News
6 | SEPTEMBER 2017
News
Read online at www. proinstaller. co. uk
MODULAR SCHOOLS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION
LADDER TRAINING FOR PROFESSIONALS
With falls from height being the third highest cause of fatal injuries in the workplace, Werner- Co is offering Ladder Association accredited training for professionals to improve knowledge and safety.
The UK’ s leading manufacturer of ladders is holding regular sessions at both the Burton upon Trent and Maldon WernerCo facilities, to provide industry professionals with the practical knowledge required to safely and correctly use ladders in the workplace.
It is vital that anyone working regularly with ladders receives sufficient training in order to maximise the safety of themselves and those around them. Those who complete the course are issued with a LadderCard to demonstrate their competence when working with ladders.
Paul Bruton, product development director at WernerCo, comments:“ The Work at Height Regulations specify that competence is a requirement for working at height. So, simply put, if someone is not competent, they should not be using a ladder at work. In order to prove competence when working with ladders, we strongly advise that professionals obtain a LadderCard through the Ladder Association training course to ensure full confidence in their capability.
“ The number of fatalities in the workplace that come as a result of falling from height is still the same as it was 13 years ago. Even in the avoidance of a fatality, injuries are continuing to occur in the thousands, which is often as a result of assuming there is minimised risk if working at a lower height. However, the correct training will inform users that it is necessary to put precautions in place at any height, thus reducing the risk of injury.”
The training sessions are held monthly for anyone who works frequently with ladders, including users and inspectors. Both courses comprise practical and theory assessments, covering when and how to use, how to handle and how to store a ladder, as well as how to highlight potential hazards. For inspectors, delegates can learn how to assess and determine when it is appropriate to inspect a ladder or stepladder, and how to recommend the correct action if faults are found. The inspector course is for those who have already received their initial user training and are already in possession of a LadderCard.
Those who complete the course will be issued with a Ladder Association certificate and a LadderCard, which remains valid for five years, allowing them to prove their competence and gain trust among their trade peers and potential employers.
If you feel you could benefit from ladder training, call WernerCo on 01621 745800 or email ukcustomercare @ wernerco. com
The Priority School Building Programme- set to run until 2021 and now in the process of refurbishing 537 schools across England- is a major opportunity for offsite construction.
It is estimated that it will cost £ 6.7bn to return all school buildings across the country to a‘ satisfactory or better’ condition, and a further £ 7.1bn to bring parts of school buildings up to a‘ good’ condition.
Offsite construction is an attractive option for the project because it can deliver at speed the offsite manufacture of standardised classrooms. The time required to construct an offsite building being typically reduced by 50-60 % in cases where large elements can be prefabricated. Richard Crosby, director of education at management consultant Blacc and an independent consultant to the Education and
Profile 22 launches new website
Profile 22 – home of the award-winning Optima system – has launched a new website. Gerald Allen, marketing manager at Profile 22, commented:“ Our website is incredibly important to our marketing strategy: it receives over 2,000 visits a month and over 70 % of people are first time visitors.”
Profile 22’ s new website is easy to navigate so visitors can find the information they need quickly. The content of the website has also been updated and expanded. There are clearly defined sections for trade visitors, commercial visitors and homeowners, with each section containing sector-specific information on Profile 22’ s products plus relevant, focused information to add further value.
The Homeowner section of the website includes background on Profile 22 and a help and support
Skills Funding Agency( ESFA), says:
“ This phase represents one of the biggest opportunities for modular construction in the market. The ESFA understands the need to design and procure for offsite construction and is working on a component solution of standard blocks that can be assembled to create bespoke schools without compromising on quality of design or specification. The ESFA’ s modular schools will look and feel like traditional build schools in a fraction of the time onsite.”
Explore Offsite is a series of one-day conference and exhibitions creating a platform to explore the latest offsite construction solutions.
Explore Offsite events this year are:
• Explore Offsite Healthcare: 20 September, Birmingham
• Explore Offsite Infrastructure: 05 December, Birmingham
For more information visit: www. exploreoffsite. co. uk section that contains everything from product brochures to maintenance guides.
The new website is consistent with the new Profile 22 branding to create a visually seamless visual experience both online and offline.
www. profile22. co. uk