A blueprint to improve competence for those working on higher-risk buildings and drive culture change has been set out by a cross-industry group representing more than 150 organisations (including FIS) in the fire and built environment industries.

Setting the Bar is the second and final report of the Competence Steering Group [CSG] and is an update of its Interim Report, Raising the Bar, published in August 2019. The work was initiated by the recommendations in Dame Judith Hackitt’s review Building a Safer Future.

The proposed overarching system of competence set out in the report is made up of four key elements:

• a new competence committee sitting within the Building Safety Regulator
• a national suite of competence standards – including new sector-specific frameworks developed by 12 working groups
• arrangements for independent assessment and reassessment against the competence standards
• a mechanism to ensure that those assessing and certifying people against the standards have appropriate levels of oversight.

Since the publication of Setting the Bar, the CSG and its working groups have consulted widely and taken on board feedback as they have continued to develop sector frameworks and overarching competence frameworks. These frameworks will provide the skills, knowledge, experience and behaviours needed to carry out specific roles, and deliver a more rigorous approach to the essential training and assessment that is required.  

CSG Chairman, Graham Watts, Chief Executive of the Construction Industry Council, said: “We would see higher-risk buildings as an essential starting point for the new competence frameworks for the whole of the built environment, which would result in a step change across the sector and change of industry culture.”

The CSG has worked closely with the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government and some of the Report’s key recommendations have already been adopted, including the proposal for a Committee on Industry Competence as set out in the draft Building Safety Bill.

The CSG is urging government to make mandatory the assessments against the frameworks for those working on higher-risk buildings, and is calling on government to take the lead by requiring that the competence framework set out within this report [subject to their review against the Overarching Competence Framework Standard currently being developed through BSI] must be met by any company or individual working on any higher-risk building.

Watts said: “There is no time to lose in casting aside the substandard practices that have shamed the industry. In this document we have set a new bar and we would urge all those working in life-critical disciplines to attain these higher levels of competence. Only then can we rebuild the trust of those who occupy and live in the buildings we design, construct and manage.”

FIS CEO, Iain McIlwee responded “This is a huge body of work that FIS and colleagues from across the industry have dedicated a huge amount of time to.  Our efforts have been very much focussed on Working Groups 2 and 12 looking at competency in the supply and installation of products respectively.  For me this report starts to set down what is reasonable and we are focussing our efforts on helping members to implement the changes recommended and get ahead of the regulatory requirements that will follow.  Through our working group we have been focussing on the FIS Competency SAKE framework based on the Skills, Attitude, Competence and Experience and have started to develop frameworks for each of the occupational areas that we represent.  As Graham says, we simply cannot wait.”

Additional to the launch, the competence requirements for the new role of Building Safety Manager have also been completed – which has been a major element of the CSG’s work. Setting the Bar includes a summary of the key points under the Working Group 8 section, but there is a full and separate report published by WG8 alongside this report, Safer people, safer homes: Building Safety Management, reflecting the fact that WG8 is establishing a completely new role and the competence needed.

The Full Report Setting the Bar and accompanying Annexes can be downloaded here.

The Executive Summary is available here.

WG8 Report Safer people, safer homes: Building Safety Management is available here.

(25 November & 27 January)
ACT is offering free places on a Welsh-medium assessors Training, Assessment & Quality Assurance (TAQA) Level 3 course, financed by the Coleg Cymraeg Cenedlaethol.

The online course aims to give qualified assessors the knowledge, resources and motivation to develop their provision and work confidently through the medium of Welsh. You can register your interest by contacting Non Wilsha on nonwilshaw@acttraining.org.uk 

In an earlier email this month, CITB informed employers of their latest Levy Proposals, which they are proposing should be used in the Levy Assessment to be raised in August 2021.  As well as a cut in Levy rates by 50% for all employers, the proposals will also mean that an extra 5,000 small employers will no longer have to pay any CITB Levy.

