Santander Cycles are in danger of being forever branded Boris Bikes
High profile sponsorship deals like Santander’s sponsorship of TFL bikes might create brand recognition, but do they actually result in positive measurable brand impact? Asks Matthew Bennett, co-founder and COO at ZAK Media Group creative agency, Wolfpack. Continue ReadingThree Quarters of Construction Workers Would Welcome On-Site Drug Testing
Researchers at a leading business insurance website have revealed that as many as three quarters of construction workers agree with random drug testing whilst on site. Furthermore, the majority of respondents stated that they would feel a lot safer and more secure if employees operated under rules in which they could be tested and dismissed at any point if they were proved to be under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
A leading business insurance website in the UK has decided to investigate random drug testing on construction sites, following recent reports of a legal case won by a bus driver who lost his job after failing a drugs test, when he’d actually done nothing except handle some banknotes contaminated with cocaine.
The team at www.constructaquote.com wanted to explore the idea of random drug testing on construction sites. To do this, they polled a total of 1,489 construction workers and 404 construction employers from across the UK, in order to gauge the general reaction of how those working in the industry feel about drug tests. All construction workers taking part were aged 21 and over and had worked within the construction industry for at least five years.
All participants were initially asked whether they had ever worked on a construction site which carried out random drug testing as part of its policy, with less than one tenth (9%) of workers stating that they had done so. Of these individuals, all stated that they had passed their tests without any suspicious results.
When then asked whether they believe that random drug testing should be made a mandatory procedure carried out across all construction sites in the UK, over three quarter of the workers (76%) and half of the employers (49%) agreed that it should be.
Next, construction workers and employers who believed that drug testing should be made mandatory on all sites were then asked to state reasons that behind their beliefs most correctly and given a list of answers, with the most common answers given as follows:
- I would feel a lot safer and more secure in my workplace with drug-testing in place- (68%)
- I don’t want to work with people who are putting me in danger- (54%)
- I don’t want poor work carried out if co-workers are under the influence of drugs- (43%)
- I don’t want to work or associate with drug users- (22%)
- Drug testing may help those who use habitually to quit their habit and put their career first- (15%)
When the respondents who stated that they did not agree with making the drug testing compulsory across construction sites were then asked to reveal why not, the top five reasons given emerged as follows:
- Random drug testing would take up too much time in organisation and implementation- (77%)
- The costs involved in carrying out the drug tests would be too expensive for construction companies- (61%)
- There are no guarantees the drug testing would be 100% effective – (40%)
- I believe workers should be allowed to spend free time however they wish- (16%)
- I take drugs occasionally and would be concerned about losing my job- (5%)
Lyndon Wood, Creator and CEO of constructaquote.com made the following comments regarding the findings of the research:
“Taking into account how important safety and accuracy is regarding so much of the work carried out on construction sites, it seems as though implementing drug tests would work out as a perfectly logical step to ensure the safety of workers and the peace of mind of employers and construction clients.”
He continued:
“Having said that, it is argued amongst many think that the science and technology behind the tests are not perfected enough yet to give totally accurate results. Lives and careers could potentially be irreversibly damaged through a faulty drug test, as one can see in such cases as the bus driver who failed his test. So, whilst I do think that drug tests should be implemented across all sites eventually, perhaps now it is too soon to risk the potential problems and risks associated with someone being falsely accused of using.”
Continue ReadingVisqueen Building Products launches premium range of cavity drain systems
Visqueen Building Products have announced the launch of their new cavity drain systems range. Posted via Industry Today. Are you into it? Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Continue ReadingTwelve merchants win places on andpound;250m materials deal
Grafton Group, Jewson, Wolseley and PTS are among 12 merchants that have secured spots on a large-scale materials framework for social landlords that is worth up to £250m over four years. Posted via Industry Today. Are you into it? Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Continue ReadingUnderground cable fire causes chaos in London
Thousands of people were evacuated from offices in central London on Wednesday afternoon when a fire broke out in cable ducts under Kingsway in Holborn.
Flames shot out of an inspection cover and smoke engulfed the area as 70 firefighters tackled the blaze.
Evening performances were cancelled in local theatres as the neighbourhood suffered blackouts.
London fire brigade said the fire started in a large service duct which carries electrical and gas cables and water pipes beneath the street.
Fire crews were still at the scene on Thursday morning.
London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Peter Cowup said: “This has been a technically difficult incident to tackle.
