UK Plant Operators Magazine - Issue 01

The magazine specifically created for the most important people in plant - The Operators

INSIDE: Diva to Digger Driver, How to get a CPCS Card, Product reviews & more!

Issue 01

We take a look at the 30thAnniversary Backhoe Loader

MAGAZINE

CONTENTS

ukplantoperators.com 3

DIGGER DOUGIE DOES JCB

266

KNOWHOWDIVA TO DIGGERS 18

SAFETY ALERTS

OPERATORS BLOG

30

29

20

THE BLACK CAT

CLASSIFIEDS

EVENTS

CONTACTSUK Plant Operators

27 Wheatley Cresent

Tuanton, Somerset

TA1 2AX

PUBLISHERMcMoran Ltd

5 Jupiter House

Reading, Berkshiret

RG7 8AN

Tel: 020 8133 3714

EDITORSMark McMoran

[email protected]

Dale Hawkins

[email protected]

Gavin Elson

[email protected]@mcmoran.co.uk

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those held by UK Plant Operators Ltd or the publishers. The publishersshall not be under any liability in respect of the contents of the contributed articles or the content of any external websites referred toin articles. The editor reserves the right to edit, abridge or alter articles for publication.

All material (c) McMoran Ltd. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form whatsoever, either for sale or nt, without theexpress permission of the publishers. The information contained in this publication is published in good faith and every effort has beenmade to ensure its accuracy.

UK Plant Operators & McMoran Ltd can accept no responsibility for any error or misrepresentation. All liability for loss, dissapoint-ment, negligence or any other damage caused by reliance on information contained in this publication or in the event of any bank-ruptcy, liquidation or cessation of the trade of any company, individual or firm mentioned, is hereby excluded.

09 - Skills & Innovation

10 - Ripping Up The UK

13 - Hyundai R800

14 - OnGrade OnSite

16 - Blaklader Workwear

28 The NFPEO

5

24

The magazine specifically created for the most important people in plant - The Operators

Issue 01

We take a look at the 30th

Anniversary Backhoe Loader

MAGAZINE

THE ED I TOR

UK Plant Operators - Issue 014

Welcome to the new UK Plant Operators Magazine, many of you have followedus on social media for some years now and helped us reach operatives all overthe UK and further, with a reach of over 1.2 million people discussing issues

which matter to the UK Plant Operators and other associated trades.This new magazine will be made available online and also in hard copy posted straight

to your door or your device of choice. We are going to cover topics and stories asked forby our followers like training issues, passing of knowledge and best practice, plus prod-uct reviews –by the operators, and lots of other thought provoking articles from the likesof manufacturers, plant hire companies and contractors.Why a magazine I hear you ask? Well there are two main reasons to go down this route

rather than just post stories and articles online, we have a goal that we want to raise moneyfor a national advice line for all operatives for training advice, safety issues and general help,given by operators and mentors already in the industry. We also want to raise awarenessof the great opportunities within the industry to encourage new blood into it, showingthem the great innovation and some of the great characters we have within our industry.Working with organisations like the NFPEO, various manufacturers, training providers

and hire companies we hope to continue to bring you up to date and relevant news via so-cial media, online and in the new hard copy magazine.In the issue this month we have articles covering women in construction, Bridgwater

Colleges’ new Construction Skills & Innovation Centre, The Ripping Up The UK char-ity event, product reviews and guest blogs. Not to mention our cover feature on the Cater-pillar 30th Anniversary Backhoe Loader and a guide on how to get a CPCS card, therecognised industry standard. I genuinely hope you enjoy our very first edition and hereis to many more beside……….P.S……….. don’t forget you can subscribe to the magazine online to receive a copy dig-

itally by visiting http://ukplantoperators.com, scanning the QR code below or you cansubscribe on the website to receive a hard copy of every new issue straight to your frontdoor…… Thank you for all of your growing support over the last few years.can design a rational

environment. But it is human beings themselves who are far too irrational, as the chaos in the financial markets has demonstrated only too persuasively.

Mark McMoran, editor

Editor’s comment

Index of advertisers

JCB Insurance . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2�P Flannery. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7�IHRE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8Ripping Up The UK . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10�L-Lynch Plant. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11�CAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12�Hyundai . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13�OnGrade . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14/15�Blacklader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16�CAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16�HPC Training . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17�FM Conway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18�MOD . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18�CAT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19�JCB Workwear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 22�UK Plant Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23�TXM Plant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24�UK Plant Operators . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25�NFPEO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 28�AB2000 . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30�Sibbald . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30�Bridgwater College . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30�Arvill. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30�Speedy . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Walkerweld . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Blaklader . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30Webtec . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 30�Steelwrist . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 31�Hill Attachments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 32

This issue’s main story:We take a look at the limited edition30th anniversary Black Cat BackhoeLoader - See pages 20-21

Distribution

We distribute UK Plant Operators Magazine free by direct mail to subscribers in the UK who are involved in all aspectsof plant hire, construction and training services. Our target subscribers are Plant Operators, Fitters, Mechanics, Construction proffessionals and Hire Executives.

