by Clair Mooney | 21 May, 2021 | Main News Feed
As an employer it will be your responsibility to check that an individual has a right to work (this applies to both employed and contracted workers). You could face a civil penalty if you employ an illegal worker and have not carried out a correct right to work check. FIS has updated its Employment & Workforce Management Toolkit to give you access to the most up to date information. This includes access to a webinar, run in collaboration with the Association of Labour Providers and Stronger Together to help FIS members understand the responsibility and steps that must be taken to discharge this responsibility.
At the same time, it is vital that you consider Modern Slavery. A recent report by the Association of Labour Providers reflects that, despite Right to Work Checks being more onerous, the likely shortages and background means that new immigration rules are likely to have an adverse impact on Modern Slavery. Modern Slavery and Right to Work should not be confused, someone can have the Right to Work, but still be operating under coercion.
You can access the updated FIS Employment and Workforce Management Toolkit here
You can access the updated FIS Modern Slavery Toolkit here
You can access a recent recording of our webinar on Modern Slavery and Right to Work Checks here
by Clair Mooney | 21 May, 2021 | Insurance, Main News Feed
FIS has become acutely aware of the growing issues within our supply chain regarding requirement, availability, and escalating cost of insurance (particularly professional indemnity), but also overall concern regarding support for our sector from the insurance industry. This has been widely reported across construction with the latest report from the Construction Leadership Council identifying that 55% of businesses responding had been unable to secure the level of cover that they wanted to buy.
FIS is exploring the possibility of developing a tailored, comprehensive, insurance solution aligned to the risk management principles identified in our FIS Product Process People Quality Framework that ultimately fairly prices risk and delivers value for money to our community. Through this process FIS intends to challenge the market by interrogating claims history and policy wording with a view to supporting a more structured and informed dialogue, address some of the trust issues that have built up and ultimately look at how we best share risk with the insurance sector.
Insurance is the ultimate trust based sector – premiums go up when trust goes down. Our remit from the Board is to challenge and, if necessary, disrupt and we are considering a number of potentially radical options, even the possibility of setting up a mutual insurance offering that ultimately would be owned by the industry.
We are not going to run before we can walk, but wanted to give you a bit of a heads up as to where this may go. Key to supporting change is information – it is critical now that we build on the anecdotal information members have shared and use hard stats to challenge and, if necessary, to disrupt insurance provision for our sector. So to this end please complete this short survey on insurance, even if you are perfectly happy with the support you are getting, we need a clear picture and the full range of views to understand scale and identify ground truths and ultimately support reform.
The survey is available here, should take no more than 5 minutes to complete and we are requesting responses by close of play on Thursday 27 May.
For more information on insurance, visit the FIS Business & Taxation Toolkit here
by Clair Mooney | 20 May, 2021 | Fairness, Inclusivity and Respect (FIR), Main News Feed, Sustainability
A half day Women in Construction event, hosted by the Department for International Trade Sweden, will be taking place on Wedneday 26 May to facilitate knowledge exchange, stimulate ideas and give UK and Swedish stakeholders’ insight into the two markets.
Build UK Chief Executive Suzannah Nichol will be a keynote speaker at the event, which will feature panel discussions with stakeholders from the UK and Sweden. Attendance at the virtual event is free and you can register online here.
A range of speakers, from the private sector, civil society and other organisations, will offer their perspectives on the markets, both in the UK and in Sweden. Together, the panellists will discuss their experiences and the challenges they face as women in their professions, in the office and on site. The speakers, from both Sweden and the UK, will give their unique insights into the differences and similarities in the two markets.
by Clair Mooney | 14 May, 2021 | Main News Feed, Sustainability, Transformation
FIS has this week launched a new Sustainability Toolkit to help the sector to take a pro-active lead as a supply chain in supporting the UK ambition and meeting legal requirements linked to UK Net Zero carbon commitments, but also to look more broadly at the ethical and environmental aspects of sustainability.
