Eslanda Robeson House (Glengall Road)

Experienced Equans staff provided their guidance regarding the content of new construction related courses offered by the University of Bedfordshire following a meeting with University Tutor, Dr James Bishop in January.

As part of Equans' responsible business commitments, Site Manager, Joshua Peach, has been working closely with the University of Bedfordshire to support their planned courses for students looking to get into the construction industry.

As part of this, Josh and a number of colleagues from Equans provided guidance and offered their professional opinion on the content of three new construction related courses planning to be delivered to students in the new academic year.

The new courses look at the commercial, design and site management side of construction and are set at level 4, the same as a foundation degree and each course will have a duration of one year.

Having oversight of the planned courses, University Tutor, James, wanted to get people from within the construction industry to review the content of the proposed new courses and provide their input on potential areas of concern/improvements and areas they believed to be good as well as whether or not they believed candidates from this course would be more likely to find employment within the industry rather than a generic school leaver.

Equans staff members, Fred Thompson, Senior Design Coordinator and Adam Kelly, Quantity Surveyor, joined Joshua to meet James to provide their input and guidance, sharing their first-hand experiences and knowledge.

Providing guidance on the Construction Design and Build Technician course, Fred gave his insight from having several years prior experience as a qualified architect before moving to Equans. He reviewed the course structure and gave his thoughts on areas he deemed important, such as dealing with various stakeholders and the need for potential candidates to have an understanding of systems such as 4projects in order to monitor and maintain the design process through to construction. After discussions with James, Fred also stated that anyone undertaking this qualification would be in a much better position to seek employment within the design side of construction when compared to someone who had simply finished their time at school.

Adam has been working for Equans for more than five years and recently completed his degree in quantity surveying which put him in an ideal position to provide some guidance regarding the Construction Quantity Surveying course being offered by the University.

Adam reviewed the course and said the topics covered gave a great overall picture of the day-to-day workings of a Quantity Surveyor. His only real concern with the course was the time-scale, due to it being only a year long course, there was a vast amount of important information to be covered and he was concerned regarding the depth each area would go into. However, through further discussions with James it was understood as this only a level 4 course, that the purpose is to give candidates an insight into the working methods of a Quantity Surveyor and if successful they would more than likely move up to completing a full degree.

Adam stated that the course covered a lot of the key areas and someone undertaking the course would be in a better place to seek employment. He also said that the course was great as it focussed solely on main contractors such as Equans but also had areas that would be cruel for a Quantity Surveyor working for a subcontractor.

Recently achieving his own degree from the same University, Joshua was more than qualified to offer his opinion on the content of the Construction Site Supervisor course. As he had already done a foundation degree at the University Josh understood a lot of the subjects being covered as well as the importance of them to his day-to-day workings as a Site Manager. The course covered a lot of the responsibilities of a Site Manager. He raised the need for the new breed of Site Managers to be able and willing to use systems such as FieldView for quality assurance and health and safety purposes.

"The new generation need to be fluid in paperless construction as this is where the industry is moving and new starters need to be capable in the use of online monitoring systems. They also need to be capable of sorting solutions for the foreign labour workforce, especially those working in and around London.

"People seeking employment after having undertaken this course would be in a much better position to be successful when compared to someone with little to no understanding of the industry." Equans Site Manager, Joshua Peach

Josh explained how on his Glengall Road scheme in Peckham, he has a designated translator system, which implements a rule that if there are more than five people from one nation there must be a designated translator in place on site - this is done for a variety of reasons, issues on site, at home or more generally. The translator can then pass this message across to the site team for actioning as necessary

In January Equans staff delivered training to unemployed residents as part of their ongoing commitment to supporting the development and growth of talent within the construction industry by providing training and employment opportunities for local residents.

Working in partnership with our client, London School of Economics, we have set out our commitments to provide training and employment opportunities for local residents, including training and sustained employment for 44 residents and a minimum of 11 construction-related apprenticeships.

As part of our S106 commitments, we have been working with the Southwark Skills Centre (SSC) to provide training and employment opportunities to local youth and residents.

In January Site Manager, Joshua Peach and Site Administrator, Ramona Catrut visited the SSC to give a presentation on the Steps Into Construction to 22 unemployed residents.

The presentation showed drone footage of a large concrete pour undertaken at the Glengall Road scheme shortly before the site closed before Christmas.

After showing this video which displayed the site's current progress, Joshua then showed another video which displayed the CGI images of the scheme's planned final look - he went on to explain to the candidates the importance of the modular elements on the project which help save both money and time and particularly how important this was due to the fact that the project is for student accommodation.

