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World-leading manufacturer of automotive, CV and marine heating, cooling and ventilation systems specialist Webasto has been selected by Boss Cabins to provide diesel powered interior heating for their new -Big Space- towable welfare cabin.
Big Space maintains the company’s hybrid interior power technology by combining a special Eco Assist power pack, which silently provides power and light, with an advanced Webasto Air Top 2000 ST diesel-powered interior heating system. – Big Space - only needs occasional generator usage to top up the power pack’s integral bank of batteries.
Boss Cabins chose the Air Top blown air interior heater because of its high performance, light weight and compact dimensions, which frees up valuable storage space. Air Top also features easy installation and inexpensive maintenance & servicing, thanks to stepless control, efficient combustion and low diesel consumption, providing comfortable warmth at the touch of a button.
Big Space, got a warm reception at the recent Executive Hire Show in Coventry: The new cabin includes toilet facilities and enables up to 10 people to wash, relax and prepare meals in comfort, but importantly also includes an office for use as a site control area.
Graham Stansfield is Boss Cabin’s Managing Director and is impressed with the Webasto heater’s performance saying:
“Webasto has produced a simple to operate, well proven product which we’re confident will stand the test of time – many site personnel have little formal training, so it is important that the systems we specify are both robust and uncomplicated. Choosing to work with Webasto was a straight forward decision because my colleagues and I admired their pro-active approach, along with their keenness to work with a young business. We’ve now built a very good working relationship but are still pleasantly surprised by Webasto’s willingness to, go that extra mile, when circumstances need more input from them than usual.”
Boss Cabins has just celebrated its second year in business in May 2012. The company was formed by a small group of like, minded professionals who have already brought a high degree of experience, skills and enthusiasm to the market. Based in Grantham, Lincolnshire, the company’s main customers are councils, utility providers and rental companies throughout England, Scotland, Wales and Ireland.
Schools can cut their energy bills and improve the learning environment by utilising Passivent’s rsnge of natural solutions for building services.
Whether a new build or refurbishment project, the inclusion or improvement of building services such as ventilation, daylight and acoustics needs to be addressed in order to minimize energy consumption but maximize student and staff comfort. Passivent’s diverse range and technical expertise in the sector (the company has been a member of a Government steering committee to advise on natural ventilation) enables a holistic approach to be adopted, with the three elements addressed from one source.
The rising cost of energy means schools should take every opportunity to harness natural resources to cut their fuel bills, says Dennis Bates, Passivent Product Manager.
The latest version of Building Bulletin 90 states ‘Unless over-riding reasons for not doing so, the school designer should assume daylight will be the prime means of lighting’, yet a typical rooflight will lose almost 90% of its light transmission value in 10 years so will need replacing to avoid an increased use of electric light.
Natural ventilation is the DfE’s preferred means of airing educational establishments and noise transfer to and from classrooms is always a concern for teachers, -We are the only major company in the sector that can address ALL those issues, simplifying the specification process and further optimising funds by ensuring systems work effectively as stand-alone strategies, or integrate seamlessly and with maximum user control, and delivering compliance with BB90 (lighting in schools), BB101 (ventilation in schools) and BB93 (acoustics).
What’s more, natural solutions – ventilation and lighting – are usually not only cheaper to operate as they use little or no energy, but usually involve a lower capital cost too.
Controlling weeds is a perennial problem for council, amenity, landscape and groundcare teams that is not only costly and time-consuming but potentially harmful to people, animals and the environment due the use of chemical-based herbicides.
This situation, however, could soon change for the better as an innovative weeding technology, developed and manufactured in the UK, is now available for use in the amenities sector offering the first effective, financially viable opportunity for non-toxic, 100% natural and renewable weed control.
Weedingtech’s thermal weeding solution – Foamstream – is completely non-toxic and its use is therefore completely unrestricted. Foamstream can be used around water courses, on roads and in populated areas as it poses no danger to people, animals or the environment. It kills weeds quickly using a combination of hot water, steam and a natural foam made from 100% natural and renewable plant oils and sugars, which is applied by three hand-held lances from Weedingtech’s delivery device, ‘The AW-Series’ which is fitted to a tractor, and powered by its PTO.
The patented technology at the heart of the machine – Foamstream – employs a unique mix of boiling water, steam and foam, derived from natural plant oils and sugars to kill weeds. Simple but highly effective, the system is designed to treat all weed types. The steam ensures that the heat is efficiently transferred to the plant cells and the foam acts as a thermal blanket, preventing heat loss to the atmosphere. The cells of the weed are heated to the point where they rupture and the plant dies. The plant science behind this ground-breaking solution has been validated by Dr David Hanke of the University of Cambridge.
Karen Waters, Operations Manager of Countryman’s Contractors – one of the leading contracting companies in the UK, said: ‘Countryman’s Contractors recently invested in an AW-Series from Weedingtech; we recognised that Foamstream fills a gap in the market giving us the ability to offer our clients a wider range of services generating new opportunities for our business. Foamstream allows us to bypass complex restrictions around herbicide use and meet the clients and general public’s agenda for greener, more sustainable public services.
-Countryman’s is committed to protecting the environment and making our towns, cities and countryside greener, cleaner and safer than ever before. We’re really excited about rolling Foamstream out and would be delighted to speak with any other councils or organisations about how Foamstream can help them.”
Designed, developed and manufactured in the UK in partnership with engineering firm Cambridge Precision Limited, the Weedingtech solution was initially launched to the agricultural sector in response to ever-increasing legislation and restrictions regarding the use of chemical herbicides. Field tests undertaken by the National Institute of Agricultural Botany have revealed a 100% success rate.
Richard Pearson of Weedingtech said: -We believe Foamstream will be a highly effective tool in the amenities sector because it offers so many benefits. For starters, it’s incredibly cost efficient. For example, it isn’t weather dependent and can be used in almost any weather conditions with no risk to people, animals or the environment. This means contractors can reduce contingency time on jobs saving them money and improving their margins. Foamstream also empowers contractors to offer their clients additional services so they have a wider portfolio when they go into tender situations. What’s more, only minimal training is needed to use the AW-Series and Foamstream, as opposed to chemical-based herbicides, which often require training certification.
-Using Foamstream we can make our towns, cities and countryside greener and cleaner than ever.”
Foamstream is approved by The Soil Association, The Organic Farmers and Growers Association, and the Chemical Regulations Directorate.
For more information on Weedingtech and the AW Series, powered by Foamstream, visit www.weedingtech.com
When it comes to mobile communication, the loudest topic of conversation lately has been NFC (Near Field Communication) technology. Much of that buzz has focused on the ability of NFC to facilitate the ‘mobile wallet’, whereby handsets act as virtual debit cards, making instant payments when swiped near to NFC points in shops, transport hubs and venues.
While this is undoubtedly an intriguing development, with increasing numbers of outlets expected to become NFC-friendly over the coming months to encourage faster and more convenient transactions for consumers, some of the wider applications of NFC technology have not had the same level of attention.