For subscription inquiries, please contact: [email protected]

Starting from the April/May edition, we will also be emailing a digital edition of the magazine free upon request.

Also beginning in August 2016, we will distribute UK Plant Operators magazine through selected locations in Europe, including hotels, restaurants, business centers, airport lounges, construction sites and other key locations.

For information about the sponsorship opportunities with UK Plant Operatorsmagazine please contact Sam Kennedy viaemail at: [email protected]

Scan here with your

phone or tablet to

subscribe to the

magazine!

I NDUSTRY NEWS


Digger Dougie Does JCB

2014 continues to be a busy year for longserving Red Bull athlete Dougie Lampkin,with the ex multi FIM Trial World Cham-pion having as hectic a schedule as ever.With the Goodwood Festival of Speed andhis annual Trials School done Dougie thenheaded off to Spain to carry on his workwith the Vertigo team as they continue todevelop the new machine that will breakcover later this year.After a couple of weeks in the Spanish

sunshine Lampkin then dashed back to theUK for the Red Bull Air Race event heldat Ascot race course. With the aerobaticcompetition making a welcomed return tothe British mainland Dougie joined otherRed Bull athletes to deliver an interestingsideshow to the main event as tens of thou-sands of action hungry fans packed theBerkshire venue.Lampkin then returned to Spain to enjoy

some brief downtime with family and

friends before then jetting back into theUK once again, this time to play his part atthe Day of Champions which took place atSilverstone ahead of the British round ofMotoGP. Here Dougie kept the hugecrowds entertained as they made their wayinto the massive charity event that raiseshundreds of thousands of pounds for Rid-ers for Health each year.

“I am still managing to challenge myselfin different ways” Moving on swiftly Lampkin then visited

the JCB headquarters in Staffordshirewhere he completed a series of demonstra-tions at the two day event for over two

hundred and fifty trade customers ofBritain's most famous yellow excavators.The privately owned company remains theWorld's third largest manufacturer of con-struction equipment.With hardly time to pack his bags,

Dougie then headed back out to Spain lastweekend and onward to Andorra whereonce again he joined up with other mem-bers of the Vertigo team at the FIM Trialdes Nations event where they met withFIM representatives about their participa-tion in next year's FIM Trial World Cham-pionship.Currently Lampkin is still in Spain, con-

tinuing to test the new Vertigo machinebefore he returns to the UK tomorrowahead of another JCB event this Friday.With only the weekend to regroup Dougiewill then fly out to Turkey early next weekto take part in the Red Bull Sea to Sky ex-treme enduro before then rushing back tothe UK once again to compete in thejcb2Red Bull City Trial in Manchester onSaturday 4th October, where he will be upagainst reigning World Champion ToniBou and other World ranked riders."Just reading through what I have been

up to in the last weeks makes me feeltired," exclaimed Lampkin."No seriously I am busier than ever and

really enjoying all the different aspects ofwhat I am doing. Although I am not com-peting as much as I used to, I am still man-aging to challenge myself in different wayswhich is really keeping me motivated, even at my age!"

Dougie joked.

I NDUSTRY NEWS


Mo Duncan started her construction ca-reer five years ago and can now "operate themachines with her eyes closed". The savvy23-year-old, who used to work in the fash-ion world, had to overcome initial precon-ceptions of women on building sites. Butnow the attractive heavy machines operatorclaims her male colleagues are as "bitchy" asthe girlsMo said: "Working in construction is

much less stressful than fashion. I get tosmash things now. "My boyfriend thought Iwas joking when we first met and I toldhim that I was a digger driver. "A lot of theguys are very surprised when I show up. Idon't think they expect me. "At first it wasquite daunting because the guys would al-ways be wary of me to start with and makefun of me."But as soon as they know how good I am

at the job then they are more accepting ofme."I'm better than them at quite a few

things because I take a bit more care withwhat I'm doing. I could operate these ma-chines with my eyes closed.".She is the only girl working at her fam-

ily's company, where she navigates differentdiggers, dumpers and forklifts.Mo, who still sees fashion as a hobby, is

now back at Ayr College studying con-struction management and hopes to be run-ning the show one day.“I get to smash things now.” She said:

"You've got to have a strong backbone toput up with some of the chat. There is def-initely a bit of a lad culture in place whichcan be a bit overwhelming."You're trying to please them and keep

the job as well as not give them any cheekback which can be difficult since they canbe really, really cheeky."Sometimes I'll get chatted up, but I

think they're a bit too scared to try nowa-days. "I should say the boys are just asbitchy as the girls."A few of them are more likely to con-

front each other when they have a problembut quite a few will come over to me andhave a bitch about the other guys.

