project safety matters · 26 Membership matters 28 Regional round-up 30 Brexit update - immigration points system While we aim to use images that demonstrate best practice in this

projectsafetymatters Issue 12 I Spring 2020

The voice of good practice in design & construction, health & safety risk management

Dispute adjudication just got easier

07

Brexit update - immigration points system

30

Musculoskeletal disorders in the construction sector

08

The Legislation IssuePage 15Government unveils new building safety plans

Page 16Building safety regulator

Page 20Building Better - Building Beautiful

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Working across the UK & Internationally in

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In this issue Features

Building Better - Building Beautiful Page 20

Building Safety RegulatorPage 16

Brexit Update - Immigration Points SystemPage 30

04 CEO’s foreword

05 Room at the top

07 Dispute adjudication just got easier

08 Musculoskeletal disorders in the construction sector

11 Living with osteoporosis

14 News: Brexit guidance

15 Government unveils new building safety plans

16 Building safety regulator

20 Building Better - Building Beautiful

22 HSE News

24 First Homes

25 News from HQ

26 Membership matters

28 Regional round-up

30 Brexit update - immigration points system

While we aim to use images that demonstrate best practice in this magazine, some are for illustrative purposes only.

APS5 New Mart Place, Edinburgh. EH14 1RWGeneral enquiries: 0131 442 6600Enquiries (non-UK): 00 44 (0)131 442 [email protected] | www.aps.org.ukEditor: Rosalind Grozier | [email protected]

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CopyrightThe ownership of copyright of this material is asserted by the Association for Project Safety. Any infringements of copyright may be actionable by the Association. Views expressed in the PROJECT SAFETY MATTERS are not necessarily the official view of the Association, nor do individual contributions reflect the opinions of the Association or the Editor. While every care has been taken in the preparation of this publication, the publishers cannot be held responsible for the information herein, or for any consequences arising from them.

03Issue 12 I Spring 2020

Regional RoundupOur quarterly run around the regions bringing you news of events and activities up and down the country. Page 28

complaints that come with working on into later life. We have two great contributions to the debate from ARMA – the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance - and the Royal Osteoporosis Society (the ROS) on how we can all work on safely as the workforce gets older.

There’s also some news on how we are going to be doing more to help out the APS regional network as well as news from around the country. And we have a little bit just to remind you all that, as part of your APS membership, you have access to free technical support and guidance.

You will also find a synopsis of the outcome of the Commission for Building Better, Building Beautiful as it published its final report and recommendations in January. I have to say the report has me somewhat worried. It is long and quite detailed in places and, while I am sure we

What with one thing and another – Brexit included – it looks like people are going to face working on past what currently would be seen as retirement age. This may be because individuals need the money - or want to top up the pension pot - but it may equally be because construction is facing a skills’ shortage brought about by a failure to train up home grown talent in favour of importing cheaper labour from the Continent. There are certainly alarmingly few younger people opting for jobs in the sector. I recently heard that of all the people starting apprenticeships in any construction discipline only around two-thirds ever go on to take up employment in the sector. Losing a whopping third of all trainees suggests there is something far wrong with construction as an employer. We will be looking at education and training later in the year but, in this edition, we are focussing on musculoskeletal disorders and the kind of physical

can all get behind the desire to see more attractive developments, it is of real concern that throughout nearly two hundred pages there is scarcely a nod in the direction of safety. For me, no project can be truly beautiful if it doesn’t also go some way to mitigate any adverse safety risks. I am sure that, given the choice, we would all choose to live somewhere lovely but even more I think people want both to go to bed at night feeling they will be able to get up hale and hearty in the morning and knowing, when they go to work on site, they will return safe at close of play.

APS is there to try to help make that a reality for everyone. And you can be sure that as the legislative proposals take shape over the coming months – and as more things roll out as a result of Grenfell – we will be there to ensure the voice of our members is fed in at every stage.

APS news

04 Project Safety Matters

In nearly two

hundred pages

there is scarcely

a nod in the

direction of

safety.

CEO’s foreword2020 has started with a bit of a bang with announcements related to the built environment. This edition of your Project Safety Matters takes a look at the key pieces of proposed legislation that have been announced for England. And we will introduce you – now Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s first reshuffle is out of the way – to the top team at the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) that will be steering the changes through parliament.

Lesley McLeod

ON-SITE SALLYhelpfull hints and tips from our resident expert, This weeK:

LIFTING SAFELY*STAND WITH YOUR FEET hip widthapart and kness slightly bent.

Continue to bend your knees as you move down to pick up the object

*Based on information provided by the Royal Osteoporosis Society.

pull the object close to your body keeping your back straight, carefully come to a standing position

keeping your back straight from hips to shoulders, stick your bottom out behind you to bend forward from your hips, reaching toward the object.


Special feature: The Ministerial team

Robert Jenrick – the man famously accused of being too well off to be a Tory candidate because of his three-home status – is the man in the hot seat at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG). Jenrick has had a rapid rise through the ranks since becoming a member of parliament at his second attempt in 2014. His worked for both Amber Rudd and Michael Gove before becoming a minister on his 36th birthday when he was appointed Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury in 2018. He even served as parliamentary

Robert Edward Jenrick is the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, taking over from James Brokenshire in July 2019. Mr Jenrick grew up near Ludlow in Shropshire and in Herefordshire. He went to St John’s College, Cambridge where he graduated with a degree in history. While at university he was Thouron Fellow in Political Science at the University of Pennsylvania and was the news editor of student newspaper Varsity. He went on to study law, qualifying as a solicitor in 2008 before practising corporate law with international law firms Skadden Arps and Sullivan & Cromwell in both London and Moscow. He has also had a career in business and, immediately before being elected as the Member of Parliament for Newark in 2014, was a director of the art auctioneers, Christie’s. Robert Jenrick was born in Wolverhampton on 9 January 1982. He is married to Michal Berkner, an Israeli-born corporate lawyer. They have three daughters.

Title Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government

Assumed office 24 July 2019

Succeeded James Brokenshire

Previous posts Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury

Constituency Newark

Majority 18,474 representing 57% of the vote

Twitter @RobertJenrick

Christopher John Pincher became the tenth minister to hold the title in as many years when he was appointed to the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government in February 2020. He is noted for putting pressure on Persimmon to complete building work on the Tame Alloys Estate in Wilnecote which the builder had left half-finished as well as for campaigning against the building of High Speed 2.

Mr Pincher was the Minister of State for Europe and the Americas before joining MHCLG and before that had served as the Deputy Chief Whip and Treasurer of the Household. He has been the Member of Parliament (MP) for Tamworth since 2010.

Mr Pincher was born in Walsall and grew up in Wombourne, Staffordshire. He was born on 24 September 1969.

Title Minister of State for Housing

Assumed office 14 February 2020

Succeeded Esther McVey

Previous posts Minister of State for Europe and the Americas

Constituency Tamworth

Majority 6,090 representing 45.8% of the vote

Twitter @ChrisPincher

Room at the topAs the government unveils plans for the biggest shakeup to construction in a generation we take a look at the key players at the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government.

The Ministerial team

The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP The Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP

and concerned their properties remain unsafe. He has recently said that his patience has run out with the time it is taking to carry out remedial work but to date his actions have been seen by campaigners as ineffectual and lacking in bite.

Robert Jenrick

was famously

accused of being

too well off to be

a Tory.

private secretary to Esther McVey only to eclipse his former junior minister when he became Secretary of State for MHCLG in 2019.

The Grenfell survivors and relatives have been critical of Jenrick’s response to the disaster and there were complaints he lacked a firm grasp of the issues. More damningly, he has been accused of being unwilling to engage with representatives of people concerned cladding has both blighted their lives by writing off the value of their homes

The Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP

The Rt Hon Christopher Pincher MP


Special feature: The department

Every department is a marriage between the elected politicians – voted in by the electorate and appointed by the Prime Minister that is there to oversee and drive forward the political commitments of the government of the day – and the permanent and politically impartial civil service – tasked, under the leadership of the permanent secretary, with delivering the agenda determined by government and parliament. The department charged with much of the work in England on the construction agenda – including taking forward recommendations

Melanie Dawes became the Permanent Secretary for the then Department for Communities and Local Government on 1 March 2015 continuing in the role when the department took on housing in January 2018.

Ms Dawes previously was Director General of the Economic and Domestic Affairs Secretariat (EDS) at the Cabinet Office where she was responsible for overseeing the system of Cabinet decision-making. Before that she worked at HMRC, where she was Director General for Business Tax. This involved responsibility for all business taxes and duties as well as leadership of the department’s relationships with big business. She also led the development of HMRC’s overall departmental strategy. Prior to HMRC, Ms Dawes spent 15 years at the Treasury, including as Europe Director from 2002 to 2006. She started her career as an economist and worked on public spending, tax and tax credit policy, macroeconomics, monetary policy and the euro.

Ms Dawes is also the Permanent Secretary Champion for Diversity and Inclusion for the Civil Service and previously was Gender Champion. She sits on the Civil Service Board and Senior Leadership Committee.

Mr Pocklington joined MHCLG from the department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) where he was Director General for Energy and Security. Before it was wrapped up into BEIS Mr Pocklington was Director General of the Markets and Infrastructure Group at the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC).

He has worked at HM Treasury - where he was responsible for policies on growth, business and infrastructure as well as for advising on public spending for BIS, DfT, DECC and DEFRA – and at the Cabinet Office where he was Director of the Economic and Domestic secretariat.

He started his civil service career at the Treasury in 1997 working in a range of posts on financial regulation, tax and fiscal policy as well as working as an assistant private secretary to two Chief Secretaries.

Melanie DawesPermanent Secretary at MHCLG

Jeremy PocklingtonDirector General, Housing

government responsible for housing, communities and local government in England. MHCLG was established in May 2006 and is the successor to the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister (ODPM), which took over from the department for Environment, Transport and the Regions (DETR) in 2001. Its headquarters is in Marsham Street, central London just a stone’s throw from the Palace of Westminster. It added housing to its title in 2018 reflecting the government’s priority of addressing the need for more homes in the privately owned and rental sectors.

