ConstructionSkills asked two Diploma in C&BE Champions - representatives from industry who have pledged to support the growth of the Diploma - to discuss the role of Diploma students in the changing construction marketplace and explore if they can help the industry recover from the recession.

Roy Cavanagh, 63, has been employed by Seddon Group for 43 years and is currently Training and Education Executive for GJ Seddon. Recently awarded an MBE for his services to the construction industry, Roy says of the Diploma in C&BE:

“We’ve supported around 60 Diploma in C&BE students throughout the North West, and hopefully these young people can now go on to have a dramatic impact on the future of our industry.

“Construction is constantly transforming, and the Diploma is a great initiative to help us prepare for subsequent changes by producing a workforce with knowledge of the latest techniques and materials. Understanding new processes will enable our students to challenge traditional, and perhaps outdated, methods of working to produce the best result in a changing marketplace. Diploma students can appreciate the ‘bigger picture’ because they are taught about a variety of construction sectors, which ensures they are flexible to adapt with the industry.

“By showing them the wide range of careers available in construction, the Diploma will encourage more women into the industry and make our workforce more diverse. We’ll then be able to draw upon a range of skills and talents, making us well-equipped to move forward.

“Anticipating the future is a way of ensuring that construction recovers from the recession, as training through the downturn means we’ll have a pool of future workers ready for when things pick up. No matter what the economic climate, we will always need hospitals, shops, schools and places to live, so we’ll still need qualified people who are ready to deliver these projects. If we didn’t train for the future, we wouldn’t be prepared for the inevitable increase in demand that’s around the corner.

“Cost cutting is equally important to our recovery and Diploma students can help with this. Not only will they be trained in environmentally-friendly practices, but their understanding of new technologies means we can use modern, cheaper materials. Considering our industry’s carbon output, will also help to meet government targets.”

Bruce Boughton, 42, is People Development Manager at Lovell Partnerships Ltd, a company that has supported Diploma students nationwide. He said: “At Lovell, we support the Diploma in C&BE because the course design means that students are trained for the changing nature of construction.

“Diploma students engage with employers through site visits and industry talks, so the knowledge they receive will always be current. Unlike textbook learning, which is static and soon becomes outdated, the Diploma will always deliver flexible learning that allows for industry fluctuations.

“Focusing on the future, and how Diploma students can help us to advance, will be important for construction if the industry is to emerge from recession. Construction is a cyclical sector, and so a future skills gap is more than likely; in fact the industry is already finding it difficult to recruit talented site managers and quantity surveyors. If we train Diploma students during the downturn, the industry can be ready for the upturn with a pool of employees ready to work.

“Training up young people will also help us to beat wage inflation. Employing workers straight from education means we can grow our own talent, and this means we won’t have to pay increased costs in the future to buy labour on the open market. It’s crucial to take a long-term view with Diploma students and continue to train throughout the recession.

“Training Diploma students can also benefit our existing staff. Running sessions with the students boosts the confidence of our current employees, so much so that we make it compulsory for each of our trainee managers to give at least one talk throughout their training programmes. We use the Diploma to develop our future managers so we are ready for the recovery.”

Obtaining a U-value for a window can be prohibitively expensive for smaller manufacturers. The BWF has launched a 'Basic U-value Calculation' Service to its members to enable you to obtain the figure they need to comply with Building Regulations for the reasonable cost of £95 (plus VAT).

We are able to carry out a window U-value calculation based on the British Standard “BS EN ISO 10077-1:2006 Thermal performance of windows, doors and shutters. Calculation of thermal transmittance. General.” using the ECWINS software tool, which is only available through the BWF and only to BWF members.

You submit the relevant data for the window to us.  We will then calculate the U-value using the ECWINS software, and issue you with a certificate in accordance with that standard, which can be used as formal support when you supply U-value information to potential customers or Building Control Bodies (BCB).

The U-value calculated is sufficient to satisfy the requirements of Building Regulations, but is not as precise as a full U-value simulation.  It cannot be used as the basis for obtaining a full BFRC Window  Energy Rating (WER), nor could it be submitted as if it were a WER. A U-value for an energy rating needs to be simulated to Part 2 of BS EN ISO 10077.   The BWF offers other Total Support Service packages which can help you obtain full U-value simulations or Window Energy Ratings.

