The First Minister has confirmed today that Scotland is to remain in Phase 3 of the route map out of lockdown.

Further actions including those detailed below are also being taken to help suppress the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

• The limit on the number of people who can meet socially indoors or outdoors will be reduced from a maximum of eight people to six people, and they should come from no more than two households down from three previously. This applies in people’s homes and gardens as well as in hospitality and public spaces such as parks.
• Face coverings will be mandated for customers and staff in indoor hospitality. There will be an exemption for when customers are eating and drinking. Staff in non-public facing roles, such as kitchen staff, will also be exempt where face coverings may present health and safety issues due to the nature of roles. Exemptions for vulnerable groups/individuals will also apply to hospitality settings. Regulations will the take effect on Monday 14 September.
• The cautious approach to any further opening up of economic or social activity will continue and the route map changes that were previously given an indicative date of 14 September will now be assigned a new indicative date of 5 October.

Further details are available here.

Scottish Construction Leadership Forum releases recovery plan in consultation with industry

The Plan for Jobs has introduced new support for FIS members to take on 16-24 for initial six months from the Government’s new Kick-start scheme.  The Kickstart scheme is for employers to create new jobs for those aged 16-24, claiming Universal Credit and at risk of long-term unemployment.  There is no cap on the number of places per employer.  Companies who take part in the scheme will have to prove that the jobs they are making available to applicants are new, are not replacing any already existing jobs and are ‘above and beyond any jobs they were expecting to create’.  Employers will be required to provide training and support for the kick starter to find a permanent job, in early August the Chancellor said ‘If employers meet the conditions, government will pay young people’s wages for six months, plus an amount to cover overheads.’

Funding will be available for each six month job placement and will cover 100% of the National Minimum Wage for 25 hours a week and employers will be able to top this wage up.  It is likely employers will be required to register through Job Centre plus.  Official policy and guidance has not yet to been published, so please check with FIS if you are offered anything to do with Kickstart.  FIS will publish details when they become available.

Our Skills and Training Lead, George Swann gives advice on how to choose a good, and swerve a potentially poor training provider

Like it or loath it, people need training and there are a lot of training providers willing to take your money, some top quality and some not so good.  In every case training for work is a requirement of UK law, as a general duty of employers the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 states:

“the provision of such information, instruction, training and supervision as is necessary to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, the health and safety at work of employees”

As with all products and services it’s well worth shopping around and checking what you’re actually going to get for your money.  Always negotiate with training providers to get the best possible service, quality and price.

As an example, we recently received an offer that initially looked great and ideal for our staff, offering a bursary for early sign up.  But, on investigation the training equated to 40 hours of online tuition at £25 per hour per attendee, the attendee was required to identify a work based mentor and complete four hours of self-assessment exercises, as part of the 40, then two multi-choice answer tests online.  The outcome was an attendance certificate with no link to anything formally registered.  Get 40 students signed up for that per month and it’s a nice little earner with minimal overheads.

When you’re looking for training provision consider asking the following questions:

1. Is this training linked to a formal outcome, a qualification on the Ofqual and/or QIW and/or the SQA register, if it’s stated it is, check it out its always worth requesting the reference:

Ofqual: Ofqual Formal Qualification Register

Wales: Qualifications in Wales

Scotland SQA: Scottish Qualification Authority Register

2. Is there any funding available to support this training?
3. Does this training require a renewal, if so, what is the criteria?
4. Is there any follow up support?
5. When will we receive the certificate(s)?
6. Is there an appeals procedure, if so, what are the details?

FIS has a network of Approved Training Providers who have signed the FIS Code of Conduct and are subjected to an audit to ensure the service provided matches FIS members expectations.  If you feel unsure FIS will be happy to help by providing information, advice and guidance please call 0121 707 0077 or email info@thefis.org

Offering a trainee 2-6 weeks work placement may help bring new talent into our sector and give you first pick.