MHCLG is

charged with

the construction

agenda in

England and

taking forward

recommendations

following Grenfell.

following Grenfell as well as the raft of legislation announced in January 2020 – is the Ministry for Housing, Communities and Local Government. Other areas of work which affect construction are covered by the Department for Work and Pensions and the Home Office. There are separate departments in Edinburgh, Cardiff and at Stormont, responsible for communities and local government in the devolved administrations. The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) is the department in the Westminster

Melanie Dawes

The Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local GovernmentCreating great places to live and work and to give more power to local people to shape what happens in their area.

Ministry facts

Address 2 Marsham Street, London

Secretary of State Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP

Permanent Secretary Melanie Dawes

Website www.gov.uk/government/organisations/ministry-of-housing-communities-and-local-government

Twitter @mhclg


News

A new affordable way to help settle low value disputes will be open for business on 18 March 2020. The construction industry council’s Low Value Disputes Model Adjudication Procedure (CIC LVD MAP) aims to encourage the use of adjudication as a disputes resolution process making it affordable for SMEs. The LVD MAP creates a simple and cost-effective procedure for lower value claims aiming to help sort out relatively simple disputes where claims are for £50,000 or under.

The document also streamlines and simplifies the adjudication process. By linking the adjudicator’s fee to the value of the claim the cost of arriving

Dispute adjudication just got easierA new adjudication procedure brings cheaper dispute resolution within reach for smaller firms.

The new adjudication procedure takes on board the comprehensive and informed feedback from two consultations with the construction industry and other stakeholders. The CIC LVD MAP is supported by ten participating Adjudicator Nominating Bodies (ANBs). Participating ANBs maintain their own panel of qualified adjudicators who will apply the procedure fee and expenses scale set out by the CIC. The new procedure complies with the Housing Grants, Construction and Regeneration Act 1996 as amended by Part 8 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 (the “Construction Act”).

...a simple and

cost-effective

procedure for

lower value

claims.

at a decision will be clear from the start. By including an outline timetable for the procedural stages, there will be a flexible but easy to understand approach to all the key parts of the adjudication process.

The driving force behind the development of the LVD MAP was the need to solve growing construction industry concerns about the increasing complexity and prohibitive costs of adjudication. The scheme was developed by an industry group made up of representatives from key industry bodies including the Adjudication Society, CIC, CEDR, ICE and the RICS. The group was chaired by Martin Burns. Martin heads up ADR Research and Development at RICS.

The ten participating Adjudicator Nominating Bodies are:

• Centre for Effective Dispute Resolution (CEDR)• Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (CIArb)• Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB)• Construction Industry Council (CIC)• Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE)• Institution of Engineering & Technology (IET)• Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE)• Royal Institute of British Architects

(RIBA)• Royal Institution of Chartered

Surveyors (RICS)• UKANB Limited (UK Adjudicators)

08

Musculoskeletal disorders in the construction sectorAction is needed to tackle the £646 million burden of bone, joint and muscle problems, a report from the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance reveals.

Policy background In November 2017 the Government published, “Improving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disability”. It set out plans to transform employment prospects for disabled people and those with long-term health conditions over the next ten years. The Government’s overall objective was to see one million more, disabled people in work by 2027. Improving Lives identified two priority areas: mental health and musculoskeletal health. Together these conditions represent the largest cause of long-term sickness absence.

Key priorities include: • Primary care: improving primary

care support for people with musculoskeletal conditions. NHS England is rolling out First Contact MSK Practitioner programme, which will mean that people can see an experienced MSK-qualified practitioner, such as a specialist physiotherapist. Evidence shows that this gives better outcomes and a better patient experience than if a person must be referred by a GP; and

• Occupational health: improving the occupational health market to encourage more intelligent purchasing.

There is also a need to focus on provision for the 50% of people who work for SMEs and don’t have occupational health coverage. SMEs make up 95% of construction businesses.

Musculoskeletal conditions are not exclusively conditions of old age, but prevalence increases with age. The Industrial Strategy: building a Britain fit for the future recognises this as an opportunity but also a challenge. As people lead longer, healthier lives, they will need to save and work for longer to ensure they have a secure retirement. With an ageing workforce and fewer people entering the labour market from education and training, employers will need a more flexible labour market that can accommodate older workers.

The cost of MSDs in construction Physically demanding work is present in every construction project and at every construction site. High physical demands are the most important risk factor for a decrease in work ability among construction workers. Because of the high physical demands, the construction industry has one of the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders. This high incidence leads

Industry leaders concluded that all employers needed:• a musculoskeletal disorders action

plan, developing awareness of bone, joint and muscle problems beyond just manual handling;

• awareness of MSDs and to encourage open conversations and support when employees are struggling;

• routine monitoring of employee musculoskeletal health and wellbeing.

Introduction Every year, occupational ill‐health costs construction employers £848 million of which £646 million (76%) is attributable to MSDs. This is a significant issue for the sector and one where construction faces very particular difficulties due to the nature of the work and makeup of the workforce. The Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) brought together key stakeholders in the sector and others who share those concerns to look at the issues and propose some solutions. This report is based on the discussion at the policy roundtable event on 25 February 2019 and the data and the evidence presented. ARMA works to improve health provision for people with MSDs and to reduce the numbers of people who fall out of work through MSDs.

ARMA has called for action to tackle the huge burden of bone, joint and muscle conditions on people in the construction industry. Physically demanding work means the construction industry has one of the highest rates of musculoskeletal disorders costing £646 million every year – accounting for over three-quarters of all occupational ill-health costs.

The ARMA report followed a roundtable meeting and identified some key issues:• Prevention – requires proactivity

and understanding people’s motivations to change behaviour.

• Early support – early support helps bone, joint or muscle disorders, but people first need to feel comfortable talking openly about them, not as a sign of weakness and without fearing job loss.

• SMEs – In construction, small companies employ many workers, including transient workers. Solutions could include building control officers, who go on every site, flagging issues with smaller companies, or larger employers influencing supply chains to prioritise this.

23% of all

working

days lost are

attributable to

musculoskeletal

conditions, and

33% of all long-

term sickness

absence.

Project Safety Matters

Guest article: ARMA

Work-related ill health by illness type(source: LFS annual average estimate 2014/15 -2016/17)

Stress, depression or anxiety

15%

Other illness20%

Musculoskeletaldisorders

65%


to high costs. Costs of ill-health to the construction sector, as identified by the ICE, revealed that every year, occupational ill‐health costs construction employers £848 million, 76% of which is down to MSDs. This figure excludes the costs of prosecution by the Health and Safety Executive and compensation claims. It also excludes costs of occupational cancer and the costs borne by individuals, the industry and the wider society.

Costs to employers include: • reduced productivity due to

presenteeism; • cost of replacing workers or

covering absence ;• sick pay; • occupational health and

management; • treatment; • risk assessments; • making reasonable adjustments.

There is also a co-morbidity with stress, which is the second largest cost in construction at 21% of total cost of ill health.

The majority of the cost for MSDs is labour costs at an average of £12,000 per case. This is mostly time off and presenteeism. The estimated cost of presenteeism for stress is that it is about 2.5 times that of absenteeism.

MSDs in the workplace There are complex influencers of musculoskeletal health in the workplace, the majority of which are not directly work-related but include:

• Lifestyle – obesity, physical activity, nutrition, alcohol/smoking;

• Injury – workplace, home, leisure; • Occupational factors e.g. repetitive

movements, lifting, physical inactivity;

• Musculoskeletal conditions not caused by work;

• Age; • Psychosocial factors.

Managing MSDs in the workplace is not solely about preventing workplace injury. It needs to include managing workers with existing MSDs. Managers and employees recognise the need for an MSK health positive culture from the top. What is needed is a holistic approach considering all these together aimed at preventing work loss and helping people to help themselves.

Key issues in managing MSDs in the construction industry

Prevention People tend to be reactive, only seeking support when something is wrong. We need to move to being much more proactive about MSK health. There are some challenges to doing this in this sector. There is a lot of fatalism. Psychology is critical in understanding what will motivate people to change behaviour. Management wants to reduce sickness absence, but for workers the motivation may be, for instance, to be able to play with their grandchildren as they grow up. Safety messages often focus on lifting. Manual dexterity is also important for safety and can be affected by some MSDs.

Possible solutions should be bold and not assume things won’t work. For example, at VolkerWessels UK, on-site stretching exercises went down very well, despite concerns from management that they would not be well received.

Early intervention Providing early support, for example from a physiotherapist, can have a positive return on investment as it gets people back to work quicker and keeps them at work. Getting in early enough is a challenge, particularly if workers fear they will lose their job if they admit to an MSK condition and so aren’t willing to discuss. This leads to a lot of presenteeism. As well as the immediate costs, there is evidence that presenteeism leads to poorer health in the longer term. Presenteeism can also lead to workplace accidents caused by unaddressed MSDs which were not originally caused by work.

There are cultural issues from the demographic makeup of the construction workforce. Young men see raising issues at an early stage as a sign of weakness and do not take risks seriously so do not listen to safety messages. Many think this is part of their physical workout, not realising that lifting weights in a controlled way in a gym is very different from working on site. On the other hand, many young people are involved in sports and used to the idea that you warm up and cool down. Transferring this approach to the workplace might be easier than imagined.

Possible solutions include creating an open culture where prevention and management of MSDs is spoken about in management and on site.

Occupational health market The large number of SMEs in the sector who do not have access to occupational health is an issue. Some of the larger companies provide occupational health support for the whole workforce on their sites. But this takes away the responsibility of the SMEs who directly employ the workers and are ultimately responsible.

SMEs and micros A major focus for MSDs in construction is on the large companies. However, many workers are employed in SMEs (11 – 250 employees) and micros (less than 10 employees). Many are transient workers, making it difficult to target messages. Workers tend to fall in with the prevailing culture of the site they are on at the time. Even where they work on a large site with an excellent safety culture, they do not necessarily take this back to their employer or other sites. There is a legal duty on direct employers for the wellbeing of staff. Many work in house building and never work on a large site, making it difficult to reach them.

Possible solutions could include building MSK health charter; reaching people through membership bodies and work-related charities; and having building control officers go onto every site and flag issues with much smaller companies.

Communication There is a challenge in how to communicate. Emails with multiple links are not effective with a workforce which is mostly on site. More needs to be done on site, for instance on-site talks, particularly at induction or on-boarding. Messages need to be appropriate for the intended audience, which is not senior HR and H&S management. Management and workers have very different perceptions and priorities. Those preparing messages need to ensure they will connect with the intended audience and should avoid bombarding people with multiple messages.

