Last week saw an article on Demolition News that reported that Thomas Vale and CMR Demolitions Ltd had been prosecuted for failings on a demolition project at Stoke on Trent that left one of CMR’s workforce seriously injured.
The HSE required CMR to take action and to change the way that they dealt with similar works so did CMR take that action?
Yes.
Immediately following the accident CMR implemented the following:-
• All CMR and specific Thomas Vale personnel attended a one day demolition structural awareness course written especially to address the issues and delivered by John Woodward and John Harris of Stewart & Harris Structural Engineers. The course content included some of the elements of the structural module of the NDTG Demolition Manager Course (delivered by John & John) and specific focus on modular buildings and included a group exercise on why buildings collapse and how removal of what appear to be minor components, can seriously compromise the structural integrity of a structure.
• CMR engaged Duncan Rudall of DCS Training via the NDTG to deliver CCDO and CPCS assessments for all machine operators and relevant employees and supervisors to “upskill” the workforce.
• CMR implemented “Super Toolbox Talks” from senior management to emphasise the need for additional diligence on demolition projects and the need for a comprehensive RAMS regime to be in place.
These steps plus additional auditing from CMR’s in house H&S Department have made a difference to the safety culture of the company from Directors down to the workforce and instilled a desire to never again be involved in an accident.
CMR cannot turn back the clock, even though they wish that they could, to make their employee safe but they have learnt from the mistake and taken positive steps to prevent a reoccurrence.
Showing posts with label John Harris. Show all posts
Showing posts with label John Harris. Show all posts
June 3, 2013
July 26, 2012
All Great People Have to Retire Sometime
Retirement comes to all of us at sometime or another as we make the move to doing less and allowing younger people to move up in the company. And it is time now for an old friend of mine, John Harris of Stewart & Harris Structural Engineers, to spend more time with Pat and the family and put down the slide rule and beam size tables.
John has not only been a great structural engineer, he has been an engineer that understands the demolition industry and what we do, and that makes our life easier.
My memories of John's working life are when we had Redditch Shopping Centre sitting on massive props to remove a central lift shaft and car park areas whilst allowing artic wagons to continue to use the ramps! We both had a few sleepless nights on that job.
A great personal memory is at my wedding to Jill. At around midnight, Pat had retired to bed leaving John standing at the bar telling people that he was, in fact, a juggler and would proceed to juggle 8 CD cases in a few minutes, but he had to "limber up" first by drinking another beer. He managed to keep them all entertained and waiting for the juggling to start for over 2 hours until he finally confessed that he had never juggled in his life and he was off to bed!
Recently John has joined me on training days for Thomas Vale and CMR Demolition, and Roy Brown and myself on the NDTG Manager Course Day 4 to discuss how buildings behave structurally under demolition where his wit and personality shines through.
I will miss calling him to discuss jobs (I will just call John Stewart instead now), but when I call in future it will be to arrange a meeting for a beer and a chat. However, knowing John as I do, that beer will extend to 5 or more and we will spend most of the night laughing.
I hope that you enjoy your retirement John, and we end this piece with John's own statement as to why he is "hanging up his slide rule":
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Dear Friend or Client, which in many cases is one and the same, I am pleased to announce after over 40 years of being associated with the construction industry, 31 years of which have been with Stewart and Harris, I am to retire at the end of July with Pat’s approval and the full support of the two John’s.
I will be retained as a consultant to assist with the continuance of client contact and relationships generally. The decision is a strategic one and one which will enable Stewart and Harris to develop further and to plan the company’s succession.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my career but realise there are times when you have to ‘let go’. I can you assure you Stewart and Harris are in a strong position in the market place and I have every confidence they will remain there. Every effort will be made to ensure the transition is smooth and that our high standards are maintained.
I would have liked to thank you personally, but I am sure you appreciate that is not really practical. However, I will endeavour to make contact over the coming months.
To close, I would like to thank you for your support over the years and the confidence you have shown in Stewart and Harris and wish you the best of health to enjoy the future.
John has not only been a great structural engineer, he has been an engineer that understands the demolition industry and what we do, and that makes our life easier.
My memories of John's working life are when we had Redditch Shopping Centre sitting on massive props to remove a central lift shaft and car park areas whilst allowing artic wagons to continue to use the ramps! We both had a few sleepless nights on that job.
A great personal memory is at my wedding to Jill. At around midnight, Pat had retired to bed leaving John standing at the bar telling people that he was, in fact, a juggler and would proceed to juggle 8 CD cases in a few minutes, but he had to "limber up" first by drinking another beer. He managed to keep them all entertained and waiting for the juggling to start for over 2 hours until he finally confessed that he had never juggled in his life and he was off to bed!
Recently John has joined me on training days for Thomas Vale and CMR Demolition, and Roy Brown and myself on the NDTG Manager Course Day 4 to discuss how buildings behave structurally under demolition where his wit and personality shines through.
I will miss calling him to discuss jobs (I will just call John Stewart instead now), but when I call in future it will be to arrange a meeting for a beer and a chat. However, knowing John as I do, that beer will extend to 5 or more and we will spend most of the night laughing.
I hope that you enjoy your retirement John, and we end this piece with John's own statement as to why he is "hanging up his slide rule":
--------------------------------------
Dear Friend or Client, which in many cases is one and the same, I am pleased to announce after over 40 years of being associated with the construction industry, 31 years of which have been with Stewart and Harris, I am to retire at the end of July with Pat’s approval and the full support of the two John’s.
I will be retained as a consultant to assist with the continuance of client contact and relationships generally. The decision is a strategic one and one which will enable Stewart and Harris to develop further and to plan the company’s succession.
I have thoroughly enjoyed my career but realise there are times when you have to ‘let go’. I can you assure you Stewart and Harris are in a strong position in the market place and I have every confidence they will remain there. Every effort will be made to ensure the transition is smooth and that our high standards are maintained.
I would have liked to thank you personally, but I am sure you appreciate that is not really practical. However, I will endeavour to make contact over the coming months.
To close, I would like to thank you for your support over the years and the confidence you have shown in Stewart and Harris and wish you the best of health to enjoy the future.
July 16, 2012
Multi Storey Car park operators call for inspection regime
New Civil Engineer this month includes an article on the state of UK multi storey car parks and the need for them to be regularly inspected and maintained to prevent collapse. A recent collapse in Ontario, as mentioned in the article, caused the death of 2 people and injured many more and lead us to believe that similar incidents could occur in the UK.
The article mentions the car park in Scunthorpe, where C&D were acting as demolition consultants to the council, that was closed and then demolished by GBM Limited following the failure of a routine inspection. We have, in the West Midlands, seen the collapse of a car park in Piper's Row, Wolverhampton on 20 March 1997 (subsequently demolished by Coleman & Company) and the recent explosive demolition of Stourbridge Car Park by DSM (featured on this site).
C&D have also been involved as demolition consultants for the demolition of Barnstaple Car Park, by Lawson Demolition Limited and as consultants following the partial collapse of a car park at Southend on Sea during demolition by Elvanite Limited.
From our own experience of structures of this type we can only agree with the car park operators that regular inspection, testing, and maintenance is needed to ensure that our ageing car parks remain safe, and all suspect car parks are demolished safely and quickly to remove any chance of a premature collapse.
If you would like details of our work as consultants on multi storey car park demolition please do not hesitate to contact john.woodward@demolishdismantle.co.uk
Our thanks go to John Harris of Stewart & Harris Limited for sending us the article.
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