But Mo does sometimes struggle withher all-male environment. "Sometimes I do miss hav-

ing girls around me since you can't really unwind and go for cock-

tails after work with the guys," she said. "Itwould be great if more girls came into thebusiness."Mo's mum, Margaret Duncan, 52,company director of RS Duncan Planthirein Cumnock, East Ayrshire, added: "She hasa natural ability for this which runs in thefamily. "She's a highly skilled and conscien-tious worker who likes to do the job thor-oughly and properly. "She could go on to bethe third generation in charge of the com-pany." Mo studied fashion design at AyrCollege for two years after leaving Auchin-leck Academy, Cumnock, at the age of 16.But she found potential fashion jobs wouldmean havingto move too far away from her home and

family. She swapped fabrics and textiles fordiggers and dumpers after she was offeredan apprenticeship at her dad's buildingfirm.

Fashion diva to digger driver: Pretty brunette defies stereotypes to work on building siteA FORMER fashion designer quits glamorous career to drive heavy machinery - andshe's better at it than her male colleagues.

we need you to become partof the first nvq for planthire & rental executives

[email protected] www.ihre.org.uk

Give a path to your career.Get first class training and industry qualifications.The Institute of Hire Rental Executives (IHRE) is a leading professional organisation which existsto develop and maintain best practices within the hire/rental industry.Our courses are fully accredited by the established further education institutions (e.g. Universityof the West of England) and are recognised by the industry as relevant and meaningful qualifica-tions. Employers looking to choose the right candidate will naturally look more favourably uponcandidates holdingan industry recognised qualification.

Raising the standards of industry through training & educationOur objective is to support the industry in addressing its skills needs. We achieve this by raisingthe industry standards through training, developing sustainable career paths so that thehire/rental sector is seen as a recognised career which attracts the best talent, both young andold, into the industry.As a professional body we aim to understand the skill requirements companies require toachieve their business plans, and to work with other stakeholders, such as sector skills bodiesand Government, to ensure the industry has the right qualifications to support its objectives.


INDUSTRY NEWS

Minister Matthew Hancock opensBridgwater College’s ConstructionSkills and Innovation Centre

Bridgwater College’s latest state-of-the-art facility was formally opened this weekby Rt. Hon Matthew Hancock MP, Minis-ter of State for Business, Enterprise andEnergy.The Construction Skills and Innovation

Centre is the result of a £1.5m investmentfrom EDF Energy and offers a new civil en-gineering curriculum including training inexcavation, ground works, concrete pour-ing, formwork and steel fixing. The facil-ity is set to play a crucial role in trainingthe future construction workforce forHinkley Point C – which is set to providelow carbon electricity for 5 million homes.Hinkley Point C will create 25,000 job

opportunities during construction includ-ing 1,000 apprenticeships. For the pastfour years the College has been working inclose partnership with EDF Energy and itspartners to develop a new curriculum tosupport the project and create a sustainablelegacy of standards and qualifications forthe nuclear new build industry worldwide.The Construction Skills and Innovation

Centre includes a unique eight-acre out-door site which replicates a real life con-struction site, with industry-standardplant, machinery and equipment. It en-ables construction site behaviours andstandards to be taught alongside specifictechnical knowledge and skills. The Col-lege has invested a further £400,000 in

concrete infrastructures to deliver bespoketraining in steel fixing, one of the criticalskills required in nuclear new build proj-ects.Working under the Employer Owner-

ship of Skills programme with LaingO’Rourke, awarding body NOCN and theUniversity of the West of England, theCollege has assisted in the development ofa suite of formal steel fixing qualifications– from apprenticeships through to super-visory at Level 4 – to address the trainingneeds for this critical skill that can be de-livered at the new Centre.Mike Robbins, Principal at Bridgwater

College said:“We are delighted to be working in part-

nership with local, national and interna-tional partners to establish such impressivefacilities which supports our world-classtraining offer. Bridgwater College is fan-tastically placed to be able to create train-ing programmes that support thedevelopment of a skilled workforce na-tionally, as well as locally, and offers indi-viduals new and transferable skills thatmay increase job prospects. This Centre ispart of that and we are delighted to for-mally open it today”.Nigel Cann, Hinkley Point C Site Con-

struction Director, said:“EDF Energy is investing in the local

area to ensure we get the right skills for

construction of Hinkley Point C. The Con-struction Skills and Innovation Centre willplay a vital role, with steelfixers trainedhere already working on our constructionsite.Hinkley Point C will be a major contri-

bution to Britain’s energy future, provid-ing low carbon electricity for 5 millionhomes and helping to address climatechange.”In his speech, Rt. Hon Matthew Han-

cock said:“The top quality training provided by

Bridgwater College gives local people theskills they need to get on the career ladderor bulk up their portfolio to get the jobthey want. The impressive large outdoorwork area and modern classrooms help stu-dents and local businesses compete andthrive.”