A priority for

government

is to prevent

people falling

out of work.

Once out of

work due

to ill health,

returning

to work is

significantly

harder.

Guest article: ARMA


What does good look like? Prevention - Equipment to design out heavy lifting; Culture - Allowing people to come forward and talk about it; Good risk assessments – they are often too generic; Role of occupational health – including more clarity about what is needed. What does “light duties mean”.

MSD action plan ARMA believes all employers can and should produce, implement and communicate an “MSD at work” plan.Commitment from senior management is key as there needs to be active discussion around MSDs at the boardroom and executive level. However what motivates each company’s senior management will be different. Employers should aim for incremental steps forward - there is no one panacea. ARMA suggests using the mental health action plan, based on the recommendations in the Farmer/Stephenson report as a template.

An MSD action plan should include:• Developing MSD awareness among

employees. • Encouraging open conversations

about MSDs and the support available when employees are struggling.

• Providing employees with good working conditions.

• Promoting effective people management.

• Routinely monitoring employee musculoskeletal health and wellbeing.

• Assessing functional fitness at the point people start work.

There is some debate about whether charters are effective as some people think there are too many already. Pledge boards could be an alternative.

Further readingImproving Lives: The Future of Work, Health and Disabilityhttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/663399/improving-lives-the-future-of-work-health-and-disability.PDF

Musculoskeletal health in the workplace: a toolkit for employershttps://wellbeing.bitc.org.uk/sites/default/files/business_in_the_community_musculoskeletal_toolkit.pdf

Business population estimates 2017https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/business-population-estimates-2017

Industrial Strategy: Building a Britain fit for the futurehttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/664563/industrial-strategy-white-paper-web-ready-version.pdf

Delivering wellbeing at site level https://www.ciria.org/ItemDetail?iProductCode=C782D&Category=DOWNLOAD&WebsiteKey=3f18c87a-d62b-4eca-8ef4-9b09309c1c91

Costs of occupational ill-health in constructionhttps://www.ice.org.uk/ICEDevelopmentWebPortal/media/Documents/Disciplines%20and%20Resources/Briefing%20Sheet/Costs-of-occupational-ill-health-in-constructionformattedFINAL.pdf

Further resourcesThe Lighhouse Charityhttps://www.lighthouseclub.org/ Building Mental Healthhttps://www.buildingmentalhealth.net/ Body Mappinghttp://www.hse.gov.uk/msd/pdfs/body-mapping-questionnaire.pdf HSE Resourceshttps://books.hse.gov.uk/gempdf/MSD_Table.pdf?utm_content=&utm_medium=email&utm_name=&utm_source=govdelivery&utm_term= Versus Arthritis Resourceshttps://www.versusarthritis.org/policy/resources-for-policy-makers/for-healthcare-practitioners-and-commissioners/versus-arthritis-musculoskeletal-health-questionnaire

Business in the Community - Musculoskeletal health in the workplace: a toolkit for employershttps://wellbeing.bitc.org.uk/all-resources/toolkits/musculoskeletal-health-toolkit-employers

Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the Arthritis and Musculoskeletal Alliance (ARMA) for allowing APS to reproduce the report of their roundtable on musculoskeletal disorders and the construction sector.

Guest article: Royal Osteoporosis Society

Living with osteoporosisMany people think osteoporosis is a condition confined to women in later life, but it can affect everyone as we get older. As more people are likely to continue to work on into what would once have been seen as retirement age osteoporosis will become a critical issue on site.

fractures. These situations are likely to leave employees wondering how osteoporosis will affect their work and how work will affect their osteoporosis.

What does osteoporosis mean for jobs and careers?The impact osteoporosis will have on someone’s job or career very much depends on individual circumstances. An osteoporosis diagnosis need not mean the end of a job or career. The ability to do the job will depend on whether the employee is likely to break bones easily doing their job or whether they have pain and mobility problems as a result of fractures that makes some types of work difficult or impossible.

When employees are currently in a fit state to work, and they are not in pain from any other cause, they would only need to tell you as the employer if they felt that adjustment was needed to the workplace or to the job role.

Not everyone with a diagnosis of osteoporosis on a bone density scan has a high risk of breaking bones. If there is low bone density but no other significant risk factors - such as being over fifty or having broken bones very easily - then the current risk of fracture will still be relatively low. An employee would not be considered, “disabled” and changes may not be needed at work. Fragility fractures that have had no lasting effects (including pain problems that affect the ability to work) but which have resulted in a diagnosis of osteoporosis may have no implications for employment.

However there may be implications for both workers and employers particularly when:•‐ Fracture risk: The “fracture risk” is

relatively high and the job involves activities which could increase the likelihood of fractures, especially bending and heavy lifting (spinal fractures) or a high risk of falling. The “fracture risk” is something that may need to be discussed in more detail. “High risk” usually means someone has been told they have osteoporosis following a DXA scan and that there are other risk factors - such as already easily having broken bones, especially in the spine, or where the employer is over fifty.

•‐ Pain and mobility: There is pain or mobility problems (short or long term) as a result of fractures, affecting the ability to work effectively. In addition, when work involves activities that could increase your pain or symptoms – this could be heavy physical work or other demands such as sitting or standing for long periods.

Information for employees

I have had fragility fractures, should I tell my employer?This will depend on the type of work that you do. If your work doesn’t involve a risk of falling or heavy or awkward lifting that might cause fractures and doesn’t involve any activity you would find difficult following fractures, then you wouldn’t need to discuss osteoporosis with your employer.

If you have no pain or mobility problems as a result of fractures then you are under no obligation to tell your employer as you don’t have any disability that affects your ability to carry out normal activities.

If you’re experiencing problems, such as pain or inability to carry out tasks which you were able to do previously, it’s important to speak to your employers. This is because both you and your employer have responsibilities in relation to health and safety at work legislation. You have a duty to inform your employer about any new symptoms or diagnoses which have relevance to your work and your employer has a duty to make reasonable adjustments within the workplace to accommodate your needs.

What is osteoporosis?Osteoporosis occurs when the struts which make up the mesh-like structure within bones become thin causing them to become fragile and break easily, often following a minor bump or fall. These broken bones are often referred to as “fragility fractures”. The terms “fracture” and “broken bone” mean the same thing. Although fractures can occur in different parts of the body, the wrists, hips and spine are most commonly affected. It is these broken bones or fractures which can lead to the pain associated with osteoporosis. Spinal fractures can also cause loss of height and curvature of the spine.

What are the issues for those in employment?There are a significant number of people of working age with osteoporosis. In addition, there are people who choose or need to continue working past retirement age. When someone is told they have osteoporosis it is quite likely they will wonder what this means for them in terms of their work. They may be feeling worried or anxious and, if they have already had fractures, may be in pain. Sufferers may be unemployed and looking for work or may be thinking about changing jobs. Perhaps they have had a bone density scan and been told they have “low bone density” (DXA) and feel fully well as osteoporosis causes no symptoms until a bone is broken.

An osteoporosis diagnosis may leave people wondering if they will break a bone more easily at work and if they will lose their job as a result. Sufferers may be suffering persistent pain (especially back pain) or disability as a result of one or more fragility

Common

fragility

fractures are

the wrist, hip

and spine.

For those in

employment

the areas

most likely to

be affected

are the wrist

and spine. Hip

fractures are

possible but are

more common

in the older

population.

Some people

may suffer rib,

arm or pelvic

fractures.


12

Guest article: Royal Osteoporosis Society


Could I lose my job or be told to change my role?As long as your employer knows about your particular problems, you are protected against unlawful discrimination on the grounds of disability. It’s unlawful for employers to ask about the health of applicants before offering them a job, although there are exceptions, such as if they need to know if an applicant can carry out tasks which are an essential part of the job.

Who should I tell? What can be done?If you are someone with ongoing pain problems after fractures or at high risk of breaking bones and needing to avoid “risk” activities, it’s probably best to talk to your line manager in the first instance. If your organisation has an occupational health department you could be referred for an assessment. This gives you the chance to explain any difficulties you are experiencing in detail so that your employer has a full understanding of your needs in order to provide you with the right support to continue in your post. It’s often possible to continue in the same role with a few reasonable and simple adjustments.

The occupational health department may make recommendations following an assessment. For instance, if you have had spinal compression fractures and have back pain, a visual display unit (VDU) assessment can be helpful and may result in you being offered better seating and more appropriate positioning of computers or other equipment. It may result in the installation of new equipment, for example, rails, ramps, adjustable-height desk, lifting equipment or a parking space being made available close to your workplace.

If you continue to have problems carrying out your job, it may be possible to have an adaptation to your role so that you are exempt from certain tasks, such as lifting, for instance. Further outcomes might be flexible working arrangements, working part-time or from home or being exempt from shift work.

Throughout proceedings, it is important to keep in close communication with your manager, the occupational health department and, if there is one, the Human Resources (HR) department. If a change to your

role is not possible or if you continue to experience problems you may need to consider reducing your hours or, in some cases, changing your job or retiring.

If there are problems between you and your line manager in having your needs understood, your HR department should be able to help. In some cases, involving a trade union representative may be necessary. For instance, if your employer is expecting you to carry out tasks which you feel are unreasonable given your level of pain, disability or risk of fracture.

Guidance for employers

Is there guidance to help me support employees with osteoporosis?There is very useful guidance, particularly from the Department for Work and Pension (DWP) for employers about employing people with disabilities. Information for both parties makes communication and resolution of problems quicker and smoother. The Employers’ Forum on Disability – which works for the mutual benefit of business and people with disabilities – is a useful source of help. As is the Access to Work scheme (AtW) which is a specialist service delivered by Jobcentre Plus. It can pay for practical support and provides an Employer’s Guide to Access to Work which aims to support employers in supporting their employees with disabilities or health problems.

What adaptations should I make at work to avoid fractures or further fractures?There is no simple answer to this question as it is going to be different in each case, depending on the nature of the job. Heavy lifting is usually not feasible. For instance, there will be greater concerns for those in jobs which involve lifting, manual labour or physically demanding work. Jobs involving, “loaded lifting” type of movements (bending and lifting) may increase the risk of compression fractures in the spine.

