If you can’t rely on an asbestos surveyor…

April 16, 2018 Asbestos

Asbestos surveying firm fails to spot “large quantity of asbestos”.

A specialist asbestos company has been fined after failing to detect asbestos at a demolition site.

Greater Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard how EAS Asbestos Limited were commissioned to conduct refurbishment and demolition surveys by Mercer Brother Limited, a construction company who were contracted to demolish garages for Hyndburn Homes. EAS Asbestos stated in their surveys that asbestos was only present in the cement roof sheets, there were no areas that could not be accessed, and that there was no asbestos insulation board present in the garages.

On Wednesday 1 February 2017, the demolition of the garages went ahead but work was immediately stopped when suspect material was found. Another surveying company was brought in and confirmed the presence of large amounts of asbestos insulation board in the demolition rubble.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that the survey carried out by EAS Asbestos Limited was incorrect and misleading.

EAS Asbestos Limited of Sutton in Ashfield, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 3 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work Act 1974. The company was fined £6,700 and ordered to pay costs of £1,000 and a victim surcharge of £170.

Speaking after the case, HSE inspector Jacqueline Western said “This incident could so easily have been avoided by simply carrying out correct control measures and safe working practices.

“Companies should be aware that HSE will not hesitate to take appropriate enforcement action against those that fall below the required standards”.

Grimsby braced for arrival of DSM monster…

April 16, 2018 Equipment

Massive high reach to tackle tower blocks.

Anyone questioning DSM’s investment in one of the world’s largest high reach excavators will need to think again. While some questioned the likely utilisation levels of a machine that can reach 70 metres, DSM has seen the unit move successfully from one contract to another.

The massive Cat machine had its first outing at Tottenham Hotspur’s White Hart Lane stadium before heading for DSM’s home town of Birmingham where it is currently spearheading the demolition of a huge tower block. And now, according to local media reports, the machine is soon to be heading from Grimsby as part of a massive redevelopment.

Murray Macdonald, chief executive of Lincolnshire Housing Partnership told the Grimsby Telegraph no decision has been made about what could replace the blocks of flats as broader plans for the regeneration of the Freeman Street area were revealed.

“The site has been handed over to the demolition firm. They are carrying out work to strip out the parts that need to be out,” McDonald says.

The work was due to take until November.

YOu can see DSM’s massie Cat high reach in action here.

Leading to Leeds…

April 16, 2018 General

Skyscraper construction plans could lead to Leeds demolition scramble.

Plans to build Leeds’ tallest skyscraper as part of a massive £350 million ‘hybrid development’ look set to move one step closer.

Developers Commercial Estates Group (CEG) have unveiled more detailed proposals for a ‘high-quality, innovative and sustainable scheme’ in south Leeds which will ‘help the city realise its ambitions’.

It will see a number of derelict buildings demolished on patches of land around Globe Road and Water Lane, Holbeck, totalling 3.52 hectares in size. They will make way for houses, flats, offices, hotels, restaurants, bars and possibly even a multi-storey car park.

At the centre of the complex will be a 142-metre, 40-storey skyscraper which would become the city’s tallest building by some considerable distance once complete, far surpassing Bridgewater Place.

Senior councillors are due to visit to the site next Thursday before discussing the plans, with the recommendation that they sign off the proposals, subject to approval from the authority’s Chief Planning Officer.

The grade II listed Holbeck footbridge and the Printworks building will be preserved as part of the redevelopment.

Read more here.

Venue of first World Cup faces demolition…

April 16, 2018 General

Uruguay considers demolition of historic venue of first soccer World Cup.

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Uruguay may demolish the historic Estadio Centenario stadium as part of its bid to host the 2030 World Cup.

The country’s sports secretary Fernando Caceres told The Associated Press that six projects were being considered for a new stadium.

The Centenario was built in 1930 to host the first World Cup. The Centenario was built in six months and Uruguay went on to become the first world champion by beating Argentina 4-2 in the final.

In all six projects the existing 100-metre tower would be maintained, as a tribute to Uruguayan teams that won the gold medals at the 1924 and 1928 Olympics.

Caceres said the Centenario “cannot resist any longer because its maintenance is very costly and is not adapted to modern sporting entertainment.”

He did, however, say that demolishing the stadium would shock Uruguayans because of its symbolic value.

Read more here.

Preparing for Stag party…

April 16, 2018 General

Soft strip and demolition to trigger massive Stag Brewery redevelopment.

Demolition work is set to start soon to pave the way for the £1.25 billion redevelopment of the Thameside 22-acre Stag Brewery site in Mortlake, south west London.

Project manager GVA Second London Wall has now been appointed by Reselton Properties Ltd – the subsidiary of Singapore Stock Exchange quoted City Developments Limited.

