Newsletter December 2006

What the New CDM Regulations Require

Attendees at our recent seminars will know that the CDM 2007 Regulations major on the need for good communication and well documented competence for everyone involved in construction projects.

With Civil liability increased, the onus is on every one from the largest Client to the smallest contractor to be aware of their CDM responsibilities and to carry them out competently. And the CDM regulations now apply to ALL projects, excepting domestic; notification, however, is reserved for the longer ones.

In addition, the CDM Coordinator (CDM-C) role has been developed to be, in essence, an organisational role. It is far more proactive (and more experienced) than the old planning supervisor role which now disappears. All of this implies that the cost of providing CDM-C services is likely to be up to twice that of the old Planning Supervisor counterpart. Industry watchers are citing that the fees for a £1m project will rise by around two-thirds.

Risk Free Compliance Partnership for CDM 2007

New responsibilities. New opportunities. Change is on its way. Are you ready?

The new CDM 2007 regulations take effect in April 2007. They demand better competence and communications between all parties. When you carry out your new duties within the framework of the new legislation, you and your colleagues will want to be assured that you will get a clean bill of health from the HSE when they come to call. And you will want to achieve this with the minimum of hassle and maximum efficiency. Our guaranteed risk free compliance partnership is your solution for CDM management.

Ai Solutions are presenting a free seminar for Local Authorities, utility companies, estate managers, and contactors across London. We bring twelve years experience of CDM Management and are the leading supplier of CDM software to major clients including EDF Energy, Transport for London and several London boroughs. Our expertise, that of our partners and our links with the HSE combine to provide a guaranteed solution.

The seminar will be held in Bromley. Organisations wishing to take part should register for the event to book their places.

ToolKit CS™ Product Updates for 2007

'Good Communications' has always been a forte for ToolKit CS™, our compliance software. The new regulations give us the opportunity to enhance best practice features including more competence recording and auditing.

ToolKit CS™ is undergoing a metamorphosis into a Safety, Health, Environment, & Quality system. This is being led by our major clients, EDF Energy, Transport for London and Bradford MDC; each have their own interests in this development and are assisting our progress with some vigor.

Schedule of Events

Ai Solutions has a lot planned to keep our users well informed about what is happening in CDM and Asbestos Management and some dates for your diary to note are as follows:-

CDM ToolKit™ 2007 Workshops

We are deploying a new release of our software to come into place as the new regulations come into force in April next year. To support our end users in this release we will be holding a number of workshops prior to the release (February 27th, March 6th, 13th and 20th) at our office in Leighton Buzzard.

We will have an overview of the changes to the ToolKit CS™ system and how to manage your projects under the new regulations. We will also be providing PCs for end users to try out and get familiar with the new software. There will be excellent technical support for all attendees and users can query any issues with a member of the Ai Solutions Team.

This is a golden opportunity to obtain prior knowledge of the system before its release in April next year. The workshops will run from 9.30am through until 1.00pm and are free to attend for 1 person per site license. Extra attendees per site license can also attend (if slots allow) for an additional cost of £10 per person.

We can also offer a workshop at a customer's site for up to five people for £399 plus travelling expenses.

Book now to avoid disappointment as there are limited spaces available.

Ai Solutions Annual Conference

Our 2007 annual conference will be held in London on Wednesday 18th April 2007 at the Royal Air Force Club Piccadilly. The keynote speaker will be Richard Boland of the HSE in his new role as Head of Construction Operations, London and the South East. He is in the process of handing over his former role as Principal Inspector H&S Construction Policy where he and his colleagues have completed the mammoth task of revising the CDM Regulations which are now expected to progress to the Statute Books this year.

The seminar will centre on the CDM2 regulations and how our ToolKit™ Compliance Software can help manage compliance not only in internal departments but also across organisations using the technology of your choice. Dave Carr Managing Director of Callsafe Services and Tim Britton of AA Projects will also be joining us as guest speakers.

The morning seminar will include a buffet lunch and will cost £95 plus VAT with a discount for ToolKit™ software users. Watch future newsletters for more details.

Nightclub on asbestos charges

The TimesOnLine reports (4 Dec 06) that a Norwich based nightclub has been fined £90,000 for "putting profit over safety" and exposing more than 70,000 people to asbestos. The owners of the Atlantis Arena club in Great Yarmouth, Norfolk, were warned in 2004 that the deadly dust had been found in the club's dance-floor ceiling. But they kept the club open for another 11 months.

Norwich Crown Court was told how patrons could have inhaled the dust and been put at "low" risk of developing later chronic health problems. About 1,000 families were also put at risk when they went to a pantomime at the seafront venue. Council officials closed the club in November last year when they realised the problem. Rodney Scott, 66, and Colin Abbott, 43, admitted two charges of failing to sufficiently protect the safety of staff and visitors, and three breaches of asbestos at work regulations.

Postal Asbestos fails to get the Vote

The TUC Bulletin reports (28 Nov 06) that Royal Mail union CWU has called for an end to the potentially illegal use of the mail to send asbestos samples, a practice which could place both the public and postal workers at risk.

Royal Mail has launched an investigation after it was revealed a South Wales company was encouraging the public to take their own asbestos samples and stick them in the post. The instructions from Asbestos Watchdog, a company whose sole director is John Bridle, were removed this week from the firm's website. Members of the public are now told to contact the firm for details of its sampling service.

Mr Bridle has been criticised recently both in court and in the media. A BBC investigation last month revealed his CV contained false claims about his qualifications and main clients. He was successfully prosecuted by Vale of Glamorgan Council under the Trades Descriptions Act for making false claims about his asbestos qualifications, resulting in a criminal conviction.

CWU says other asbestos-by-post organisations are offering 'self testing kits' for £100. Dave Joyce, the union's national health and safety officer said he had called on Royal Mail to 'examine whether Mr Bridle and his company 'Asbestos Watchdog' are committing offences under Section 85(1) of the Postal Services Act 2000, which prohibits the posting of items which can harm postal workers or the public and I have additionally asked the asbestos policy unit of the Health and Safety Executive to consider whether the company has breached Section 3 of the Health and Safety at Work Act which places duties on employers and the self-employed to ensure their activities do not endanger anybody.'

IOSH Conference 27th & 28th March 2007

We are exhibiting at the Institute of Occupational Safety & Health conference in Birmingham next year and hope to see as many of our clients as possible as well as meeting some potential ones.

If you would like more details please go to the IOSH website www.iosh.co.uk

Callsafe Newsletter

Our Partners Callsafe continue to issue their monthly analysis of health & safety issues which we recommend for your reading.

Charity Christmas Puzzle - 5 Out Of 5

We are delighted to continue our support of an outstanding Christmas Puzzle organised locally to raise money for charities around the country.

This year's puzzle (the sixteenth) will be available for download from 8th December from the Christmas Puzzle website.

So far, the puzzle has raised over £21,000 for various good causes, including £3,000 last year. The puzzle should appeal to people who enjoy solving (former) broadsheet crossword puzzles. You have plenty of time to work on it so don't expect every answer to be obvious; however, unlike many puzzles that come out around this time of year, this one is designed to help you finish!

-- www.ChristmasPuzzle.co.uk

Happy Christmas

More Information

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.