Adaptations that may be helpful include:• precautions to prevent falls, such as

no work at heights (ladders, ropes, scaffolds) and the removal of trip hazards; and

• precautions to help prevent spinal fractures, such as: adapting “loads”

so they are smaller and more manageable; decreasing repetitive bending, twisting and turning; and increasing rest periods to ensure tiredness does not lead to less safe lifting.

What adaptations should I make at work to avoid problems with pain and fatigue after fractures?It will depend on how well the worker is recovering from any recent fractures, especially taking into account enduring pain and, of course, whether they have other conditions causing pain and disability, such as osteoarthritis. As a general rule, just as in life outside the workplace, there are some broad guidelines especially following painful spinal compression fractures:

• vary jobs throughout the day, so that concentrated periods are not spent in one position;

• pay attention to posture, especially of people in, “sitting” jobs. Alternate between sitting and standing or walking;

• prioritise tasks and pace your workforce;

• avoid activities which bring on pain; and

• always ensure workers use equipment provided even if they are currently pain-free.

Other considerations

Other issues for workers with osteoporosis

Painkillers: Tell your manager if you are taking strong painkillers. Anyone using strong pain-relieving medications should be mindful of any side-effects or things they are advised not to do – for example, using heavy machinery. There may also be company drug policies and safety issues.

Money worries: There may be financial help or benefits to which osteoporosis sufferers are entitled. A diagnosis of osteoporosis in itself does not entitle someone to financial help or benefits. This is because benefits are awarded depending on need resulting from disability not the condition itself. People suffering persistent pain, changes in posture or disability arising from fragility fractures, may be entitled to benefits or one-off payments.


Useful contacts

Access to Work (AtW)This is a specialist disability service from Jobcentre Plus that gives practical advice and support to disabled people, whether they are working, self-employed or looking for employment.www.gov.uk/access-to-work/overview www.gov.uk/government/publications/access-to-work-guide-for-employers

Age UKAge UK inspires, enables and supports older people to help them make the most of later life. www.ageuk.org.uk

Department for Work and Pensions (DWP)Contact the DWP for information about benefit claims and general enquiries relating to the Jobcentre, Pension Service, Disability and Carers Service or Child Maintenance.www.dwp.gov.ukwww.gov.uk/government/publications/fit-note-guidance-for-employers-and-line-managers

Disability Rights UKPublishers of the Disability Rights Handbook.www.disabilityrightsuk.org

Employers’ Forum on Disability (EFD) The Employers’ Forum on Disability is the leading employers’ organisation focused on disability as it affects business. They make it easier to employ and do business with disabled people. They are supported by a growing list of members from UK business, multinational corporations and the public sector. www.efd.org.uk

Equality Advisory and Support Services (EASS)Advises and assists individuals on issues relating to equality and human rights across England, Scotland and Wales.www.equalityadvisoryservice.com

Equality Commission for Northern Irelandwww.equalityni.org

The National Osteoporosis Society is the only UK-wide charity dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. The charity receives no Government funding and relies on the generosity of individuals to carry out its vital work. www.nos.org.uk

Turn2us Turn2us is a charity that helps people in financial need to access welfare benefits, charitable grants and other financial help – online, by phone and face-to-face through partner organisations. www.turn2us.org.uk

Occupational Health & Safety Advisory Service (OHSAS) Advice and support across a range of workplace services for employers and employees to help prevent or resolve workplace problems. www.ohsas.org

Further reading

Health & Safety at Work etc. Act 1974

Acknowledgement

Royal Osteoporosis Society APS is grateful to the Royal Osteoporosis Society for their permission to use information produced by the society. The Royal Osteoporosis Society is the only UK-wide charity dedicated to improving the prevention, diagnosis and treatment of osteoporosis and fragility fractures. The charity receives no Government funding and relies on the generosity of individuals to carry out its vital work. www.theros.org.uk


News

Brexit guidanceThe United Kingdom left the European Union at the end of January and is now in a transition period until 31 December 2020. This will allow time to negotiate the future relationship the UK has with the other member states of the EU. During the transition period employers have the same responsibility to protect the health and safety of people affected by work activities as they did before. They should continue to manage risk in a proportionate way.

Government guidance - Health and safety made simple: the basics for your business – is designed to help businesses comply with the law. You can read more at: www.hse.gov.uk/pubns/indg449.htm

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• Pre-construction information• Health and safety file content

Main story: Government proposals


Government unveils new building safety plansThe government has hit the road running at the start of the year, publishing a raft of information and proposed legislation that it claims will see the biggest shake up of the construction sector in a generation.

Housing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP warned the construction industry that the pace of improving safety standards was going too slowly. He told MPs on 20 January 2020 that further delays would not be tolerated as he announced a raft of new measures aimed at speeding up change and making sure residents can be safe in their homes.

Mr Jenrick set out what he claimed to be the greatest change in building safety for a generation including:•‐ Building safety regulator: creation

of a regulator within the Health and Safety Executive (HSE);

• ACM cladding: consulting on lowering the height limit from 18 to 11 metres; and appointing a construction expert to review remediation timescales;

• Sprinklers: consulting on lowering the building height threshold;

• Fire Safety Bill: introduction of a Bill to clarify “the Fire Safety Order”; and

• Consolidated advice: publication of advice on building safety for multi-storey, multi-occupied buildings; and fire doors.

Additionally, the government has put out a call for evidence on assessing risks in existing buildings and said it will name and shame building owners who have not taken action to remove ACM cladding.

Housing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick MP said:

“The government is committed to bringing about the biggest change in building safety for a generation. Progress on improving building safety needs to move significantly faster to ensure people are safe in their homes and building owners are held to account. I’m announcing a major package of reforms, including establishing the Building Safety Regulator within the Health and Safety Executive to oversee the new regime and publishing consolidated guidance for building owners. Unless swift progress is seen in the coming weeks, I will publicly name building owners where action to remediate unsafe ACM cladding has not started. There can be no more excuses for delay, I’m demanding immediate action.”

Progress on

improving

building safety

needs to move

significantly

faster to ensure

people are safe

in their homes.

16


The government has announced that a building safety regulator will be set up. The office of the new regulator will work out of the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and work to create the post, will start immediately. Legislation will be needed formally to set up the regulator, which is planned to operate in a shadow form until the necessary law goes through parliament. The HSE will draw on the experience of other regulators when working out how the new regime will work. Dame Judith Hackitt will chair a Board to oversee the transition.

The aim of the new safety regulator is to provide effective oversight of the design, construction and occupation of high-risk buildings. It aims to raise building safety and performance standards generally and, in particular, will bring in a more stringent regime for higher-risk buildings.

Chair of the HSE Board, Martin Temple said: “We are proud the government has asked HSE to establish the new building safety regulator. HSE’s vast experience of working in partnership with industry and others to improve lives will ensure people are confident the creation of the new regulator is in good hands.”

The government is consulting on a number of issues.

Combustible claddingHousing Secretary Rt Hon Robert Jenrick confirmed the government is to ask people their opinion on proposals to extend the ban on the use of combustible materials. The suggestion is that the ban on the use of combustible cladding should be brought down from 18 metres to 11 metres. The government is also going to seek views on how risks should be assessed for existing buildings so future policy can take that into account.

The minister also said that government was worried that the speed of removing dangerous cladding was too slow. The government will be appointing a construction expert to review the timescales involved and identify ways the private sector can do this more quickly. Concerns that worries about the cost of the work are holding things up means the government is also looking at different options to mitigate costs or provide alternative financing routes.


SprinklersThe first phase of the Grenfell Inquiry did not look at the impact of sprinklers. However, the government consulted last year on sprinklers and other ways to minimise the risk from fire in new build flats. A key proposal was to lower the height threshold for sprinkler use in new buildings. The consultation closed on 28 November 2019 and detailed proposals are expected shortly from the government and, on it will deliver the technical review of fire guidance.

Working in

partnership

with industry

and others to

improve lives.

Building safety regulatorA new building safety regulator is to be established ahead of new legislation to put safety at the heart of any new building project.

Fire Safety BillThe government is going to introduce a Fire Safety Bill during this parliamentary session. The aim of the proposed legislation is to clarify the Regulatory Reform (Fire Safety) Order 2005 – “the Fire Safety Order” making it clear that residential building owners have to fully consider, and take steps to mitigate, risks associated with both external wall systems. This will make it easier to ensure necessary work is carried out to make buildings safe. It means there will be additional powers to those in the Housing Act to take action against building owners who


have not removed unsafe ACM. The legislation will also look at what needs to be done in relation to front doors to individual flats.

Advice on fire doorsThere is new consolidated advice on fire doors so that building owners know what actions they need to take. This sits alongside work that has been undertaken by the Association of Composite Door Manufacturers. The association has agreed to work closely with building owners to fix any doors that have failed safety tests. The government has pledged to keep the situation under review to make sure this commitment is followed through.

Naming and ShamingBuilding owners who have yet to set about removing and replacing Aluminium Composite Material (ACM) cladding from their buildings are to be publicly named and shamed, housing minister Robert Jenrick said. Mr Jennick said, where there is no clear plan for remediation, the government will support local authorities to take enforcement action. The minister said government action had led to progress to remove unsafe cladding but the government was keen to see all homes made safe. He said this might mean forcing owners, yet to make a start on

Advice on building safety for multi-storey, multi-occupied buildings Fears, that building owners have not been taking their responsibilities to tenants seriously, have been highlighted by recent high-rise fires. These include both the Grenfell Tower disaster and the fire last November in a block of student flats in Bolton. Both suggest that many landlords have still not taken sufficient measures to ensure safety in buildings of all heights. To address these failings the government appointed an independent expert advisory panel (IEAP) that has now clarified and updated its advice to building owners on actions they should take to make buildings safe. These focus on external wall systems, commonly referred to as cladding.

The advice brings previous advice into one place setting out in plain language what more building owners need to do to address safety in residential buildings under 18 metres. It also reflects the independent panel view that ACM (and other metal composite) cladding which has an unmodified polyethylene core should not be on residential buildings of any height. The advice says all such cladding ought to be removed.

