DIEM Ltd

Emergency prepareness and response, including testing this, is a requirement of the ISO 14001 environmental management standard, plus makes good business sence.

This webinar discusses some easy to use techniques on how to do this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJwFZrVzmtA&feature=share&list=UUh3ArqAPK2wFFn_na9bjIaA

QHS Solutions Ltd are hosting a half day Environmental & Waste Management Explained course in Burnley on Friday 26th October.

Delivered by Chartered Environmental Surveyor and Chartered Environmentalist David Inman, of Blackburn based environmental consultants DIEM Ltd, this course will give sensible and practical expert advice on reducing environmental and waste management risks and potential costs, plus demystify some common environmental challenges that businesses face today.

For more details and to book please contact Alison at QHS Solutions on:

01282 839103 

Email, info@qhs-solutions.com

I’ve got to say that I’m very disappointed that Virgin Trains lost the West Coast Main Line (WCML) franchise as a regular user.

When they took over the franchise, they inherited out of date rolling stock running on out of date infrastructure.

As someone who worked on West Coast Route Modernisation (WCRM) on PWay, OLE & civils projects, I saw at first hand the engineering challenge of carrying our “open heart surgery” as Network Rail say of such work on Victorian infrastructure.

I worked on WCRM under the days of Railtrack and sadly the Pendolino’s so admirably sought by Virgin Trains to replace the Class 86, 87 and 90 electric traction on WCML never has had the opportunity to run at it’s design speed on 140mph due to problems within Railtrack.

OK, the “Voyager” class 220 and 221 do not come up to the HST sets they replaced, but Virgin revolutionised service levels from one which was pretty poor to being customer focused.

They also changed the way people think about ticketing. Yes, some of the walk on fares are very expensive, but they are for airlines too. For planned journeys off peak, even first class travel is very affordable.

My main worry with the next WCML franchise holder, First, is that the great customer service levels will be cut.  I enjoy the first class lounge at London Euston and have spent many a productive hour working from there waiting for trains and then having complimentary food onboard makes business trips to London, if planned in advance, affordable and efficient.

So, on reflection, the red revolution of Virgin changed attitudes of service and punctuality from some awful standards and via a painful experience of providing services through WCRM and the Railtrack blanket speed restrictions post-Hatfield. I hope First West Coast can meet these standards and hope all Virgin staff who have delivered this service retain their jobs with the new franchise holder.

Is your organisation is responsible for storing and transporting materials that could cause pollution if they leak or are spilt, such as

•       diesel

•       oil

•       chemicals?

If so have you prepared an environmental incident response plan?

I’ve been working a construction client in this area to reduce their risk and meet the requirements of ISO 14001:2004.

You may want to carry out and emergency response planning exercise which can cover:

• identifying sources of pollution
• causes of spillages
• internal procedures for spill management
• responsibilities on site for spill control
• equipment for spill control
• managing spills
• the subsequent clean up.

Testing the plan can take the form of:

• deploying spill equipment to show staff what to do under controlled conditions
• do a desk top exercise where a spill scenario on a site is discussed by staff, with in a group or one to one 

Items included in your exercise will be site specific but can include typically:

• Identify the location and type of site drains from both drawings & on site information
• Review your site drainage plan
• Review then brief staff to chemicals and substances on site including COSHH requirements
• Use of diesel plant and plant nappy/drip dray use
• Security risk of keeping fuel on site and how to prevent theft
• Review and brief staff on refuelling & chemical use, plus confirm authorisation to do so
• After checking contents, brief staff to location and type of spill kit on site
• Review and brief staff on arrangements for safe and compliance disposal of used spill kits as hazardous waste

Don’t forget to create a record of what was discussed and who attended. 

For work with my client, I’ve videoed one spill response test session in order to make a training video for them. So, there are lots of ways, but please ensure that you know your environmental risks, minimise them and prepare for the unexpected as spills and leaks can

• cause environmental damage which can result in prosecution
• lead to civil claims
• give loss of reputation
• affect you winning work

This free webinar gives a brief introduction to the 8 principles of quality management.

The rise in fuel prices in the UK may result in an increase of thefts of fuel nationwide.

Did your organization know it’s fuel was stored safely out of hours over this weekend?

Fuel theft does not only cost firms and organizations money, but if the theft causes a pollution incident by releasing diesel this could result in prosecution, civil claims and loss of reputation which may affect firms winning new work.

