In the November edition of SpecFinish, we look at the outcome of the CITB Training Levy consensus survey which was put to Levy-paying FIS members during September.
In the technical article, Joe Cilia talks to four suppliers of raised and access floors and asks the question ‘A floor is a floor, isn’t it?’
Read more in the November edition of SpecFinish online via the Publications section of the website or the PDF version here.
During October, we welcomed two new companies to the FIS membership. Both are Contractor Members: Archway Building Services and SJP Contracts Ltd.
We look forward to a long and successful relationship with our new and existing members.
The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is holding a free evening event on 28 November 2017 focusing on mental health and wellbeing within the industry. Presentations will be given by Building Site to Boardroom, a not-for-profit organisation supporting mental wellbeing in the construction industry and Anna Pinkerton a Psychotherapist, and author of ‘How to Smile Again’.
One in four construction workers has considered taking their own life according to a recent Construction News Survey. A quarter of construction workers are considering leaving the industry within the next 12 months due to poor mental health. Tackling mental health and wellbeing within the industry is paramount in helping address these shocking statistics and creating a happier, more productive workforce.
The event is hosted by PKF Cooper Parry at their new office in Blythe Valley Park, Solihull and they will be sharing details on the design of their new offices which centres around the wellbeing of their employees.
This event is free to attend but places are limited so please register your attendance online by clicking here.
The Modern Slavery Act 2015 became law on 26 March 2015, with a ‘supply chain clause’ being added to the bills to force businesses to make public their efforts to stop the use of slave labour by its suppliers.
Since 29 October 2015, the Transparency in Supply Chain Provisions requires businesses to publish an annual statement if they have an annual turnover above £36 million. The statement must confirm the steps taken to ensure that slavery and human trafficking are not taking place in the business or in any supply chain.
On 21 March 2016, the Home Office held a Transparency in Supply Chains (TISC) event where an independent civil society modern slavery register, the TISC Report, was announced in order to provide a publicly searchable, accessible registry for companies to share their statements.
What are the legal obligations under the act?
The Modern Slavery Act makes it a criminal offence for a person or organisation to engage in any form of ‘modern slavery’ practices. It requires larger organisations (with an aggregate annual turnover not less than £36m) to publish an annual statement detailing the steps they have taken to ensure slavery and human trafficking is not taking place.
The Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement (the SHT statement) must cover the organisation itself – including parts of the business not based in the UK – and also its entire supply chain. The SHT Statement should be approved by the organisation’s board of directors and signed by a director (or equivalent). A link to the SHT statement should be published in a prominent place on the organisation’s website.
Visit the FIS Modern Slavery Toolkit here
On Tuesday 10 October, the winners of the #iBuiltThis2017 competition were announced by Architect and TV Presenter, George Clarke. The Awards were presented during an invitation-only event at the annual industry showcase UK Construction Week at the NEC near Birmingham.
FIS President Steve Coley addressed the audience with an overview of the campaign, thanking the sponsors and partners for supporting the competition. He then handed over to George Clarke, who talked passionately about his involvement with construction and the challenges that we face.
The first award, for the 13 Years and Under category, was sponsored by Building Heroes. Its founder and CEO, Brendan Williams, came onto the stage to accept the award on behalf of the winner, Kendrick Long. Using a mixture of gardening materials, his mum’s chopsticks and Lego bricks, Kendrick created his project ‘New three little pigs’ in a story format.
Sponsored by the Home Builders Federation, the category for 14-18 Years was won by Emily Ash for her project ‘Wall and Cavity Synoptic Testing’. She represents the Brookland College Building Department and also the next generation of bricklayers. Jenny Herdman collected the award on Emily’s behalf.
The category 19 Years and Over was sponsored by Silver Trowel, with representative Colin Teagle coming on stage to present the winner, Carwyn Jones, with his award. Carwyn’s project ‘The Dragon’s Eye’ allows the occupants to enjoy a stunning view of the Welsh landscape.
A Judges’ Award for Excellence was won by Frankie Bicker for his lime and fibrous plastering restoration at the Royal Academy of Arts. As the sponsor of the Award, Lydia Sharples from Nevill Long collected the prize on his behalf.
More #iBuiltThis2017 photos can be found on our Facebook page. If you would like to enter next year’s competition, please email Amanda Scott, Project Manager for FIS Skills: amandascott@thefis.org
FIS will be exhibiting at this year’s London Build which takes place on 25-26 October at London Olympia. FIS chief executive David Frise will be speaking at the training workshop on Wednesday 25 October, his session is titled ‘Time to focus on the building as a product’. Joe Cilia, FIS technical manager, will present the session ‘Standards and why they matter’ on Thursday 26 October.
As an event partner, we have secured a 15% discount for our members who wish to book a stand at the two-day exhibition. Simply follow this link to register your details.
Alternatively, register for your free ticket here to visit the Interior and Fit-Out Zone, Skills and Apprenticeship Hub and Digital Demo Hub. With a variety of Summits to attend including Off-Site and Fire Safety, you are guaranteed an informative day.
Don’t forget to come along to Stand P22 to meet a representative of FIS!