This is unfortunate because, within public sector organisations, NFC has the potential to transform the day-to-day running of routine operations, promoting improved efficiency, faster communication and maximising productivity.
When placed in the hands of managers and employees, NFC-enabled mobiles can be coupled with strategically positioned ‘tags’ in a variety of locations, allowing users to automatically check in and out rooms or buildings, while simultaneously exchanging data in the form of real-time messages. This data could include an updated priority list, a new schedule of work or a request to move to another location.
In this way, NFC has the potential to transform the governance of areas such as time and attendance, workforce management and job scheduling. It can be particularly powerful where staff are working remotely, between numerous locations.
At the forefront of this transformation will be PayFones, a leading mobile technology specialist that has developed a range of low-cost NFC-enabled handsets called C-mii (pronounced ‘see me’). Having teamed up with a number of software partners to create bespoke solutions for a range of applications, the brand will be rolling out its technology into the public sector this year.
PayFones founder and CEO Chris Pay explains: -Most of the conversations around NFC have focused on its potential as a mobile wallet mechanism, and that will certainly be an important area for the C-mii range. But more widely, we view C-mii as a tool to support efficiency efforts, particularly in the public sector, where real-time data exchange could have an important role in addressing organisational issues.
-It’s important to point out that this doesn’t mean equipping staff with expensive smartphones. We’ve developed and manufactured a lightweight, robust and feature-rich range of NFC-enabled handsets that, by design, are very affordable. Our objective is to make NFC capabilities accessible to the widest possible range of people and organisations, so that they can benefit from this technology with only modest investment.”
The healthcare sector is seen as a potentially significant beneficiary of this technology, particularly in terms of domiciliary care. If district nurses, for example, were equipped with C-mii handsets, they could check in and out of particular patient locations, and receive updates on the treatment required, as well as any new scheduling information for their next assignment.
This would provide managers with live details of staff activity, creating a log of where they attended and what tasks were carried out, as well as opening up the possibility of staff being redirected or redeployed away from their original schedule.
The same capabilities could just as usefully be applied to staff such as porters and cleaners, not only in healthcare but in other areas too.
Having a real-time record of the location and movements of staff also has obvious security advantages.
Taking that to its next logical step, security staff have also been identified as potential beneficiaries of C-mii. When performing routine circuits to check the safety of key locations, for example, the meeting of a C-mii handset and tag would confirm which areas were attended and at what time.
-We’re already seeing major potential in areas such as domiciliary care, cleaning, portering, facilities management and security, all of which require central teams to keep track of the activities of staff who are moving around all the time and may need their schedules to be revised in line with changing circumstances, minute by minute or hour by hour,” says Pay. -The efficiency savings that could be derived from this approach are easy to see. But this is just the beginning. Our C-mii solution can touch many more areas of public sector life and we want to work alongside civil servants to create solutions that meet their evolving needs simply and effectively.”
PayFones specialise in the distribution of mobile handsets and the creation of bespoke, fully-branded mobile devices for some of the world’s best-known corporations.
Now, its market-leading C-mii range has been created to allow organisations to take early advantage of NFC (Near Field Communication) technology at an affordable price.
Commercial applications arise from the ability of C-mii to transmit and receive live information when in close proximity to NFC tags.
For further information, visit www.c-mii.com or email enquiries@c-mii.com
A year ago, large numbers of public sector organisations were taking advantage of government Feed-In Tariffs (FITs) to install solar panels on the roofs of civic buildings. Now, with FITs rates cut in half, the public mood couldn’t be more different. The court battle between the government and the solar industry over FITs rates muddied the waters. And unscrupulous ‘sharks’ in the marketplace, misrepresenting the facts about solar ROI, have made organisations understandably nervous about going forward with planned installations.
Yet the picture of solar in the UK is not as black and white as it may seem. It is not the case that solar was a good investment last year, and now it is a bad investment.
Battling short-termism
Although payback periods will be longer as a result of FITs cuts, ROI and payback are still dependent on a number of different factors and it is impossible to generalise. Lots of figures for solar payback are thrown around 5 years, 10 years, 18 years, but it all depends on values of irradiation, shading, inclination of panels and more.
However, it’s crucial to also consider on-going savings on electricity and how this will impact payback periods. We’ve seen electricity prices increase annually and this is a trend that is likely to continue. Public buildings, with their high staff numbers and extensive public footfall, can spend tens of thousands of pounds on energy every year. This means that taking advantage of free electricity generated by solar power can reduce their bottom line considerably, even without the added bonus of high subsidies.
The ‘austerity’ mood of the UK has understandably led to a degree of short-termism, where if the numbers do not stack up immediately, a project is automatically shelved. However, this short-term mind-set overlooks the bigger picture. CO2 targets and environmental legislation, such as the Carbon Reduction Commitment, mean that weighing up the benefit of projects like solar installations should involve more than simply looking at today’s balance sheet.
Lofty goals vs. cost realities
A recent poll by the Guardian found that 78% of respondents, from the public, private and third sectors, felt that the public sector should lead the way in sustainability. If the public sector is expected to be the leader in sustainability, this calls for a long-term view on green projects. Yet those in the public sector must still walk a tightrope, aiming for lofty environmental goals, while still satisfying the pressing need to keep costs to a minimum.
Astute organisations have realised that, in order to achieve a good rate of return on civic solar installations, they must watch every penny. There is no longer any margin for error. This means speeding up installation times; simplifying maintenance works; avoiding expensive roof reinforcement works; and ensuring the solar panels are always working at maximum capacity.
Whole-life analysis
Undertaking a successful solar installation can mean a delicate balancing act between initial costs and whole-life costs. Skimping on quality in the short term can produce a maintenance headache several years down the line.
Because solar panel mounting systems are exposed to extremes of weather for long periods of time, opting for mounting systems made from cheap materials will almost certainly lead to big maintenance bills in the future. It’s important to make sure all materials used in a solar installation have been properly treated to ensure resistance to corrosion. Salt-water-resistant aluminium and galvanised high-grade steel are an absolute must.
Installation hassle
However, one initial expenditure that can, and should,be kept to a minimum is installation costs. During installation of solar panels, the potential for expensive delays is high, especially if you choose a mounting system with a large number of screw fixings and complex components. This type of system means that installers have to carry a large number of tools and parts in their van and then transfer all of this equipment onto the roof itself. The end result is a needless amount of time spent on the roof, fiddling around with tricky fixtures and fittings.
Looking for a simple mounting system design, requiring a lower inventory of parts and fewer tools, is a good way to make sure your installers don’t end up mired in labour-intensive rooftop works.
Flat roof problems
Many organisations anticipate having to perform works on their civic buildings to make sure the roof is suitable for the solar installation, particularly when dealing with flat roofs, which can be notoriously difficult. Avoiding such roof-strengthening works is an obvious way to keep costs low.
