Kirby Muxloe Chimneys refuse to fall to explosives

At 11.00am this morning the 2 chimneys at Timken Works, Desford Lane, Kirkby Muxloe were due to be demolished by explosive means whilst being filmed by the BBC for the new Richard Hammond science programme “Engineering Connections”. However, as often happens, the best laid plans and organisation can still go wrong when technical hitches occur and the chimneys refused to fall.

AR Demolition had organised the event to perfection, PDC Explosive Engineers had drilled and charged the chimneys and the lucky raffle prize winners pushed the buttons only for a misfire of over 50% of the explosive charges to occur and the chimneys to remain defiantly standing.

Having ascertained why the chimneys did not fall by explosive means AR Demolition then used their state of the art Volvo High Reach Demolition machine to bring the chimneys down safely as the large crowd cheered the machine driver.

Investigations by the explosive engineers following the demolition confirmed that a misfire had occurred with over 50% of the 5kg of explosives in each chimney failing to detonate.

The failure of the explosives was disappointing but the contingency plan prepared by AR Demolition as standard procedure on all of their projects meant that the chimneys could be quickly and safely demolished.

C&D Consultancy free consultation to plan employee training

C&D Consultancy offer a free no obligation consultation with our Training Co-ordinator to help you develop a training plan for your employees, advise about specific courses, the latest legislative requirements and relevant CSCS/CPCS card schemes or simply tell you more about our Consultancy and Training services.

Many of our courses are eligible for Construction Skills training grants which are available for in scope levy paying companies.

We also provide assessments for the Certificate of Competence of Demolition Operative CSCS card scheme and Demolition NVQ Level 2.

Now available at DemolishDismantle.com

Demolish and Dismantle is fast approaching its 1-year anniversary and with a steadily increasing readership we thought it best to register the domain demolishdismantle.com

Not only is .com the most recoginised domain extension out there, it should also help drive even more people to the site from around the world. Although most visitors live in the UK we have regular visitors from North America, Australia, across Europe, and even from Saudi Arabia

So now you have a choice...

http://www.demolishdismantle.co.uk
http://www.demolishdismantle.com

use either version of our domain name to load the website.

Thanks for continuing to visit the site!

Outokumpu Stainless contract well underway

Our contract as CDM Co-ordinators at Outokumpu is now well underway with EDS having desheeted the building and now demolishing the racking systems with the help of the 777 Demolition super long reach machine.

As you can see from the photographs the machine size and reach allows it to safely remove the racking piecemeal style and work along the building from the gable end.

EDS supervisor Tommy Swift is on programme to complete the works as the original estimated duration and we will post additional photographs throughout the contract.

Les Hemmings is dealing with the project on a day to day basis with John Woodward visiting site once a month.

Sighthill demolition footage now available

The Discovery Channel have now made available a 3 minute video showing the Sighthill flats demolition in all its glory.

You can watch it here:
http://dsc.discovery.com/videos/the-detonators-sighthill-tower-blast.html

*New Course* Banksman Reversing Vehicles Course

This half day course is for any person responsible for assisting the manoeuvring and loading/unloading of vehicles.

The objectives are to raise awareness of the dangers caused when reversing and introduces practical techniques and hand signals to assist drivers in this manoeuvre. The content includes:

• Ensure the safe passage of reversing vehicles in confined spaces


• Identify areas of danger within the site


• Demonstrate HSE and Road Transport Industry Training Board recommended code of signals


• Guide large goods vehicles both rigid and articulated using the above code of signals to HSE guide notes


• The statutory duties under the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974 and other relevant legislation

To book your place(s) on these forthcoming dates, please contact Harpreet on 0121 270 0865 or harpreet@demolishdismantle.co.uk

Current course dates are:

• 11th May


• 29th June

Pro Dem Nottingham chimney demolition

C&D Consultancy acted as consultants for Pro Dem when planning the demolition of the chimney you see in the video above.

CONIAC Open meeting: Thursday 26 March

HSE’s Construction Industry Advisory Committee (CONIAC) will be holding an open meeting on Thursday 26 March 2009.

The meeting will begin at 10.00am and finish around 1.00pm. There will be an "open coffee break" approximately halfway through the session to give attendees an opportunity to meet with Committee Members and officials in an informal setting and ask questions.

To register for the CONIAC meeting please complete the Registration form. Only people who have registered before hand will be allowed into the meeting. There is no charge for admission to the meeting but please note that seats are limited in number.

For more information and registration links visit the HSE website

Making the Difference - Achilles Accreditation for Nationwide Platforms

Following an intensive two day audit at its head office in Lutterworth, Nationwide Platforms, part of Lavendon Access Services, is delighted to announce that it has successfully gained the Achilles Construction Building Confidence Accreditation, thus demonstrating the extremely high standards that Nationwide Platforms operates to. The accreditation programme was developed by one of Nationwide Platforms' largest customers, Bovis Lend Lease, in partnership with Achilles Information Ltd. It is designed to assess the construction industry supply chain in the key areas of safety, environment, sustainability, quality, occupational health and finance.

UK Quality Health, Safety & Environmental (QHSE) Manager for Lavendon Access Services, Chris Wraith commented:

"The Achilles accreditation is a benchmark which Nationwide Platforms should be proud of. With competition for business more apparent than ever, this successful accreditation reinforces Nationwide Platforms' reputation as the UK's number one leading supplier of powered access."

You can read the full story at the Nationwide Platforms website

IDE Update by IDE President Terry Quarmby

HSE spot checks raise concern over safety standards

Spot checks carried out by the HSE at construction and refurbishment sites has raised major concerns over the safety standard being employed.

Geoffrey Podger, HSE chief executive said:

"Over one in three construction sites visited put the lives of workers at risk, and operated so far below the acceptable standard that our inspectors served 395 enforcement notices, and stopped work on 30 per cent of the sites.

We stopped work on site immediately during approximately 300 inspections because we felt there was a real possibility that life would be lost or ruined through serious injury. Our inspectors were appalled at the blatant disregard for basic health and safety precautions on refurbishment sites across Great Britain.

It is totally unacceptable that so many lives have been put at risk and we will take all action necessary to protect workers, including closing sites and prosecuting those responsible. The construction industry should take ownership of this issue and do more to tackle poor standards on sites."

You can read the full story at Safety & Health Practitioner

Topskips.com pushes up against unexpected recycling challenge

Topskips.com has been left scratching its head on how to recycle the contents of a skip it received earlier this week.

You can recycle a very large range of waste products with the right equipment, but when you are presented with a skip containing 459 Double Gel Plunge Gel Bras what equipment do you use?

The bras were once giving women, "a superb cleavage", but now are giving Topskips.com a bit of a headache. I'm sure they'd welcome any suggestions on what to do with all that gel.

Thanks to Dig-A-Crusher for the link.

Special Offer - Free Football Tickets

** SPECIAL OFFER **
Free Football Game Tickets to one of the following games if you book 2 or more courses today:
(Subject to availability)

• Sat 21 March 2009 - Bolton


• Sat 04 April 2009 - Stoke City


• Sat 25 April 2009 - Sunderland


• Sat 09 May 2009 - Wigan Athletic


• Sat 16 May 2009 - Liverpool

Fixtures are subject to change.