Features | Construction News

Fit for the job? The PPE challenge for minority groups

Charlotte Banks — Fri, 12 Jul 2024 10:51:05 +0000

While the industry tries to improve women’s PPE, other minority groups’ needs remain overlooked It took several months for Leena Begum to even visit a construction site. The apprentice feared she would have to compromise her Muslim faith by wearing the personal protective equipment (PPE)…

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Unbalanced mix: the lack of diversity on the top 20 UK firm’s exec boards

Contributor — Mon, 01 Jul 2024 11:12:20 +0000

Analysis of the 20 largest construction firms’ boards shows women are still underrepresented and ethnic diversity is woefully lacking. Keith Cooper reports It’s no secret that construction lags behind many other industries when it comes to the gender and ethnic mix of its workforce. Official…

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Oiling the cogs: Do conflict avoidance agreements work?

Ian Weinfass — Wed, 12 Jun 2024 11:53:37 +0000

Hundreds of organisations have signed the Conflict Avoidance Pledge. CN examines whether or not it can make a real difference Six years ago, a group of industry figures announced their plan for helping to resolve contractual disputes without expensive legal fights. They wanted to gather…

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How modern apprenticeships and T levels really stack up

Toni Sekinah — Fri, 07 Jun 2024 09:48:14 +0000

T levels and modern apprenticeships are the newest contenders to step onto the training stage. CN looks at how they are performing against the competition It’s no surprise that Steve Umbers is a fan of apprenticeship training. His 20-year career path through the construction industry…

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Are apprenticeship targets harming the sector?

Colin Marrs — Wed, 29 May 2024 10:43:21 +0000

Apprentice requirements imposed by local authorities on contractors are backfiring – leaving some trainees out of work and firms out of pocket Amid the cacophony of politicking before last month’s local elections, you may have heard candidates promising to create “local jobs for local people”.…

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Data dig: gender gaps, security fears and happy workers

CN Staff — Mon, 20 May 2024 11:02:51 +0000

Gender barriers Only 21 per cent of firms in the construction sector have female representation at director level, Creditsafe’s Women in Business report claims. Creditsafe data director Drew Fahiya said: “Despite the construction industry attracting women… there’s a significant gap in their progression within the…

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Does the builder-developer model need to change?

Contributor — Mon, 13 May 2024 11:40:43 +0000

As the industry awaits the Grenfell Inquiry phase-two report, Dr Bernard Rimmer asks whether the builder-developer business model needs a complete overhaul It looks as though the final report of the Grenfell Inquiry could be presented to the government this summer, so perhaps now is…

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Are employee ownership trusts a flawed model?

Ian Weinfass — Fri, 03 May 2024 06:31:08 +0000

With three large employee-owned companies entering administration in the past year, CN asks if the model has inherent weaknesses Buckingham Group, Readie Construction and Michael J Lonsdale are among the biggest contractors to have gone under in the past 12 months. Factors identified by directors…

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Asbestos: the forgotten safety crisis

Ian Weinfass — Mon, 22 Apr 2024 11:19:57 +0000

Asbestos was banned 25 years ago, yet thousands are still dying as a result of its presence. CN examines the long legacy of the former go-to building material and whether enough is being done about the dangers it poses today Roofer Liam Bradley and his…

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Falling down: supporting survivors of falls from height

Ian Weinfass — Wed, 10 Apr 2024 11:49:17 +0000

The construction industry lacks robust data on falls from height – an issue causing trauma beyond the physical. CN talks to a charity that is looking to fill the gap Last year construction workers were more likely to die falling from work at height than…

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