State-of-the-art mounting systems have now been engineered to be low-weight-bearing by design. For flat roofs, the ballasts used can add greatly to the weight of the installation, and this is why the best modern designs keep the number of ballasts to a minimum. At TRITEC UK, the latest innovation is the TRI-STAND Aero mounting system, which ensures that solar installations require at least 50% less ballast, compared with conventional flat roof supports.
Maximising yield
It’s easy to feel that, once the solar panels are in place and you’ve ticked every box, quick installation, high-quality materials, etc.- the job is finished. However, in order to maintain your yields from solar panels and anticipate the need for any maintenance works, regular monitoring of installations is also essential. In the past, we had to make do with multi-meters and clip-on ammeters for monitoring.
However, new technology, like the hand-held TRI-KA monitoring device from TRITEC UK, establishes a wireless connection between the measuring device and the panel sensor. This speeds up the job of maintenance and removes the need for expensive wiring. Investing in the right technology right from the start can make the difference between a successful, smoothly-run solar PV system and one that is an endless headache.
Most of all, it’s important to remember that much of the pessimism that currently surrounds solar in the UK simply stems from confusion over the situation. While it’s true that Feed-In Tariff cuts mean that solar is no longer the boon it was last year, rising energy prices mean that it is still a sound investment. In fact, provided public sector organisations approach their solar installations with a careful eye on keeping installation and maintenance costs low, solar can still reap long-term benefits for the public sector, both financially and environmentally.
www.tritec-energy.com/uk/
New online research from YouGov and SAS, the leader in business analytics software and services, has found that more than four in five Britons (82%) have never knowingly provided false information in a government agency form, putting the public sector in prime position to collect a central repository of reliable and valuable ‘big data’.
The ‘Communicating with the Citizen’ survey of 2,160 British citizens showed that if government departments maximised response rates to official forms of communication, the public sector would obtain high quality, accurate data on its citizens, which could drive significant value through high-performance analytics (HPA).
To enable public servants to harness this untapped value, simplifying the communication process will be key, with ease of completing forms a recurring theme among those surveyed when asked what steps government agencies could take to improve communication with the general public. Respondents noted that the top four ways government could maintain or improve its communication with the general public were:
Making it clearer what information is actually being asked for/required (69%)
Use of more simplistic language in documentation (54%)
The ability to complete and submit forms/ payments online (50%)
Highlighting of key information in bold or “strong” colours in documentation (31%)
-We know that there are limits on the amount of information that can be processed at one time. So it comes as little surprise that Britons would like government agencies to clarify exactly what information they are seeking and use simple language to do so in official forms of communication, said Gerry Leonidas, senior lecturer in typography at the University of Reading.
-Likewise, we actively seek meaning in the world around us, so in a document we tend to see significance in the way things are arranged and in their relative prominence. The high volume of participants who listed these as improvement areas for the public sector to focus on, is evidence that simplified government agency forms will make the process of gathering and providing information easier for everyone.
The importance attached to being able to communicate online is also significant, and supports the Government Digital Service’s aim to deliver more online services. It also enables more efficient data capture by avoiding the need to digitalise data which originates in hard copy format.
Bernard Baker, director, public sector at SAS UK & Ireland, said: – If the public sector adjusts its communication methods and tools in line with this feedback, not only will response rates improve, but so will the consistency and uniformity of the data being collected. By sourcing data of such a high calibre, individual agencies and central government will be better equipped to segment data, perform better profiling of citizens and improve overall citizen intelligence through high-performance analytics. Gaining the ability to identify subgroups within the community and then pinpoint the best methods to communicate with those specific demographics will put public servants in a much stronger position to provide citizens with improved services.
A recent report by the Centre for Economics and Business Research and SAS forecasted that if central government can apply high-performance analytics to big data so as to improve its citizen intelligence, it could provide a £6.7bn economic benefit over the next five years.
The ‘Communicating with the Citizen’ study showed that channel of communication was also highly relevant for maximising data capture, so understanding how people wish to be contacted is key. Despite the growth in online and mobile communication channels in recent years, a hard copy letter (50%) is the favoured method for receiving general government agency communications, followed by email (37%). Text messages (39%) and phone calls (23%) from a government agency were the most likely channels to be ignored.
The research results indicate that the public sector should focus on incentivising people to pay fines/bills or complete forms on time over penalising them. When participants were asked to choose which three options would most encourage them to pay council tax on time, 70% said receiving a discount and 27% said being entered into lotteries or prize draws. Only 24% said being advised that any future failure to pay on time would be seen as an -active choice, and incurring a late payment penalty fee would encourage them to pay on time.
Our survey has found that negative incentives, or ‘sticks’, such as naming and shaming late payers or penalty charges, have less of an impact than positive incentives, or ‘carrots’, such as discounts, prize lotteries and higher rebates. If the public sector takes these results on board to improve citizen data collection and citizen profiling, it will enhance services and significantly reduce operational costs associated with debt collection and fraud detection,concluded Baker.
All four current England Cricket Captains; Andrew Strauss, Stuart Broad, Alastair Cook and Charlotte Edwards brought cricket to some of Nottingham’s inner-city youngsters today when The Lord’s Taverners staged a special coaching session ahead of the England Test with West Indies at Trent Bridge.
As cricket’s number one charity, The Lord’s Taverners is dedicated to giving young people access to sporting and recreational opportunities. The four England captains joined together for the first time to assist the session, led by two graduates of the charity’s Street Elite programme.
Over the past six months the Street Elite scheme, supported by the Berkeley Group, has trained a group of young people not in employment, education or training (NEETs) and seen them gain coaching qualifications in cricket, rugby and futsal. The participants have since organized sessions with youngsters on local housing estates, inspiring them to get involved in sport and other positive activities which help address the kind of disillusion which led to the August 2011 riots across much of the country.
The four captains were on hand to assist Street Elite graduates Kemar Campbell and Akiem McCarthy, both 21, deliver the session for 60 young people from Bentinck Primary School, Berridge Junior School and Catch22 at the Bridlington Street MUGA (Multi-Use Games Area) in central Nottingham.
England One Day International Captain and Lord’s Taverners ambassador, Alastair Cook, said: -It’s great to come down and interact with the kids.
-While Andrew, Stuart, Charlotte and I were fortunate enough to realise our sporting potential through the ECB performance pathway, these youngsters also need a framework which organisations like The Lord’s Taverners are putting in place.
-The Lord’s Taverners is doing a great job around the country giving kids access to sport so were delighted to have the opportunity to do our part.”
Matthew Patten, Chief Executive of The Lord’s Taverners, said: -The Lord’s Taverners is all about giving young people like Kemar and Akiem the opportunity to transform their lives through cricket and other sports.”
Baroness Pauline Neville-Jones, the UK Government’s Special Representative to Business for Cyber Security, has commended ITEC’s first Cyber Security Training and Education Workshop for the significant attention it has drawn to combating this evolving threat.
