News

Latest forecasts by the Construction Products Association (CPA) suggest that activity in the construction industry is rising at a faster pace than initially expected following the EU referendum.

Construction output is expected to rise each year between 2017 to 2019 by 1,3% in 2017, 1.2% in 2018 and 2.3% in 2019.

Although the figures may fuel hope of a resilient UK construction industry amid Brexit-related anxieties and rising costs, the growth masks a considerable difference in activity across the construction sectors . Infrastructure projects are expected to be the industry's main growth engine, driven by a strong National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline valued at £300 billion over the next four years.

In particular, growth to 2019 is expected to be primarily driven by a 34.5% increase in infrastructure activity due to major projects in the energy, rail and water sub-sectors, which would offset expected falls in commercial and industrial construction.

Read more here: http://www.heatingandventilating.net/cpa-forecasts-show-construction-industry-activity-ahead-of-post-brexit-expectations

Modern Building Services and the Building Controls Association have joined together to create a program. Part 2 of 4 in 2017 speaks about the importance of the role of the engineer and future training needs to tackle the building performance challenge.

Some key point from this includes:
• The industry fully recognise s the importance of building controls as a smart and effective solution to energy saving and long term performance.
• Retaining the talented engineers and skilled professionals within the industry is important
• Part L of the 2013 Building Regulations states that "reasonable provision shall be made for the conservation of fuel and power in buildings by providing fixed building services which are energy efficient and have effective controls"
• At the 2016 Building Services Summit it was outlined that the vast majority of builders do not understand controls, yet they are responsible for reducing costs of the building.
• It is down to the engineer to fully engage with the client and explain that bricks and mortar is much more than just a building.
• Training at all levels is essential in tackling the building performance challenge, so let's be united in winning this battle.

More about this can be read here: http://www.modbs.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/16963/Time_to_train_the_next__generation_in_building_controls.html

A guide has been released by the Industrial & Commercial Energy Association (ICOM) to commercial water treatment in response to industry concerns of poor water treatment and conditioning in commercial heating systems.

The main focus of the guide is on water treatment for boilers and heating systems, and the guide has been contributed to by many of the leading commercial-boiler manufacturers.

The audience of the guide is expected to be plant operators, engineers and people with little or no knowledge of water-treatment chemistry. It will assist with their understanding of what effect any water and its subsequent treatment will have on a heating system.

Ross Anderson, director of ICOM said, 'The consequences of inappropriate or non-existent water treatment can prove costly to rectify and give rise to arguments between equipment manufacturers and plant operators.
'The treatment of water in closed and open heating systems is essential for the avoidance of fouling, biofouling, corrosion and scale. These problems can result in energy wastage, poor system performance and the need for early replacement of heating system components.

'Any installation must be thoroughly flushed and cleaned before it can be filled and used. ICOM's comprehensive guide deals with all aspects of water treatment for commercial heating systems.

'By studying the contents and following the freely given advice, heating systems will operate more efficiently with less chance of failure.'

Details of the story taken from: http://www.modbs.co.uk/news/fullstory.php/aid/16941/Water_treatment_for_commercial_heating_systems.html

This might seem like an odd choice of word for us to have picked, but if we said to receive praise for an achievement, compliments and congratulations, it's easy to see why this fits.

What greater acknowledgement of everything you have achieved, your growing skill set, your years of experience than getting a new job, being chosen as the right person for the role.

It's not always that simple and trying to find that new job for yourself can be time consuming, but by using SER we can help you. We are always talking to the people in your industry and we can find you the next step in your career.

When all these things come together and you are starting your new job, this is great kudos.

Sometimes the Kudos you receive unexpectedly is the best – submit your CV today and if something comes up that will help give you the recognition and praise you deserve we will be in touch.

Let SER help you find the Kudos you deserve.

It is now compulsory for all people working in Scottish Water's water distribution operations, including contractors and the supply chain, to complete water hygiene training and register for an accreditation scheme.

Peter Farrer, Scottish Water's Chief Operating Officer, said: "In Scottish Water we are committed to delivering the highest possible standards of drinking water quality for our customers. To support this commitment, we place a great deal of importance on the need to have a National Water Hygiene Scheme 'Blue Card' for any individuals who work on or near our drinking water assets.

"In addition to water hygiene, and with the support of Energy & Utility Skills, we also created our own Scottish Water registration scheme for our water distribution operations and maintenance (DOMS). DOMS allows us to bring a strong focus to all aspects of operations on our water networks and to monitor and manage access to our infrastructure. We believe this is a vitally important area and in addition to the requirements for people directly involved in water operations we have also created interactive online learning that we have made available to all of our employees regardless of their role to increase awareness and promote understanding about the vital role that we play in assuring quality standards."