INDUSTRY NEWS

Back at the start of July 2015 at a charitynight to celebrate the people who had raisedfunds for SNAP (Special Needs AdventurePlayground) a charity for children with spe-cial needs ! I couldn't help my mind tickingaway at how I could help this fantasticcause, it kept going over and over at what Icould do to help them !My two daughters are service users at

Snap and to see this place buzzing withchildren and young adults that just want tobe treated the same as everyone else wherethey are not going to be ridiculed for beingdifferent !Snap was 13 years old at the time and had

constant use all year round other than thefour days a year it closes.I kept seeing duck tape appearing on the

soft play area after 13 years it was takingsome hammering .So I asked how much anew soft play was and I was shocked to hearit was £25k. I kept thinking and suddenlyremembered I had seen a photo of aWheeled excavator on social media hadgone from John O'Groats to lands end toraise money for a charity for people withheart conditions .That was it I new what I could do for

Snap to try and help them raise money to-wards the replacement soft play. Being aplant operator I decided I was going todrive a digger from John O'Groats to Landsend. I teamed up with UK Plant operatorsto get my story out there and they loved the

idea ! So we decided to call the project Rip-ping up the UK !We wanted this to be aproject where we could bring the plant in-dustry together to help the charity get whatthey so desperately deserve!First things first we needed a digger ! So

we approached BCP Caterpillar at Desfordin Leicester and they welcomed the ideawith open arms " Er can we have a digger todrive a thousand miles for charity ?" .The hard work Started at this point the

Facebook page and website was up and run-ning and gaining steady momentum . Butthe nights up planning got harder after adays work ! But we carried on and we had aphone call Caterpillar where going to let ususe the one of a kind CAT 432F2 the 30thanniversary Back hoe loader .So now theproject was in full swing and Ripping upthe UK was born ! So please follow ourstory as we travel from John O'Groats toLands end to make some special childrensmile you can help us to by donating !Every penny helps we have a long way to goand a lot of hard work ahead ! I'm GavinI'm Ripping up the UK are you ? We were first inspired to break this

record after seeing the famous Recordbreakers attempt on Tv in the 90's, involv-ing the famous Hugh Edeleanu from H EService with his JCB Land shuttle and astaggering result of 877 miles in a speedy22hrs 10 mins, with lots of other attemptsbeing made in other machines including

the Mason Brothers and Esmor's JCBMarathon.This was certain the challenge for us, after

getting the ball rolling our original planwas to beat the record that Hugh set, butunfortunately with the amount of modifi-cations needed it became way out of reachfor us, and with today's traffic and healthand safety we wanted to set a realistic saferecord that will encourage others to chal-lenge our time in the future without mas-sive costs and to bring a bit ofsportsmanship back to the challenge.So we have come up with our own at-

tempt on setting a record, we will attemptto drive a standard Caterpillar 444 Back hoeloader kindly donated for this challenge byCaterpillar Visitors Centre without anymodifications what so ever from John O'Groat's to Lands End, this is a journeywhere we will average a speed of about 18mile an hour 877 miles should take us withbreaks and fuel stops 55 hrsAlong the way we will be stopping at

designated areas for fund raising, photo op-portunity's and collecting sponsors, dona-tions for a charity close our hearts SNAP a13 year established soft play facility for chil-dren and adults with severe learning diffi-culties, which has now become in majorneed of renovation we aim to raise a whop-ping £25,000 for this.

Ripping up the UK

Launched in 2009 Hyundai’s Dash 9series of excavators and wheel load-ers has experienced a steady and pro-

gressive expansion into the Australianmarket. The latest addition to Hyundai’sDash 9 family is the launch of its 80tcrawler excavator model, the R800-9. Suc-cessor to its Dash 7A cousin the R800-7A,the R800-9 has been unveiled and is nowavailable to the Australian market withinitial stocks hitting our shores back in lateDecember 2012. The R800-9 has under-gone a transformation in comparison to itsDash 7A cousin which includes a numberof structural, technological, cabin andsafety upgrades. One such upgrade in-cludes a newly patented hydraulic controlsystem which delivers greater slew speedand increased hydraulic power. Greater op-timisation of the hydraulic system allowsoperators of the R800-9 to configure cus-tom boom and swing priority settingsthrough an easy to use in cab 7” digital dis-play control cluster. A technology exclu-sive to the Hyundai’s Dash 9 series, the 7”digital display control cluster acts as themachines nerve centre and provides aplethora of settings to customise the per-formance of the R800-9 to best suit theoperating environment and job require-ments. Diagnostics, safety system control,service tracking and machine reports canall be accessed and controlled through thisinterface. Including Hyundai’s remotemonitoring and reporting platform ‘Hi-mate’, the R800-9 boasts an impressivefull-bodied standard specification with nohidden add-on’s or extra’s.