During her opening presentation, Baroness Neville-Jones provided an in-depth analysis of the progress being made in developing the nation’s resilience to malicious attack and the continued urgency with which the issue will be addressed.
-Cyber is making it wonderfully clear that time is not on our side” she asserted and, reflected by the increase in deliberately directed acts, -events are pushing us [into action]”. Tackling the assumption of those who understand the threat to be little more than a nuisance, the Baroness was adamant that -our understanding of resilience has to change…at the moment the advantage lies with the attacker, we must up the defence”.
The UK Government has allocated considerable funding to protecting the nation’s digital infrastructure which, while global defence budgets continue to be slashed, indicates the importance it is investing long-term. However, ITEC also provided a platform for the Baroness to emphasise the value of partnership between the parliamentary powers, the private and public sectors. To outwit the enemy requires initiative; the cyber battlefield must be approached from all angles. -It is really important that industry takes responsibility and works together [with the Government] in a collective sense” she stressed.
An emerging theme during the first day of ITEC’s Cyber Security Workshop exposed the central role that cyber skills will play in the coming years. Accordingly, if we are to safeguard nations’ digital infrastructure, awareness must be given to fostering these skills within the main educational framework.
ITEC’s debut into this critical arena confirmed that, once supported by a robust body of research, strong cross-sector partnerships and an attentive social audience, -we will have a much greater chance of success in the future”.
The show is taking place at ExCeL, London, 22-24 May 2012.
ITEC 2013 will be held 22-24 May in Rome.
www.itec.co.uk
Sitting at the heart of Belfasts historic ship yard stands the UKs latest tourist attraction, the iconic Titanic Belfast building. This is an interactive insight into the history of the worlds most famous ship The RMS Titanic. There are nine galleries which take you through the life of the Titanic from its concept to the sinking 100 years ago and its influence up to modern times.
Officially opened on 31st March 2012, the building was designed around many maritime themes including the ships hull. During the last Century, the Titanic has been a story of fascination for many and Titanic Belfast already welcomes thousands of visitors each week.
With large numbers of the public expected, and their safety a priority (as well as that of the staff), it was decided that a reliable voice evacuation system must be installed. (It is proved that people react far quicker to a spoken evacuation message than a misunderstood bell or sounder.)
In addition to the voice evacuation, a disabled refuge and toilet alarm system was also needed for the site. This type of system provides two way communication between building management and areas of refuge for those that would need assistance during an evacuation.
DJ Kilpatrick (DJK) of Belfast was chosen by G4S Fire Security as the supplier for both types of system and they opted to use products from UK manufacturer Baldwin Boxall. The structure of the building is complex not a single right angle is in view throughout the attraction. DJK, working closely with Baldwin Boxall, designed the voice evacuation system to ensure speech intelligibility was high in all areas. Careful thought was needed regarding the placement of the Penton loudspeakers, as there had been concern about potential over flow within certain areas, especially the atrium.
The Voice Evacuation System:
An eight zone centralised voice evacuation system providing phased evacuation to all areas of the attraction. Inputs to the system include background music, localised paging microphones, multi-zone microphones and all call fire microphones. Sitting at the heart of the system is Baldwin Boxalls well established DSP router the BVRD2M.
The system employs DC line monitoring technology which is one of three monitoring solutions offered by Baldwin Boxall (the BVRDADIM). The Penton loudspeakers were supplied with capacitors and by doing this the BVRDADIM allows one amplifier to drive two loudspeaker circuits. If one circuit should suffer a short circuit the BVRADIM will isolate the affected circuit and allow the other circuit to function with only a slight drop in level. The system has amplifier redundancy and is battery backed as standard.
The Disabled Refuge and Toilet Alarm System:
VIGIL Omnicare was the preferred disabled refuge/toilet alarm system and two separate systems were installed. The first was a six-way system for the car parks with the second being a larger, 46-way system, for the attraction. Omnicare was chosen due to the loop wiring configuration, the ideal choice for new builds as the cost of cable is dramatically reduced compared with radial systems.
G4S Fire Security, the installation company, was extremely happy with the ease of the installation and the service given by DJK. Their project manager Gary Graham commented From the start of the project we have been delighted with the service provided by DJK. By choosing Baldwin Boxall equipment we were safe in the knowledge that we were installing quality equipment. The end result is we have a voice evacuation system that allows our client to make paging announcements/message broadcasts knowing they will be clearly heard by the general public and staff.
Jim Hooks, Managing Director of DJ Kilpatrick said DJK has been a distributor for Baldwin Boxall for over 15 years and this is another successful project for us using their products. The team at Baldwin Boxall were effective with their design and all round assistance with this project.
A few weeks ago, US President Barack Obama asked the US Congress for the authority to consolidate trade and business related parts of the federal government to untangle what he called a bureaucratic maze. He said he wanted to merge six departments and agencies into one, in a move that would effectively eliminate the Commerce Department. “With this authority, we would help businesses grow, save businesses time and save taxpayer dollars,” he said.
And, addressing Chancellor George Osborne, CBI director-general John Cridland said ‘fiscal consolidation is vital in a more challenging growth environment.’
Working with local government and not-for-profit sectors through Randstad’s specialist business divisions has given us unique capabilities underpinned by an ability to deliver cost, quality and process efficiencies. As our customers have consolidated, so have we. Our public sector business levels now mirror the working population in this sector, and our model reflects the demographics of society. Inspired to -imagine what we can do together†we developed the ‘Master Vendor ‘ solution to offer our public sector customers with a -one-stop†solution providing access candidates across all job roles (including teachers, social workers, carers, clerical, financial, site maintenance, HR and executive roles).
As Randstad developed that deep understanding of the public sector and its focus in supporting service users, this ability now allows us to deliver across all skillsets. Randstad’s industry leading -Gold standard compliance†model ensures effective safeguarding, process and legal compliance on a proactive 24/7/365 basis, with an OJEU (UK procurement legislation) compliant contract. We are expert in managing the impacts of Agency Workers Regulations (AWR) and we have access to government funding for those with learning disabilities and offer programmes to support service users to fulfill their potential in workplaces.
Randstad’s specialist business divisions combine to provide the local government and not for profit sectors with unique service capabilities underpinned by an ability to deliver cost, quality and process efficiencies across our clients’ organisations, delivering a wide range of temporary, contract and permanent recruitment services to local authorities, universities, schools, charities and other not-for-profit organisations, with new customers added every month. Randstad is leading the field in Social Care and Education support in the UK and has a proven track record in delivering total cost of labour reductions allowing redistribution of funds to other key services.
Randstad is also a top master vender (or managed service provider) of all skillsets required in several local authorities including Bristol, Hackney, Leeds city council, Rhonnda Cynan Taff and more than 50 Housing Associations to provide Business Support and Administration, Finance & Commercial, Housing Management, Trades & Operatives, Support Workers, OT & Nursing, IT, Human Resources & Facilities, Contact Centre, Marketing & Communications and Senior Management & Executive.