The government is also asking industry its views on the assessment of risks in existing buildings. The aim is to create a firm evidence base to guide decisions for both existing buildings and future regulatory regimes.

remedial work, to get improvements under way.

The government has already said it won’t wait for the final report from the Grenfell Inquiry and so work is already underway in a number of areas. In addition to recommendations regarding building safety the government’s response also sets out what it is doing to assist the work of the London Fire Brigade and other fire and rescue services.

Evacuate or stay putSir Martin Moore-Bick suggested that national guidelines are needed to make sure, wherever possible, people can get out of burning buildings safely. This follows on from the controversial instructions from the London Fire brigade that people in the Grenfell Tower should stay put and wait for help while the building was on fire. The Home Office and the Ministry for Housing Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) have been working with the National Fire Chiefs Council (NFCC). A steering group - which also includes technical specialists, academics, fire sector leads and employee groups - met for the first time in December 2019. The steering group will contribute to the MHCLG’s technical Review of Approved Document B of the Building Regulations. The group has also fed into the scope and commission of research which the Home Office will take forward. The review will include a review of existing policies and international examples. The current thinking is that this work will then lead on to more operational research and the development of national guidance for all fire and rescue services.



Clearer signs and alert systemsThe first phase of the Grenfell Inquiry criticised poor internal signage for making it much more difficult for fire fighters to find the floors. Sir Martin Moore-Bick has recommended that high rise buildings should have better signs – particularly the floor numbers – that can be read in poor lighting conditions and where visibility is restricted because of smoke.

Material testing and certificationThe second phase of the Grenfell Inquiry is going to do more work on materials testing and certification to give residents confidence that their homes are safe. MHCLG is already working on this and this includes establishing the Construction Products Standards Committee (CPSC). The CPSC will make recommendations on construction products and standards. It is also expected to advise on how the testing regime can be improved.

A technical review of the fire safety sections - Approved Document B - in the guidance to the building regulations is currently underway at MHCLG. It is expected that there may be things, where there is good existing evidence, that can be addressed before the Grenfell Inquiry makes its final recommendations. MHCLG intends to prioritise improving fire safety in blocks of flats.

Government responds to first phase of the Grenfell InquiryThe Grenfell Tower Inquiry published its Phase 1 report on 30 October 2019. It contained detailed recommendations from Sir Martin Moore-Bick, the inquiry Chairman. The government indicated then it was going to accept his proposals and its recent response sets out what actions it has already taken.


Further reading

Fire safety: risk prioritisation in existing buildings – a call for evidence https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/fire-safety-risk-prioritisation-in-existing-buildings-a-call-for-evidence

Review of the ban on the use of combustible materials in and on the external walls of buildings: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/review-of-the-ban-on-the-use-of-combustible-materials-in-and-on-the-external-walls-of-buildings

Sprinklers and other fire safety measures in new high-rise blocks of flats:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/sprinklers-and-other-fire-safety-measures-in-new-high-rise-blocks-of-flats

Building safety advice for building owners including fire doors: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/860484/Building_safety_advice_for_building_owners__including_fire_doors_-_January_2020.pdf

Government response to the Grenfell Tower Inquiry, Phase 1 reporthttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/859389/Government_Response_to_Grenfell_Inquiry_Phase_1_Report.pdf

Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: final report https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/independent-review-of-building-regulations-and-fire-safety-final-report

Independent Review of Building Regulations and Fire Safety: summaryhttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/707792/Building_a_Safer_Future_-_foreword_and_summary.pdf

Building a Safer Future: an implementation planhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/building-a-safer-future-an-implementation-plan

Construction Industry Council – Hackitt Inquiry follow up

The Construction Industry Council (CIC) is co-ordinating work across the construction sector aimed at taking forward the recommendations set out in the Hackitt Report published in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster. Work is continuing to identify the skills and competencies needed for people working in all aspects of the construction sector. A town hall meeting is scheduled for early March to help flesh out the new and revised dutyholder definitions and roles identified by Dame Judith Hackitt. APS will be represented at the meeting, and we will report back to you as things progress.

The Three Gateways

Work is continuing on the three “gateway” points that have to be successfully passed. It is planned that the people responsible for building safety will have to demonstrate to the new Joint Competent Authority (JCA) that regulations have been properly followed.

Gateway Point 1: buildings must be accessible by the fire service. This will need to be proved before the building gets planning permission. Gateway Point 2: key building safety risks have to be identified, understood and robust processes put in place before work can start. Gateway 3: the signed-off design must be followed before occupation.


Commission advocates turning down unsightly projects and naming and shaming developers who come up with ugly schemes. A clearer approach to planning risk and promoting small firms, self-build, custom-build, community land trusts and other market entrants and innovators should be encouraged to make the planning system more responsive to the views of local people. Stricter enforcement and sanctions are also suggested.

Communities: bringing the democracy forwardThe report sets out the need for councils to engage with local communities when they consult on local plans. Living with Beauty calls for greater involvement at the local planning stage so communities are involved in developing their areas and not just responding to proposed developments. More use of digital technology is envisaged so people get a better idea of how things might look and feel. How attractive proposals should be, must become part of the pre-construction stage with developers bound by the result.

Stewardship: incentivising responsibility to the future The Commission hopes its proposals will change the nature of development in England with an emphasis on long-term investment and not quick profits for developers. The Commission is recommending emphasis on beauty, community, history and landscape, as they believe these are of prime importance to local people. The report believes legal and fiscal obstacles have to be removed and that a new, “stewardship kitemark” is created.

Building Better - Building Beautiful Living with Beauty, the report of the Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission, was published in January 2020 and sets out a vision of building to create communities. Living with Beauty sets out three core principles which everyone should demand when it comes to building and regenerating communities across England. The new development and planning framework the Commission suggests says we should all: ask for beauty; refuse ugliness; and promote stewardship.

Ask for beautyThe Commission was keen that people did not see aesthetically-pleasing buildings as an add-on or a “nice-to-have”. Living with Beauty makes it clear that, while attractive surroundings should be a pre-requisite for planning permission, there are societal benefits as well as aesthetic from adopting this approach. These include promoting healthy and happy lifestyles.

Refuse Ugliness.The Commission states that people are repelled by ugliness and that it has a social cost shared by everyone. Living with Beauty defines ugliness as buildings that are unadaptable, unhealthy and unsightly.

Promote stewardshipThe third pillar set out in Living with Beauty is the promotion of stewardship. By this the Commission means ensuring the built environment and the natural environment are seen in the round with both protected and enhanced for long-term benefit. There is an emphasis on renewal and regeneration as well as attention being paid to the upkeep of communities to end the scandal of left-behind places. This means that action needs to be taken to address urban blight in the shape of derelict and vandalised buildings and public spaces, and demanding new developments should improve the environment with an emphasis on health, sustainability and biodiversity.

The proposals call for an integrated approach where matters relevant to placemaking are considered from the outset and communities are involved in design and planning decisions. The Commission also calls for planning to have a high political profile and for

there to be a wider discussion about how people want to live and the legacy they wish to leave. In the long term the Commission believes people want money invested in beauty, community, history and landscape.

Embedding the core aimsThe Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission calls for the three core aims – ask for beauty, refuse ugliness and promote stewardship - to be embedded in the planning system and for there to be a wider culture shift when it comes to building development so beauty is promoted and ugliness is rejected wherever possible. The Commission made policy proposals in eight key areas: 1. Planning: creating a predictable level

playing field. 2. Communities: bringing the

democracy forward. 3. Stewardship: incentivising

responsibility for the future. 4. Regeneration: ending the scandal of

“left-behind” places. 5. Neighbourhoods: creating places not

just houses. 6. Nature: re-greening our towns and

cities. 7. Education: promoting a wider

understanding of placemaking. 8. Management: valuing planning,

counting happiness, procuring properly.

Planning: creating a predictable level playing fieldThe Commission calls for, “beautiful placemaking” to be legally enshrined in the planning system and to be a vital part of sustainable development in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF). Beauty should be included in any local plans and communities should be consulted and involved throughout the process. The

Guest article: Living with Beauty

Beauty includes

everything

that promotes

a healthy and

happy life,

everything

that males

a collection

of buildings

into a place.

Everything that

turns anywhere

into somewhere

and nowhere

into home –

Living with Beauty, January 2020


Regeneration: end the scandal of “left-behind” placesThe Commission highlighted how it felt too many places were losing their identity or falling into disrepair making them unpleasant for people to spend time in. They pointed out that these “left behind” places support fewer jobs and new businesses and often have poorer schools. The report recommends that a Cabinet Minister should be appointed to ensure new places reach agreed standards. All developments should seek to create a virtuous triangle between housing, nature and infrastructure, with a Chief Placemaker appointed at local council level. Government should encourage regeneration and repair existing building stock – for example, by aligning VAT. The government also needs to do more work on the improvement and promotion of local high streets to make them more attractive while still responding to changing patterns of demand.

Neighbourhoods: creating places not just housesLiving with Beauty suggests that too much of what is built is the wrong thing in the wrong place, and that what is needed is more mixed-use developments at “gentle density”. The suggestion is that we need to create streets, squares and blocks with proper backs and fronts. The Commission recognises the challenges this may bring but they felt this was vital to see a change from “building units” to ‘making places’.

Nature: re-greening our towns and citiesThe Commission felt urban development should be an organic part of a more holistic approach. With green spaces, waterways and wildlife habitats seen as an integral part of the local fabric. The Commission wants the government to plant two million street trees by 2025, “create new community orchards, plant a fruit tree for every home and open and restore canals and waterways”. It was felt this would help align the government’s planning objectives with its aims to make the UK carbon neutral by 2050. There should also be more green spaces as part of any development.

Education and skills: promoting a wider understanding of placemakingThe evidence gathered by the Commission uncovered widespread agreement that there needs to be investment to improve the

understanding and confidence of professionals and local councillors. The Commission felt professionals and planners needed to know more about: placemaking; the history of architecture and design; popular preferences; and how urban form and design impacts on wellbeing and health. The Commission advocates architecture courses being shorter and more practical with other pathways being created into the profession.