PRODUCT PROF I L E


The latest addition to Hyundai’s Dash 9 family isthe launch of its 80t crawler excavator model, theR800-9. Successor to its Dash 7A cousin theR800-7A, the R800-9 has been unveiled and isnow available to the Australian market

A D V E R T O R I A L

80t Hyundai Crawler R800-9


PRODUCT PROF I L E

According to the Health and Safety Ex-ecutive, 67% of construction businesses re-ported serious risk of injury due to movingvehicles. Sometimes this risk escalates intoa far more serious situation. In the last fiveyears, there were 35 fatalities on construc-tion sites in the UK - 21 of those werecaused by being hit by a moving vehicle. It’s easy to understand how these figures

have been generated. Construction plant isbig, cumbersome equipment with blindspots. Operators often have no idea what orwho is moving behind them, purely becausethey can’t see every bit of the vehicles’perimeter from the cab. From the pedestrian’s viewpoint, there

may be distractions, or a false sense of secu-rity that they have been seen by the plantoperator who will then avoid hitting themaccidentally. This is not always the case.OnGrade’s radio frequency identification

(RFID) proximity alarm, Site Zone, haschanged the rules of this interaction for thebetter. The dual alarm system offers a newdimension on site safety, giving all siteworkers an extra level of control and pro-tection. It’s not deterred by corners, blindspots, dust, smoke or poor light conditions. For employers who use RFID safety sys-

tems, it has become a vital part of the con-struction safety toolkit. Rather than justtake our word for it, OnGrade thought itwould be more constructive to get an end-user’s perspective, so we asked a seasonedplant operator, Gavin Elson, what hethought about using Site Zone.What’s your job / position and experi-

ence?I’m a plant operator. I am trained to op-

erate a range of plant from loading shovelsto dump trucks, telehandlers, wheel exca-vators and track machines. I’ve been doingthis for ten years.What proximity alarm system product do

you use?Site Zone, it’s an RFID Proximity alarm

system by OnGrade. When someone walkstoo close to the plant I’m operating on site,an alarm goes off in the cab. Another alarmalso goes off on the pedestrian’s hard hat to

let them know they’re too close to the ma-chine I’m in.How long have you used it?At the moment, I use Site Zone every day

on my current job. I used Site Zone for thefirst time 12 months ago. The site that I’mworking on has it installed on all the plantvehicles.Has it made a difference to you work /

how you move around on site?Yes. It makes me stop and look!What are the best parts about it?My first impression about Site Zone was

that it was a pain! It was always going offas so many people were near or walkingaround whatever machine I was operating.Then it got me thinking – this is what it’slike all the time, I just didn’t know it be-fore. The risk of a pedestrian being so closeto the [moving] plant is always there andI’m sure the majority of plant operatorsaren’t aware of how close they come to apossible accident each day. I’ve noticed a change in behaviour now,

as the proximity alarm has deterred peopleon site from coming so near to the vehicle.They don’t like the noise! Having the alarmbeeping on your hard hat and coming fromthe plant you’re next to definitely encour-ages them to be more aware of how closethey get. It cuts potential accidents in half.Most building site accidents are still causedby people colliding with plant.I’ve found that having the proximity

alarm makes the most difference when I’moperating telehandlers, excavators, tippingdumpers and rollers. There are blind spotson all of them.How does it work?As there’s a significant blind spot to the

rear right-side of an excavator, drivers won’tknow if someone is on that side. The RFIDtag really helps in that respect. When itgoes off I have to neutralise the alarm andphysically turn and look to see who is be-hind me. My biggest fear is people coming up be-

hind on the right-hand side that I can’t see.They don’t know which direction I’m goingin and likewise, I don’t know that they are

there and what direction they’re taking onfoot. When the alarm goes off, you can re-spond quickly.Now that I have experienced having the

alarm consistently for 12 months, it wouldbe really stressful not having the warningsystem to use every day. I’m lucky that mycurrent employer insists on having proxim-ity alarms fitted to all the plant vehicles.Is there anything you’d like to see im-

proved about the alarm system?The alarm sounder should be on a varying

setting so you don’t become accustomed tohearing just the same type of noise and riskbecoming complacent about it. A varyingalarm setting would keep you fully alertevery time it goes off. It would be useful for the alarm system

to identify me as the operator so I don’t setit off when I’m getting in and out of thecab. Every time I cross the safety zonearound the machine, I set it off. However,anyone else who comes into close vicinity ofthe machine, who isn’t the operator, shouldset the alarm off.Have you ever specified it on a job or sug-