These rates will be applied to the information you provide in your 2020 Levy Return (covering 6 April 2019 – 5 April 2020), which you’ll receive for completion at the end of this month.  All Levy Registered Employers have a requirement to complete this and submitting your Levy Return by 30 November 2020 allows you to access our 2020/21 Grants Scheme and ensures that any outstanding grant payments can be made.

If you have any questions on how to complete your Levy Return, please contact CITB on 0344 994 4455 or email levy.grant@citb.co.uk.  You can also complete your return online here.

The documents show that even with the COVID-19 outbreak, 87% of apprentices surveyed said they would recommend their apprenticeship to other people wanting to train in their occupation.  Most also believe (81%) they have been equipped with skills enabling them to adapt to future developments within their industry, while 82% felt satisfied their apprenticeship had laid the foundation for a successful career.  For more information please see Institute for Apprenticeships Survey.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has today announced his new Winter Economy Plan featuring a new Jobs Support Scheme to replace the existing furlough scheme.

The Job Support Scheme

Starting in November, the scheme will run for six months.

It will be available for employees working at least a third of their normal hours, who are being paid for that as normal.  Employers and government will be jointly responsible for incresing their wages to cover two-thirds of their lost pay.  

Through the scheme, employers will continue to pay the wages of staff for the hours they work.  For the hours not worked, the government and the employer will each pay one third of their equivalent salary.  This means employees who can only go back to work on shorter time will still be paid two thirds of the hours for those hours they can’t work.

In order to support only viable jobs, employees must be working at least 33% of their usual hours. The level of grant will be calculated based on employee’s usual salary, capped at £697.92 per month.

All small and medium-sized businesses are eligible, however larger organisations must be able to show that their turnover has declined during the pandemic.  It is designed to sit alongside the Jobs Retention Bonus and could be worth over 60% of average wages of workers who have been furloughed – and are kept on until the start of February 2021.  Businesses can benefit from both schemes in order to help protect jobs.

Support for the Self Employed

Government is continuing its support for millions of self-employed individuals by extending the Self Employment Income Support Scheme Grant (SEISS). An initial taxable grant will be provided to those who are currently eligible for SEISS and are continuing to actively trade but face reduced demand due to coronavirus. The initial lump sum will cover three months’ worth of profits for the period from November to the end of January next year. This is worth 20% of average monthly profits, up to a total of £1,875.

An additional second grant, which may be adjusted to respond to changing circumstances, will be available for self-employed individuals to cover the period from February 2021 to the end of April – ensuring our support continues right through to next year. This is in addition to the more than £13 billion of support already provided for over 2.6 million self-employed individuals through the first two stages of the Self Employment Income Support Scheme – one of the most generous in the world.

Additonal Support Measures

Businesses that succesfully applied for a BounceBack loan can now extend their terms from six to 10 years as part of the “pay as you grow” scheme.  This aims to help cashflow allowing payments to be reduced.

If a business is in real trouble, then they can opt for interest-only payments or suspend repayments for six months.  It has been confirmed that credit ratings will be unaffected.

The government guarantee on Coronavirus Business Interruption Loans will be extended to 10 years and a new successor loan guarantee programme will be announced in January.

In addition, the Chancellor also announced he would be extending applications for the government’s coronavirus loan schemes until the end of November.

Businesses that deferred their VAT payments earlier this year will now have the option to repay in 11 interest‐free instalments during the 2021‐22 financial year, rather than in one lump sum at the end of March 2021, to help with cashflow.

You can read the full Winter Economy Plan outline report here

Visit our Covid Hub for all the latest information

Despite spending weeks encouraging employers to bring employess back into COVID-secure workplaces, the Government last night announced a dramatic 180-degree turnaround.

The advice now is to work from home wherever possible, in an attempt to curb an increase in COVID cases.

There are however still many businesses for whom homeworking is not an option. For them, creating a COVID-secure workplace has never been more important. COVID-compliance is now a legal obligation and not meeting these standards in your workplace will result in fines of up to £10,000 and being forced to close your doors.

Wondering if your business is up-to-scratch and could confidently pass an inspection?