Your business will benefit from government funding while making use of potential talent currently studying a construction traineeship.  Employers can offer a trainee work experience in their business as part of a construction traineeship.  Employers who make new work placement opportunities available may also receive an incentive payment of £1000 per learner.  The employer commitment is a minimum of 70 hours of work experience, but no more than 240 hours for benefit claimants over the duration of the traineeship (maximum of one year) and as agreed with the traineeship provider.  For full details please read guidance on traineeship information for employers.

1. Contact the National Apprenticeship Service to register your interest in traineeships. It is the same employer enquiry form as above for apprenticeships.
2. Partner with a training organisation to design a traineeship to meet your organisation’s needs. The training organisation will advertise the work experience placement for you.
3. Agree with the trainee and the training organisation exactly what you and they expect from the work placement. Register as an employer to track your vacancies on the apprenticeship vacancy system and view applications.

After the work placement ends the employer should offer the trainee an interview for an apprenticeship place.  If the trainee is successful, the employer will then be eligible for further funding.

In a bid to curb the nearly seven million workdays lost annually in the UK due to musculoskeletal disorders and to reduce the health risks to construction workers from lifting, moving and handling large amounts of plasterboard, the Finishes and Interiors Sector (FIS) has published a Best Practice Guide, Recommendations for the Safe Ingress of Plasterboard.

The guide was produced by members of the Plasterboard Material Handling Group, which comprises representation from key suppliers, specialist and main contractors in the finishes and interiors sector and the Home Builders Federation (HBF), and is chaired by FIS Technical Director Joe Cilia. Created on behalf of the Health in Construction Leadership Group (HCLG), the Best Practice Guide looks at ways to improve safety when planning for the delivery and movement of plasterboard at each stage and how risks can be reduced.

Commenting on the launch of the guide, FIS chief executive Iain McIlwee said: “Musculosketal disorders (MSDs) cost construction employers £646 million a year and is one of the most common causes of sickness absence and productivity loss at work. The FIS Best Practice Guide, Recommendations for the Safe Ingress of Plasterboard provides clear recommendations on ways to reduce the risk of injury and improve productivity and working conditions on site.”

The aim of the guide is to improve health and safety when plasterboard is delivered, moved and stored. It covers material-handling arising from the journey that plasterboard takes when delivered to sites that include homes, commercial, high-rise multi-occupancy, new builds and refurbishments. The guide is broken down into stages from planning to engagement with manufacturers and distributors, delivery and offloading, storage, vertical and horizontal movement, storage of off-cuts and finally the removal and egress of waste.

“Training, planning and good working practices will ensure that people can work in the industry until they wish to leave it with good health and not have to leave the industry because of debilitating musculoskeletal problems,” added Professor Anthony Woolf of the Bone and Joint Research Group at the Royal Cornwall Hospital, who provided expert advice to the group.

Ian Strudley, who is Chair of the HCLG MSD Task Group and Occupational Health and Hygiene Specialist at Balfour Beatty, said: “This comprehensive guide to the movement and handling of plasterboard will help consolidate the effort to achieve further improvements in musculoskeletal health, and therein achieve additional risk reduction and greater productivity.”

A spokesperson for the HSE said: “Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) are one of the most common work-related ill health conditions. Reducing the incidence and impact of these on workers’ health is a strategic priority for HSE. Poor materials handling commonly results in MSDs as well as more acute injuries. The construction sector has one of the highest rates of MSDs, and they are amongst the most common cause of sickness absence.

HSE acknowledges the launch of the HCLG’s report and guidance on reducing MSD during the delivery and movement of Plasterboard, and supports the collaborative work of the industry in reducing the incidence of MSDs.”

The HCLG comprises of contractors, clients, professional bodies, trade associations and trade unions. It is supported by the HSE (Health and Safety Executive).

FIS represents suppliers and contractors in the finishes and interiors sector. Its contractor members workmanship is vetted when they join and then every three years and they agree to carry out work in accordance with the FIS best practice guides.  All members abide by a code of conduct. A searchable list of members can be found here:

To download the FIS Best Practice Guide, Recommendations for the Safe Ingress of Plasterboard click here.