gested it to a site manager or client?No, I haven’t had that opportunity. But I

believe that eventually, having alarms likeSite Zone will be the norm. I think it’s nec-essary. It’s made a huge difference to theway I work and will do the same for otheroperators.The most important change would be to

educate other plant operators and site man-agers about this safety system. We needmore training and knowledge-sharing. Theusers-perspective is really what counts.Everyone should spread the word. Oper-

ators don’t often realise just how many peo-ple walk around the plant that they areoperating. While Site Zone doesn’t stop amachine from working, it does let the op-erator know that someone is there. Thatmakes a huge difference in site safety, it lit-erally saves lives.To find out more about Site Zone visit:

www.proximitywarning.com/contact-us/

Eyes in the back of your plant – the operator’sperspective on using RFID proximity alarmsGavin Elson, a plant operator of ten years’ experience and active member of the UKPlant Operators Group, shares his candid experiences and opinions about using On-Grade’s Site Zone.

A D V E R T O R I A L

PRODUCT PROF I L E

UK Plant Operators - Issue 0116 A D V E R T O R I A L

With its roots firmly planted in theheartland of Swedish textile industry, Blåk-läder has a long and proud history of cloth-ing production, both for the fashionindustry and the industrial sector. Afterover 50 years in the business, this family-run company has gained a deep and genuineknowledge of how to produce clothing.Blåkläder is a growing company and we

plan to continue on that path. Our vision isto spread functional workwear over thewhole world. To do that, we need great pro-duction resources and perhaps most impor-tantly, full control over production.Blåkläder owns its own factories, and that'sa conscious choice. It is, quite simply, the

best way of ensuring quality in the longrun. Not only in the end products, but alsoin fields such as working conditions, envi-ronmental concern and choice of suppliersTo many times climbing in and out the

machine my trousers have torn straight between the legs ! Not only

can this be embarrassing but its uncom-fortable as hell .I ‘ve found over the years acheap £20/£30 pair of trousers just don’tcut it! So I went on a mission to find a pairof trousers that would last me As well asbeing Strong,comfortable with the durabil-ity of going through the wash several hun-dred times ! I’ve gotta be honest I strugglewith trousers because of my amazing ma-chine driver adonis body with little legs(Short and fat). Until a came across theBlaklader X1900 work trousers !I mean really as if they Hung a car in the

air off a pair of these trousers? No they didn’t they couldn’t

leave it at crazy, They had to go all the waywith three cars weighing 3.7Ton until theyfinally gave in! Functionall-y dressed, safe and good-

looking, from the inside out..The garments from Blåkläder just love

dirty workshops, muddy building sites,weld spatter and grinding wheel sparks.Cold winter days, drizzle and biting windsare also welcome. This is because our gar-ments are designed to protect you when youwork in exposed environments.That's why you will not find any ties

from Blåkläder, but you will find garmentswhich meet a professional's demands forwear resistance and function. We believe that you demand as much

from your working clothesas from your tools or your colleagues. So

choose workwear that last. Choose Blåkläder.

Workwear for the TUFF!

SAFETY

UK Plant Operators - Issue 0118 A D V E R T O R I A L

The Mercedes-Benz Econic trucks have alarge panoramic windscreen, a fully-glazedkerbside door and a low seating position toimprove the driver’s field of vision.The FM Conway low-entry tipper-grab

vehicles are eight-wheelers with a rear steeraxle – the first of their kind being used inthe capital. This modified wheel configu-ration helps to prevent disruption to sur-rounding traffic by reducing the Econic’sturning circle compared to normal eight-wheeled construction vehicles.The low-entry cab, with two steps instead

of four, reduces the risk of injury getting inand outies, and through-cab access allowsboth drivers and passengers to enter and

exit safely on the vehicle’s non-traffic side.One of the vehicles will be joining the

FM Conway fleet on its highways and pub-lic realm projects across London. The otherwill be joining the Conway Aecom jointventure responsible for delivering the Lon-don Highways Alliance contract (LoHAC)in the northwest of the capital on behalf ofTransport for London (TfL).FM Conway’s transport manager Peter

Parle said: “It is vital that the constructionindustry does what it can to reduce the riskour vehicles pose to other road users, whilealso ensuring that our drivers go homesafely. We were one of the first contractorsin the capital to fit our vehicles with the lat-

est safety equipment now made mandatoryunder the terms of Transport for London’sSafer Lorry Scheme. The pioneering designof the new Econic trucks marks the next,significant step towards making London’sroads safer for all.”

FM Conway adds Econic trucks to keep cyclists saferCivil engineering contractor FM Conway has added two new grab trucks that aredesigned to make it easier for the drivers to spot cyclists and pedestrians.