FIS Associate Member Citation has put together an extensive checklist of all the considerations you need to make to get your workplace inspection-ready and safe for your people. You can access the checklist here. Further guidance can be found in our H&S Toolkit

FIS Member Benefit
If you’d like to chat about how Citation can help with the HR and Health & Safety side of your business, just give them a call on 0345 844 1111, or fill in our call-back form and we’ll get right back to you.
FIS members are entitled to preferential rates on Citation’s services. Quote ‘Finishes & Interior Sector’ when enquiring to access your member benefit.

CITB is recruiting members for its Levy Strategy Committee which represents the views of the construction industry across England, Scotland and Wales on the development of the 2022 Levy Proposals and the longer term strategy for the Levy.  You can find out more

The deadline for applications is 25 September 2020.

BLOG: Joe Cilia – FIS Technical Director

In a follow-up to his last blog ‘Addressing fire proof, no proof and value engineering’, Joe Cilia turns his attention to the ‘I have always done it that way’ argument.

This particular “old chestnut” is often brought out in defence to justify work, process or decisions based on past experiences, how the individual was trained (or shown) or what was in the last copy of a guide that was read – the assumption is that it should be ok based on experience: but here is the nub, things change, and often that change is brought about from new information, scientific research or an event.

It isn’t hard to think of some examples that we wouldn’t countenance now, but may have been considered normal back in the day:
Lead was used in in a huge range of products until people realised the harmful effects it could have when it was used in toy soldiers, paint, and petrol, all now banned.

Asbestos was billed as the “magic mineral” and used commonly in construction applications such as pipe lagging, tiles and insulation, now banned because of the risk to health.

So as our understanding improves, as innovation drives improvement, new testing, scientific research or worst case, an unfortunate event informs us, it is not unreasonable that the way we design and build evolves too.

A huge catalyst for change is that we live in a digital age. This has both upside and downside risks. Up until recently the only way we could see what was up to date and current was to wait for the revised guide to be printed or go to the source. In the information age and with mobile phone in hand, online up to-date information is far more readily available and accessible – this is great, but it also throws up new risks – information needs to be contextualised and validated.

Anyone who has seen the recordings of the BBC blog of the Grenfell inquiry where individuals are being cross examined, will quickly realise the importance of questioning and having evidence of compliancy. As competent people (who rely on our skill, evolving knowledge, ethics and experience) it is our responsibility to check, as its clear that saying ‘I thought’ does not stand up to cross examination.

In the world of fit-out, where building interfaces differ, build height, environment, compatibility with other specified elements, where ultimately there is more choice, it is vital to ensure that all of the details are carefully considered. All to often the term “contractors choice” leaves a contractor assuming design responsibility and impossible decisions rushed through because of late appointment, a lack of foresight, poor planning and pressure on programme. FIS advice is always to:

• Stop – Don’t Assume
• Check
• Confirm

I cannot stress enough how crucial this last stage “confirm” is. Even where assumptions are checked, decisions must be validated. This risk is that without thorough and robust assessment, where the implications of size, interface, compatibility of abutting materials, loadings and fittings are considered, performance may differ drastically from what was intended. In my work I have seen many examples where the performance of a product is assumed yet the installation has been altered in a seemingly small way, but that ultimately renders all proof of performance invalid and makes the
body who added the new material the ‘Manufacturer’, without the protection of warranty and liable for ensuring the safety and producing test evidence against any claims.

Suppliers too are more cognisant of the challenge and reporting that they are seeing instances of trying to “prove designs” or develop “workable solutions” based on test evidence that had been developed to manage bespoke installations, but now is being employed erroneously as if a standard
detail. This practice, coupled with the concept of extended producer responsibility and tightening regulation is driving suppliers to become more risk adverse in the publication of information and even withdrawing information that they fear could be misleading, out-dated or open to misuse.

The challenge to the market is that in a world of ultimate design freedom we create a myriad of solutions. Whilst manufacturers and contractors will continue to work with designers to overcome individual challenges, we may start to see choice constrained by compliance and the practicality of
testing and bespoke solutions, better planned, properly costed and evidence more clearly contextualised and marked for use within the constraints of that specific project.