Our deep understanding of the sector and its focus on supporting service users/tenants allows us to provide a supervised service with Randstad managing the recruitment supply chain to ensure safeguarding, process, AWR and cost compliance, supporting the organisation in maximising funding using our unique capability and access to central government funded initiatives, plus additional HR and staffing services including resource pool/bank payroll, recruitment advertising, brand management and outplacement support.
Hot-desking – enabling staff to work from any desk in the office, at home or on the move – has become an increasingly commonplace feature in the public sector.
However the concept still divides opinion in terms of whether it genuinely facilitates more flexible working, or is simply a cost-cutting measure. Peter Gradwell, managing director of telecoms and internet service provider Gradwell, debates the pros and cons.
Hot-desking has become a buzz-word in the public sector in recent years, with many more management teams adopting the practice and reaping the benefits. In fact, recent research indicates that public sector workforces are working more flexibly than their peers in the private sector. While it is not unreasonable to assume that the shift is at least partly driven by tough efficiency targets and budget cuts, for many organisations and teams, it brings with it significant long-term benefits of a more agile workforce.
In my experience, hot-desking helps to save money, encourages staff to work more closely with colleagues and ensures that expensive office space is being used efficiently. Importantly, it also provides staff with the freedom to work outside of the office, as they can use technology to create their own virtual, portable office, wherever they are.
The decision by management teams to implement hot-desking is often met with mixed reviews, as not everyone prefers this open method of working. The barriers within a team can be organisational, physical, technological and cultural. Some people do not like change, particularly if they have spent their working life at one desk. This mind-set can be difficult to change. They may ask why as they already have a familiar work culture with everything they need to hand.
Many public sector organisations have operated the same culture for decades; if this is the case, it might be difficult for managers to try and introduce a new system, as it’s one that can dramatically change the appearance and set-up of the whole office.
The advances in technology mean that we can now set up anywhere and are no longer dependent on having a fixed work space and landline phone, as we’re more mobile these days. For example, we can use Wi-Fi networks to access emails, or introduce services like Gradwell One into the office network to re-direct calls to the phone of our choice.
We created the Gradwell One service to provide organisations with the flexibility to work from any location and enable them to be available at all times. Users can set their office phone number to react in different ways depending on the status they set, which is particularly useful if they’re hot-desking at a different location and colleagues can’t physically see them. For example, if they set it to ‘Meeting’ it can send calls to voicemail, whereas if it’s set it to ‘On the road’, they can have calls come direct to a mobile without any change in experience for the caller. They can even have their landline number call a mobile first, then, if they don’t answer after 30 seconds, call their desk phone. Also, the statuses help colleagues to see everyone’s availability, so they know whether that person is around to take a call, giving callers the option to talk to someone else rather than being fobbed off to voicemail.
A good place to start when considering hot-desking is whether the current system marries with reality. If workers are predominantly out of the office, they won’t necessarily need to have a designated desk, but if they are office-based, managers should decide whether more flexibility is appropriate. This decision may affect the layout of the office and whether some staff work from home or other offices; these decisions could mean a reduction in the costs of potentially unnecessary desks, the cost of IT and telephony connectivity, parking spaces and equipment.
If hot-desking is right for the working environment, the appropriate technology is vital to support the new system. Hot-desking has moved on from the ability to simply log on at any computer in the office, as a desk phone with a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) connection can also help to pick up calls after setting up your own ‘hot-desk location’. This is something we now offer to our Gradwell customers, following a client request, and is ideal for workers who need to have telephone contact with colleagues, clients and partners, wherever they are located.
Clearly the greatest benefits are felt by truly mobile workers, who might be in the office one day per week for example. However, hot-desking technology is less useful for purely desk-based workers, as these individuals have all the technology they need at their desk; by being ‘set up’ and ready to go, they can come in to the office and start working promptly.
The concept of hot-desking, and flexible working more generally, undoubtedly represents a significant cultural change for many public sector workforces. It is not right for everyone, however it is becoming apparent that for many it can genuinely revolutionise working practices to the advantage of staff, management and citizens alike.
There is nothing that knocks an individual’s self-confidence quite like taking a career break and it is easy to lose one’s identity and simply become someone else’s -carer”, -Mummy” or -Daddy”. Those on a career break are often unaware that the skills gained during their time away from work, including multi-tasking, time management and -people skills” are valued in the workplace and so for all too many, memories of that interesting job they once held can begin to seem like fiction.
This is a problem experienced by many professionals who take a career break but is particularly acute for those with a background in science, engineering and technology. The fast pace of development in technological areas means that knowledge and skills soon become outdated. For many, returning to education to refresh their skills is often out of reach for financial reasons and as a result many find it impossible to return.
The Daphne Jackson Trust is an independent charity which provides tailored retraining programmes for scientists, engineers and technologists who have taken a career break for family, caring or health reasons. The trust offers flexible, two year part-time fellowships, comprising of a retraining program and research project in their chosen research area.
Rebecca Ward is a Daphne Jackson Fellow researching how buildings interact with their environment, particularly in terms of passive thermal and ventilation strategies. Rebecca is working for the Department of Engineering at the University of Cambridge, using data from the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Kew is a World Heritage Site which contains more than 50 buildings, including a range of different and large biomes to house and preserve plants from all over the world, so finding ways to reduce the carbon foot-print of such a varied and historic site is a challenge.
Rebecca has now developed computer simulations for a group of buildings, including the Princess of Wales Conservatory, and has modified an existing analytical model of the greenhouse. The analytical model is a set of numerical equations which together simulate the heat flow through the greenhouse. It is a complex model because plants interact with their environment, altering the internal temperature and humidity of a greenhouse and this can have a significant effect on the energy required to maintain the temperature.
Rebecca’s project will move on to use the simulations to help identify improvements to operation strategies and possible building modifications, which may result in the reduction of energy use. In particular, it is hoped to harness heat lost from specific locations for use elsewhere, improving efficiency. Finally, her project will look at whether alternative energy generation methods might be sympathetically employed, taking into account the unique heritage of the site.
-Kew Gardens is an amazing place to work”, says Rebecca. -It’s such a great environment, and I feel invigorated every time I cycle through the gardens to the office. I’m thoroughly enjoying the work and the fellowship. It’s fantastic to be able to work on something I’m really interested in. It’s given me a great confidence boost as I can really see a positive future ahead.”
The fellowship scheme was started by Professor Daphne Jackson, the first female professor of Physics in the UK. Over the course of her career, she met many clever and highly-qualified scientists who were reduced to taking low-level jobs because they had taken a career break. Deciding that this was a waste of talent and investment, in 1985 Jackson began a pilot scheme that enabled women to return to their careers.
