If you’re going to start a construction project in the near future, you’ll want to take a look at the options that are available for making sure that your project goes as smoothly as possible. Apart from hiring the best construction companies around, you also need to make sure that your project is safe, secure, and has all the needed safety features implemented.
Here are the five safety features you may consider in our next construction project:
Centralized monitoring systems involve using one or multiple screens to show everything that’s happening at a construction site. While it’s considered a modern way of monitoring construction workers, this practice has been used for quite some time now, and more and more people are shifting to automated or software systems.
Some people prefer to go with a centralized system, wherein you’ve got a large screen monitor showing you what’s happening; however, other people find this to be too much of a hassle. There are also other types of security systems that allow you to send out alerts if something’s amiss.
There are companies offering shipping container hoarding & gantries for the short- or long-term.
Here are the details about hoarding and gantry:
Whether you’re building a home or a commercial building, one of the most common types of security systems used by construction companies is CCTV. You can get cameras fitted in walls, windows, and even on the exterior of buildings. This gives you the opportunity to see exactly what’s going on in your project. It’s especially useful for a construction project that involves working outdoors.
Take a look at the following tips when choosing CCTV:
There are many different types of security measures available that it can be difficult to know what to choose for your construction project. You can choose from a variety of different types of alarms to alert you if your construction is breached, such as having a centralized construction project management software.
Construction management software refers to a set of project management tools used by construction companies to improve the planning, coordination, and management of a construction project. It can be a smartphone installed as a mobile app or PC installed, which is used by construction management professionals, such as remodelers, building owners, independent construction managers, builders, as well as specialty, commercial, and general contractors.
You’ll also need to choose the right kind of alarm for your construction project to make it safe. This may be a security monitoring system, or it could be a battery-operated alarm that’s designed to sound off when something gets out of line. There are also wireless alarms that you can buy and install, which won’t cost you much.
If you need a company to install the alarm for you, look for one that will provide you with the right kind of support after installation has been completed.
Conclusion
Once you know what safety features you’d want to include in your construction project, it’s very easy to find one that will meet your requirements and keep your staff and your equipment safe. Hoardings, gantries, CCTV, alarm, and construction project management software can help secure your project. Remember to consider security as a top priority, and choose the best security system for your construction project today.
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A recycled brick conceived by Heriot-Watt academics has scooped the coveted STEM Research Project of the Year at this year’s Times Higher Education (THE) awards.
The THE Awards – widely referred to as the ‘Oscars of higher education’ – are the biggest celebration in the UK HE calendar, attracting hundreds of entries from across the country.
The judges lauded the ‘important contribution that the project had made to sustainable construction worldwide’ recognising its far-reaching impact and describing the K-Briq as ‘a potential game changer’.
Conceived from a research project that began more than a decade ago to explore sustainable, traditional construction methods, the team, led by Professor Gabriela Medero and Dr Sam Chapman, set out to update historical techniques for modern day application.
Professor Gabriela Medero from the School of Energy, Geoscience, Infrastructure and Society, said: “We set out to create a building product that could embed sustainability at the heart of the construction industry. Globally, construction accounts for 39% of the world’s total CO2 emissions so tackling this challenge will have a huge impact on the sustainability of the sector as we push towards net zero targets. This award is testament to the tireless work of our interdisciplinary team of civil, structural, chemical and mechanical engineers, architects, chemists and geologists who have collaborated for more than a decade to bring K-Briq to market.”
Dr Sam Chapman, Managing Director of spin-out company Kenoteq which produces the K-Briq said: “Heriot-Watt University has an outward-looking ethos, seeking solutions to global challenges so we are proud that our efforts to tackle sustainability in construction have been recognised with this award. We remain incredibly grateful for the funding and support from Zero Waste Scotland, Scottish Enterprise, Construction Scotland Innovation Centre, the Royal Academy of Engineering and Innovate UK which has allowed us to take the K-Briq to this point.”
Find out more about the K-Briq and the other 2020 winning projects.
Continue ReadingThe UK wall cladding market has been affected by reduced demand from key end-use sectors since 2017, recording only modest growth of 13% in total installed area between 2015 and 2019.