UK Plant Operators - February 201620

THE BLACK CATCaterpillar Celebrates 30 Yearsof Backhoe-loader Productionwith Anniversary MachinesOn September 24, 2015, Caterpillar’s Building Construction Products (BCP) Division

Desford facility kicked off the celebration of 30 years of backhoe loader production at thefacility with a two-day anniversary event. Customers, dealers and employees from aroundthe globe gathered at the Leicester facility to mark this milestone occasion.

BCP Desford began production ofthe backhoe loader in September1985 and sold its first 416 machineto a customer in New Jersey, USA.Since then, the facility has gone onto produce a total of seven series ofbackhoe loaders over the past 30years. With a number of innovative,industry-leading features and de-signs, Caterpillar has seen the back-hoe loader go from strength tostrength, fast becoming one of itsmost popular and versatile ma-chines. This year will also see the fa-cility produce its 300,000thbackhoe loader machine.

Today, Cat Backhoe Loaders command aglobal footprint, with 11 models manufac-tured across three plants - Desford, UK;Thiruvallur, India; and Campo Largo,Brazil - supported by a Cat dealer networkof approximately 180 worldwide dealer-ships.As part of the 30th anniversary celebra-

tion, Caterpillar unveiled two customizedunits: a 420F2 IT center-pivot and a432F2 side-shift. Built in Desford, thesetwo machines were presented in anniver-sary colors and are fitted with a premiumCat branded leather seat, leather steeringwheel, LED lighting and anniversary de-cals.The evening celebration was followed by

an additional day of activities, duringwhich customers and guests had the op-portunity to learn more about the com-pany, watch the BCP Cat portfolio inaction and test some of the equipment.This is a significant occasion not only for

the company and the facility, but also forthe local community. Tony Carr, FacilityManager at BCP Desford said, “We are de-lighted to be celebrating this milestone an-niversary at the facility. Over the last 30years, the backhoe loader has grown anddeveloped into an impressive and industry-leading machine. Each new series of themachine has delivered new, innovative fea-tures for the customer that demonstrateour commitment to build the backhoeloaders that offer the best value to our cus-tomers.” The year 2015 marks the 30thanniversary of Caterpillar’s first backhoeloader and coincides with the worldwiderelease of the latest generation F2 series –the next advance in on-site performance,where lowest cost of ownership is the de-ciding key factor.

“AN EVOLVING BACKHOE LOADER LEGEND: ‘A’ TO ‘F2’ IN 30 YEARS”Who would have guessed that back in

the 1980s Caterpillar had yet to field itsfirst backhoe loader, when today theseCat® units are an integral part of theearthmoving landscape, with more than300 000 units now sold worldwide?It all began with the roll-out of the A-

Series in 1985. The B Series followed in1989 and built on the solid foundation es-tablished by the first generation models tofirmly entrench the Cat backhoe as a classleader. The year 1996 saw the launch of theC Series, followed subsequently by the D,E, F and now F2, in 2001, 2006, 2012 and2015 respectively.Historically, the first exploratory engi-

neering drawings for the A Series were putto paper in 1982, and in 1983 Caterpillar’sDesford manufacturing plant, situated nearLeicester, England (at the time responsiblefor the assembly of forklifts trucks), waschosen as the fabrication centre for the firstCat backhoe. History has shown that theirpioneering efforts have been a major suc-cess.Caterpillar’s introductory unit, the Cat

416A (in centre pivot configuration) wasimmediately recognisable by its distinctiveboom tilt cylinder design, narrow loadertower and divergent loader arms. Launchedwith an operating weigh of approximately6 087kg and a lift capacity (at full height)of 2 381kg, the engine delivered a net fly-wheel power of 46 kW at 2 400 rpm.Technological advancements over time

have included the development of the in-dustry’s first true excavator style boom (en-abling excellent clearance over objects),which remains a signature trademark ofthe Cat backhoe. Coupled with this, pro-duction capabilities have been further en-hanced by the development of a 205 degreerotation bucket linkage: the high degree ofrotation enables deeper vertical wall exca-vation, which simplifies trenching tasks,thus in turn increasing productivity.Meanwhile, overall durability has been fur-ther enhanced by industry leading hy-draulic and electrical components, plusheavy duty linkages and structures.Key focus areas for Caterpillar’s research

and development engineers include safety,ergonomics, operator functionality, fuel ef-ficiency and enhanced power delivery, allof which feature prominently on the F2model line-up, comprising the Cat 416F2centre pivot model, and the Cat 422F2,

