News Letter Issue 19 April 2011

THANK YOU

March has been a fantastic month for the Thank You Point Scheme subscribers.

We have sent out three flat screen TV’s and one annual family pass to Madame Tussauds Thorpe Park. We are really pleased that the new additions to the Thank You gifts have been received so well.

We hope the scheme continues to be successful during 2011 and look forward to thanking more clients. If you haven’t already signed up and you fancy reaping some benefits as others have, follow this link http://admiral-scaffolding.co.uk/wp-login.php?action=register

  12 STEPS

April brings us a new focus point…….

 

APRIL 2011:  FOCUS ON RUBBISH AND RECYCLING.

 

• Do you keep your site or area clean and tidy?
• Do you dispose of waste in the correct places?
• Do you recycle as much waste as possible?
• Do you ask questions if you do not know what the site recycling policy is?

 

By the end of this month, The Admiral Scaffolding Group would like you to be able to answer yes to all of these questions.

 

Like most industries we have a certain amount of waste that is created while we work that can not be avoided.  Operatives on site and staff based in the office all create some form of waste.  What we do with this waste impacts not only on our company but also our clients.

 

If you are working on a client’s site it is important that we keep the area clean and tidy while we work and especially when we have finished the job.  This includes all work related waste as well as food packaging and drink bottles.  How would you feel if you had contactors working around your home and they left rubbish everywhere?

 

Admiral Scaffolding has a responsibility to recycle as much of our waste as possible.  This may mean that we need to take the time separate recyclable and non recyclable waste into separate bins or collection areas but it needs to be done.  If you do not know what is recyclable make sure you ask.

 

How hard can it be?

ACTION CREATES REACTION

As mentioned in last month’s edition, March brought us our Mayor of London’s Green Procurement Code audit. We were very pleased to receive a bronze award for our efforts so far. We will receive our certificate at an awards ceremony, the date for which hasn’t been finalized yet but hopefully it will be another opportunity for Admiral to get their glad rags on.

February’s Newsletter promised the introduction of a Sustainability Policy. Not only have we stuck to our word, but we have also had it incorporated into our latest edition of our Health and Safety Policy. To view a copy of both of these, please click here.

The biggest news for us last month was that we had been shortlisted for the 2011 Specialist Awards. On Tuesday 22^nd March, the Awards ceremony was attended by a group of Admiral’s Management team at The Park Lane Hilton Hotel. All the gents wore their tuxes and the ladies their ball gowns and a great night was had by all. We are very sad to say that we didn’t win the award; it went to Lavenden Access who we would like to congratulate. Although we didn’t get the victory, we are still extremely proud of ourselves for getting that far. We didn’t walk away completely empty handed, Laura won the business card raffle and was the first attendee on stage to receive a magnum of champagne.

We now look forward to the results of our entries into the Apprenticeship Awards 2011 and the South London Business Awards 2011. Wish us luck!

INTRODUCTION OF NEW LEGISLATION

Well the much heralded TG20:08 and SG4:10 are beginning to have an impact on our business. The question that begs to be asked is why has our trade association, the NASC, sold us up the Suwannee? With regard to TG20:08, why have we tried to regulate our traditional scaffold to conform with the systems scaffolds that are available? We are not comparing apples with apples; okay both of these provide access but so do mast climbers and power cradles but everyone with half a brain realises that these supplies require their own set of regulations that relate to the service they offer. So why have the NASC thought that it is correct to try to assimilate our business with system scaffolds? By the sheer nature of system scaffold the design is regularised, standards spacing’s, lift heights, etc. traditional scaffold is often erected as a rule of thumb where the odd couple of millimetres either way does not affect the stability of the structure. What we have now though are specifics which the world and his dog can look at and measure and claim that a scaffold does not conform whilst we experts know full well that it is fit  for purpose. This has all come about as a result of European legislation on scaffolds. What our association should have done rather than try to fit our round peg into their square hole was to lobby for us to be distinguished from, rather than conformed to, these regulations. 