So don’t assume that what was used on a previous job would apply to the next job or that ‘Standard details’ are still current, check with the system owner/ supplier before designing and ask for confirmation in writing and add it to the project file in case you are asked.

Joe Cilia
Technical Director FIS
September 2020

Due to reduced income, it will be essential that CITB focus on a smaller number of priorities to modernise and improve productivity, with greater access to training.  CITB will help employers address gaps in provision, make training accessible and target funding where it’s needed, including through the Grants Scheme.  Some of the initiatives within the plan include:

• Support 28,000 taster experiences of construction and help potential new entrants understand the opportunities available through Go Construct
• Create a new pathway between Further Education and employment for 8,000 learners, including 1,600 apprenticeship starts
• Give 19,000 people onsite experience to prepare them to start work in construction
• £500m of grants and funding (77% of Levy) into direct employer funding to help employers invest in training to rebuild after the pandemic and subsequently to modernise and boost productivity.

CITB feel with support from the industry a productive workforce equipped in high quality, transferable, core and emerging skills can be built that will pave the way for recovery.  You can read more in the CITB Strategic Plan 2021-25.

FIS has published a number of articles explaining the government-funded Kickstart scheme which was officially launched on 2 September 2020.  The scheme is aimed at helping unemployed young people aged 16-24 get a foothold on the career ladder by funding six-month job placements.  Under the scheme, funding will cover 100% of the relevant National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week, plus associated employer National Insurance contributions and employer minimum automatic enrolment contributions. 

One of the elements of this scheme is that applications must be for a minimum of 30 job placements.  FIS recognise this is likely to be too many for the majority of our members and as such, we are delighted to advise we have been approved to act as an intermediary on behalf of you, our members and the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP). 

As an intermediary, we are able to amalgamate all requests and submit a consolidated bid on your behalf. 

To make it as seamless as possible for you to engage with the scheme, FIS will be playing an active part in working with DWP to select the best and most suitable people available.  We can help you to access the £1,500 per job placement fund to cover the initial set up costs and the costs of training and support.  FIS will be there to support you and your organisation through the Kickstart process from beginning to end. 

We urge you to support this initiative and give unemployed young people a chance.  There is no obligation to employ individuals after the work placement has concluded.  Even if you don’t think you’ll be in a position to employ anyone for the next 6 months, you can still give someone an opportunity to train and develop, at no cost to yourself or your organisation and perhaps help them secure a career in construction.

Further information is available at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/apply-for-a-grant-through-the-kickstart-scheme but if you do have any questions, or would like to discuss your organisations specific requirements please give our Skills and Training Coordinator, Paul Glover a call on 07975 759378.

The UK economy continued its stronger than expected recovery in July, growing by 6.6% following June’s expansion of 8.7%. The economy has now recovered around half of the lost output between March and May, it remains 11.7% smaller than in February: to put it in context, the economy is the same size now that it was in 2013.

While the speed of the economy is encouraging, many experts’ current sentiments are very downbeat: this is because many indicators have weakened recently and are expected to deteriorate further. The UK currently faces a triple threat of:

• a weakening economic outlook set to deteriorate further as emergency government support measures are withdrawn later in the autumn,
• new Covid-19 outbreaks leading to restrictions that inhibit further economic recovery, and
• a disruptive Brexit causing shortages of goods and labour, and price inflation among other disruptions.

The Bank of England’s Chief Economist recently warned the government against extending the furlough scheme, arguing it would delay a “necessary process of adjustment” and the focus should be on transitioning to new ways of working.

Sector comparison
Construction continued its strong recovery, growing by a further 18% in July after being the most impacted sector in April. Further detail is contained within the report.

The production sector output increased by 6%, led by the manufacture of clothes and transport equipment. Services also increased by 6% with wholesale and retail trade, information and communication and defence approaching recovery to February’s levels. Accommodation and food services, while growing strongly, is still 40% compared to earlier in the year.