The Covid-19 pandemic has had a profound effect on the market with site closures in early spring 2020 leading to project delays and product shortages in some instances as contractors and manufacturers adapted to safer production and working practices.
Looking to a positive, rainscreen cladding has benefitted from increased retrofitting on offices and apartment blocks as the need to protect structures from extreme weather and water ingress has increased.
Jane Tarver, editor of the Wall Cladding Market Report at AMA Research states “Rainscreen cladding systems have been a fast-growing product sector in recent years, estimated to have quadrupled in terms of area installed from 2013 levels. The main area of application has been offices, although there has also been strong demand for use on residential towers, demand further boosted by the requirement to replace unsafe ACM cladding on a number of high-rise residential buildings in the wake of the Hackitt Review into the Grenfell Tower disaster. As a result of the ban on use of ACM cladding with a polyethylene core on high rise residential developments, the market share of these types of products and systems will be impacted while others will gain market share from changes in product specification”.
Grenfell and the Hackitt review continues to influence the market. With a ban on the use of ACM cladding this has led to an increased demand for products with the highest level of fire safety classifications such as stone, glass wool, concrete and fibre cement.
Following decline of around 13% for installed cladding area (million m2) in 2020, the market is forecast to return to growth in 2021 thereafter seeing annual increases of around 4-5% to reach around 48 million m2 by 2024.
About AMA Research
AMA Research is a leading provider of market research and consultancy services with over 30 years’ experience within the construction and home improvement markets. For more information, go to www.amaresearch.co.uk or follow us on Twitter @AMAResearch for all the latest building and construction market news.
Since 2017, AMA Research has been part of Barbour ABI, a leading provider of construction intelligence services. Barbour ABI is part of Informa PLC, a leading B2B information services group and the largest B2B Events organiser in the world. To learn more and for the latest news and information, visit www.informa.com.
Continue ReadingSpecifiers can now access all the information they need on compliant panic and emergency exit hardware solutions in one convenient guide.
The free guide has been published by ARRONE, the sister brand of HOPPE, to help specifiers ensure they are supplying the optimum panic or emergency exit hardware solution for their project.
The guide contains a three-step product selector to help find the right device for the application, information on outside access devices, advice on positioning hardware on different types of doors and frequently asked questions.
Jonathan Walker, ARRONE product manager, said:
“Panic and emergency exit hardware is life saving equipment, so it isn’t something that specifiers can afford to get wrong. This new guide aims to help specifiers choose the right product and help address any technical queries, all conveniently packaged up in a portable guide. However, if anyone does have any questions about ARRONE panic or emergency hardware, our technical helpline is also there for people to talk things through with one of our experienced experts.”
ARRONE offers a complete range of quality panic and emergency hardware, with a 10-year operational guarantee for all its products.
All ARRONE panic and emergency hardware has been tested by Certifire, an independent third-party certification scheme that assures performance, quality, reliability and traceability of products and systems. It has also been fully tested and certified to the latest European standards and satisfies the UK construction product regulations for ironmongery.
To get a free copy of the pocket guide, contact Andy Matthews on andy.matthews@hoppe.com or 01902 484 400
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If you regularly work on-site, then you’ll understand exactly why hi vis workwear is so important. Making sure you’re visible on an incredibly busy and noisy construction site really can mean the difference between safety and life-threatening injuries.
The combination of highly fluorescent material alongside reflective tape creates the optimum design to ensure you’re still visible against even the busiest backdrops. But have you ever considered how exactly hi-vis clothing works? We’re going to take a closer look at how exactly it shines bright enough to keep so many of us safe on-site every single day, but first let’s take a look at how hi vis workwear came about.
When was high visibility workwear born?
In the UK hi vis workwear was first issued to railway workers well over 50 years ago now, in the 1960s. It was first trialled by Glaswegian railway workers who were given fluorescent orange jackets, then known as ‘fireflies’.
Around this time electric railways were becoming faster and these jackets were deemed essential to ensure that the workers were visible by train drivers from long distances of up to half a mile away. Unsurprisingly, these trials were a huge success, and soon after hi-vis jackets became essential for all British Railway workers.
The next logical step was to introduce high visibility workwear to any profession where workers would be in close proximity to moving vehicles or working in poor visibility conditions. And therefore hi viz workwear as we know it today, was born.