Measures which may reduce the risk of fuel theft are:

ü Keep fuel bowsers locked at all times

ü Keep smaller fuel caddies in locked stores (if safe to do so)

ü Lock fuel bowsers in a steel container or outbuilding (if safe to do so)

ü Consider fitting a hitch lock to bowers to prevent them being removed from site

ü Keep keys for fuel bowsers secure

ü Consider erecting a fence around refuelling areas to shield from view

Sussex Police Service provide some good advice on preventing fuel and oil theft at:

http://www.sussex.police.uk/advice-and-support/crime-prevention/fuel-and-oil-theft/

Remember report any suspicious activity in your area to your local police station

Having recently been ranked as 1st in The Construction Network’s RICS Chartered Surveyors on Twitter, Ive reflected on what Twitter has meant to me:

T - Timely

W - Worldwide

I - Instant

T - Transparent

T - Timesaving

E - Economical

R - Responsive

Thanks to all who have followed @DIEMLtd

RICS Chartered Surveyors on Twitter #tCnRICS100 list can be found at:

http://www.peerindex.com/tcntweets/group/tcnrics100_top_50_chartered_surveyors_on_twitter?auto=1

QHS Solutions and DIEM Ltd  Environmental Consultants, have worked together for several years delivering related services.   Our firms share the same values in the delivery of high quality and cost effective services to Client.

We are now offering this new half day   

“Environment and Waste Management Explained”

course on Friday 25th May from 0930 to 1230 in Burnley.

Course Aims

This half day course is designed and delivered by Environmental Consultants DIEM Ltd to enable delegates to understand Environment and Waste management systems and legal requirements to help give your business the environmental advantage.

Course Content

·         Introduction to the environment –

·         Managing our environment,

·         ISO 14001 Environmental Management and supply chains and includes:·        

o   Winning work with good environmental management

o   PAS 91

o   Sustainable procurement

o   PAS 2030 (including introduction to the Green Deal)

Part 1: Environmental management on sites  - Minimising the risks:

·         Noise & vibration

·         Waste (brief overview - full waste training to follow)

·         Contaminated land

·         Water

·         Dust and Air quality

·         Ecology

·         Spill incidents  

·         Organising for site work

This section culminates with a short multiple-choice assessment

Part 2: Effective waste management

·         What is waste?    

·         Duty of care and legal requirements

·         Handling and storage of waste

·         Pricing for waste

·         Reducing the cost of waste within the law

This section concludes with a practical duty of care waste transfer note exercise.

A Certificate will be awarded following successful assessment.

This training will be delivered by David Inman of DIEM Ltd. David is a Chartered Environmental Surveyor, Chartered Environmentalist and Lead EMS Auditor. Across the UK, he supports companies and organizations ranging from widely known “superbrands” to small family run companies in reaching their environmental management potential.

Course fees are just £75.00 per delegate (plus VAT) to include course handouts, certificate and refreshments. 

We are expecting a high demand for this course to book, please contact Alison on 01282 839 103 or a.stansfield@QHS-Solutions.com

We look forward to seeing you there!

I’m delighted to say that after helping relaunch RICS Lancashire Local Association, our new Linkedin group being at:

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?home=&gid=4422000&trk=anet_ug_hm

a few likeminded individuals are resurrecting Green Drinks Lancashire, again our Linkedin group page is at:

http://www.linkedin.com/groups?gid=2051847&trk=myg_ugrp_ovr

However, we are not doing this in isolation, but in an open and colaborative manner, including other groups such as the Lancashire Construction Best Practice Club.

I think a network of networks can deliver more and duplicate less is we work together and not network to get a headcount or generate profit.

The word on the street is that Site Waste Management Plans (SWMP), which are statutory waste management plans for construction projects in England, however they are still with us.

I’m not going into details of SWMP and details can be found at

http://www.environment-agency.gov.uk/netregs/businesses/construction/62359.aspx

but I’m undecided whether they should end.

On the side who wants rid of SWMPs, their diabolically poor implementation by the previous government, meant that they were a good idea badly implemented. They now have seemed to vary in quality and accuracy across projects which is a shame as they are useful, but they have lost their way and maybe it’s time for a new start.

When they were brought out, I attended many (state funded) training sessions which were very poor in quality. Also, they were attended by environmental professionals in the main not estimators, quantity surveyors, designers, project managers and the like. People who cost, agree and drive projects from their conception.

SWMP if done right, ie start at the design phase, have been proven to save projects money, but their mandatory nature can make them a formality instead a chance to save money and identify waste minimisation opportunities starting at design.

They are not dead yet, so why not rethink their potential.