by Clair Mooney | 21 Mar, 2019 | CSCS, Main News Feed
Following consultation with industry, CSCS has agreed a plan that will pave the way for the eventual withdrawal of cards issued under Industry Accreditation.
For several years the strategic direction of the Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) has focused on ensuring that all applicants can demonstrate the achievement of a nationally recognised construction related qualification.
With the introduction of the Labourer card, the withdrawal of the Construction Related Occupation card and the planned removal of the Site Visitor card the next step is the withdrawal of cards issued under Industry Accreditation.
Industry Accreditation, also known as Grandfather Rights, allowed workers to obtain CSCS cards on the strength of an employers’ recommendation rather than the achievement of a recognised qualification. CSCS closed Industry Accreditation to new applicants in 2010 but those already holding a card are currently able to renew on the same basis.
CSCS has consulted with the industry and agreed a plan that will pave the way for the eventual withdrawal of cards issued under Industry Accreditation.
From 1 January 2020, all cards renewed under Industry Accreditation will expire on 31 December 2024 and CSCS will stop issuing the card from 30 June 2024. CSCS has also announced a new online service to speed-up the card application process – find out more here.
FIS is working with members and the wider sector to support the transition to blue skilled cards. To find out more click here
More on FIS Skills Activity:
- FIS BuildBack – recruit new workers in this dedicated programme to train and bring unemployed individuals into the drylining trade
- FIS BuildME – open your sites and offices for work experience opportunities (aimed at those doing FE courses associated with construction)
- FIS Apprenticeships – modern apprentices without the pain
by Clair Mooney | 21 Mar, 2019 | Main News Feed
FIS, representative body for the £10 billion finishes and interiors sector in the UK, has extended its hand to help the 75 staff being made redundant at Paragon Interiors.
Iain McIlwee, FIS CEO said “Paragon Interiors Group is a time served Gold award winning member of FIS and it’s tragic to learn the deal with Red 7 Property has collapsed. We care deeply about our membership base and recognise that staff are the most valuable asset of any organisation. We have worked with our colleagues at Paragon Interiors Group for a long time and for this reason we would like to help them secure employment in other organisations through our contacts and networks.”
FIS has reached out to their colleagues at Paragon Interiors Group, their MP, local employment groups and its membership base to see if they can find new employment opportunities for those impacted. Staff at Paragon Interiors Group can email FIS their details to info@thefis.org and we will endeavour to help them through discussions with our industry networks and on social media.
by Clair Mooney | 14 Mar, 2019 | Main News Feed
The CPA Technical Report 19 (02) covered the government’s newly published Resource and Waste Strategy which aimed to make businesses and manufacturers pay the full cost for recycling and disposing of packaging waste by placing obligations on those responsible for producing waste to be more accountable.
Following this, DEFRA, in conjunction with the three devolved governments, has issued a Consultation on reforming the UK packaging producer responsibility system in which they are seeking views on introducing extended producer responsibility to reduce the amount of unnecessary and difficult to recycle packaging and to increase the amount of packaging that can be recycled. The consultation documentation can be viewed here.
The proposals being consulted on are:
- The definition of full net cost recovery and approaches to recovering full net costs from producers
- Incentives to encourage producers to design and use packaging that can be recycled
- The businesses that would be obliged under a packaging extended producer responsibility system
- Producer funding is used to pay local authorities for the collection and management of household packaging waste and to support the collection for recycling of household-like packaging ARISING IN THE COMMERCIAL WASTE
- Mandatory labelling on all packaging to indicate if it is recyclable or not
- New packaging waste recycling targets for 2025 and 2030 and interim targets for 2021 and 2022
- Alternative models for the organisation and governance of a packaging extended producer responsibility system.
The consultation is split into three parts and 12 sub-sections. Not all sections may be relevant to all stakeholder so not all questions are mandatory.
The proposals will impact:
- Manufacturers that use recycled materials
- Businesses that produce and sell packaging products
- Local authorities
- Waste management companies that collect and manage packaging waste
- Businesses that recycle or export for recycling packaging waste
The consultation closes on 13 May 2019
by Clair Mooney | 13 Mar, 2019 | Main News Feed
Before Brexit day, most non-harmonised construction products circulate on the EU market under the mutual recognition principle. This principle prevents EU countries from prohibiting the sale of products that have already been legally sold in another EU country, even where countries have different national requirements covering the same products. The only exception to this principle is where an EU country has restrictions based on public safety, public policy or public morality.
You can read the government’s information on “Trading under the mutual recognition principle if there’s no Brexit deal”, here.
However in the event of the UK leaving the EU, the UK will no longer fall within the scope of the mutual recognition principle because we have become a ‘third country’. UK companies exporting non-harmonised products will need to consider the national requirements of the first EU country they export to. They will not need to consider the national requirements of any EU countries the products travel through before reaching their intended market.
UK companies which have already exported non-harmonised products to an EU country by meeting the relevant national requirements will still be able to make use of the mutual recognition principle and market their products in other EU countries.
UK companies importing non-harmonised products into the UK will need to ensure they meet UK national requirements, even if their products were previously lawfully marketed in another EU country. Non-UK companies exporting non-harmonised products to the UK will need to ensure that the products meet UK national requirements, regardless of whether they were previously lawfully marketed in another EU country or in the UK.
For further information about national regulations for non-harmonised products for different EU countries is available from the country’s Product Contact Point. A list of these national product contact points is available here.
With regards to cross-border trade between the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland, the Irish government has indicated that they would need to discuss arrangements with the European Commission and other EU countries in the event of a no deal Brexit. In this instance the UK government is ready to engage in these talks.
by Clair Mooney | 13 Mar, 2019 | Main News Feed
Since the publication of the Hackitt Review in spring 2018, the construction industry has been working hard to meet the various challenges set for it.
The CPA has established its own Marketing Integrity Group (MIG) to specifically address Chapter 7 of the report, which challenges how product information is made available to the wider supply chain. In order to inform its work further, the group is issuing a Call For Evidence. FIS will be providing a direct response to the MIG. If members have any key points that they would like included, please email details to iainmcilwee@thefis.org
Areas of interest covered are:
- Ease of finding information
- Product substitution
- Completeness and correctness of information
- Products as part of a system, or use in a variety of applications
If members also wish to respond directly, the Call For Evidence survey is available online. It should take approximately 15 minutes to complete. The survey will close on Friday 5 April.
by Clair Mooney | 12 Mar, 2019 | Main News Feed
The Department for Education (DfE) is launching a Call for Evidence on Building Bulletin 100: Design for Fire Safety in Schools, (BB100).
The aim of the consultation is to ensure the Department for Education’s guidance to those who build schools is fit for purpose and aligns with the Ministry of Housing Communities and Local Government’s (MHCLG) wider review of fire safety, we are launching a call for evidence on BB100 ahead of a consultation and thorough review. Fire in schools remains a concern in the UK with 682 instances recorded in educational premises in 2017/2018. Whilst there have been no fatalities in school fires since the 1940’s, the cost to the local community can be significant. Please send any information or views that you feel you would like to see included in the FIS response to joecilia@thefis.org by 24 May, so that we can include in our final submission by 31 May 2019.
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-building-bulletin-100-design-for-fire-safety-in-schools