Nick Ellins, Chief Executive of the Energy & Utility Skills Group, welcomed the move by Scottish Water. "The National Water Hygiene Training and Accreditation Scheme was introduced to the industry over a decade ago as a collaboration between the UK water industry, key public health bodies and EUSR to provide the workforce with the ability to operate to the highest hygiene and safety practices whilst working on the water network.

"It now forms an integral part of the Scottish Water Distribution Operations Maintenance Strategy and has become established as a vital element in making excellence the standard in public health. Scottish Water and the Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland have set out very clearly their expected standards of hygiene knowledge and behaviours for those in contact with the public water supply, promoting a safety-first culture right across Scotland."

The Drinking Water Quality Regulator for Scotland, Sue Petch, added: "It is imperative that all activities carried out on water supply systems are of the highest standard and are done so in a way that prevent any impact on drinking water quality and consumer confidence in the supply. The National Water Hygiene training and accreditation scheme makes sure that anyone working on water systems is able to demonstrate their competence and understanding of best practice."

Make sure you don't lose your qualification certificates

The Association of Plumbing and Heating Contractors (APHC) is reminding plumbing and heating engineers and installers about the value in retaining their plumbing and heating qualification certificates.

The APHC acknowledges that experience is important and some people have 20 or 30 years experience, but retaining their certificates helps to demonstrate that their experience has been achieved after achieving an industry proven standard of practical and theoretical training.

John Thompson, APHC's CEO, comments: "There are many instances throughout a career in the industry where you will need to produce qualification certificates, such as if you are tendering for work or applying to be on an approved supplier list from a Local Authority.

"Should there be a situation where there is a complaint or where a fault may occur in your work, being able to produce your certificates can help demonstrate that you are competent and qualified to have carried out the work in the first place. If you ever have to make a claim on your public liability policy, you may find that the insurance company will require to see proof of your qualifications before settling."

Replacement certificates can usually be obtained from the awarding body, but an administration fee is charged which is usually around £25 to £45 per certificate.

In a statement to letsrecycle.com, the HSE said: "There is a risk that batteries can cause fires when they are disposed of, particularly when mixed in with other domestic waste materials. Local authorities usually provide separate arrangements for collecting old batteries.

"HSE would urge members of the public to safely dispose of batteries at recycling points. Disposing of batteries in waste collections can lead to the risk of injury to refuse workers and members of the public from fires and explosions."

The full article from LetsRecycle.com can be found here: http://www.letsrecycle.com/news/latest-news/hse-public-use-battery-recycling/

IFSEC international is Europe's only large scale security event in 2017 and the event is taking place at the ExCeL London between the 20th and 22nd June 2017.

IFSEC International gives attendees exclusive hands-on access to over 10,000 security solutions, live product demonstrations, and networking with over 27,000 security professionals.

Visiting IFSEC International is a great way to remain up to date with the latest aspect of security from access control and video surveillance to smart buildings, cyber, border control and much more.

If you would like to find out more about the show, you can visit their website here: http://www.ifsec.events/international.

To register as a visitor, click here.

J is for Journey

Everyday you are on a journey – a journey of you, a journey of life, a personal journey, a career journey. We never forget that at SER and we know that when you come to us for assistance, we have to help make certain parts of that journey easier for you so you can focus on other aspects of your life.

It is no secret that looking for a job takes a lot of time, making sure that the job really is right for you, making sure that you will be truly happy there. Here at SER we can take away that strain, we can have a conversation with you, truly understand your needs and requirements, and then you can leave it in our hands to find you the right job for you, you can then spend the time with your family and friends that you want.

It is the best of both worlds when one part of your journey works well with another.

Submit your CV today and we can begin to help you on your way

Your Career, Your Future,
Your Choice.

New research from Gas Safe Register (GSR) has revealed that almost 5 million people across the UK are putting themselves at risk from carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning, gas leaks, fires and explosions by employing illegal engineers.

GSR found that nearly 1 in 5 people who employed a tradesperson to work on a gas appliance did not check their ID Card or qualifications.

GSR has released 4 years worth of data from its investigations team, which searches out unqualified and unregistered gas fitters across the UK.

The team found that 65% of gas jobs carried out by illegal gas fitters were unsafe, while 1 in 5 gas appliances were so dangerous they had to be disconnected immediately.

The results identified that people selected and employed a trades person based on recommendations from friends and family members, and trust them based on their personal presentation or how official they look, rather than their qualifications.

Original article and images taken from: https://www.gassaferegister.co.uk/news/news-2017/almost-five-million-households-at-risk-from-illegal-gas-fitters/