Newsletter November 2009
Excellent Practitioner Awards
Our first Excellent Practitioners have now been nominated and the first award ceremony has been completed. Having been invited to take the stage at the recent OU awards session (see below), we were delighted to hand over the certificate to Margaret Sackey (text of the citation).
The second ceremony takes place in Bradford later this week and we look forward to reporting on that next month with a photo of Trevor Olsson our nominee at Bradford MDC.
Well done to them both for the hard work they have each put in to further the CDM cause across the UK.
Open University Award in CDM in partnership with TfL
Transport for London has lead the way again. They are the first organisation in the country to develop a Health and Safety award under the government's new Qualification Credit Framework (QCF). This scheme is appoved by the Construction Sector Skills Council and awarded by the Open University and the award is given to those who can demonstrate a higher level of understanding in CDM and compliance using the TfL CDM Management System, ToolKit CS.
It is well known that the HSE and construction industry require competent CDM professionals. This award provides proof of training and sets professionals apart from others in the CDM arena. In addition we believe that the 'one record' for all your training and qualifications is an excellent way of providing any future employer with all they need to verify your competence.
The award covers three CDM courses followed by a live assessment on ToolKit CS. The live assesment is externally moderated and each applicant shows a project they have worked on. The moderator then asks questions regarding the CDM process and the individuals project and use of ToolKit CS. Ai Solutions welcomes and supports this new initiative and in particular the qualification in ToolKit CS to manage the CDM process.
ToolKit CS: Collaborative Linking
We want to support our users as much as possible in their day to day activites in regard to CDM and Asbestos management. To this end our customers will be pleased to know that we are currently looking at linking ToolKit to other software packages. Discussions are currently going on between Ai Solutions and the producers of the following packages:
- Confirm, a package that supports Infrastructure Asset Maintenance and Management
- Symology, a package to support Highway Asset Management and Streetworks
- Achilles, a system to assess Contractors Competence
ToolKit already links with CHAS, the Contractors Health and Safety Assessment Scheme.
If you are currently using any these packages in your organisation then please let us know by contacting us on 01525 850080 and we will see how we can help facilitate 'linking' for you.
In addition, if you are using other packages in your organisational activities; for example Asset Management, Job Management, Competence checking, and would like ToolKit CS to link with them, then let us know more detail by calling a member of the team on 01525 850080. We are open to suggestions to improve your processes and support colloaborative working, so pick up that phone!
Bogus Competency: Be aware!
We are sure you have seen in the news that there are a lot of fake CSCS cards doing the rounds at the moment. Apparently Industry experts have no idea how many are in circulation because most forgeries are so good nobody can tell them from the real thing.
CSCS scheme manager Gordon Jenkins admitted: "There has been a noticeable increase in the number of fraudulent cards that have been reported. However, it is impossible to know the true scale of the problem because many of the fake cards are so good that it is unlikely that they would be spotted by the majority of people."
The introduction of SmartCard technology in the near future is the next step to make the CSCS cards harder to forge.
However, as Clients and Contractors, we all need to be aware of this current problem and take whatever measures are needed to curb this fraudulent activity. After all, it is the Client and Principal Contractor who will end up paying the price, or will it be the person that is killed due to the incompetence of those carrying out work on your site?
-- Read more in Contract Journal
Asbestos Fines
It is sad to see that demolition of buildings without proper controls to manage asbestos is still happening. The HSE has recently taken two companies to court after an unlicensed contractor was appointed to remove 3,000 sqm of asbestos insulating board from a warehouse. A&T Roofing had been awarded the contract for the work in November 2005 by Noble Gift Packaging Ltd.
Enfield-based contractor A&T Roofing pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3(1) of the Asbestos (Licensing) Regulations 1983, and Sections 2(1) and 3(1)of the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined £25,000 and ordered to pay costs of £33,844.30. Noble Gift Packaging Ltd. also pleaded guilty to breaching the Health & Safety at Work Act 1974. They were fined £40,000 and were ordered to pay costs of £19,223.65.
The HSE has said that "Not everyone exposed to asbestos goes on to develop life-threatening or terminal asbestos-related conditions such as lung cancer, asbestosis or mesothelioma. However, when people do develop such conditions, it is often many years after they were exposed. All the men exposed, and their families, will have this hanging over them for the rest of their lives. The HSE will always push for the harshest penalties in such cases."
-- Read more in Contract Journal
Penny Red
Over the past 14 plus years, we have despatched our software updates by Royal Mail. However, nowadays, all our major customers receive our software updates, via secure links, over the internet. The recent 'difficulties' with the postal service has caused us to reflect on this process and the UK institution that has been with us since about the time of the Penny Black. The penny, as it were, has finally dropped.
We are now writing to all our customers inviting them to accept our routine software releases as 'downloads'. This secure method will capitalise on the general availability of broadband and provide a hassle free method of swift and reliable updates, unaffected by any postal delays. We will continue to provide CD's to any customers who prefer that route.
Funny (or not?)
As we all know Health & Safety is not something that should be taken lightly, but the following link demonstrates that there are still those out there that don't take it seriously enough. You never know who is watching though. It's good to know there are some safety conscious individuals out there!
-- Top 10 recent safety blunders
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.