The link to the 'Basic U-values Calculation' service is a feature of our Part L Compliance package and can be found here.

The British Woodworking Federation (BWF, www.bwf.org.uk) is launching a new award in memory of its late Technical Director, John Hedgecock, who sadly passed away last year after a long illness.

John Hedgecock was the BWF’s principal technical advisor for 16 years. After serving an apprenticeship as a carpenter in his family’s building firm, he developed his interest in timber, became an acknowledged expert in timber frame housing and qualified as a Fellow of the Institute of Wood Science. He served on more than 30 British and European standards committees, many as either chairman or lead draftsman. During his time at the BWF, he was instrumental in the development of the technical standards which underpin the accreditation schemes.

The John Hedgecock Memorial Award will recognise exceptional technical excellence, achievement or innovation in joinery manufacture, and will be presented to the winner by John’s family at the BWF’s Annual Dinner, returning to the industry calendar this November following its absence in 2009. Open to both companies and individuals who can put themselves forward or be nominated by others, the award is a fitting tribute to a man whose dedication and knowledge was second to none.

The BWF is the most authoritative source of technical advice and guidance for the joinery industry, and its members benefit from access to a dedicated helpline, subsidised training and resources such as the variety of Fact Cards produced on a wide range of topics. The BWF Annual Dinner is a chance for members to come together in a relaxed social setting to look back at the year, and will provide the perfect backdrop to the presentation of the new award. 

A panel of judges comprising Ian Purkis, BWF President and Technical Director at JELD-WEN, Kevin Underwood, BWF Technical Manager, and Roy Wakeman, BWF Senior Vice-President and Life Honorary Member, will select the eventual winner.

Speaking about the new award, Richard Lambert, Chief Executive of the BWF, says: “John Hedgecock was recognised as one of the leading authorities on woodworking and joinery manufacturing, and was widely respected in the UK and across Europe for his significant contribution to the development of British and European standards. His breadth of knowledge, his depth of understanding, and above all his ability to explain is missed almost as much as his personal warmth and humour. The BWF is inaugurating the John Hedgecock Memorial Award as a fitting commemoration of his contribution to the industry. John would have been proud to be associated with an award encouraging and celebrating technical excellence, and so we hope that entries live up to our expectations and his legacy.”

And BWF President, Ian Purkis, says: “We are delighted to be able to launch this new award which will provide a reminder for years to come of John’s outstanding contribution to the industry. It will be an honour to welcome his family to our Annual Dinner in November, and I look forward to reviewing the entries with my fellow judges. Entries will be accepted until Friday 22 October, and so if you feel that you or someone you know deserves recognition for technical excellence, achievement or innovation, make sure you visit our website and download the entry form for your chance to be the recipient of the inaugural John Hedgecock Memorial Award.” 

For further information about the John Hedgecock Memorial Award or to download the entry form, visit the website at www.bwf.org.uk/awards2010 or call 0844 209 2610.

Download the PDF release here.

Already mandatory in most EU countries, it is expected that the CE marking of joinery products will become compulsory for UK manufacturers in the next few years. The British Woodworking Federation (BWF, www.bwf.org.uk) is keeping abreast of developments, and is keen to reassure its members and the wider industry about the implications of this new legislation which is now expected to come into force between 2013 and 2015.

European law requires that all construction products placed on the EU market should be fit for purpose, as demonstrated by CE marks which signal a product’s performance in relation to its essential characteristics as defined by the relevant European harmonised technical specifications. These CE marks help the consumer identify high performing products manufactured within a controlled process, allowing them to make informed and confident choices. In preparation for the implementation of compulsory CE marking, the EU is currently in the process of developing the Construction Products Regulation (CPR) which will provide updated criteria regarding product performance and testing. CE marking is already possible in the UK where a harmonised product standard exists, but it is entirely voluntary unless the product is exported to another EU member state when it becomes a compulsory requirement. 

The BWF’s Technical Manager, Kevin Underwood, has been keeping a close eye on developments, and is working to prepare the trade association’s response. He says: “We have known that the introduction of compulsory CE marking is coming for some time, but the European legislative process is notoriously slow, and it is still not certain when the new Construction Products Regulation will be agreed, let alone when it will come into force. We now expect it to be implemented between 2013 and 2015, and with this in mind, we at the BWF are working hard to be ready. We pride ourselves on being able to give authoritative technical advice and guidance, and will be offering support to our members to ensure that they are ready when the new legislation comes into force.