The Daphne Jackson Trust was set up in 1992 and has now worked with more than 200 returners, both men and women. Of these, 96% have returned to employment in science, engineering and technology. While a lot has changed in the UK working culture in the last 20 years, such as flexible working, people continue to take career breaks for family reasons and today’s returners face many of the same issues as those who took their career breaks a generation ago.
The scheme is still necessary, and the trust remains focused on returning talented scientists, engineers and technologists to their previous careers.
One Daphne Jackson Fellow recently wrote, -If anyone is wondering about whether to apply for a fellowship, I would say that you should do it, it’s a rare opportunity and you will rediscover your real self in the process.”
For more information, see the Trust’s website: www.daphnejackson.org
In as little as the last 25 years, obesity in the UK has increased 400 per cent, pushing the issue to the forefront of the healthcare debate. It has become a very topical subject for the current administration, which is under increasing pressure to reverse a trend which could result in a third of British adults being obese by 2020.
Aside from the impact on government policy, NHS reforms and the public debate around the issue, the obesity epidemic provides a medical and logistical challenge. This is being highlighted by a six-part documentary – `Big Body Squad` – that is currently airing on Channel 5 television.
For the most severely obese, the inability to move freely, and the associated health risks involved, makes leaving the house and even bed impossible. Weight can impact on many aspects of life, from social skills to the things that we take for granted such as going to the toilet unaided, or picking up something off the floor. In the extreme, a morbidly obese patient is classified as ‘bariatric’ when somebody who is unable to take care of themselves, and relies on groups of specialist paramedics and nurses to assist them with everyday tasks. At times, bariatric patients need to be moved from place to place and travel substantial distances to receive treatment in hospital. In many cases these transfers can be time critical and the process itself potentially life threatening.
Moving a bariatric patient involves numerous dangers and difficulties. When of a certain size, movement or increased stress can trigger a stroke or heart attack and, should a patient be shifted in the wrong direction, the movement can tear skin, crush organs or break bones. Moving a bariatric patient requires the same level of planning and preparation as a complex military logistics operation, but one where the patient is removed from their house and delivered to hospital in a safe and dignified manner. This will usually include measuring the entire interior of the location through which the patient is to be moved, calculating weight and pressure, as well as predicting the effects of gravity on the patient and ensuring smooth transfer over a range of surfaces from narrow carpeted stairs and smooth floors to lawns and gravel drives.
In the UK, quality bariatric care is hard to source. This is often because medical service providers lack the training facilities to prepare staff for the unpredictable situations bariatric transfer throws up. To prepare for this, Westhouse Medical’s AST Ambulance Service has a dedicated training centre at its head quarters in Surbiton. Here, there is a full scale mock-up of the interior of a typical house and a 35 stone manikin for staff to practice on in a variety of scenarios. Substantial equipment is also needed for many situations, especially if a patient is of a very large size. Specially manufactured hydraulic lifts and hoists, as well as outsize stretchers, are used to assist staff and enable them to complete transfers safely. This is supported by medical training of specialist paramedics and ambulance personnel and the use of modified ambulances that are capable of safely moving someone of up to 100 stones in weight.
There is also a human side to bariatric care. As with all forms of patient care and transfer, decency and privacy as well as safety are of upmost importance. When a patient is much larger than average, it is important to go to great lengths to avoid additional stress or embarrassment for a patient, such as creating a public spectacle over the extended periods of time such operations require, as a relaxed patient is beneficial for the smooth completion of the task at hand.
As obesity levels rise, the need for bariatric services will increase. While reversing this trend is of great importance, it is also crucial that measures are put in place to ensure our health service is capable of effective and safe bariatric care and transfer in the coming decades.
We live in a world that bastions the individual and celebrates specialism. Since the C18th we have been steadily outsourcing not only industry, health and education, but now, according to Hochschild’s ‘Commodity Frontier’ even our personal relationships. Whilst compartmentalising our lives may increase efficiency, it’s detrimental to our education system and our children. An effect we’re seeing as the UK slides down the OECD ranks in Math, English and Science, faces increasing swathes of ‘Neets’ and witnesses over 20,000, 14 year olds migrating away from formal education.
As a private tutor and homeschooler, I believe education and indeed success are about relationships and not the exclusive domain of individual merit. As Malcolm Gladwell stipulates in ‘Outliers’, the same applies to everyone, from Rock Stars to Scientists. Exam results are not a measure of one’s IQ, but ones relationship capital, with psychotherapists explaining that, through parental nurturing, a child experiences being thought about which leads to the capacity to think. An effect that continues well into adulthood, with study after study finding students more likely to get A’s, have better social skills and stay in education for longer with active, nay simply interested parents.
It is unsurprising therefore, that in tandem with our academic slump, the UK is now at not at the bottom of the Child Well Being Table and according to Unicef has the least nurtured children in the developed world. This detachment is not only limited to children either, as 72% of parents have been recorded as feeling similarly isolated by the education systems esoteric practise, desiring further involvement, nay attachment to the system.
So to halt educational decline, close the class attainment gap and make learning relevant, we need a re-vision and acknowledgement of extended learning relationships. For the psychologist Vygostsky and critical pedagogue Freire, teaching is not the sole domain of the school, nor the trained teacher. Indeed education should move away from the traditional teacher-pupil didacticism, towards a dialogue. Vygotsky advocates the use of a more knowledgeable other, who, according to the Sociologist Lareau ‘concertedly cultivates’ the interests and machinations of an other. As a result, education becomes a democratic conversation, with people working ‘with’ each other as opposed to ‘on’ one another.
Yet currently, the education institution is proving impervious. Reacting to Gove’s suggestion of parents fielding union strikes, teachers and even the head of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers, furiously condemned this idea, seeing it as a ludicrous notion that parents could act as teachers.
Although I do not want to boycott the teaching profession, there is a dire need for them and the school to appreciate and utilise other learning relationships.
Practically, parents and community should to be drafted inside the confines of the institution to become mentors, coaches, experts and even assessors, included in the fabric of the formal learning environment. Following the example of Cramlington school, parents evenings can be reworked to feature students presenting work to parents, giving greater impetus to the learner and saving parents from the austere and oft confusing teacher confrontation.
More innovative gestures like the web based ‘School of Everything’, espousing the belief in everybody’s capacity to teach and learn, with its Ebay approach to sharing skills, should also be considered. Rochdale Council for example have produced a directory of wider learning opportunities, ensuring an awareness of the wider community of teachers.
Simultaneously to drawing from the community, the school needs to look to itself and acknowledge the virtues of peer to peer mentoring. Lateral teaching, proves consistently beneficial to both the academics of the learner and the social and emotional skills of the mentor. Indeed as Charles Leadbeater for the Innovation Unit states, -If just one per cent of the current school population were to become pupil-teachers, that would be 70,000 children.”. Also benefits can be seen from reducing the distance between school teacher and pupil, as seen in the John Monash Science School, where teachers planning areas are built into the school’s open spaces, literally working alongside students.