Management: valuing planning, counting happiness, procuring properlyThe Commission noted how budgets for planning had been cut over the last ten years. They suggested that resources could be found within existing budgets if clearer codes were implemented and that, by limiting the length of planning applications, investing in digitised data entry and automating processes, it might be possible to address a perceived deficit in built environment skills and experience. The Commission also recommended looking at the targets for Homes England as well as for highways, housing and planning teams in central government and councils where wellbeing, public health, nature recovery and beauty should be prioritised. The Commission also expressed concern about procurement targets, process and scoring where there was felt to be inadequate metrics for quality.

The Commission said it felt the system for planning and development had grown up at the expense of improving public health, making people happier or helping communities become better places. It was felt that giving nature back a bigger role in the urban environment would improve air quality, help mental health and stop some places becoming “left-behind”. The Commission felt that, by bringing people along with proposals, it would also help break the cycle of poor quality developments and the opposition to new homes.

Living with Beauty recognised that its proposals would not be a quick fix. However, the Commission felt closer community involvement, allied to a desire to end a “kiss-me-quick” profit-based approach to box-like developments would contribute to making people happier and healthier and their communities stronger and more prosperous.

The Building Better, Building Beautiful Commission is an independent body set up to advise government on how to promote and increase the use of high-quality design for new build homes and neighbourhoods.

Further reading

Living with Beautyhttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/living-with-beauty-report-of-the-building-better-building-beautiful-commission

Building Better, Building Beautiful Commissionhttps://www.gov.uk/government/groups/building-better-building-beautiful-commission

National Design Guidehttps://www.gov.uk/government/publications/national-design-guide

JANUARY 2020

The report of the

Building Better,

Building Beautiful

Commission

Promoting health, well-being

and sustainable growth

Living with Beauty

13

Good practice examples 1 This development relates well to its context in terms of its layout, scale and massing as well as the location of open space and infrastructure. It respects the existing urban grain to create new streets and a new London square, a familiar type of open space in this west London context. Portobello Square, Kensington, London.

2 New homes relate positively to their historic town setting. The proportions of buildings, their openings and their materials all complement and enhance the context. The Piggeries, Frome, Somerset.

3 Historic streets are reintroduced to create permeable and well-sized urban blocks. The new housing creates a positive setting for several listed buildings. Timekeepers Square, Salford.

1

2

3

Looking forwardHave you considered:

■■ How climate and environmental change influences your understanding of context?

■■ Are there opportunities for flood alleviation? Net environmental gain? Absorption of CO2? Reducing embodied carbon by retaining existing buildings?

■■ How emerging modes of transport and infrastructure may influence accessibility?

■■ How heritage may be incorporated into proposals so it is inclusive and accessible to all?

2

1 Places affect us all – they are where we live, work and spend our leisure time. Well-designed places influence the quality of our experience as we spend time in them and move around them. We enjoy them, as occupants or users but also as passers-by and visitors. They can lift our spirits by making us feel at home, giving us a buzz of excitement or creating a sense of delight. They have been shown to affect our health and well-being, our feelings of safety, security, inclusion and belonging, and our sense of community cohesion.2 They function well, accommodating businesses, homes and a range of other uses and activities that support our everyday lives. Well-designed places can last for many years.

The purpose of the National Design Guide

3 The National Planning Policy Framework makes clear that creating high quality buildings and places is fundamental to what the planning and development process should achieve. This design guide, the National Design Guide, illustrates how well-designed places that are beautiful, enduring and successful can be achieved in practice. It forms part of the Government’s collection of planning practice guidance and should be read alongside the separate planning practice guidance on design process and tools.

Planning practice guidance for beautiful, enduring and successful places

National Design Guide

HSE Update

Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court has fined Lane Roofing Contractors Ltd £60,000 and ordered the firm to pay costs of £7,164.80 for breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005. The roofing contractor failed to plan and appropriately supervise work on a roof where old asbestos was being removed and replaced with trisomet sheeting. An employee sustained multiple fractures when he fell nearly

HSE News

Roofing contractor fined after employee falls from height

seven metres to the concrete floor from the open edge of the roof. He had been removing bolts from the underside of the old roof. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) said: “Working at height, with large open edges, can be particularly dangerous and it is important that those in control of the work identify the risks posed by replacing roofs and then take appropriate control measures to safeguard workers.”

22

Barry Patchett, trading as BSN Demolition, failed to remove asbestos containing materials (ACMs) before starting to demolish a large pig shed. As a result, the ACMs broke up and there was a risk of spreading asbestos fibres. Mr Patchett had all the relevant training and had submitted a plan of work – he just chose to ignore it. He also failed to provide workers with a copy of the plan they could follow. Mr Patchett pleaded guilty at Lincolnshire Magistrates’ Court for failing to reduce the exposure and spread of asbestos. He was sentenced to 12 weeks imprisonment, suspended for one year, and ordered to pay costs of £1,000 for contravening Regulations 7(2), 11(1) and 12 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012.

Employer sentenced for failing to implement safe working practices for the removal of asbestos


Newnham College Cambridge has been fined for failings that exposed employees and subcontractors to asbestos during refurbishment of a flat owned by the college. No asbestos refurbishment survey had been carried out, but, after work was finished, asbestos insulation debris was discovered in the floor voids. An employee, who got loose asbestos on his gloves and clothes, had not had

College fined for asbestos failings

N&C Engineering Services Limited has been fined after a 31-year-old employee fell through a hole in a mezzanine floor during construction work in Bristol. An opening had been cut in the boarded-out mezzanine floor through which the employee fell three metres to the ground, suffering serious head injuries. The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found the contractor had failed to plan, manage and monitor the construction work ensuring appropriate methods to prevent or mitigate a fall were in use. The firm was found guilty of breaching Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, fined £1,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,000.

Engineering company fined after employee fall


McGee Group Limited (McGee) of Wembley, Middlesex has been fined half a million pounds after a father-of-two was killed when a reinforced concrete slab collapsed beneath him during a demolition project. McGee Group was the principal contractor for a demolition project in Grosvenor Square in London where Dainius Rupsys from Lithuania was working as a labourer. Mr Rupsys had been burning through reinforcing steel bars with an oxy-propane lance. The supervisor was told the work had made the structure unsafe and demolition was halted. However, the supervisor then ordered removal of props supporting the remaining slab and, less than ten minutes later, it

Construction company fined after worker killed during demolition work

asbestos awareness training and went on to spread asbestos outside the flat where the work was being carried out. The Health & Safety Executive (HSE) found there was inadequate planning and management of the refurbishment work and fined the college £12,000 for breaching Regulations 5 and 16 of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. Newnham College also had to pay costs of £4,450.28.

collapsed. Mr Rupsys, the excavator and its operator in the cab fell with the slab. Mr Rupsys suffered severe head injuries and died at the scene. The excavator operator injured his back.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that, in the weeks before the incident, CCTV showed demolition work had not been carried out safely and that Mr Rupsys had neither been adequately trained to use the oxy-propane lance nor in the use of a safety harness, which was not attached when the incident occurred. The firm was found guilty of breaching Regulation 22(1)(a) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and fined £500,000 and told to pay £66,236.22 in costs.


First HomesThe government is committed to making the dream of home ownership a reality for everyone and recognises that, for many, this simply feels out of reach.

First Homes consultationThe government is seeking views on its First Homes policy which aims to deliver discounted homes for local people.

The government is building more homes of all types, delivering 241,000 in 2019 - the highest in over thirty years. The government says it will deliver at least a million more over this parliament. However, the government believes further action is needed to support home ownership so young people have the same chance to own their own home and can buy, at a discount, in their local area rather than be forced to look elsewhere due to rising prices. The scheme will lower deposit and mortgage requirements – saving first-time buyers around £100,000 on the price of an average property.

CostAffordability is the biggest barrier to home ownership. This is partly due to a shortage of housing supply but low savings rates and high rents have limited the ability for young people to save the deposit they need to buy a home of their own. The deposit needed has gone up four-fold over the last twenty-three years as the average house price in the UK has increased from £58,854 in August 1996 to £235,298 in November 2019. As a result more young people are spending longer renting, often paying more in rent than they would pay for a mortgage. Many who cannot rent stay on with their parents and are unable to start a home and put down roots in their communities.

LocalityThe problem is most acute in London and the South East but is an issue across the country. High house prices in many areas are forcing young people to move out of the communities where they grew up in order to buy a home. In 1996, 93% of young people would have been able to buy their first home with a mortgage of 4.5 times their salary providing they had a 10% deposit. By 2016 this had fallen to 61%. The average home in Penzance in Cornwall now costs £257,808. That is nearly nine times the average household’s annual full-time income and therefore unaffordable to many young people. With new homes priced beyond the means of many people, communities have little incentive to support new housing developments in their areas. Yet by contrast, when the benefits to local first-time buyers are clear, local support for development is high: almost 3-in-4 (73%) of people in England support the building of more affordable homes in their local area.

The government says its First Homes policy will be life-changing for people all over the country aspiring to take their first step onto the housing ladder, by providing new homes at a discount of at least 30%. The government launched a consultation in February seeking views on “First Homes for local people”. It is looking at both the design of this policy and options for its implementation. You have until 3 April 2020 if you would like to respond to the government’s consultation on First Homes

The consultation covers the following areas:• what First Homes are and who

should be eligible for them;• how the scheme should work in

practice;• how to deliver more of these homes

through developer contributions;• the requirement for delivering

these homes through planning or legislation.

Further information:First Homes summaryhttps://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/first-homes

First Homes consultationhttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/864265/

First_Homes_consultation_document.pdfA guide to First Homeshttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/864267/Guide_to_First_Homes.pdf

Guest article: First Homes

You can respond to the consultation:Online:https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/first-homes

By email: [email protected]

In writing: First Homes scheme consultation MHCLG Home Ownership Division 3rd Floor, Fry Building 2 Marsham Street London SW1P 4DF

Further readingHelp to Buy: Equity Loan statistics to 30 June 2019https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/help-to-buy-equity-loan-scheme-statistics-april-2013-to-30-june-2019-england

Help to Buy: mortgage guarantee statistics to 30 June 2017https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/help-to-buy-mortgage-guarantee-scheme-quarterly-statistics-october-2013-to-30-june-2017

Help to Buy:ISA statistics to 30 June 2019https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/help-to-buy

HMRC Quarterly Stamp Duty Land Tax Statisticshttps://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/862381/Quarterly_SDLT_2019Q4_Main.pdf

Land Registry UK House Price Indexhttp://landregistry.data.gov.uk/app/ukhpi

Valuation Office Agency Statistical Releasehttps://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/private-rental-

25

News from HQA round-up of what is going on at headquarters and what this means for members.