Joshua then went through the site's latest Considerate Constructors Scheme presentation explaining how the site team achieved top marks of 45/45 from the scheme's auditor, reviewing each of the three categories that the scheme was assessed on including workforce, environment and community.

Following shortly after, the candidates were invited to take part in a short Q&A session where they were free to ask Josh and Ramona anything regarding their routes into the industry and also the Equans business.

The next part of the day was one-to-one interviews with each individual candidate explaining potential opportunities on the scheme, exchanging contact details and candidates providing and talking through their CV.

Before leaving it was agreed between Joshua and staff from the SSC that in the near future, candidates would be invited to the Glengall Road site for a site inspection which would run through the on-site works in more detail as well as the induction process, construction methods etc.

If you are interested in any training and/or employment opportunities with Equans please get in touch by emailing Josh at joshua.peach@equans.com.

Welcome to the latest update from the scheme's primary subcontractor, Oliver Connell & Son.

Progress on site:
Works on site have progressed well in all areas. 100% of all substructure work has completed with some remaining service connections to complete. 890m of concrete was poured in Glengall Road in the month of November alone. 50% of the upper ground floor slab and vertical elements are now cast.

The first section of LVL 1 slab has been cast with a large 650m pour right before the Christmas break. With this final section of in-situ concrete poured in this area the next section of works may begin involving the precast superstructure.

What's happening next?
Over 250tn of rebar will be tied in the LVL 1 & 2 transfer slabs along with 2000m+ of concrete to pour in-situ inside. The remaining elements of the lower and upper ground floor slabs and vertical elements will be completed leaving LVL 1 & 2 remaining for the beginning of 2023. In the new year Glengall Road will see the remaining in-situ elements completed leaving the remaining building to be built with precast columns, walls and slab section.

Local procurement and jobs

The Council, Oliver Connell and our main contractor, Equans, are committed to providing local employment, training and procurement opportunities.

Site will be supporting local businesses such as local supermarkets, restaurants, cafes and suppliers as much as possible whilst they complete the project.

If you are interested in working on site, local supply chain opportunities or finding out more information about the Employment and Training Strategy for Glengall Road please contact Trevor Walsh, Contracts Manager, Oliver Connell & Son Ltd on 07483034261 or at twalsh@oliverconnell.com

Oliver Connell & Son will be issuing a community newsletter each month to provide a regular update on the development. You can view a copy of each newsletter by visiting the document library - click here to view the newsletter for December.

The Glengall Road team were recently paid a special visit by Equans' Head of global health & safety for a full review of the scheme's overall health and safety.

Site Manager, Josh, and the rest of the site team received a very special visit when they learned that the Head of Health & Safety for Equans' global business, Fabrice Leoni, was visiting the Glengall Road site.

Once he arrived on site, Fabrice was given a full visitors site induction and was run through the daily pre-start safety briefing. Josh and other members of the site team then personally escorted Fabrice around the live site giving him a full overview of the project and the current works being undertaken. Fabrice gave his insight not only on health and safety items but also means of improving overall productivity, something which the site team has taken on board.

After his visit to the scheme, Fabrice prepared a detailed report of his findings and recommendations commenting things like, "A very good practice to ask inductees to provide an emergency contact. This is an important reminder that anything could happen if you don't respect the rules.", "Well done, an efficient pre-start meeting!", "Well done, every subcontractor with PPE and chinstraps."

Welcome to the latest update from the scheme's primary subcontractor, Oliver Connell & Son.

Progress on site:
Works on site have progressed well in all areas. 90% of all substructure work has completed with some remaining drainage. 1200m of concrete was poured in Glengall Road in the month of November alone.

50% of the upper ground floor slab and vertical elements are now cast. The temporary works for LVL 1 have begun above the upper ground floor slab. The LVL 1 slab will contain more work than the average slab as it will be a transfer slab from the in-situ concrete to the pre-cast rising structure above.

What's happening next?
Over 200tn of rebar will be tied in the LVL 1 transfer slab along with 1700m+ of concrete to pour in-situ inside. The remaining elements of the lower and upper ground floor slabs and vertical elements will be completed leaving LVL 1 remaining for the beginning of 2023.

In the new year Glengall Road will see the remaining in-situ elements completed leaving the remaining building to be built with precast columns, walls and slab section.