Second London Wall’s appointment initially covers tendering the pre-demolition soft strip of the old brewery buildings and preparation of utility diversions to enable demolition once planning consent is secured.

Wes Bradford, Senior Director at Second London Wall, said: “We are delighted to have been appointed by Reselton on this complex project and are now busy preparing the demolition tender package for the initial site works which will be issued to the market next month.”

Read more here.

Competition – It’s MailTime

April 16, 2018 Competition, Video

Your opportunity to win a BUMPER BOX of goodies.

To celebrate the launch of our brand-new, equipment-dedicated website – DemolitionKit.com – we reached out to a number of equipment manufacturers and dealers to help us create a new competition AND a new video series.

The first to respond was the fine folks at Molson Group. And when we say they responded, we mean they went totally overboard and provided us with a goodie box that is bigger than anything we have received before.

And that goodie box is available to win RIGHT NOW.

For your chance to win, all you need to do is watch the video and answer the very simple question (and if the question isn’t simple enough, you can find a pretty big clue here) and send the correct answer to manthony@markanthonypublicity.co.uk.

We will put all the correct answers into a hat and a winner will be drawn at random. That winner will receive ALL the contents of this fantastic goodie box.

The competition will close on Friday 27 April. So check out the video and send us your correct answer NOW.

British Demolition Awards are OPEN…

April 16, 2018 General

“…Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them…”

If any of these applies to you and if you’re in the UK demolition business, then we want to hear from you.

We are now taking entries in the FIRST-EVER British Demolition Awards which – as you will see from the list of award categories below – are truly unique and have been designed to shine a light on some of the most important and some of the most unsung heroes of the demolition industry.

All entries MUST be submitted by 24 June 2018 – AND THERE WILL BE NO EXTENSIONS GRANTED UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES.

So please download the relevant entry forms using the specific links above and seize your chance to shine.

Audio – Pre-launch furore…

April 13, 2018 Audio

Our new show isn’t out yet; and it’s already famous in the US!

Earlier this week, we dropped an audio trailer of a new podcast series we have planned called “Birth of a Demolition Company”. That show will follow a new demolition start-up as it takes its first tentative steps on the demolition ladder, and throughout its first year (and possibly beyond).

The company in question is currently in the process of taking on a new office and workshop facility so, as a result, we haven’t recorded the first episode.

And yet, our new show – which does not yet exist – has already been the subject of a considerably larger podcast show in the US.

You can check out that show below. And keep your ears at the ready as Birth of a Demolition Company will be coming very soon.

Firm fined over forgery…

April 12, 2018 General, Prosecution

Excavation and Contracting (UK) Ltd used forged documents to obtain asbestos license.

A demolition and asbestos removal company, and two of its managers, have been prosecuted after forging documents in order to obtain an asbestos licence from the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Greater Manchester Magistrates’ Court heard how, between 16 March 2012 and 10 March 2016, Excavation and Contracting (UK) Ltd used both forged medical certificates and forged asbestos training certificates for their asbestos removal operatives. These forged documents had been made by their asbestos operations manager, David Lloyd, and included medicals in the name of the company operations manager, Lee Cooper, and forged training certificates for Lee Cooper and the managing director, Brendan O’Halloran. The doctor who had allegedly issued these medical certificates had retired sometime earlier to live outside the UK.

The HSE investigation found the defendants had used forged documents to obtain an asbestos licence from HSE in order to trade. The investigation also found the company could not show that they had properly trained or adequately monitored their workers who were exposed to asbestos.

David Lloyd pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 10(1)(a) and 22(1)(c) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012. He was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison suspended for two years and was ordered to carry out 200 hours of community service. He was also ordered to pay costs of £1,000.

Lee Cooper pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 10(1)(a) and 22(1)(c) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and was ordered to undertake 80 hours of community service and pay costs of £1,000.

Excavation and Contracting (UK) Ltd of West Quay Road, Warrington, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 10(1)(a) and 22(1)(c) of the Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and was fined £13,000 and ordered to pay costs of £10,000.

HSE inspector Matt Greenly said after the case: “Putting people at risk from asbestos by not training them or monitoring their health, as required by law, not only puts their lives at risk from an incurable set of diseases, but is also wholly unnecessary.

Video – First blast at Longannet…

April 12, 2018 implosion, Video

Brown and Mason carries out “first of many” implosions at Scottish power plant.

Just a few hours ago, the team at Brown and Mason carried out the first controlled blast at the Longannet Power Station, Scotland’s last remaining coal fired power station.

The project, which is expected to last for some four years, is thought to be the largest demolition contract in Europe.