Regional support

With the start of the year the Association for Project Safety has had a bit of a rejig of responsibilities in the office so that we can provide more support to our regions around the country. We recognise that the members are the heartbeat of the organisation and that our backbone is the regional set up which provides support and services close to home and work. But we also know that everyone who serves on our committees is a volunteer and that we need to make it easier for people to carry out the duties they take on for nothing.

As a result – and I know many of you will have been in touch about one thing or another – you will now have the expert support of Nicola Lally and Sheena Munro when it comes to all things local. If you are putting on an event or have information you want to send out, then Nicola and Sheena will see you right. They will also be looking after all the arrangements for regional elections. The dynamic duo can be reached on 00 44 [0] 131 442 6600 or by emailing [email protected] and [email protected].

Membership queries stay with APS stalwart Carole Mackay and you can always get on the blower to me if there is anything you want to let us know about. We are here to help – you just need to get in touch.

Technical queries

APS is committed to shaping and sharing good practice and design and construction health and safety risk management. So it seems a good time to make sure you are all aware of one of the key member benefits APS provides. We have a free service that gives all fully paid-up members access to peer support and technical support.

Technical support is easy to access. All members need to do is email their query to [email protected] putting, “Technical Query” in the subject line. We have a panel of experts on hand and will aim to get you an answer back within five working days.

Legal helpline

All members have access to the APS legal helpline as part of their membership. The service provides support to members to help them understand and interpret the law and regulations which underpin their statutory duties. You can get help from our legal eagles by emailing [email protected] putting “Legal” in the subject line.

New Accredited Trainer

APS is pleased to welcome Global Horizon Skills Ltd to the list of accredited trainers. They can now deliver the following APS courses: • Introduction to Principal designer (1 Day) https://www.

aps.org.uk/cpd/introduction-principal-designer-role-1-day;

• Principal designer (2 Day) course https://www.aps.org.

uk/cpd/principal-designer; and • Management of Pre-Construction Health & Safety

https://www.aps.org.uk/cpd/the-management-pre-construction-health-and-safety.

Global Horizon Skills Ltd was set up in 2007 to deliver quality, client-focused training solutions. They have a flexible, one-stop-shop delivery model that allows them to support clients and deliver training that significantly increases the skills, knowledge and abilities of everyone taking their courses – both for their benefit and for their employers. Global Horizon Skills Ltd works across the private, public, community and voluntary sectors aiming to reach individuals from all walks of life while creating a positive and supportive learning experience. They take pride in ensuring clients get the best quality and value for money. You can contact Colette Grogan or Geraldine Gormley for more information on 028 8225 0544, at www.ghskills.com or by writing in to: Global Horizon Skills Ltd, 64A Derry Road, Omagh, Co Tyrone BT78 5DY

HQ News

Issue 12 I Spring 2020


Membership mattersConstruction health and safety specialists Safer Sphere has come a long way since it began in late 2012. The business has gone from strength-to-strength with the team growing in size year-on-year as well as the demand for services continually increasing.

Membership

The business, which specialises in CDM 2015 compliance and support, has opened two additional offices in Liverpool and Reading in the last couple of years, to respond to the demand for its services, and sits beside their Head Office in St Helens, operating nationwide.

Mike Forsyth, Managing Director of Safer Sphere spoke to the APS about how corporate membership is key for his business.

“It is important for us as a business to select a corporate accreditation that gives us gravitas in the industry. The APS is the leading professional institute in construction health and safety and actively promotes improvement in the professional


Hayley Clark

Hayley ClarkSafety Forward

I heard about APS some time ago, even before I became a H&S professional. I had seen others go through the process of becoming members and realised that this wasn’t just a pay-your-fee-and-gain-letters-to-use, they really care about the level of knowledge and skill you have before accepting you. It was for that reason I aspired to be a member from an early point in my career. I knew I would have to prove I deserved to join. When my employer – Safety Forward Ltd asked if I’d like to join at their cost, I jumped at the chance. The process was seamless, and I’m proud to be a member. It also helps when pitching to new clients, to show that we take our role seriously, and we have the correct level of knowledge and expertise in our field.

practise of design in construction health and safety management, so for us this was a great fit.

The APS provides quality and up-to-date training on the CDM 2015 regulations as well as industry updates and guidance, something that as a business we need to stay on top of, and being a corporate member of the APS allows us to do this. To achieve Corporate Membership with the APS is no small feat, but we are pleased to have done this for the past three years with no non-conformities. The process of application to become a corporate member was straight forward but gaining the accreditation does require processes and procedures to be in place. The practical evidence required as part of the application

process is another reason why we choose to renew each year as we know that achieving membership demonstrates a high level of excellence, and standard to our clients. This gives us as a business, and our individual members of staff the edge in being a leading provider of construction health and safety services.

A real highlight for Safer Sphere was the opportunity to be shortlisted and ultimately being successful in winning the “CDM Consultant of the Year” award at the National APS awards in 2018. This award really helped establish our business as a leader in the industry, and it was a really proud day for the team and me.

Safer Sphere has used this expertise and knowledge of designer safety to develop an online safety tool called “HARM Zero”. The system facilitates design risk management on any construction project helping to eliminate hazards, manage risks and avoid harm from the construction stage of the project right through to a building’s end-use. We were excited to roll out the system in February this year, after rigorous development and testing. It was the knowledge and experience of our team, and the learnings from institutions like the APS, that has enabled us to develop a product to help transform design risk management in the construction industry. Watch this space!”


APS regions

Regional round-upMidlandsWednesday 15 January 2020

Mental health in the workplace

APS stalwart Nattasha Freeman led a lively discussion on general mental health, its awareness in the workplace and impact on construction. The group discussed what the causal factors may be and, looked at how to identify the illnesses people are likely to come across in day-to-day business. Nattasha explained how help is available to employers including the use of mental health first aiders and other resources that help identify and address the rising incidence of mental health in the workplace.

Nattasha is a former IOSH President, whose presidential theme was “Proactive Intervention and (Staged) Returns to Work”; a theme which was then topical against a backdrop of managing health as well as safety, and the release of the first Dame Carol Black report which identified the psycho-social impact of work on absenteeism and presenteeism. Nattasha has been working in health and safety for over 27 years and is still delivering CDM and other services, working as a SHEQ Director in the Turner & Townsend Birmingham Team.

LondonWednesday 22 January 2020

The art of design risk management

The London region enjoyed a post-festive season drinks and nibbles evening to debate the art of design risk management and its practical implementation. Six industry leaders - Philip Baker, Paul Bussey, Margaret Sackey, Mark Snelling and Peter Waxman – led the discussion at the Victory Services Club in Seymour Street London.

East AngliaMonday 10 February 2020

Climate change – risks and opportunities for construction

APS East Anglia members had an entertaining evening at Safety Rocks, in Cambridge when they heard from Steve Wilde - the environmental manager for Whirlpool - about the risks and opportunities the construction sector will face as a result of climate change. Steve also talked about the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals, net-zero targets, materials and building use and other changes and challenges facing the sector.

Steve is Whirlpool UK’s Environmental Manager, having worked in the public and private sectors, acting as a consultant, interim manager, lecturer and trainer covering health, safety, environmental issues. His presentation style was both humorous and relaxed.

West of ScotlandTuesday 25 February 2020

Principal Designer discussions – information at the pre-construction phase

The West of Scotland region held an evening session to talk about the information that needs to be included at the pre-construction phase. The pre-construction meeting covered the information in the Pre-Construction Information Pack. This session was the first of a series of forum-type meetings where members drop in to discuss various topics based around the role of Principal Designer.

West of Scotland plans to hold two or three forum meetings throughout the year to address common areas of concern and interest concerning being a Principal Designer and the requirements of CDM 2015 Regulations. The event was held at the Golf Lounge in Glasgow’s West George Street, and introduced by APS West of Scotland chair, Callum Bunce. Members came along and shared their own experiences with colleagues.

Our quarterly run around the regions bringing you news of events and activities up and down the country.


LondonThursday 19 March 2020

Variations in Risk Perception in Design Teams

The speaker is Ken Hannah. London region events are generally held on the third Thursday of every month and start at 18:30 hrs. Everyone welcome.

For more information contact Peter Taylor at [email protected].

East MidlandsWednesday 25 March 2020

Behavioural safety

Mike Herbert will be talking to members about behavioural safety. He will cover the definition of behavioural safety, its history and influences before talking about how to implement a programme for the workplace based on the Jacobs’ approach – safety observation reports & beyond zero. There will also be an opportunity for attendees to share their own experiences.

Mike Herbert works for Jacobs UK Ltd as a Health and Safety Assurance Manager. Mike’s background includes rail operations, H&S management and advice, predominantly in the rail industry. Most recently he has worked as the major accident and disaster topic lead on HS2, Phase 2b for the project’s environmental impact assessment.

The event starts at 19:00 hrs and is being held at the Newton Building, Nottingham Trent University on Goldsmith Street, Nottingham. The event is free for members but there is a £10 charge for non-members.

For further information contact [email protected]

North WestThursday 26 March 2020

Controlling risk in underground services

The North West invites members to the Red Lion Inn, Newburgh for a discussion of ways to mitigate risk associated with underground services. This includes locating the problem and identifying the risk.

For more information contact Derek Bradshaw at [email protected]

North WestThursday 30 April 2020

Gas safety

There is going to be a discussion about gas safety in Sharston at the end of April. Members will be able to discuss their experiences and consider the particular issues of safety in housing association properties.


MidlandsWednesday 13 May 2020

Construction law and contract administration

Mark Robinson is scheduled to talk to APS Midlands members on recent changes in construction law and contract obligations in the delivery of projects. Arrive at the Hollyfields Sports and Social Club, Woodacre Road, Erdington, Birmingham B2 0JT by 17:30 hrs for a bite to eat before the presentation starts at 18:00 hrs. The cost of the event is £15.00 for APS members and £20.00 for non-members.

For more information contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

Events to come

North WestTuesday 19 May 2020

Demolition

North West members are looking forward to an explosive night when they meet to talk over the design and construction risk management issues related to demolition. The meeting will be held at LACE in Liverpool.