Local procurement and jobs

The Council, Oliver Connell and our main contractor, Equans, are committed to providing local employment, training and procurement opportunities.

Site will be supporting local businesses such as local supermarkets, restaurants, cafes and suppliers as much as possible whilst they complete the project.

If you are interested in working on site, local supply chain opportunities or finding out more information about the Employment and Training Strategy for Glengall Road please contact Trevor Walsh, Contracts Manager, Oliver Connell & Son Ltd on 07483034261 or at twalsh@oliverconnell.com

Oliver Connell & Son will be issuing a community newsletter each month to provide a regular update on the development. You can view a copy of each newsletter by visiting the document library - click here to view the newsletter for November.

This November Equans began to follow through on it's commitment to supporting the development and growth of talent within the construction industry by providing training and employment opportunities for local residents.

Working in partnership with our client, London School of Economics, we have set out our commitments to provide training and employment opportunities for local residents, including training and sustained employment for 44 residents and a minimum of 11 construction-related apprenticeships.

To meet potential candidates and review their CVs for both vacancies in trade positions as well as apprenticeships, Equans Site Manager, Josh Peach recently visited the Southwark Skills Centre.

Josh hosted an employment session where he delivered a short presentation on steps into construction and the right path to take to approximately 20 local residents, before going round the room and asking each candidate why they wanted to get into the construction industry as well as what previous experience they had if any.

Candidates were then shown a CGI video of the Glengall Road scheme, looking specifically at the modular elements of the build - something that was previously alien to all the candidates. Josh went on to explain why construction is moving closer to non-traditional methods detailing the benefits in terms of quality, programme, health, safety and cost.

The final part of the presentation discussed the Considerate Constructors Scheme where Josh displayed the type of information typically provided to the scheme's auditors whilst explaining why the scheme is so important to companies like Equans and what we offer the wider community.

Once the presentation was complete, Josh undertook individual interviews reviewing candidates' CVs, what area of work they would be suitable for on the Glengall Road scheme combined with their specific interests, any relevant training they already had and recommending further training that would support them getting into sustained employment.

After finishing with the candidates, Josh was given a tour of the Skills Centre and has now begun discussions with subcontractors to get the candidates into employment or apprenticeships.

If you are interested in any training and/or employment opportunities with Equans please get in touch by emailing Josh at joshua.peach@equans.com.

University students were given a first-hand insight into construction management after receiving a personal escorted site tour from Site Manager and former student, Josh Peach.

Following the success of an initial visit from his former university tutor, Dr James Bishop, back in September, Site Manager, Josh, agreed to work in partnership with the University of Bedfordshire and aid them in promoting courses, especially to those looking to start a career in construction by giving future students the opportunity to visit the Glengall Road site in person and receive a personal overview of the scheme.

On 10th November, 10 first-year students currently studying construction management at the university were joined by their Lecturer, Accursio Dimino, to undertake a special visit to the scheme where they received a personal welcome from Site Manager, Josh.

Upon their arrival, the students were given a full site specific induction and safety briefing to ensure they were aware of the safety precautions, PPE requirements and rules whilst visiting. This was followed by introductions from each student and an explanation as to why they started the course. Josh then took some time to give the students a personal insight into this time at the university, speaking about the importance of time management and how the course would particularly benefit those looking to become a Site Manager themselves.

The students were shown a presentation recently given to an auditor from the Considerate Constructors Scheme, looking at each element and reviewing how the site achieved it's fantastic score of 45/45. From there the group watched a CGI video demonstrating how the project was being undertaken and finally they received a personal escort around the site from Josh to view the current works.

"Thank you for hosting our first-year students. Talking to them afterwards, they thoroughly enjoyed the presentation and the tour of your site. The experience will greatly improve their understanding and perspective of how their academic studies relate and connect to the real life environment of the construction industry. You relayed your professionalism and experience enthusiastically to them, and I'm sure it will have a lasting impact in their careers." Accursio Dimino, Lecturer in Construction, University of Bedfordshire

During the site tour, Josh explained how the modular elements of the project would be planned, managed and monitored throughout the construction process, the strict deadlines that must be adhered to regarding the handover of the completed accommodation, how he uses a paperless construction method known as Fieldview and previous hurdles that had to be overcome to progress the works.

With the success of this visit, it is hoped that this group of students will return to the scheme towards the end of their first academic year. In addition Josh has also been informed of a group of level 6 students who also wish to visit the site to review the modular elements of the project.

Click here to read the full case study.