At the same time as the HSE, in association with the NASC were producing their directive regarding designed scaffolds, the NASC missed another “”once in a lifetime” opportunity for scaffold contractors. I know of no other trade who are asked to quote on something and hope that what it quotes for would latterly appear on a design. Can you imagine a tender to an electrician that read “Please quote to put all power and light into my new building”? Yet this is precisely what happens within our industry. The NASC should have written into TG20:08 that it was the responsibility of the contractors to get a scaffold designed prior to tender. This could then have been issued at tender stage which would have meant that we were all pricing the same interpretation of the scheme. The spin-off from that would be that any alterations in the scheme would easily be picked up and ultimately strengthen our position when it came to getting paid for a variation. The reality is we now guess at the requirements because we cannot go to the expense of having a design drawing done for each tender and even if we did there is no guarantee that this design would be what the contractor really wanted. End result – all liability and cost to scaffold contractor. Good move NASC!

Then we get to the delicate issue of SG4:10. In the introduction to this document the NASC proudly boasts that in 2009 13,124 scaffold operatives achieved 20 falls from height. This is a great reduction from the 93 in 1999 and the NASC must be heralded for their introduction of the use of harnesses.  What the figures of 2009 tell you though is that in 27,297,920 man-hours worked by scaffolders there was an accident every 1.36million hours, none of which were fatal. Why in the world therefore did the NASC decides to issue a whole new set of guidelines to try to further improve this? It should have patted itself on the back and pointed out to the construction industry that we are far from being a most dangerous trade, indeed, we are one of the safest. By issuing this document we have once again fallen into the trap of trying to compete with system scaffolds which have the feature of an advanced guardrail system in place. The outcome is that there are a number of highly expensive attachments that we can use to produce the same advanced guardrail  but although these look great on display videos there is a practicality to using these things in the rough terrain of a construction site that will make them most impracticable. We will all experience the situation when someone does not want to work where the “tool” that they need for this system has been broken. At a cost of around £1160 per set these things do not come cheap.  Multiply this figure by the number of gangs operated by the company and you start getting into very serious money. There will also be the added cost of incorporating this; something that we anticipate will put 15%, onto our labour costs. Scaffolders become scaffolders because they want to use their hands. If they had wanted to be chemical engineers they would have stayed at school and studied. They chose not to. Now the NASC has issued a 60 page document to tell them how to actively stop that one fall in every 1.36million hours. Perhaps the NASC should have been the ones to leave school early. If you look at the committee that prepared this guidance it is hardly surprising that the content is as it is, there is a vested interest. Two of the companies sell and use system scaffolding, one company represents the interests of the insurance industry and would not give a hoot about the practicality of the situation as long as it reduces their paymaster’s risk and a further input came from the HSE.

These guidance’s will increase the cost of scaffolding by anything up to 35%, the question is, ”Who is going to pay?” If you ask the contractor they will all too readily quote that we must conform to TG20:08 and SG4:10. So NASC, a good day’s work at the office, your members should be very proud of your achievements. Let us all hope that in 1015 we are not looking at accident statistics that exceed those currently being achieved because it will be a costly exercise for all concerned.

Please feel free to discuss this on our Facebook page. Click here to go straight to it.

OTHER NEWS

March has been yet another great month for The Group and the need for more operatives is still increasing. We would like to welcome the following people to Admiral Scaffolding:

Arunas Mikulenas Jamie Johnson Vince Privett

Daniel Reardon  Pawel Krzyminski

Michael Kay Anton Audickas

The Winner of our Operative of the Month this time was none other than our Yard Manager Andrej Sasnin. It is very easy when making the vote as to who should get this award to forget the people who are based at the depot and spend all day loading trailers and organizing vehicles but there was no way his hard work and dedication could go unnoticed. Since the start of 2011, the yard has been buzzing with no lorry standing still for too long as there is always a delivery to be made. Andrej has been absolutely fantastic and has managed both his staff and the fleet staff amazingly. Well done Andrej, we hope you enjoyed spending your £100 vouchers.

As mentioned in the last edition of the newsletter, we are going to be providing a float for the Lord Mayor’s Show 2011. Design drawings have to be entered by the 6^th of May so numerous meetings have been had by various members of The Group to discuss what we think should be included. At the moment, we don’t wish to reveal too much as we want to keep the surprise element, but I think it is safe to say there will be some dropped jaws!

This Month, Admiral Scaffolding were the major sponsors of Merton’s got Youth Talent organised by the Mayor of Merton herself. Laura and Wendy attended the event and it was such a pleasure to see all nine acts from schools around the borough. The talent was incredible and both Laura and Wendy smiled the whole way through. We’d like to send a huge congratulations to

-         Joy, Nell, Tanesha, Leya, Elizabeth and Esther (a dance act from Ricard’s Lodge) who  came third

-         Beryl McCormack (who sang “My Hometown” by Adele) from St Mark’s Academy who came second

-         Prince and Josh (a dance act called Twist) from Raynes Park High School who came 1^st.

