10
AUGUST 2016 PRO INSTALLER
PRO NEWS
www.proinstaller.co.uk
DON’T USE
CONSTRUCTION
SITES AS
PLAYGROUNDS
VPS Site Security has been
running a social media campaign through the summer to
warn of the risks of playing
on construction sites.
Using some hard-hitting images,
the digital media campaign aims
to reduce the number of incidents
of young people playing in and
around or on the rooftops of building works or empty sites.
Following a recent spate of children suffering serious or sometimes fatal injuries, VPS Site Security has been seeking to get the
message across to young people
about the dangers of vacant sites
being used as playgrounds. One
of the pictures shows a broken leg
with bone visible.
“We estimate that probably over
3,000 young people are taking
risks every week trespassing on
construction sites or vacant buildings,” says Simon Alderson, managing director of VPS Site Security.
Unattended construction sites
can become a magnet for children
looking to explore and play in
them – especially in the summer
holidays - despite being full of
hidden dangers such as uneven
grounds, incomplete staircases,
roofs, glass window frames, and
motor equipment.
“Kids are naturally curious. They
might get bored during the vacation, and so unwittingly take steps
that could lead to a broken leg or
worse,” said Simon. “I know one
of the campaign’s pictures is raw,
quite literally, but when we showed
young people the range of posters,
that was the one that most said
made them think more carefully
about the dangers.”
The campaign is not just directed
at young people, but also at owners and managers of construction
sites left temporarily vacant.
Simon added: “Because they are
dangerous places, site managers
should do their utmost to keep
them safe and secure whilst they
a re unattended. Combustible
materials should be removed,
the security of perimeters and all
REHAU ADDS
MORE FOILS
REHAU is adding three new
finishes to its range of
foiled profiles, strengthening its claim to offer the
most complete colour package in the industry.
Windsor, silver birch and
smooth basalt grey are being
added to the REHAU TOTAL70
range, bringing the total number
of colours and finishes available
to 24.
Like the rest of REHAU’s foiled
profiles, these are available in low
minimum order quantities and
with consistently reliable lead
times, giving fabricators the flexibility they want to be able to take
advantage of sales opportunities
in the booming coloured PVCu
sector.
Colour swatches featuring the
new additions to the range will
be on their way to REHAU customers shortly, along with a new
ordering guide. This includes a
user-friendly matrix showing all
the standard and non-standard
colour options available across all
of REHAU’s profiles and ancillaries to make ordering even quicker
and easier.
The three new finishes have
been introduced as a result of detailed market analysis carried out
by REHAU’s product management
team.
Newly appointed product
assistant Meg Durrell, who is
responsible for tracking sales
and supporting customers buying
foiled profiles, said: “After traditional woodgrains, our grey foils
remain our most popular options
by far. In fact, our combined sales
of smooth and grained anthracite grey profile last year easily
outstripped both mahogany and
golden oak.
“The market is always looking
for the next new differentiator
though and we’ve identified the
taupe coloured Windsor and the
grey tinted silver birch as the ones
to help our customers win new
retail sales.
“Alongside anthracite grey, we already offer slate grey in a smooth
finish, so smooth basalt grey is an
obvious addition for the commercial sector where it’s already a
popular colour option.”
www.rehau.uk
Office building reaches peak
‘particularly
vulnerable sites
should consider
CCTV monitoring’
access points checked regularly,
and, for particularly vulnerable
sites, they should consider CCTV
monitoring.”
Anyone who owns, or controls,
a site has a legal duty of care to
protect people on the site from
foreseeable harm, and this duty
even extends to people who are
trespassing. People injured on a
site, even if they are unauthorised
trespassers, can sue the owners
and managers for negligence and
for responsibility for their injuries.
www.vpsgroup.com
Office construction reached a post-recession peak in
the first quarter of 2016, with over £2 billion worth of
contracts awarded, the highest figure since 2008, including
six major developments worth over £50 million.
According to the latest figures from industry analysts
Barbour ABI on behalf of the
Office for National Statistics, office construction new
orders have been gradually
increasing since 2012, where
in the first quarter new orders
were worth £890 million, compared to more than double in
the first quarter of 2016.
Some of the major developments
include Glasgow’s 122 Waterloo
Street offices, ten storeys high and
worth £90 million, the £50 million
Energis House in Reading and
One Capital Square development
in Cardiff worth £30 million.
‘Manchester requires
an extra three million
sq ft of office space’
Commenting on the figures, Michael Dall, lead economist at Barbour ABI, said: “Office availability
is at its lowest for 15 years across
London, with many other parts of
the UK in a similar position, due
to below average development
since the recession. However, this
part quarter is encouraging with
major developments spread right
across the UK.
“There are major towns and cities
such as Liverpool, Glasgow and
Cardiff in vital need of more grade
A office space. However Manchester in particular stands out as it
requires an extra three million sq
ft of office space over the next ten
years if it’s to keep up with the
city’s forecasted economic growth.
“With the demand so high it is
not surprising to see figures reach
record post-recession levels, which
I see continuing throughout 2016
barring any worries regarding the
results of the EU referendum that
may stutter future progress.”
www.barbour-abi.com