21st, 22nd & 23rd Dec
  • IPAF 3a & 3b – 19th / 20th Dec

Then, we have the following availability early 2017:

  • SSSTS – 5th & 6th Jan
  • CCNSG Refresher – 6th Jan
  • CCNSG – 9th & 10th Jan

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

MECsafe would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Prosperous New Year!

smiley

And The Countdown Begins…

Just 18 more days until Christmas! Or just “2” more Sundays to go before the big day!!
Which also means, just over two weeks left to get your training done and out the way, ready for the New Year!!
Or if you are stuck for a Secret Santa Gift…

This year we are staying open right until Friday 23rd December and we have got plenty of courses planned in over the run up to Christmas:

  • 8th Dec – Manual Handling, Working at Height and Abrasive Wheels
  • 9th Dec – CCNSG Refresher and SSSTS Refresher
  • 12th Dec – PASMA (Mobile Towers) and UKATA Asbestos Awareness
  • 13th Dec – Health & Safety Awareness (Ask us about completing your CSCS test after the course)
  • 15th Dec – Confined Space Awareness
  • 16th Dec – SEATS Environmental
  • 19th Dec – SMSTS (Mon-Fri)
  • 21st Dec – Health & Safety Awareness (Ask us about completing your CSCS test after the course)
  • 22nd & 23rd Dec – SSSTS & SMSTS Refresher

 

In construction news this week…

Six contractors have become the first firms to achieve a new Kitemark for BIM launched today by standards body BSI. The first firms worldwide to achieve the Kitemark for PAS 1192-2 are: Balfour Beatty, BAM Ireland, BAM Construct UK, Gammon Construction, Skanska UK and voestapline Metsec.   

Morgan Sindall pulls off second contracts league double. They have been crowned winner of the monthly and annualised leagues of new orders for the second month running.

Ladder fall costs Volvo £900,000. The national truck, bus and plant division of Volvo has been fined £900,000 after one of its workers fell and suffered head injuries.

If you would like to book or like to discuss any of the above, please do not hesitate to contact us.

It’s Cyber Monday!

Black Friday is a popular label attached to the Friday following Thanksgiving Day in the US. This day marks the beginning of the busy shopping season during which most consumers typically start their Christmas/holiday shopping. You can read the full history of how Black Friday redeemed from a Police officer’s nightmare into retailers heaven by clicking here.

Now Black Friday is over, today sees Cyber Monday, typically, the Monday after the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. The term “Cyber Monday” was created by marketing companies to persuade people to shop online. You can view a list of the Telegraphs best buys here – hopefully you’re not too late!

And the countdown to Christmas begins…

 

In construction news this week…

Skanska signs off £60m Great Ormond Street deal. Skanska has finally signed off a £60m contract with Great Ormond Street Hospital to build the Zayed Centre for Research into Rare Diseases in Children in London.

Laing O’Rourke is calling for the introduction of construction GCSEs and A-levels in a bid to solve the industry’s skills crisis. The suggestion is part of a ten-point plan put forward by the contractor in a report launched today.

The City of London has approved plans for what will be the Square Mile’s tallest building at 1 Undershaft. Nicknamed the Trellis for its visible structural steel cross-bracing, the new London skyscraper will soar to 305m, just above the recently approved 22 Bishopsgate tower at 278m, but a few metres below the Shard’s tallest steelwork point in London Bridge.

 

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

CCNSG (ECITB) – 5th & 6th Dec

Manual Handling, Working at Height, Abrasive Wheel – 8th Dec (attend one or all three courses)

CCNSG Refresher – 9th Dec

SSSTS Refresher – 9th Dec

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

It just won’t stop!

Unless you have been hiding under a massive rock for the last week or so, you will be well aware Donald Trump has been elected President of America.
Every. Single. Day. He seems to be hitting the headlines for one reason or another. This weekend has seen Trump calling for a boycott of the sold out play “Hamilton” after the cast delivered a serious message to Vice President-elect Mike Pence.
Pence was booed by the audience as he walked in, then after the show all the cast made their way to the stage to deliver an open letter to Pence.
Although Pence has commented it has not offended him and “this is what freedom sounds like”, bizarrely Trump is demanding an apology from the cast and ridiculing their ability to ‘learn their lines’.
You can listen to the speech by clicking here.

