Network Rail fined for allowing trains on storm-damaged viaduct

Network Rail fined for allowing trains on storm-damaged viaduct

Following an investigation by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), Scotland’s Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service prosecuted Network Rail for allowing trains to travel at more than 100mph over the badly storm-damaged structure.  Network Rail has now been fined by Lanark Sheriff Court for the safety breach, after pleading guilty to an offence…

Lower Thames Crossing planning application withdrawn

Lower Thames Crossing planning application withdrawn

CGI of the northern tunnel entrance to the proposed Lower Thames Crossing in Essex Highways England submitted its application to the Planning Inspectorate on 23rd October 2020, only to withdraw it again on 20th November. Highways England initially failed to provide enough information with its application – it omitted responses to its statutory consultation and…

Construction consortium targets greater use of home-grown timber

Construction consortium targets greater use of home-grown timber

Proving the business case through the demonstrator prototype is intended to enable climate-positive communities like those created by SNRG to be brought into the mainstream Construction Scotland Innovation Centre (CSIC), Edinburgh Napier University (ENU) Centre for Offsite Construction & Innovative Structures (COCIS), Scottish Forestry, Confederation of Forest Industries (Confor) and SNRG have secured funding from…

Scottish plant owners want drunk operators to lose their cards

Scottish plant owners want drunk operators to lose their cards

The Scottish Plant Owners Association (SPOA) said that there is currently no penalty except from being banned from that particular site or dismissed by the employer. In the short term, operators are sent home and will not be allowed to work that day but there is no long-term penalty as they can apply to work…

Severfield snubs virus to shows 40% growth

Severfield hanging steel at Lord’s Cricket Ground Despite starting its financial year in April, just after the UK went into lockdown, Severfield emerged unscathed. Its half-year revenue was up 40% to £186.0m (2019 H1: £131.7m). Even with Covid-19 impacting the economy, operating profit (before JVs and associates) was up 16% to £8.1m (2019 H1: £7.0m)….

Recycling oven makes asbestos safe to reuse

Recycling oven makes asbestos safe to reuse

It is claimed that the chemical and physical composition of the asbestos changes when heated in this oven The demonstration plant removes the nasties from asbestos sheeting and coverts it into a useable aggregate. Approximately 60% of asbestos taken to landfill is in the form of roof sheets. Removing asbestos roof sheets involves putting them…

Union calls for tighter face mask rules

Union calls for tighter face mask rules

Unite says that the site operating procedures are inadequate as they appear to assume that construction work only takes place outside; it wants separate rules for working indoors, where the virus is likely to be easier to catch. However, the site operating procedures already require construction workers to wear face masks when working in an…