“The reason that the fire is still burning is because the service tunnel is hard to reach and although firefighters have been applying water through access points throughout the night, the complexity of the tunnel layout means that it will be some time until the fire is fully extinguished
“However, the fire is contained and we are making steady progress and working with the utility companies and the police to bring this incident to a close.”
Continue ReadingISG Appointed on andpound;50 Million UWE Bristol Campus Scheme
ISG has been appointed on a £50 million project to create a striking new home for the Faculty of Business and Law at UWE Bristol. The landmark building is a key element of the University’s development masterplan at Frenchay Campus, occupying a strategic site in the central heart zone, adjacent to the currently under construction student union and plaza facilities. Posted via Industry Today. Are you into it? Follow us on Twitter @IndustryToday Continue ReadingFive firms win £3bn public land building framework
A group of five builders have been selected for a new £3bn framework designed to fast-track development of surplus public land.
Bouygues, Glasgow builders CCG, Morgan Sindall, Wates and Willmott Dixon have secured places on the four year Social Infrastructure Development framework, run by contracting authority NPS.
The SID framework will be used to deliver projects that span the public sector, from schools and housing through to police stations and care homes.
Mike Britch, Managing Director of NPS Group said: “We already have a pipeline of 16 schemes worth around £300m and expect SID to establish itself as the procurement route of choice for both public authorities and charitable bodies.”
It will be used to design, finance and construct social infrastructure projects funded through the development of land, which will be transferred to the firms for schemes.
SID will be available to public and third sectors nationally, with projects ranging from £3m – £50m in value.
Public sector clients wishing to use the framework will identify land for transfer and shape an outline development brief prior to selecting a contractor through a mini competition.
The winning contractor will be offered an option or conditional sale agreement on a site and be allowed to create value by developing and delivering a scheme which incorporates, for example, new build housing, and also may include delivery of public buildings on other sites remaining in the client’s ownership.
This may include a new school building wholly funded by the housing development, or the delivery of wider public benefits, as part of the deal.
Britch said: “There is a considerable and growing pipeline of interest already from public bodies who wish to make the best use of their surplus assets.
“This framework will enable them to do so much quicker than previous routes and will ensure more value is delivered into the public sector as a result of the de-risking process envisaged by the framework.
“This will also reduce the risk for the framework members as the schemes will be substantially “oven ready” before private capital needs to be deployed.”
Cornerstone Property Assets will provide support to local authorities, charities, and schools as they develop their projects for delivery through the framework. Others in the sector are also invited to support the SID framework in a similar way.
Continue ReadingHighways England sets out £11bn roads plan
The company officially replaces the Highways Agency next week.
The improvements over the first five years of operation include:
- 112 major improvements, including 15 smart motorway projects providing 280 extra miles of capacity, and resurfacing the majority of the network
- providing a more accessible road system delivering over 150 new cycling facilities and crossings, including 40 by the end of next year, and cycle-proofing new schemes
- reducing the number of people killed or seriously injured on the network by 40% from the 2010 baseline
Graham Dalton, Chief Executive of Highways England said: “The launch of Highways England is an incredibly significant moment for those who rely on England’s motorways and major A roads.
“As well as delivering the biggest investment in major roads since the 1970s, there will be fundamental changes to the way motorways and major A roads are maintained and operated.
“We will be focussing on customers, providing better travel information before and during journeys, improving safety and reducing the impact of roadworks.
“Highways England is the organisation that will meet this challenge.
“We are committed to a strategic road network in England that is far safer, more free-flowing and more integrated and supports economic growth across the country.”
Highways England will be responsible for 4,300 miles of network including 16,000 structures.
The Delivery Plan describes how Highways England will:
- develop a new standard for our busiest A roads known as expressways to provide a similar standard of journey expected on our motorways with improved junctions, emergency refuge bays and technology to keep traffic moving and reduce delays.
- organise improvement and maintenance work so it minimises disruption and keeps, on average, at least 97% of the road network open
- work with industry on emerging vehicle technology and cultivate a new and more mature safety culture that encourages good driver behaviour resulting in safer roads, vehicles and people.
- take a comprehensive approach to the environment: investing £225 million on flood resilience schemes, encouraging biodiversity around our roads by protecting and restoring nature areas and resurfacing that tackles noise pollution using low-noise surfacing at 1,150 locations
- trial innovative technology on our network, such as wireless power transfer to electric/hybrid vehicles, wireless internet on roads in the south east and acoustic incident detection systems to improve tunnel safety even further