BFT150 to support the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity

Following on from a charity partnership where we turned our BFT130s pink for Breast Cancer Care, we have now entered into a charity partnership with the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity.
To raise money for this fantastic charity, we will donate £1 every week for every BFT150 machine that is out on site. That relates to over £7,000 that can be raised for the Lighthouse charity in the year of 2022.
The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is the only one in our trade that gives emotional, physical and financial support to construction workers and their families.
They provide a 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline which provides a range of free and confidential wellbeing support services and this is complemented by their free Construction Industry Helpline App which offers expert guidance on a huge variety of wellbeing issues.
They also offer a variety of free construction focused training programmes ranging from hour long interactive wellbeing masterclasses through to the MHFA England approved Mental Health First Aider course.
Their latest hard hitting campaign is Help Inside the Hard Hat. It aims to raise awareness of mental health issues in our industry and signposts our construction community to the wide variety of support available.

Help Inside The Hard Hat

To support the Help Inside the Hard Hat campaign, we will be putting a co-branded banner on the side of our BFT150s alongside any main contractors who we are working with to publicise our support of the campaign.

Talking to somebody can feel like a heavy weight being lifted off your shoulders, and this is why the BFT150 - our heaviest lifter - with a safe working load of 5 tonnes - has been chosen as the machinery of choice to support this fantastic charity and campaign. We believe that the BFT150 perfectly encapsulates that feeling of the pressure being lifted for people with mental health issues, so that they can hopefully pursue life without feeling the draining effect of negative mental health.

Bill Hill from the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity said: “A crucial element of the charity’s strategy is to provide a wide range of free and widely available proactive resources to support the industry. Not everyone feels comfortable talking about their issues which is why we also have our Helpline App. This enables people to find out a bit more about how they are feeling before they reach out for help and includes lots of self help tools.
“We really need to remove the stigma about talking about mental wellbeing and campaigns such as our Help Inside the Hard Hat aim to raise awareness of these issues. We are absolutely delighted to be partnering with BFT Mastclimbing to help promote this message of positivity and we can’t wait to see the banners proudly on display.”

More information about why the construction industry needs the Lighthouse Club

In the UK, two construction workers take their own lives every working day. A fifth of all work-related illnesses are down to stress, depression and anxiety and these statistics are ones that need to be reversed.
HSE statistics show that 39 construction workers died last year as a result of accidents on site and over 46% of all occupational cancer cases in the UK are attributed to the construction industry.

At BFT, we feel passionately about doing our bit to help increase safety and wellbeing standards across the industry - that includes our workers’ mental health. This is why we want to use our MCWPs for good, and we can think of no charity more appropriate than our own construction industry charity.

If you would like to find out how you can support the charity and get involved in their help Inside the Hard Hat Campaign visit www/lighthouseclub.org

Understanding the Government Code of Remediation

The Government Code of Remediation is structured into four parts: the scope; undertaking remediation; living with remediation; and general compliance. Each part addresses key aspects of cladding remediation projects, to mitigate fire safety risks that are present within buildings that feature external cladding whilst ensuring the safety and satisfaction of residents. It applies to buildings regardless of occupancy levels, whether fully, partially, or temporarily occupied.

Resident-Centric Approach

The Code puts residents at the heart of remediation. It is a direct response to the Grenfell tragedy, designed to protect residents from potential fire hazards and ensure their concerns are acknowledged throughout the remediation process.

Roles, Responsibilities And Accountability

The Code mandates that roles and responsibilities related to remediation must be clearly outlined and understood by all parties involved in the project. This includes contractors, developers, building owners, tenants, residents, and management companies, so each party knows its duties and is held accountable. Parties involved in the project cannot avoid Code compliance by delegating or subcontracting their obligations.

Effective Communication and Active Engagement

It’s stated in the Code that good communication needs to be maintained from the outset of the project so that residents remain informed and sufficient transparency is achieved. Proper channels should be implemented to ensure that residents can meaningfully engage in the decision-making process. The Code acknowledges potential language barriers and encourages the use of electronic forums to ensure information is disseminated efficiently. Residents should be kept up-to-date with project developments, enabling them to contribute and participate in the design and delivery of the project.

Minimising Impact On Residents

A significant focus within the Code is on minimising the impact of remedial works on residents. Contractors and developers are expected to take measures to reduce disturbances from on-site activity, including noise, dust, and general inconvenience so that disturbances to the residents are kept to a minimum. Balancing health and safety considerations with cost and time factors is another key pillar of Part 3 of the Code. The goal is to create the least inconvenience to the residents and achieve potential cost savings for contractors and developers.

Mental and Physical Health Of Residents

Acknowledging the potential impact on residents' mental and physical health, the Code mandates careful consideration and documentation of these aspects throughout recladding projects. This additional step of record-keeping holds parties accountable for their actions and highlights the seriousness of their responsibilities.

Revaluating Your Access Method

The Government Code of Remediation sets a high standard for remediation projects with a key goal to minimise the effect recladding has on the residents. The core objective of the Code revolves around mitigating the impact on residents' homes and common facilities, while concurrently prioritising the safety and security of the building and its inhabitants.

In this context, the Code calls into question the appropriateness of using scaffolding for extended periods. A two-year presence of scaffolding, according to the principles outlined in the Code, appears incongruent with the commitment to minimise impact and ensure safety, particularly concerning security issues and prolonged inconveniences for residents.