How exactly does hi vis work?
Let’s take a look at the science behind hi vis material – first of all, the fluorescent material which makes up the bulk of hi viz workwear. On-site you’ll most commonly see yellow and orange hi vis clothing, as these are arguably the most visible colours to the human eye. But what is it exactly that makes these fluorescent colours so bright?
It’s all down to the way in which the ultraviolet rays of the sun react with the fluorescent colours. This reaction makes them appear to ‘glow’, meaning that in natural daylight these colours will be at their brightest. The less sunlight or UV rays for the material to interact with, then the less these fluorescent colours will appear to glow. Which is why they’re cleverly paired with reflective tape – we’ll come onto that next!
Arguably the most important aspect of high visibility workwear is the reflective strip detailing. These reflective strips are essential to help ensure you’re visible at night time and in low lighting, where the fluorescent colours won’t be picking up on any UV lights to react with.
There are generally two types of reflective tape found on hi vis workwear, these are micro-prismatic tape and glass bead reflective tape. Let’s take a look at the differences between the two and how exactly they work.
Micro-prismatic Tape
Micro-prismatic tape is made from a unique type of plastic vinyl which contains lots of microscopic prisms. These tiny prisms inside the vinyl work by bouncing any light that comes into contact with the tape around internally, before then reflecting it back out. Micro-prismatic tape is known for its ability to reflect light at a distance whilst also maintaining it’s intensity – keeping you incredibly safe whilst working in dark conditions.
Glass Bead Reflective Tape
Glass bead reflective tape is probably the reflective tape you’ll have seen most commonly on commercial hi vis workwear including hi vis vests, this is because it’s such an affordable material which is also incredibly easy to add to a garment. Glass bead reflective tape shines a very bright white when it comes into contact with direct light, therefore providing a high level of safety for its wearer.
When working on a construction site, there are plenty of PPE considerations to bear in mind but hi vis workwear has to be one of the most important steps to take to protect your employees or yourself. Understanding exactly how it works to keep you safe is key in realising quite why it’s become so essential.
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The Guild of Architectural Ironmongers (GAI) has appointed Simon Forrester as its new Chief Executive.
Simon’s career began in the NHS, moving into senior management roles in professional institutions and trade associations more than 25 years ago. He has held leadership roles in the healthcare, business tourism, jewellery and construction sectors, including five years as chief executive of the Association of Interior Specialists (now FIS) and over seven years as chief executive of the British Pest Control Association.
His most recent role has been as chief executive of the National Association of Jewellers, the UK’s leading jewellery trade association which also incorporates the Institute of Registered Valuers. He is also a director of the Institute of Association Leadership, the professional network for chief executives within the UK’s membership sector.
Simon was named Trade Association Chief Executive of the Year in 2016. He has an award-winning track record of delivering increased membership benefits, including improvements to training, governance, codes of conduct and best practice in business management.
He also has an MBA from Birmingham City University, specialising in association development and innovation in not-for-profits.
Julian Newman, president of the GAI, said:
“The GAI has spent this year focusing its work on boosting membership benefits, shaping technical and regulatory policy, increasing skills and competence in the sector, and promoting the vital value that GAI and IAI members deliver to the construction supply chain.
“With Simon at the helm, we know that this work will accelerate and move to a higher level, helping to support members through another year of significant change. Simon brings not only experience, enthusiasm and drive to this role but also the proven ability to drive positive transformation in membership organisations. He is the perfect person to lead us into 2021 and the recovery of our industry post-Brexit and Covid-19, and I am looking forward to introducing him to all members over the coming weeks.”
Simon Forrester said:
“I am honoured and excited to be appointed CEO of the GAI and to work with the very experienced Executive Committee, dedicated staff and committed industry members of the organisation. I look forward to working closely with all members to create and deliver integrated services that meet their needs. My key priorities are to learn more about our membership, engage them with compelling benefits, work with the whole door hardware industry to advance the cause of our sector, and develop our team to address the challenges we face in the years ahead.”
One of Simon’s earliest duties will also be the preparation of the GAI’s revitalised brand and relaunched events in 2021. He takes over the GAI’s most senior executive role from Angie Corkhill who had led the GAI for the last three years.
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