“There has been some concern from smaller joinery manufacturers that the requirements imposed by the new legislation could be too costly, bureaucratic and complicated to meet due to stringent product testing and verification. However, there is some good news for the industry, as the way the Regulation is developing reflects the EU’s desire to ensure that it is easy for small and specialist companies to comply. The most recent draft also includes a new clause granting an exemption from providing a performance declaration where products are made to bespoke specifications or for products manufactured in a traditional, non-industrial way for heritage and restoration projects. Both of these, if included in the final Regulation, will make life easier for many of our members who work on small projects and on conservation schemes.

“We know that the prospect of changes to legislation may be daunting, and that CE marking may sound like a challenging process. However, we believe that it will be beneficial in the long run as it will enable manufacturers to increase trade with other EU member countries and help consumers easily identify quality products, and the BWF will be offering plenty of guidance to members to make the transition to CE marking as seamless as possible.”    

For further information about the BWF or any of its schemes and initiatives call 0844 209 2610 or visit the website at www.bwf.org.uk.

Download the PDF release here.

• Have their Health and Safety comprehensively audited for just £145
• Get their first year of Chain of Custody certification for £645
• Save £600 on expert assistance to get ISO9001 certification

The funding offer is limited to 20 BWF member companies, spread between the three services, and although there are still funds left, the offer expires very soon, so members won’t be able to get these reductions after the end of August.

With restrictions in the funding that small businesses will be receiving, this is a good opportunity for members to give themselves an advantage over their non-BWF competitors. After the success of 2008’s grant offer, we worked hard with ConstructionSkills to secure funding for members to invest in improving their business and to enable them to take advantage of experts with a wealth of experience in working with SMEs in the joinery sector on ISO9001, Chain of Custody and Health & Safety.

The application process is simple - If you want to apply, just send us a completed application form, together with a cheque (or BACS payment) to cover the initial costs plus VAT.

To view the other Total Support Services, which are available at a reduced rate for BWF Members and including our Technical Consultancy/Site Inspection Service and Window Energy Ratings packages, please follow this link.

A mother has described how a stranger saved her baby as a fire swept through the top four floors of the 15-storey Madingley block on the Cambridge Estate, in South West London. While the tower was on fire the mother had left her flat to dispose of a nappy when the door closed behind her, locking her child inside. The mother could not leave the building as the child was trapped until two men knocked down the door to gain access. Fortunately everyone escaped from the building.

This is a real-life example of a problem that can arise as a result of poor specification, as highlighted at the recent Fire and Rescue Conference in Harrogate. If there is a fire in a block of flats the occupants should be able to reach, in the shortest possible time, a place of relative safety. The key two areas in the block which are considered to be relatively safe are the flats themselves and the stair enclosures. These parts of the block should be protected by fire resisting construction.

BWF Technical Manager Kevin Underwood notes that, “All flat entrance doors should be fire doors and should be fitted with door closers. When someone leaves the flat the door will close behind them. If the door is fitted with a lock which can only be opened from the outside with a key the person will be locked out of their flat unless they have their key with them.”

“The recommendations for flat entrance doors is that they should be held closed with either a latch operable with a handle both internally and externally or a roller bolt. The full dead locking facility should be engaged and be operable with a key externally and a handle or thumb turn release internally. Locks complying with BS 8621 meet these requirements.”

The same advice is given by the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers and Secured By Design.  However, regulations are tending towards risk assessments and ultimate responsibility lies with the “responsible person” designated under the Fire Safety Order.

Some useful guidance on the selection of locking hardware can be found in the NHBC Magazine, Standards Extra, which can be downloaded here.

Information on flat entrance doors can be found in the December 2008 and December 2004 issues. You will also find the latest June 2010 issue which includes features on decking, sustainable construction, parts L and F and the perimeter sealing of doors and windows.

A code of practice for fire door hardware jointly produced by the Door and Hardware Federation and the Guild of Architectural Ironmongers can be downloaded here.