At this side of the pond, French ex-President Nicolas Sarkozy has been knocked out the contest for a centre-right presidential candidate and signalled his withdrawal from politics.
Admitting defeat, Mr Sarkozy endorsed Francois Fillon, a moderate who finished first in Sunday’s first round, according to near-complete results.
Alain Juppe, who like Mr Fillon is an ex-prime minister, finished second.
They will face each other in a run-off next Sunday. The winner will compete in next year’s presidential election.
The winner of the Republican primary is likely to make the presidential run-off, where he or she will probably face far-right leader Marine Le Pen.


In construction news this week…

Crane hirer Hewden’s is fighting for survival after talks to find a new backer are understood to have stalled. The firm is seeking to refinance £190m of borrowings, which are due to expire in the coming months.

Buckingham Palace to get £369m M&E refit. Government funding has been agreed for a £369m overhaul of Buckingham Palace.

Mace set for £54m Twickenham East Stand revamp. Mace is in the front row to extend Twickenham rugby stadium’s east stand as part of a plan to improve the match day experience for supporters.


In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

Fire Warden – 25th Nov

Health & Safety Awareness (CITB) – 29th Nov (ask us about completing your CSCS test on the same day)!

SSSTS (CITB Supervisors) – 1st & 2nd Nov

CCNSG (ECITB) – 5th & 6th Dec

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

 

Remember, Remember…

November 5 is Guy Fawkes Night (also known as Bonfire Night and Fireworks Night), a British tradition to mark the failed attempt by the Catholic Guy Fawkes and his cronies to blow up the Houses of Parliament – and the Protestant King James I – back in 1605.

Nowadays we mark the night with bonfires and fireworks. You probably think you know all there is to know about the Gunpowder Plot. However, there’s more to it than you might remember… Here are some little known facts about Guy Fawkes Night:
1. Guy Fawkes wasn’t actually the ringleader of the plot to blow up the House of Lords – he was just one of a group of 13 men. The leader was one Robert Catesby. Fawkes was the one who had the job of lighting the fuse, and so it was him that was caught in parliament’s cellars with 36 barrels of gunpowder.
2. November 5 was initially known as Gunpowder Treason Day and bonfires were lit as a celebration that the King hadn’t been killed
3. The tradition of burning an effigy of Guy Fawkes on a bonfire didn’t start until around the 18th century when reports appeared of kids carrying stuffed figures around and begging for money with them.
4. Following his capture Guy Fawkes was sent to the Tower of London where he endured two days of torture before he finally confessed and gave up the names of his co-plotters.
5. Until the mid 19th century the day was often full of violence and towns such as Lewes, which still has a famous celebration every year on the 5th, were often the scenes of bitter fighting.
6. Guy Fawkes and his fellow plotters were sentenced to death by being hung, drawn and quartered on 31 January 1606. However, he avoided this grisly fate by jumping off the gallows and breaking his own neck.
7. However they still chopped him up into quarters and sent his body off to the four corners of the kingdom as a warning to any other plotters.

In construction news this week…

New 5,000 seater football stadium to be built out of wood. National League side Forest Green Rovers are set to build a new 5,000-seater stadium made of wood.

Sparks can now drill square holes.Electricians can now drill square holes for electrical sockets.

British Land submits £300m Meadowhall extension plan. British Land has submitted detailed plans for a major £300m extension to its Meadowhall shopping centre in Sheffield.

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.

Prepare yourselves for March 2017!

Happy Halloween!
Every year we wear scary outfits, bob for apples and carve pumpkins – but why?
The Americanised (Americanized?) Halloween that we experience now actually originated in the Celtic fringes of Britain, and was adapted by Christian traditions, immigrants’ conventions and an insatiable desire for sweets.
The word comes from ‘Hallowed evening’, and is the day before All Hallows Day – also known as All Saints’ Day.
You can view the full history here.

As the FBI drama unwraps in America, we ask how did two candidates with historically low favourability ratings rise to the top of their parties?
Well, it goes back to the ‘Primary Election’ – Primary elections are one means by which a political party or a political alliance nominates candidates for an upcoming general election or by-election. In both parties, only half the Primary voted for either Hillary or Donald, compared to 2012 when nearly 90% voted for Barak Obama. Here is a video for a further explanation.

Businesses should get ready now for the introduction of the new 12-sided pound coin, the Treasury has said. The Treasury is urging firms to adapt their equipment and train their staff in preparation for the arrival of the new coin in March 2017.

In construction news this week…

Jail sentence for construction skills card cheat. A Luton man has been jailed for 18 months and recommended for deportation for illegally working in the UK and cheating to obtain industry skills cards.

Construction to dodge post-Brexit vote recession. Faltering commercial workloads will be offset by strong growth in infrastructure and school spending over the next two years, according to the latest major industry forecast.