In June 2019, the UK became the first major economy in the world to pass laws to end its contribution to global warming by 2050. With the The (Conference of the Parties) COP26 Summit taking place in the UK in November 2021, this year has been designated “The UK’s year or Climate Action”. With Construction accounting for 40% of UK Carbon Consumption, the construction industry is critical to supporting this commitment. In turn the Finishes and Interiors Sector representing around 11% of UK Construction and decisions and processes associated with the fit-out and finishing of buildings is estimated to account for 40% of energy in a building and hence has a big part to play in realising change. A recent manifesto published by Perkins & Will sets down a clear strategy to moving to zero carbon and identifies that the built environment is responsible for 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint and within this fit-out is responsible for 40% of energy in a building. A key figure to target improvement identified in this report is that 300 tonnes of fit-out material goes to landfill every day.
The Sustainability Toolkit is the first output of a new Sustainability Working Group (which is being developed in partnership with the Supply Chain Sustainability School) has been established within the FIS community to help inform activity and provide a platform to encourage collaboration through the FIS and with wider industry initiatives. The plan is to use this group of experts to set down a clear action plan for the sector and highlight key strategic relationships that can be developed through the FIS to support transformation. Initially focus is in 5 core areas:
- Increasing knowledge and understanding within the supply chain
- Setting targets and standardisation (including monitoring and measuring impact)
- Providing an active network and encouraging collaboration
- Highlighting individuals and approaches that help inspire and inform change
- Informing design and encouraging better asset management
FIS Chief Executive Iain McIlwee stated:
“Whilst many have not been hit by the full force of the Net Zero tidal wave that seems to be heading our way, it is absolutely dominating discussions around the transformation of construction. When you step back and look at the principles of sustainability, they sit very closely to everything FIS stands for. Beyond the obvious environmental considerations, the ingredients of change are value led change, resource efficiency, innovation and harnessing technology, productivity, quality, collaboration and ultimately early engagement and dialogue up and down the supply chain. We are really grateful to the members who have got stuck in to date and look forward to exploring the full potential of the race to Net Zero and a focus on fairness and inclusivity that will be a key to transforming our supply chain for the better”.
The FIS Sustainability Toolkit is available here
If you are interested in joining the working group or simply seeing the draft action plan email info@thefis.org or call FIS on 0121 707 0077
Next meeting of the FIS Sustainability Working Group is set for 3pm on the 27th May – the meeting will be virtual. If interested in attending, email info@thefis.org
by Clair Mooney | 13 May, 2021 | Main News Feed, Technical, Transformation
This information is for general background knowledge concerning government’s proposals with Building a Safer Future. Subject to parliamentary scrutiny government proposes to bring the changes into effect from 1 August 2021.
Responding to the announcement FIS Technical Director Joe Cilia stated: “FIS has supported the development of the Building Safety Bill and the Building a Safer Future work that preceded it –we are fully behind these changes, supportive of the approach and encouraged that finally things are progressing to implementation. As with any change there will be some wrinkles, but it is vital that, as a sector we use this regulatory change to drive the ongoing cultural reform that we know construction needs. If members have any comments or questions that they want us to consider and feed in or around how these changes are likely to impact their work, don’t hesitate to get in touch”.
Building safety: Planning Gateway One
Following its consultation in June 2019 on proposals for reform of the building safety regulatory system, the government’s response published in April 2020 set out their plans for change. This involved the introduction of three gateway points which relevant developments / buildings must go through. Currently, relevant buildings are those which are 18m or higher or 7 or more storeys, whichever is reached first, and contain two or more dwellings or educational accommodation.
This has to demonstrate that the planning application incorporates thinking on fire safety.
- Gateway two (Technical design & construction phase)
A building control application will be required, so this gateway provides a hard stop where construction cannot begin until the Building safety Regulator has approved the building control application.
- Gateway three (Current building control completion / final certificate stage)
Provides a hard stop at which the Building Safety Regulator undertakes final inspections and issues a completion certificate. Prescribed documents and information on the as-built building will be required. Information must be handed over to the person9s) responsible for the building in use.
