A new scheme is designed to make it much quicker for companies in the construction sector to achieve compliance with the latest environmental management standards

Environmental efficiency

Companies that put in place strict environmental management standards operate at increased efficiency, according to industry performance group Constructing Excellence and environmental performance group ISYS International. The organisations claim studies show that firms complying with ISO 14001 can cut the cost of energy and resource use and the cost of waste by up to 41%.

In the past, the problem has been that compliance with environmental standards often takes years. Now, thanks to a new fast-track environmental management programme, a group of London-based construction sector companies have become the first to meet environmental compliance in just six months.

The companies’ speedy route to compliance was down to a new programme, promoted by Constructing Excellence, called Fast-Track-14 (FT-14). It provides participating companies with a sophisticated interactive electronic toolkit, which is complemented by a series of locally-held monthly peer-group workshops. The toolkit acts as each manager’s personal consultant and the workshops provide a forum to report progress, troubleshoot problems and share ideas with peers from other companies.

The toolkit allows each firm to build a fully customised environmental management system. This tailored environmental management system will help firms reduce risks and to find opportunities for greater business efficiencies. Compliance will also help companies meet growing legislative and cost pressures to control environmental performance.

The toolkit is also expected to make compliance with environmental legislation easier for smaller companies and those wishing to make their supply chain greener because it focuses on improving business efficiency.

The companies pioneering the fast-track system include Hornagold & Hills, Kier Build, Mullalley and Northcroft. “The key to environmental management is gathering data, setting objectives that relate to business risks, auditing and acting on the findings. We gained this insight during our six months on the ISYS International’s

Fast-Track-14 programme. It convinced us that quantifying and isolating environmental risks reveals new opportunities and creates the confidence to exploit them,” said Paul Woodford of Hornagold & Hills.

The FT-14 programme is in the early stages of being rolled out nationally. To find out more, go to www.isys-int.com/ft-14

Office

The Health and Safety Executive has launched a Better Backs campaign in an attempt to help employers and workers manage back pain. HSE claims 80% of people will suffer back pain at some point in their lives.

The campaign promotes the “stay active” message as a means of promoting the advice that staying active is the best answer to backache in all but the most severe cases. It offers various tips for employers dealing with back pain at work, including

  • Find out what equipment is available to help staff with manual handling and lifting

  • Work with staff to modify their job as a temporary measure to help them recover

  • Work with employee and safety reps

  • Use occupational health advice and GPs

  • Call the free advice line on 0845 609 6006 or visit www.betterbacks.hse.gov.uk

Business

The world’s first specification for partnering has been launched by BSI and Partnership Sourcing.

The Publicly Available Specification (PAS) 11000 sets out an eight-stage framework to enable an organisation to develop an approach to managing internal and external business relationships. It also gives practice advice on how to collaborate within the supply chain.

The standard is claimed to be useful for businesses of any size.

The specification includes contributions from various firms and institutions, including Amec, the Chartered Institute of Purchasing and Supply, and the Office of Government Commerce. “We have used collaborative working to great effect on many major projects such as Heathrow’s Terminal 5,” says Chris Lumley, who headed up Amec’s involvement with BSI.

Legal

The government is to review dispute resolution in a move to raise productivity. Secretary of State Alistair Darling launched a root-and-branch review of government support for resolving disputes in the workplace. “We must make the employment disputes system work better, both for business and employees,” he said.

The review will be carried out by Michael Gibbons, a member of DTI’s Better Regulation commission. He will be looking at all aspects of the system, including current legal requirements, how employment tribunals work, and the scope for new initiatives to help resolve disputes at an earlier stage. Gibbons will make his recommendations this spring.
Darling also announced that Gibbons will chair a new panel which will advise on other aspects of employment law simplification.

Source

Building Sustainable Design