Views

Ensuring safety at work is one of the central aims of the Federation of Piling Specialists (FPS). As such, it regularly examines areas of working relevant to the piling and foundations sector and issues appropriate guidance to minimise risk. The FPS members and their workforce have long identified that there…

Our country is led by the most diverse cabinet in the nation’s history with non-white MPs Alok Sharma, Rishi Sunak, James Cleverly, Priti Patel, Sajid Javid and James Cleverly having held key roles since the 2019 election. However, we cannot proclaim to live in a post-racial society in the UK.…

As the whole of UK plc comes to terms with the so-called “new normal”, by and large the Federation of Piling Specialists (FPS) welcomes the government’s initiatives that are designed to help the construction sector through these difficult times. Specifically, this assistance includes a coronavirus job retention scheme; the ability…

Let’s face it, who doesn’t appreciate a good night’s sleep, and as we wake each day who of us wouldn’t benefit from a few extra minutes, or even hours beneath the duvet? However, in the workplace – on site or operating heavy plant – fatigue in the workplace is extremely…

In my last blog for GE, I wrote about the need to emphasise the importance of the ground engineering industry to the future of UK PLC. Part of my message was the need to see ourselves as competing for the interest of people making career choices. Major infrastructure projects on…

There can be little argument that land drilling is a physical job, often undertaken in demanding environments and with real dynamic risks. The best way to reduce risk in such environments is to enable, teach, supervise and manage the drilling operatives to always adopt conscious safe working beyond the exactitudes…

Figures from various health-related organisations suggest that some 40M working days are lost each year in the UK as a direct result of occupational ill-health. In terms of productivity alone, that many lost days represents literally costs the UK economy billions of pounds, as well as revenue to the companies…

There is a lot of emerging talent within the piling and geotechnical sector and, of this talent pool, many are destined to achieve senior positions with management and leadership responsibilities. While the technical and academic abilities of these early career professionals are without question, it has long been the thoughts…

Geotechnical engineering is a fascinating and rewarding industry to be a part of. Although a “niche” activity when compared to the overall size of the UK construction and civil engineering industries, geotechnical and geological engineering is of fundamental importance to UK infrastructure and construction in every sector. It is no…

Health and safety often struggles to become truly embedded in everything that we do. While nobody would question its importance in the working environment, mention it to some and it gets greeted with a roll of the eyes and the assumption that a deluge of red tape and accompanying cost…