Blog Archive

Researchers at Northumbria University are developing 'self-healing' concrete and a repair mortar which can be used on existing buildings. Concrete cancer is caused by the swelling and breaking of concrete and is estimated to cost billions of pounds worth of damage to buildings. We are sure you all remember the Hammersmith flyover being closed over Christmas and the consequences of the failure. Th...
[Read on about Concrete Cancer Cure]

Strong winds are believed to have brought down the five storey scaffold at The Royal Beach Hotel in Southsea, Portsmouth. The scaffold was up because of renovation work being carried out on the hotel. Nobody was killed during the collapse, however six cars were badly crushed. Our readers will be aware that Milton Keynes also suffered a large scaffolding collapse back in 2009. This recent news re-...
[Read on about Scaffold Collapse: Portsmouth]

The BBC reported yesterday that he UK has returned to recession. A sharp fall in construction output was behind the surprise contraction, the Office for National Statistics said. This has lead to the economy shrinking by 0.2% in the first three months of 2012. However in London and the surounding area we see nothing but cranes on the skyline; are we to believe the latest figures? Apparently it is...
[Read on about Construction: Downward Turn?]

Despite global economic uncertainty, investments in Britain's national railway infrastructure are poised to rise over the next three years, promising busy times ahead for suppliers across the entire sector. We note that the 9th International Railway Infrastructure Exhibition is being held at the NEC in Birmingham from 1-3 May 2012. Infrarail, the definitive exhibition of products and services for...
[Read on about 9th Railway Exhibition: May 2012]

Sufferers of asbestos-related cancer will initially be exempt from government changes to "no-win, no-fee" rules, a justice minister has said. Peers and campaigners say mesothelioma victims should be exempt because the illness's severity is indisputable. Jonathan Djanogly said there would first be a review of the changes, which will see successful claimants pay part of their damages to their solic...
[Read on about Asbestos Exemption]

We read on the Construction Enquier that Bank underground staion is having an upgrade and London Underground has announced their shortlist. All four will now go through the new Innovative Contractor Engagement (ICE) procurement process to select a winner by July 2013. For more on this story, including details of the shortlisted bidders, go to Four bidders shortlisted for £500m Bank station upgra...
[Read on about Bank Station Upgrade Shortlist]

For those that are interested there is a new video available from the HSE - Judith Hackitt introduces the Healthy Workplaces Campaign. [Unfortunately this video is no longer available on the internet] If you are having issues viewing the video, please try going to aisolutions.co.uk/blog/2012/04/judith-hackitt-video--> EU-OSHA's Healthy Workplaces Campaign 2012-2013...
[Read on about Judith Hackitt introduces the Healthy Workplaces Campaign]

The HSE have published the latest fatal injury figures (based on RIDDOR) for the period up to December 2011 for deaths to workers and members of the public in the workplace. Showing the continuance of a 'downward trend' - does this mean we are getting better within construction? Many think not as the amount of construction work continues to fall.
[Read on about HSE Latest Figures]

Many of our readers will want to note the changes in RIDDOR reporting. As of 6 April 2012, the reporting requirement in RIDDOR for over-three-day injuries has changed. The trigger point has increased from over three days' to over seven days' incapacitation (not counting the day on which the accident happened). There is a supporting leaflet available from the HSE.
[Read on about RIDDOR Reporting Change]

The April 2012 edition of the Ai Solutions Newsletter is now available: April Newsletter.
[Read on about Newsletter - April 2012]

Our partner Callsafe Services have just published the list of changes in their latest Construction Health and Safety News. On 6 April 2012 the new regulations(CAR12) come into force. These regulations revoke the 2006 regulations, and the 2007, 2008 (2 off) and 2009 amendment regulations. The changes are as follows: Regulation 2 includes new definitions of "asbestos cement", "asbestos coatin...
[Read on about What has changed in the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012?]