We have now shipped our latest updates to all of our customers; if you think you should have received a copy and have not, then please contact us immediately. The latest Release contains some major changes which will be of interest to all our ToolKit™ users.
The CDM Documents area within the Project interface has been reworked to make it more visible and we have added a Geographic Reference field for all projects.
We have updated and added to the Property Import routine, Sub-Reports and Additional Fields for reporting. Attachments, the Survey Wizard and the Floor Plan editor have all been enhanced making them easier to use and with more information.
When ToolKit™ started out in 1995, the document editor was very basic with unformatted text. We have moved on. We now have a fully functioning word processor, with a familiar, newly worked interface. Users have control of much field based data that they can implant into documents of their choice. These can be created from templates, or simply copied into the database from elsewhere on the clipboard. This is a very powerful environment, fully audited and permissioned by the administrator.
In addition to the new interface, we now have better 'Table' control and enhanced control over images and objects. This is a major rework of the editor and we are looking forward to your comments on it.
We have added functionality so that users can colour code their documents based on values in the database. Red for danger and so on. This makes reports more useful by making issues that need to be highlighted more visible. Other enhancements include the ability to change the sort order of all sub-forms and reports.
We have completed some important work on a new drag & drop interface to allow the insertion of multiple external files and the ability to insert complete files into the database rather than just linking. These are significant issues for some of the larger players out there who use our product to consolidate documents across their systems as a Document Management System.
Callsafe Services inform us that the HSE has published a report on its findings of the safety performance of designers. The report shows continued improvement over the last three years. However, the HSE is concerned that many construction projects are still producing vast quantities of useless paperwork. The findings come after HSE construction inspectors met with designers at 124 building projects across Scotland and Northern England in April this year. The investigations found the following;
The report hopes that the HSE 'less is more' message and ongoing consultation on CDM will help designers move from the false comfort of producing vast quantities of untargeted and generic paperwork. Copies of HSE (Construction Division) Scotland, North West and Newcastle upon Tyne Offices can be found at: www.hse.gov.uk/constr.../report05.pdf
EDF Energy has kindly agreed to host our next Major Accounts Review Meeting. The meeting will take place in their London headquarters on Tuesday 11th October 2005. This meeting will concentrate on CDM management issues and how ToolKit CS™ is used in large enterprises to manage CDM or asbestos 'across the business'. The meeting will include a presentation by EDF Energy on how the ToolKit™ software is used to manage compliance and an update to our ToolKit CS™ CDM solution for Enterprise users. If you are a corporate user and have not had an invitation but would like one, please contact us. Places are limited.
We understand from Thames Laboratories, that the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) intent to amend the Control of Asbestos at Work Regulations early in 2006 to comply with the requirements of the European Asbestos Worker Protection Directive. A full consultation exercise on this will be necessary, and the HSE is expected to publish its consultation document in October. A number of key issues have already been outlined, including a reduction in exposure limits and the removal of textured finishes, such as artex, from the Asbestos Licensing Regulations. The extension of the scope of Regulation 4 to cover social housing is not being considered in these amendments.
The HSE finally published its asbestos analysts guide back in March, reports Thames Labs. After much consultation, the HSE issued the document with a key addition. Within the new guide, a cap has been placed on the number of bulk samples an individual can analyse in a single day and, for some types of material, this can be as low as 20 samples. In recent weeks, all UKAS-accredited laboratories have had to outline how they will comply with this change to UKAS. The overall result of this is likely to be an increase in the cost of sample analysis.
We regularly receive updates from our customers and contacts about changes to legislation, the latest rumours and so on. We try to be selective with what we pass on and acknowledge our sources as appropriate. If you have information of general interest in the Health & Safety and particularly CDM and Asbestos Management arena, then please let us know by e-mail if possible.
Please review our web pages or call us for more information on our CDM and Asbestos Management products. Product data sheets are available as PDF file downloads from our web site.