Twist were absolutely fantastic, they started of moon walking to a bit of Michael Jackson, a bit of bum shaking to Beyonce, some character imitation from the Nintendo Wii and some rocking out to James Brown. The whole act was absolutely fantastic and has the whole audience laughing from start to finish. From two such young boys at the ages of eleven and twelve, they have got some real talent and Merton can expect great things from them as their winners. Well done Paris and Josh!

We’d also like to congratulate the other participants. Admiral really enjoyed your acts too:

-         The Iron Monkeys, an 8 piece band from Cricket Green School who performed “Wild Thing” by The Troggs

-         Caroline, Kane and Emmanuel, a 3 piece band from Raynes Park High School who performed “Unfaithful” by Rihanna

-         Jadean Southam and Zarina Gobin, a duet from Bishopsford Academy who sang “Because of You” by Kelly Clarkson

-         Sky High, a 4 piece band from St Mark’s Academy who performed “Unthinkable” by Alicia Keys

-         Ryane Winning and Matilda Wollen, a duet from Ricard’s Lodge who performed “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus

-         Jack Leakey, a performer from Bishopsford Academy who danced to Evanescence

In other news on July 10^th 2011, some members of the Group will be taking part in a Triathlon in support of the charity, The Emily Ash Trust. Laura Withers will be swimming, Adrian Withers will be cycling and wife Marie will be running. The Emily Ash Trust is a small charity with a big heart with their primary aim being to improve the lives of children and young people suffering with cancer. They are able to do this thanks to the fundraising and donations made by their fantastic supporters who want to help families facing cancer. All staff work on a voluntary basis with all money raised going to support these families. If you would like to read more about the Emily Ash Trust, please follow this link.

If you would like to sponsor Laura, Adrian and Marie as of course donations are gratefully received, please follow this link. We have set our target to raise £1,000 but we’d like to be able to give them as much as possible. It doesn’t matter how much you donate, we appreciate any help you can offer. Many thanks in advance!

 CONTRACTS

With the financial year coming to a close it is very pleasing to report that The Admiral Group are continuing to buck the trend and out perform their budgetary predictions. With the Breyer Group continuing to provide work in the Walthamstow and Muswell Hill areas the acquisition of a contract for Denne in Aylesbury has really topped of the year. Ashe Construction, Coniston Construction and Killby and Gayford have all provided repeat business whilst we welcome the new trade generated from Fraser’s Hospitality UK Ltd. Also keep your eyes peeled for our appearance on a well known television show. We are not at liberty to reveal which programme this is as filming is still underway but watch this space!

Here’s to a successful 2011.

DISCOUNTS

The Discount Section continues to produce reduce costs for the Admiral Team, our clients and anyone else who chooses to visit our website. The merchants are still accepting our applications and the affiliations are increasing on a daily basis. At the moment, the promotional offers seem to be very popular with sporting events and weight loss products, a sure sign the summer is coming. As we have mentioned before, we are open to suggestions and if there is anything you are looking to buy and you would like a discount code please feel free to contact wendy@admiral-scaffolding.co.uk.

LATEST TRAINING SUCCESS

 

·        Dimitrijs Semjonovs

·        Adam Nowak

·       Luke Truelove

·       Ashley Truelove

·       Ross Chalke

·       David Bennett    

·        Bogdan Sokulski

·        Peter Komozsewski

Congratulations to you all.

Resuming back to our usual ongoing training results, another good month has been had. We’d like to congratulate John Davis and Andrew Santry who have both been on their Apprenticeship Induction. This now means that both their career and training plan are officially up and running and Admiral are thrilled to be going on their journey with them.

Joe Montgomery has been on his Part 1B. Joe has been doing extremely well with his training and is turning into a very efficient Scaffolder. We are looking forward to seeing what the future has in store for Joe.

Bradlee Spanyol, Alex Wicken and Mickey Wildman have all been on their Part 2A. It won’t be long now until they are all official Scaffolders with their blue CSCS cards. They have to complete their Part 2B and then have an assessment. They will definitely be starting 2012 as Basic Scaffolders. Well done for all your hard work and effort guys.

                                                                                     

Gavin Easton has completed his Part 2 this month and is now a Basic Scaffolder. Congratulations Gavin!