Electric car maker unveils solar roof tile range. A roof tile range with built in solar panels has been unveiled by electric car specialist Tesla.

 

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

SSSTS – 03 & 04.11.2016

SMSTS – 07.11.2016-05.12.2016 (day release)

CCNSG Refresher – 11.11.2016

SSSTS Refresher – 11.11.2016

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

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.

“Armies of Stupid”

Following on from last weeks blog, Donald Trump and Boris Johnson have felt the wrath of Sir Bob Geldofs latest rant, in which he calls them “commanders of the armies of the stupid”. You can read the full article here, which details more of his speak at the Canada Summit.

In other parts of the world, HURRICANE Matthew, the most ferocious Atlantic hurricane in almost a decade is expected to hit Jamaica and Haiti today (Monday October 3).
The “dangerous” category four hurricane brings up to 130mph winds and the power to cause widespread flooding and destruction.
The US National Hurricane Center (NHC) said “Matthew is expected to remain a powerful hurricane into Tuesday.” Click here for full details.

London streets have been evacuated after flames shot through manhole covers.
Mare Street in Hackney, near Hackney Town Hall, has been sealed off while an investigation is launched after the explosion was heard shortly after 9.30am on Monday. Sources at the scene say they believe it is some kind of underground electrical explosion.

 

In construction news this week…

Bechtel will project manage Gatwick’s second runway programme should the Government give it the green light.

Wates launches housing development arm. The contractor joins charge back into housing development as fresh opportunities beckon.

Also, the Building firms have been revealed for the £430m London Tube upgrade.

 

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses:

  • SSSTS – 6th & 7th Oct
  • H&S Awareness (ask us about taking your CSCS test on the same day) – 11th Oct
  • CCNSG Refresher – 14th Oct
  • SSSTS Refresher – 14th Oct

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

Keep Your Cool Guys!

The big news this week was last nights first 2016 US presidential debate. For those who had an early night, you may have missed Trump losing his cool.

Goaded by Clinton and pressed hard by moderator Lester Holt, the Republican nominee angrily defended his record against charges of racism, sexism and tax avoidance for much of the 90-minute clash.

Trump then went on to hit Clinton on trade and her political record – issues that have helped him draw level in recent polls and may yet dominate the election!

The whole thing was very confrontational, as you would expect, but at times got rather personal (and a tad childish) – something much different to what we would see at a UK political debate 😉

You can view a full review of the debate by clicking here or watch it on Youtube.

This debate was the first of three, so we look forward to seeing if things will turn around next time!

In construction news this week…

VolkerFitzpatrick and Buckingham bid for £89m Prologis Northampton business park job.

Construction workers discover 10m anaconda on a Brazilian building site. But is this the biggest snake ever?

Wolseley to close 80 branches axing 800 jobs.

 

In MECsafe news this week…

We still have plenty of availability on the following courses scheduled at our Doncaster head office:
Please do not hesitate to contact us if you would like to book or require any further information.

See you in four years!

There was joy and sadness on Sunday evening as the closing cermony of the Paralympics ended.

If you have been under a rock for the last couple of weeks, you may not be aware team GB won 12% of the total number of gold medals available – the best since way back in 1968! Finishing second in the medal table behind China, GB set 49 Paralympic and 27 world records. Both the oldest (Anne Dunham) and youngest (Abby Kane) competitors on the team claimed medals, and 11 sports won gold medals with a record-equalling 15 securing at least one medal.

You can view the full medal table here.

So Well Done team GB! Now the challenge will be to maintain momentum and rise to the occasion once again in 2020!

A two-day celebration of the UK’s achievements at the Olympic and Paralympic Games in Rio is to start with a homecoming parade for the athletes in Manchester on 17 October, with more festivities in London the following day.

 

Construction news this week…

  • Moda Living and Apache Capital Partners have been given the green light for an £80m PRS development in Liverpool.
  • The government’s buying arm, the Crown Commercial Service, has finally invited bids for its long-awaited £2.9bn consultancy framework, please click here for further info.
  • Theresa May’s green light for Hinkley has raised hopes of a slew of infrastructure deals, despite Brexit, click here for full article.

 

MECsafe news this week…

There are still plenty of places available on our courses scheduled at Doncaster over the next couple of weeks:

  • SMSTS – 26, 27, 28, 29, 30 Sept (block week)
  • SMSTS – 3, 10, 17, 24, 31 Oct (day release)
  • CCNSG Refresher – 30 Sept (book refresher training asap, to avoid having to attend the initial course again)!
  • Fire Warden / Awareness – 26 Sept

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