News
CITB Roadshows planned for March to May
CITB’s spring round of roadshows are planned between late March and May to allow communication with employers and also give insight into proposed levy rates following on from consensus this year. CITB will also be launching its Future Made careers campaign as well as...
North West Regional Contractors Forum – Building Regs, Training and Clean Air
The FIS North West Regional Contractors Forum took place in Central Manchester on the 22nd January 2020. Our group was hosted by Transport for Greater Manchester and we were treated to presentations by Wayne Timperley, Head of Building Control for Greater Manchester...
Long term uncertainty holding back investment for construction
Total construction output in Great Britain is forecast to experience a slight decline of 0.3% in 2020, before a rise of 1.2% in 2021 according to the CPA Construction Forecasts January 2020. Political uncertainty and bad weather led to a slowdown in construction...
Fire stopping – Compatibility between pipes and fire and acoustic seals
It has come to our attention that there is a potential issue where fire stopping is being installed around cPVC pipes. Some fire stopping mastics have been found to react with the cPVC pipes leading to costly remedial work and disputes. Our recommendation is where two...
Change is coming for non-government apprentice levy paying FIS members
Since the introduction of the Government Apprenticeship Levy in England, FIS has been listening to those affected and measuring the impact on a large part of its membership who are not required to pay the levy. It will come as no surprise to some of you, that access...
Government response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1
The Government’s response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry Phase 1 Report sets out the steps it is taking to implement the report’s recommendations as well as the wider work it is doing to make building safer. Key areas covered in this document relevant to FIS Members...
Fire Safety: New and Consolidated Guidance on Fire Doors, Risk Assessments, External Cladding and Smoke
Under the Government’s Building Safety Programme, MHCLG have issued a consolidating note bringing together all previously published Advice Notes No. 1 - 22 issued by The Expert Panel. This note is directed at building owners of multi-storey, multi-occupied residential...
UPDATE: Ceiling collapse at the Piccadilly Theatre
It's easy to make comparisons between a ceiling collapse in a historic building especially when they both occur in a theatre during a performance, but the collapse at the Piccadilly Theatre in November and the Apollo theatre in 2013 are markedly different. The failure...
£1.9 million support package for apprenticeships
A £1.9m support package for apprenticeships has been introduced in the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. 186 small businesses have received grants of £3,000 to help create new apprenticeship opportunities via Greater Manchester’s #SeeDifferent Small-to-Medium...