Residents said they were forced to use the lifts to escape, despite the danger, because of the speed the fire was spreading. The fire took four hours to bring under control. The block of 60 flats was built in the 1960's.

In a separate incident, around 120 people were evacuated in a fire in a privately-owned block of flats in Marylebone, London on July 1st.

Faulty workmanship to blame?

Speaking at the recent Fire and Rescue Conference in Harrogate, last week, Steve Turek, of London Fire Brigade reported that "the serious increase in fires in the capital was due to faulty workmanship during and after construction, poor specification of materials and a lack of adequate building control and sign-off".

They have developed a very short questionnaire which asks companies across the construction products industry to identify those things that cause them most concern and whether their concerns about these have increased or reduced over the last couple of years. The results are likely to feed into similar work which both BIS and the CBI are doing on a wider scale.

We have been asked to circulate the questionnaire and to encourage as many BWF members as possible to respond, to get a really representative view.

You can download the survey form here.  Replies should be sent to Sarah McMonagle at the Construction Products Association (details on the bottom of the questionnaire) by Monday 26 July.

Satu Hassi, the Finnish Green MEP, who took over parliamentary responsibility for this legislation from former British MEP Caroline Lucas after she was elected to the UK Parliament, said, "EU legislation to ban the sale of illegally-sourced timber represents a major international breakthrough, from the forests around the world that are ravaged by illegal logging to the EU market where timber and wood products are sold. The tough rules agreed would not have been possible without the strong backing of the European Parliament."

The new legislation bans illegally-harvested timber or timber products from being placed on the EU market. This will prevent such wood from effectively being laundered once it reaches the EU. Currently, at least 20% of timber and timber products reaching the EU market is estimated to come from illegal sources.

Member States will be responsible for applying sanctions to operators who break the rules. The legislation sets out guidelines for imposing fines: the environmental damage caused, the value of the timber and lost tax revenue can all be taken into consideration. EU countries can also impose criminal penalties; the Coalition Government has already committed to make importing or holding illegal timber a criminal offence. To ensure traceability, each operator along the supply chain will need to declare from whom they bought timber and to whom they sold it.

The Council of Ministers has already informally agreed with the Parliament's draft, but will need to rubber stamp it before it can pass into law. The rules are expected to take effect in late 2012 to allow the timber timber industry time to adapt.

Since its launch in 2006, the Woodworking Industry Training Forum (WITForum), administered by the British Woodworking Federation (BWF), has offered training courses on a wide range of subjects, from management to health and safety, to its members and the wider industry. This portfolio is now to be expanded in partnership with specialist woodworking training provider, Bristol-based Didac Ltd.

The WITForum is now able to offer over 40 courses, tailored to the needs of the joinery and woodworking industry, on an ‘on demand’ basis, making training more flexible and affordable than ever before. Expert trainers from partner organisation Didac Ltd will be able to deliver training either on the company’s premises or at their new purpose-built Woodwise Academy in Bristol, and where courses require a minimum number of delegates, the WITForum will endeavour to find others from within the membership to fill up any available spaces to help ensure that courses are able to run.

Jon Gibson, Managing Director of Didac Ltd, says: “Training is vital to the long-term success of the woodworking industry, and for us, a partnership with the WITForum seemed the obvious next step to help make our courses more widely available. Our courses cover a huge range of subjects directly relevant to the industry, and we look forward to welcoming members and non-members alike to our Woodwise Academy where they will be able to learn from our expert tutors and improve their skills to help secure the future of the industry.”

Speaking about the new partnership, Manager of the WITForum, Dave Campbell, says: “We are delighted to be working with Didac Ltd on our initiative to plug the skills gap within the woodworking industry. We selected Didac Ltd as our training partner due to their years of industry experience and proven track record of delivering high quality training to our members, and look forward to working with the team to improve the skills of our industry.”

“Our revamped training services are split into five main categories covering everything from Machinery and Equipment to Health and Safety, Site Work, Timber and Sustainability and Management, and we look forward to welcoming both members and non-members to our courses in the future. As an added incentive, BWF and WITForum members will benefit from discounted rates, so there really couldn’t be a better time to train and to be a member. Get in touch now to find out more about the huge range of training courses available.”

For more information on the wide range of courses available through the WITForum, log on to www.bwf.org.uk/training.  

Download the PDF Release Here