More information on Gateway one
This has two elements:
- Requires the developer to submit a fire statement setting out fire safety considerations specific to the development with a relevant application for planning permission for development which involves one or more relevant buildings, and
- To establish the Health & Safety Executive as a statutory consultee for relevant planning applications.
These requirements will be introduced via secondary legislation.
The fire statement must be submitted on a form published by the Secretary of State – see attachment for a draft fire statement form. (Click here view draft fire statement guidance). The questions to be answered will include information on:
- The principles, concepts and approach relating to fire safety that have been applied to each building in the development
- Site layout
- Emergency vehicle access and water supply for firefighting purposes
- What, if any, consultation has been undertaken on issues relating to the safety of the development and what account has been taken of this
- How any policies relating to fire safety in relevant local development documents have been taken into account.
Fire statements will be required to include information on the entire development site as set out on the plan which identifies the land to which the application relates.
How are the fire statements different from the requirements of building regulations or the Fire Safety Order?
The fire safety matters contained in a fire statement are relevant only to the extent they are relevant to land use planning. The level of detail and focus of information should not contain the breadth and depth of information on fire safety which will be submitted at building control application stage. Requirements of the fire statement at planning stage will not duplicate or require compliance with the building regulations or the Fire safety Order and local planning authorities will not be responsible for any building regulation matters or the enforcement of building control requirements.
Change of use applications
Applications for permission for a material change of use of land or buildings will require a fire statement unless the application is for:
- A material change in use of a relevant building and the material change of use would result in the building no longer being a relevant building
- A material change in use of land or buildings within the curtilage of a relevant building.
Consultation between local planning authorities and HSE
A local planning authority is required to consult HSE before granting planning permission for:
- Developments which will involve or is likely to involve the provision of a relevant building
- Development of an existing relevant building except where the development consists of a material change in use of a relevant building which would result in a building no longer being a relevant building
- Development within the curtilage of a relevant building in the case of development consisting of a material change in use of land or building within the curtilage of the building.
A local planning authority must consult HSE on fire safety before granting permission to develop land without compliance with conditions if the authority considers it appropriate to do so.
For more information on Planning gateway one please click here.
by Clair Mooney | 13 May, 2021 | Main News Feed
This week marks Mental Health Awareness Week. Research by CITB has shown that almost all construction workers have experienced stress in the last year, and more than a quarter have experienced suicidal thoughts. FIS reported on the growing concerns for mental health on 29 January 2021 emphasising the training and support available for FIS members.
The focus for this week to improve and support good mental health is being close to nature, it won’t cure all problems, but it can help put things in perspective, take the pressure off and bring calm to daily lives. Even just looking at wildlife, trees and plants from a window can help, although a walk exposes our senses to more of the nature around us.
CITB has published a story from Andy Stevens, a self-employed builder who hit rock bottom but who has since recovered “This has to stop. Too many people are struggling, I hope my story can help.” You may find some parts of his powerful story familiar from your own experiences or those of colleagues.
Please take the time to find out about free help for you and those you work with, detailed below.
While the largest employers might offer support to workers, smaller companies and sole traders may not know how to access free assistance that’s available. CITB is funding an initiative to help resolve this by providing accessible and consistent mental health support for everyone working in construction, including a standardised approach across the industry. They also fund The Lighthouse Club charity to provide support, which has trained nearly 5,000 mental health first aiders in the construction sector who have helped around 6,300 people so far.
The Lighthouse Club delivers charitable, financial and emotional support to the construction industry. If you would like to apply for financial or wellbeing support you can either call their 24/7 confidential Construction Industry Helpline on 0345 605 1956 in the UK, and 1800 939 122 in Ireland, download the helpline app (External link – Opens in a new tab or window), or submit your application online here (External link – Opens in a new tab or window).
If you feel your organisation needs to train and qualify someone with skills to support you employees FIS will be happy to assist, give us a call on 0121 707 0077 or email info@thefis.org.