Ultimately learning is about relationships, the more attached we are to these relationships, the more we can learn, so it’s high time the system co-operate, accommodate and learn from the totality of its parts and becomes a team player.
The latest Comensura Government Index today shows there was a 15.2% decrease in the use of temporary labour across the public sector in the first quarter of 2012, when compared to the same time in 2011.
The North East saw the biggest drop in temporary recruitment at -127.3% with the West Midlands following close behind (-115.9%). London saw a drop of -25.5% in the use of temporary labour among Local Authorities.
Conversely, the same period also saw an increase in pay rates as a result, in part, to the implementation of the Agency Worker Regulations (AWR). Across the board there was an average 8.9% increase in hourly pay rates.
The Comensura Government Index reflects temporary labour usage across 79 Local Authorities and other public bodies. The Index is compiled by Comensura, specialists in organisational efficiency through the managed supply of people in large organisations across the public, private and not for profit sectors.
The number of temporary workers in driving and transportation roles saw a reduction of -39% along with IT roles (-29.2%) and engineering and technical roles (-26.9). A positive was a 20.5% increase in the number of temporary workers placed in construction roles, which could show some green shoots of recovery for the economy.
Young people suffered the greatest effects of reduced spending by Local Authorities. In the first quarter of 2012 compared to the same period in 2011, the number of 25-34 year-olds employed on a temporary basis decreased by a significant -35.4%.
Whilst both men and women were affected by the reduction in temporary labour, women faired slightly better and now account for 45.3% of all temporary labour, up from 44.9% in the same period in 2011. This was in part due to a lower than expected reduction in the number of office/admin workers, a job category that accounts for almost 20% of all temporary workers and where women represent 70% of all temporary labour.
Jamie Horton, Managing Director, Comensura said today, -The decrease in temporary employment in the North East and West Midlands is reflected within the wider UK employment figures. Local Authorities have made a real and concerted effort to reduce the amount spent on temporary labour.”
He continued: -Looking forward, the decrease in usage of temporary labour is expected to continue. Local Authorities and other public bodies are increasingly gaining greater control of expenditure on temporary labour by implementing control methods to manage their expenditure in this area. Whilst there is better planning of workforce needs to ensure resources are spent in the right areas, the numbers of young people joining the workforce should be a concern for local authorities as they plan for the future.”
The Comensura Government Index shows the usage of temporary labour across 79 of Comensura’s clients in England and Wales during 2011 and 2012. The Comensura Government Index is distributed on a quarterly basis and uses a variety of metrics to measure the usage of temporary labour including Full Time Equivalent (FTE), the reasons for hire, job class, age and gender.
The government has recently published its latest in a series of recommendations and changes to local government fraud prevention. The debate and planning around implementation continues, but the direction is clear – a changing role for local government in fraud prevention and detection.
Ultimately this will mean local authorities will have to do more to prevent fraud, more work on acknowledging its impact, more work on prevention and more work on pursuing the fraudsters. All of which will also mean local authorities working much more closely with central government on fraud prevention benefits, but having the right tools at their disposal is also key to tackling the changes.
As part of its ongoing efforts to help local authorities collect more taxes, stop fraud and reduce costs leading Public Sector Solutions provider Callcredit will today (10th May 2012) at The LAIOG Annual Fraud Conference outline the challenges facing local authorities and how through its new suite of products ‘Three Sixty’ will help fight fraud locally in three effective steps, Acknowledge, Prevent and Pursue.
Callcredit’s Director of Public Sector, Andrew Davis said, -Callcredit welcomes the governments new agenda and we believe it will really help local authorities to reduce fraud losses. However we also recognise that many local authorities don’t have the right tools to help them deliver on this aggressive agenda. Local authorities now more than ever need the correct tools at their disposal in order to rise to this challenge. We genuinely believe that our new ‘Three Sixty suite’ of products can deliver the level of insight needed to help improve effectiveness and reduce costs.
The suite of products ‘Three Sixty Tenant View’, Three Sixty Online, Three Sixty Council Tax View and Three Sixty Fraud Hub are a series of products that will, together, comprise a complete suite and offer a complete solution to filling the hole in local government finances.
Andrew added, -Improving the effectiveness of fraud detection and prevention has always been seen as a key objective for local authorities particularly in terms of reducing costs. Stopping fraud clearly demonstrates that those local authorities who implement effective strategies are recognised as good stewards of public resources which in many cases delivers’ real financial savings.
Ramora UK is a leading global provider of Explosive Ordnance Disposal services and related training. In addition to governments, the military and law enforcement agencies, Ramora UK clients include a number of high profile commercial organisations, and the company is very aware that the security concerns of corporations in the modern world cover a number of areas.
Adopting a comprehensive and proactive approach to corporate security is an important issue for Ramora UK and one that it shares with management consultants, Burrill Green.
Unlike most management consulting companies working in the security field, Burrill Green views corporate security not just in terms of protection, but also as a driver of performance, an enabler of trust, and a deliverer of incremental value to the whole enterprise. Allied to this approach is an understanding that sensitivity and empathy is required when challenging a client’s existing structures, systems, and procedures.
Given that this approach to client servicing is one that is fully shared by Ramora UK, the company has identified a number of advantages that can be delivered to clients through its teaming with Burrill Green.
As David Welch MIExpE, MIABTI, FCIM, Managing Director of Ramora UK, said:
-One of the great benefits that commercial organisations can bring to corporate security is an understanding of corporate realities and imperatives. Our technical expertise, delivered through a team of ex-military personnel, is second to none. When that is allied to an understanding of the broader issues that companies face – an understanding that can only be enhanced by our association with Burrill Green – then the opportunity exists to provide clients not just with protection but also with real added value.”
David Burrill, Chairman of Burrill Green, adds,
-Challenges that threaten businesses today in a shrinking world are of an order of magnitude that could not be accurately registered even twenty years ago. Managing in an Uncertain World requires new skills and approaches to steering businesses productively and profitably forwards. The function of security management is to create and maintain a secure condition in which people are safe, the business will flourish, the organisation’s reputation will be enhanced, and opportunities for improvements, will be identified and acted upon. Our association with Ramora UK enhances our ability to recommend world-class solutions to clients seeking to add value to the contribution corporate security can make to their business and enterprise.”
The Albert Kennedy Trust, the charity for young homeless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people today announces the appointment of leading City of London politician Edward Lord OBE as the new Chair of the charity. Lord replaces previous Chair James Hodge who stepped down from the role in March after a year as Chair and a total of six years on the board.
As Chair of the charity’s Board of Trustees, Lord will lead in progressing and developing the Albert Kennedy Trust’s strategy as well as acting as the external face of the charity. Working in partnership with the Trust’s Chief Executive Tim Sigsworth, Lord will promote the growth of the charity to its next level, alongside the Board of Trustees.