Construction remains 25% down compared to February, with services -13% and manufacturing -12%.

FIS members can access the full report here.

Details must be stored for 21 days and shared with National Health Service Test and Trace, if requested. There are fixed penalties for organisations that do not comply. Businesses and organisations had previously been advised to collect and share data, with many effectively doing so, however this programme will now be formally mandated from 18 September 2020.

Further details can be found here.

CITB has approached the Department for Education (DfE) with its latest Levy Proposals, which will include cutting 2021-22 Levy rates by 50% for all employers.  In addition, by raising the Small Business Levy Exemption threshold for employers with wage bills under £120,000, the proposals also see an extra 5,000 small employers paying no CITB Levy at all.  The proposals were formulated following conversations with industry leaders, stakeholders and a cross section of employers during the summer on what the priorities for construction are and how to fund them.

The Skills Stability Plan 2020-21, launched just over two months ago, reshaped CITB’s immediate support for employers.  The Strategic Plan, to be published later in September, looks at how CITB can best support the construction industry through to 2025 and how they will fund this.  The effect COVID-19 will have in future is very uncertain, so CITB have built in flexibility to adapt and respond quickly if needs change.

CITB regularly updates its Training Standards, releasing new ones, deactivating others and creating new grant eligible training (GET) codes for those that have moved from development to full Standards.  When making a grant claim it is important to use the correct code and Standard name to ensure payments get to you as quickly as possible.  The Grant Codes for Short Duration standards list has the most up to date information, and all upcoming changes can be found in the Construction Training Directory section here.

FIS is currently providing a supplementary fund for FIS members in addition to the money employers receive in CITB GET Code grant.  FIS can help check you are getting all of the funds you are eligible for, please ask for a Skills and Funding Clinic by completing the Registration Form, alternatively you can email info@thefis.org or telephone 0121 707 0077.

T Levels are central to the Government’s plans to improve technical and vocational education and address the skills gap. With content designed by more than 250 employers, these new high-quality technical qualifications follow GCSEs and will deliver a pipeline of young people with the skills, knowledge and workplace experience that businesses need.  These rigorous two-year courses are based on the world’s best technical education systems and combine classroom learning with a substantial industry placement.  Each T Level is equivalent to three A-Levels and attracts UCAS points offering graduates the opportunity of moving into a job, an apprenticeship or continuing to further study.  The industry placement, lasting at least 45 days, is unique to T Levels and allows students to put the knowledge and skills they have learned into practice. It is also an opportunity to try out their chosen industry and gain experience in the workplace. For employers, they offer the chance to bring in fresh ideas and to spot and nurture early talent.

For more information please see:

• T Level video:  aimed primarily at students and parents
• New T Level website with sections for both employers, students and parents:
• Introduction of T Levels page on gov.uk

The following T’Levels may be of interest to FIS members:

• design, surveying and planning for construction (now available)
• onsite construction (starting September 2021)
• building services engineering for construction (starting September 2021)
• design and development for engineering and manufacturing
• accounting
• finance
• human resources
• maintenance, installation and repair for engineering and manufacturing
• management and administration
• engineering, manufacturing, processing and control

It’s about competency…  To find out more about the work FIS is doing to support competency and recruitment, to find a supplier of quality training or to identify funding that can support your plans, visit our skills hubs here.

The latest edition of JTC Newsline, publihsed by the Joint Taxation Committee, provides Covid-19 updates including details on the new COVID-19 benefit payment for people self-isolating in high risk areas. HMRC is to start its next phase of compliance activity on the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) andit has also released a paper on the Job Retention Bonus.

In non-Covid news – P11D returns penalty letters being sent in error; new advisory fuel rates from 1 September 2020 and a reminder that off-payroll working rules (IR35) has not gone away – remember to check who you pay for work done for you that is ‘off-payroll’.

More information can be found in the Finance benefits hub https://www.thefis.org/membership-hub/memberbenefits/members-benefits-finance/