After receiving their second audit from the Considerate Constructors Scheme, the Glengall Road site team have managed to not only improve upon their initial score but receive top marks of 45/45!

The team achieved the full 15 marks possible in each of the three categories of 'Respect the Community', 'Care for the Environment' and 'Value their Workforce', further improving on their previous score of 41/45.

On 8^th November, a CCS monitor joined a virtual call with Site Manager, Josh, and Project Manager, Alex, to carry out their 2nd audit of the site, commenting things like "Both Alex and Josh are clearly vested in this project and talked with great passion and enthusiasm for the project and what has been implemented since the first visit. All aspects of the CCS code of considerate construction were satisfied and it was clear that this registered activity has the leadership and processes in place for a sustained performance resulting in a top score of 45."

"In respect of community engagement the level of, and breadth of different entities touched by the project is impressive, from schools, to employability projects, to local businesses and charities."

The CCS is an independent organisation founded to raise standards in the construction industry to ensure all construction sites present an image of competent management, efficiency, awareness of environmental issues and above all neighbourliness. Monitors from the scheme regularly audit our sites to ensure we are adhering to the scheme’s Code of Considerate Practice which is designed to encourage best practice beyond statutory requirement.

Each audit is split into three categories; respect for the community, protecting the environment and valuing the workforce each with a potential score out of 15 with a total combined max score of 45 available. To score above 13 in any category warrants an excellent level of achievement for that category.

Congratulations to Joshua, Alex and the rest of the site team, and well done for achieving top marks.

Equans staff receive training from vibration safety specialists, HAVi, to increase their awareness and understanding of dangerous situations involving hand and arm vibrations and their damaging effects.

With the size and scale of the scheme and multiple vibration works, including chiselling, drilling, chasing etc. preventing HAVS is of paramount importance and Equans is always seeking out innovations, new technologies, and best practice systems within the industry which can support our commitments of putting safety first.

SHEQ Advisor for Equans, Simon Hillman recently spoke with Site Manager, Joshua Peach, about the need for operatives to receive training on how to recognise, manage and minimise the risks directly associated with works that involve vibration and could cause HAVS and agreed to arrange for specialists, HAVi, to attend site to deliver training to operatives on site. HAVi are the UK's leading specialist in providing solutions to help contractors comply with HSE guidelines for managing Hand Arm Vibration Sydrome (HAVS).

On 4th November, Joshua and Simon were joined by Managing Director, Gregg Cole, and Technical Manager, Joel Clarke, from HAVi, to deliver specialist HAVS training to site operatives.

Joel spent the morning speaking about the dangers and risks of hand and arm vibration, demonstrating the long term effects of HAVS and how to minimise these effects. He also spoke about practical tips that could be used in every day tasks and the importance of identifying the symptoms of HAVS and reporting symptoms.

"The welfare of our workforce is crucial and it was great to have the guys from HAVi in today. The session was really informative and our operatives will definitely be thinking more about how to reduce their exposure to vibration. The practical demonstration of trying to undertake a simple every day task such as tying a shoelace with goalie gloves to give an example of having HAVS was particularly interesting. This training is a great example of the measures Equans takes to protect it's workforce and prevent potentially life-long conditions or injuries." Joshua Peach, Site Manager, Equans

In October, Equans held an International Safety Week throughout across it's UK sites to highlight the importance of safety.

International Safety Week focussed on one of the fundamentals for Equans' Safety First initiative; the Shift Pre-Start Meeting. These meetings require all site-based management to ensure that at the start of each shift, they organise production and safety briefings with all workers including topics such as people, method statements, risks of the day, and give everyone the opportunity to speak up about safety.

Between 17-21 October, senior managers and Directors also attended these meetings on site to show their support for the safety campaign.

CEO for Equans' UK & Ireland business, Jean-Philippe Loiseau and UK SHEQ Director, Keith Murphy, paid a very special visit to the Glengall Road scheme to kick off the week and demonstrate the importance of getting senior management involved in the campaign. Whilst on site, Jean-Philippe was given a site specific induction by Site Manager, Josh Peach, and was also provided with PPE before joining the Shift Pre-Start Meeting, where Josh, along with Project Manager, Alex Emirali, spoke to the operatives working on the scheme.

Following the meeting, Jean-Philippe was personally escorted around the site where he was shown our current progress with a particular emphasis on how risks are managed and controlled during the works.

With the launch of International Safety Week being a huge success, Equans plan to implement Shift Pre-Start Meetings as a daily occurrence for all sites across the UK.