Describing the appointment process, AKT Chief Executive, Tim Sigsworth, said: -Edward was selected from a range of very strong candidates following a competitive recruitment process, undertaken by a panel that included both Trustees and young people. We were extremely impressed with the calibre of candidates and are thrilled to have enlisted such a skilled and experienced Chair as Edward Lord to lead the Albert Kennedy Trust through an exciting and significant period of growth over the next few years.”
Speaking of the appointment, Edward Lord said: -It is a great privilege to have been chosen to lead AKT through its next stage of development. No matter how much we hope that Society has changed for the better in the last twenty years, we cannot escape from the fact that some young people end up without a home because their parents or guardian can’t accept their sexual orientation or gender identity. That’s where AKT steps in and does a magnificent job.
During my term in office, I hope to see AKT grow and thrive to become a truly national organisation, building on its existing strengths and the talent of its staff and volunteers. I am greatly looking forward to being part of that team.”
Now in its 23rd year, the AKT enables lesbian, gay, bisexual and trans (LGBT) young people to live in safe homes and to fulfil their potential. AKT supports young LGBT 16-25 year olds who are made homeless or living in a hostile environment. For more information or to get involved visit www.akt.org.uk
Compliance with indirect disability discrimination under the new Equality Act is being simplified through an innovative solution from Total Hygiene.
Under the Act, which replaces the Disability Discrimination Act, service providers are required to make reasonable changes- including to the built environment- where a disabled customer or potential customer would otherwise be at a substantial disadvantage; previously, such changes were only required if it would have been impossible or unreasonably difficult for the person to access or use the service.
-Everybody needs to go to the toilet, and we ‘go’ on average eight times a day,” says Total Hygiene marketing manager Robin Tuffley. -Therefore, providing appropriate toileting facilities is now even more important than ever to ensure compliance with the Act, especially as the law now only questions whether an adjustment is a reasonable one to make.”
Total Hygiene’s solution is a raft of options that address toileting needs regardless of available space. Adds Robin, – BS8300: 2009 says that if space limits the provision of separate male, female and accessible toilets, then one accessible toilet should be provided. The simplest way to ensure compliance with the new Act, and other relevant Standards, is to build or refurbish one toilet, which provides a larger cubicle to accommodate a wheelchair and a carer, and includes a grab rail, emergency cord and a ‘wash and dry’ toilet such as a Clos-o-Mat.
-That one washroom can replace all the others, potentially releasing valuable floorspace and thus offsetting the relatively small capital investment, whilst addressing the needs of everyone, regardless of ability or even religious considerations.”
A Clos-o-Mat toilet, made in Britain by Total Hygiene, looks like, and can be used as, a conventional WC. It also has integral douche and drying facilities, which eliminate the need to wipe clean with toilet tissue after toileting. As a result, it addresses issues faced by anyone with manual or balance limitations- and the Islamic Qadaahul Haajah requirements.
The only toilet of its type developed specifically for disabled people, the Clos-o-Mat is proven in practice, with over 40,000 installed in domestic, public and commercial environments, many of which have been in regular use for over 30 years, demonstrating its fitness for purpose, quality and reliability. It is also the only unit of its kind to carry WRAS approval enabling legal connection to the mains water supply, and to be backed up by a nationwide in-house service & maintenance team.
Fibrelite’s lightweight, incredibly strong fibreglass composite covers with zero re-sale value in the scrap market are the perfect metal theft deterrent.
The increase in metal costs has stimulated the theft of metal manhole, trench and gully covers. Metal theft is now having a serious impact on the global economy through inflated insurance premiums, high repair and replacement costs as well as causing extremely serious health and safety hazards.
Fibrelite is strategically placed to utilise its quality, high volume manufacturing facilities in the UK, US and Malaysia to offer a very cost competitive alternative to metal that can benefit all affected industries. Fibrelite has manufactured and sold globally over 250,000 covers.
Fibrelite first pioneered the composite covering system in 1980 and set the standard by which performance is now measured. Fibrelite initially developed the composite cover for petrol station forecourts to withstand the wheel loading of heavy goods vehicles and from there quickly went on to be adopted worldwide. Fibrelite is considered as the industry standard by the major oil companies and continues to lead the way in composite innovation.
Having established a global reputation for high quality products and superior after sales service the company has held accreditation to both the ISO quality standard and British Standards Kite Mark since 1998. Fibrelite is the first composite cover manufacturer to have KIWA approval.
Fibrelite’s covers comply with the requirement of BS EN 124:1994, classes C250 & D400 and provide an excellent anti slip/skid surface which is guaranteed for the life of the cover, with a value of Polished Skid resistance Value (PSRV>50 when in wet conditions) which meets the requirements of HA 109/09, part 5.
The covers are manufactured in a close mould environment combining long strand multi-directional fibreglass with a specifically formulated resin matrix to produce an extremely durable but lightweight, approx. 1/3rd the weight of a steel or cast iron cover. The covers are inert so will not corrode, are not electrically conductive and have low thermal conductivity. Highly effective in covering manholes, gullies and trenches that contain cable, wire or fluid and perfect for where access is required as they are such a lightweight alternative to metal and concrete. They are unaffected by underground gasses and most chemicals, particularly those involved with sewage.
Global Expansion
Fibrelite announced earlier this month it has expanded global operations with the opening of a new Malaysian production and service facility in order to meet accelerating demand. In addition to this new facility, Fibrelite also has a 30,000sq ft. factory in the UK and a 35,000sq ft. plant in the US.
Cost Benefits
Although composite is initially more expensive than metal, the monolithic structure of a Fibrelite cover means they will not delaminate or corrode. With a minimum guaranteed lifespan of 15 maintenance free years, these covers are a ‘fit and forget’ product that can be fully lockable. So when considering the total cost of ownership, composite covers represent excellent value for money versus metal.
Typical Applications
To provide a guide, typical applications include: access for electrical junction boxes, access points for piping, airport meter pits, catch basin covers, sanitary access covers, fuel tanks, grease trap covers, leak detection covers, meter pits, monitoring wells, non-conductive electrical drawpits, oil water seperators, pipe trench covers, piping sumps, removable planking, sewer access, submersible pumps, tank gauge covers, underground chambers, underground communication boxes, valve boxes.
Recent Customer Quotes
“We were looking for an installation to replace our ageing duct covers. Fibrelite came up with this solution and it is manufactured and sourced locally.”
“I was impressed with how easy the install was and couldn’t believe how light the covers were whilst still being able to hold 40 tonne loadings.”
“We are very happy with this solution. We do not need a forklift truck anymore to remove the concrete slab and can get to the geothermal installation in a minute.”
“We are working with Fibrelite to retrofit our older vaults. The Fibrelite covers met an important need to find a light, durable, temperature, corrosion and abrasion resistant cover that seals out the surface water.”
More information regarding Fibrelite can be found at www.fibrelite.com
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