LondonThursday 21 May 2020

Fire safety in HRRBs

Mark Snelling is the speaker. London region events are generally held on the third Thursday of every month and start at 18:30 hrs. Everyone welcome.


LondonThursday 18 June 2020

An evening with the APS top team

An evening session where APS President Stella Clutton-Saunders and President Elect Jonathan Moulam discuss what is going on at APS and the association’s priorities for the coming year. London region events are generally held on the third Thursday of every month and start at 18:30 hrs. Everyone welcome.


News


Brexit update - immigration points systemOn 19 February 2020, the UK Government announced more details of the points-based immigration system that will come into force at the end of the Brexit transition period. From 1 January 2021, EU and non-EU citizens will be treated equally. This will have a major impact on the construction sector, so we are sharing the key points set out in the UK Government Immigration Guidance.

The UK’s points-based systemFrom 1 January 2021, free movement will end, and the UK will introduce the UK’s points-based system. These changes will be followed by further changes to the UK’s sponsorship system and the operation of the UK border, including, in the longer-term, the introduction of Electronic Travel Authorities to ensure those coming to the UK have permission to do so in advance of travel. The UK is taking a phased approach to ensure the smooth delivery of this new system and to allow sufficient time for everyone to adapt. This policy statement focuses on the first phase of changes being introduced in 2021.

Salary and skills thresholdsThe Migration Advisory Committee (MAC) published its report on salary thresholds and points-based systems on 28 January. The UK accepts the MAC’s recommendation on salary thresholds, including to lower the general salary threshold from £30,000 to £25,600. Migrants will still need to be paid the higher of the specific salary threshold for their occupation, known as the “going rate”, and the general salary threshold. However, under the points-based system for skilled workers, applicants will be able to “trade” characteristics such as their specific job offer and qualifications against a lower salary. There will continue to be different arrangements for a small number of occupations where the salary

threshold will be based on published pay scales. The UK will set the requirements for new entrants 30% lower than the rate for experienced workers in any occupation and only use the base salary (and not the allowances or pension contributions) to determine whether the salary threshold is met. Additionally, in line with the MAC’s recommendations, the UK will not introduce regional salary thresholds or different arrangements for different parts of the UK.

The UK will implement the MAC’s recommendation to bring the skills threshold down. The UK will suspend the cap on the number of people who can come on the skilled worker route and remove the resident labour market test. These changes will ensure that a wide pool of skilled workers will be able to come to the UK from anywhere in the world and the process will be made simpler and quicker for employers.

Skilled workersAll applicants, both EU and non-EU citizens, will need to demonstrate they: have a job offer from an approved sponsor; that the job offer is at the required skill level; and that they speak English. In addition to this, if the applicant earns more than the minimum salary threshold then the individual would be eligible to make an application. If they earn less than the required minimum

salary threshold, but no less than £20,480, they may still be able to come if they can demonstrate that they have a job offer in a specific shortage occupation, as designated by the MAC, or that they have a PhD relevant to the job and again applicants will be able to “trade” characteristics such as their specific job offer and qualifications against a salary lower than the minimum salary or the “going rate” in their field.

The MAC will produce a shortage occupation list covering all jobs encompassed by the skilled worker route, and will keep the list under regular review. Allocating extra points for occupations the MAC determines to be in shortage in the UK will provide immediate temporary relief for shortage areas, making it easier to recruit migrants. The UK expects employers to take other measures to address shortages.

For some higher-paid occupations the “going rate” will be above the general salary threshold. Migrants will still be awarded points for holding a relevant PhD or if the occupation is in shortage, which they will be able to trade against a salary lower than the “going rate”: 10% lower if they have a relevant PhD in a non-STEM subject; 20% lower if they have a relevant PhD in a STEM subject; or 20% lower if the occupation is designated in shortage by the MAC. In line with the MAC’s advice, there will continue to be reduced salary requirements for new entrants to the labour market.

Highly-skilled workersFrom January 2021, the UK will extend the current Global Talent route to EU citizens on the same basis as non-EU citizens. In line with the recommendations from the MAC, the UK will create a broader unsponsored route within the points-based system to run alongside the employer-led system. This will allow a smaller number of the most highly-skilled workers to come to the UK without a job offer. The UK will explore proposals for this additional route to the points-based system with stakeholders in the coming year.

Lower-skilled workersThe UK will not implement a route for lower-skilled workers. It is important employers move away from a reliance on the UK’s immigration system as an alternative to investment in staff retention, productivity and

It is important

employers

move away

from a reliance

on the UK’s

immigration

system as an

alternative to

investment in

staff retention,

productivity

and wider

investment in

technology and

automation.


wider investment in technology and automation. The points-based system will provide significantly greater flexibility for skilled workers wishing to come to the UK. The requisite salary thresholds and skill levels will provide employers with greater scope to employ skilled migrants from overseas.

The MAC noted that even in the current absence of a route for lower-skilled migration from outside the EU, there are estimated to be 170,000 recently arrived non-EU citizens in lower-skilled occupations. This supply, which includes people such as the dependants of skilled migrants, will continue to be available.

The UK is committed to expanding the pilot scheme for seasonal workers in agriculture which will be quadrupled in size to 10,000 places. The UK also enjoys youth mobility arrangements with eight countries and territories which results in around 20,000 young people coming to the UK each year. Both routes will provide employers with further ongoing flexibility in employing individuals into lower-skilled roles.

Students and specialist occupationsStudents will be covered by the points-based system. They will achieve the required points if they can demonstrate that they have an offer from an approved educational institution, speak English and are able to support themselves during their studies in the UK.

There is a range of other immigration routes for specialist occupations, including innovators, ministers of religion, sportspeople and to support the arts.

Other routesThe rules for family reunion, asylum and border crossing checks are outside of the points-based system. The UK will continue visitor provisions, but with simplified rules and guidance. The UK expect to treat EU citizens as non-visa nationals meaning they can come to the UK as visitors for six months without the need to obtain a visa. The UK will also unilaterally allow EU citizens to continue to use e-gates, but the UK will keep this policy under review. The UK will not be creating a dedicated route for self-employed

people. The UK recognise that there are several professions where there is a heavy reliance on freelance workers. They will continue to be able to enter the UK under the innovator route and will in due course be able to benefit from the proposed unsponsored route. The UK already attracts world class artists, entertainers and musicians and the UK will continue to do so in the future. The UK’s existing rules permit artists, entertainers and musicians to perform at events and take part in competitions and auditions for up to six months. They can receive payment for appearances at certain festivals or, for up to a month, for a specific engagement, without the need for formal sponsorship or a work visa.

The visa processPeople coming to the UK for work or study, other than some short-term business visitors and short-term students, will need to obtain a visa for which they will pay a fee. The UK will levy the Immigration Skills Surcharge on employers and the Immigration Health Surcharge on the same basis

as now. For employers sponsoring skilled migrants, the process will be streamlined to reduce the time it takes to bring a migrant into the UK. Applications will be made online and most EU citizens will be issued with an e-visa.

EU citizens living in the UK by 31 December 2020 are eligible to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme and will have until 30 June 2021 to make an application. As a transition measure, employers, landlords and public service providers will be able to accept passports and national identity cards during this period. Employers not currently approved by the Home Office to be a sponsor should consider doing so now if they think they will want to sponsor skilled migrants.

More information is available at: www.gov.uk/government/publications/the-uks-points-based-immigration-system-policy-statement/the-uks-points-based-immigration-system-policy-statement

Characteristics Tradeable Points

Offer of job by approved sponsor No 20Job at appropriate skill level No 20Speaks English at required level No 10Salary of £20,480 (minimum) – £23,039 Yes 0Salary of £23,040 – £25,599 Yes 10Salary of £25,600 or above Yes 20Job in a shortage occupation (as designated by the MAC) Yes 20Education qualification: PhD in subject relevant to the job Yes 10Education qualification: PhD in a STEM subject relevant to the job Yes 20

A total of 70 points is required to be eligible to apply; some characteristics are tradeable.

Synergie Training is one of the leading Construction, Infrastructure and IT Training Companies in the UK

We are recognised throughout the Construction and Civil Engineering sectors in both the UK and internationally and are Scotland’s leading CDM 2015, NEC3, and Temporary Works Training provider.

CDM 2015 Training – We specialise in the APS Accredited Principal Designer course which we provide as both onsite closed company courses and as public courses throughout the UK. We have successfully Accredited over 800 individual Principal Designers and also provide CDM Overview, Client, Contractor, Domestic Client and Construction Safety through Design CDM related training.

We are recognised throughout the Construction and Civil Engineering sectors in both the UK and Internationally and are the

UK’s leading CDM Principal Designer training company. We are also Scotland’s leading Temporary Works and NEC course

provider.

CDM 2015 Training – Synergie Training specialises in the APS Accredited Principal Designer course which we provide as

both onsite closed company courses and as public courses throughout the UK. We have successfully accredited over 1,500

individual Principal Designers with a 95% pass rate and also provide CDM Overview, Client, Contractor, Domestic Client,

Construction Safety through Design and customised CDM training.

Upcoming Dates include:

24 Mar - 25 Mar APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) Nottingham £595

30 Mar - 31 Mar APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) Leeds £595

6 Apr - 7 Apr APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) Edinburgh £595

14 Apr - 15 Apr APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) Manchester £595

21 Apr - 22 Apr APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) Newcastle £595

28 Apr - 29 Apr APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) London £595

12 May - 13 May APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) Bristol £595

14 May - 15 May APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) Cardiff £595

19 May - 20 May APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) Birmingham £595

1 Jun - 2 Jun APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) London £595

8 Jun - 9 Jun APS Accredited – The role of the Principal Designer under CDM 2015 (2 Day) Glasgow £595

Please quote APS-MARCH-10 for a 10% discount on any of the above public courses.

Please visit: www.synergietraining.co.uk/course-schedule to view additional public course dates.

Synergie Training is an approved APS, CITB & MicrosoftAccredited Training Centre and holds ISO: 9001, ISO: 14001and ISO: 45001 quality standard accreditations.

Website: www.synergietraining.co.ukE-Mail: [email protected]: 01463 227580

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