428F2, 432F2, 434F2 and 444F2 side-shift units. All are powered by fuel effi-cient Tier II Cat 3054C mechanicallyturbo charged engines.The F2’s upgraded hydraulics system

provides improvements in oil flow for op-timum delivery: the 422F2 from 125 litresper minute (L/m) to 132 l/min; the 428F2and 434F2 from 125 l/min to 160 l/min;and the 432F2 and 444F2 from 156 l/minto 163 l/min. (The Cat 416F2’s pump ca-pacity remains unchanged at 132 L/min.)All machines feature Caterpillar’s propri-etary load sensing hydraulics (where thevariable flow system senses the work de-mand and adjusts the flow and pressure tomatch it).“Essentially, what this means is the

achievement of high bucket dig forceswhatever the engine speed, providing ex-cellent control, whilst reducing fuel con-sumption,” explains BarloworldEquipment product marketing managerfor Cat Building Construction Products,Desigen Naicker. (Barloworld Equipmentis Caterpillar’s southern African dealer.)Pilot controls (where specified) providelow effort operation, with the ability toswitch between excavator or backhoe con-trol patterns with the press of a button.A hydraulic quick coupler for the hoe is

available direct from the factory, whilst‘twist to disconnect’ couplings are fittedfor all work tools. The previous F Seriesfeatures ‘push to connect’ quick disconnectcouplings.F2 models feature a restyled cab for a

more modern look, which has been de-signed throughout with the operator inmind, including enhanced visibility to theloader attachment when at full height. Ex-cept for the curved front window, all otherglass areas are flat, enabling quick, low-cost replacement. Sound levels in the cabare now best in class at 74 dB.As an option, F2-Series units can be fit-

ted with a radio featuring blue-tooth con-nectivity, facilitating communication withjob-site personnel. A new keypad securitysystem (with up to 25 unique codes) pro-vides added protection for the machine,and a choice of cellular or satellite tech-nology is available for use with the Pro-ductLink™ telematics system.ProductLink enables machine owners toview near real-time machine positioning,utilisation and mechanical health data via

I N S I DE V I EW


Two thumbs up for safety!

Lets be honest we are all guilty of beingcomplacent in our working environment! Ifind every day that some one will walk to-wards my machine with out any prior no-tice, most of the time I see them but thereare to many times that I don’t see the oper-ative on the ground.This Scares me if i’m honest! I love my

job and the last thing I want is to have someone hurt by the machine I'm operating be-cause they came from a blind spot on themachine. I love how the industry is chang-ing with adaptions such as proximityalarms to alert the operator that some one isin the immediate zone, causing the operatorto acknowledge that some one is there. Alsowith 360 degree cameras i have got to sayWhat a fantastic idea! The ability to see allround the machine on one screen. But onthe back foot couldn't an operator get toused to having this ? I hate to say it buthonestly think this could be the case. So

Lets Think about the basics! If you saw atrain speeding towards you would you stepin front of it? Or would you stand Behind areversing wagon (unless banking)?Most items of plant can change the di-

rection they travel in a split second! So ifthe mindset could be changed to workalong side the latest gadgets available Ithink we can reduce accidents where Plantand site operatives are at risk of enteringeach others work zones.We can't just relyon the plant operator to know we are there,but a simple thumbs up from a distance safeenough in the operators view ideally cabside not boom side or behind. The practiceI use is when some one comes close to methey alert me they are there! I then deadman the machine and put both thumbs up!This alone reduces any risk as both myhands are off the leavers!I feel that to make this worth while edu-

cating not just the plant men but the other

site operatives too!So for the guys on the ground Stop. Get

the operators attention from a safe distance,Two thumbs up, Wait for the Plant opera-tor to dead man the machine and return thetwo thumbs up!As I said earlier his/her hands are off the

leavers completely with the two thumbs up!This has got to be a better practice than alive machine with one hand on the leaverand a single thumbs up.So remember you only get one Life, give

the TWO THUMBS UP! And get theTWO THUMBS UP!

So many things happen on a daily basis on a construction site, that I feel as a plant

operator make me cringe.

*Although UK Plant Operators & it’s pub-lisher reserve the right to edit, amend anddistribute the Operator Blog, the views ex-pressed are that of the author, and are in noway a representation of UK Plant Opera-tors or it’s publisher. No liability is acceptedwhatsoever regarding the views or accuracyof the Operator Blog.

Scan Here to Download ourMedia Pack

I N S I DE V I EW

Qualified operator shortageWITH the recession starting in 2008,

and the following meltdown in the con-struction industry affecting private housebuilders in particular, the downsizing ofmany operated plant hire companies was anunfortunate inevitability.While some went to the wall altogether,

others had to lose valuable and experiencedemployees to necessary pay offs/redundan-cies, leaving no option but for these menand women to look elsewhere for work andnot necessarily in the construction industry.Now, having had a taste of working in

different environments (perhaps with clean,warm conditions and regular hours), whocan blame them for losing interest in com-ing back to operating heavy plant, espe-cially considering all the certification andbureaucracy which has evolved in the in-terim? And that’s before you mention thecost involved to get recertified for doingwhat, in many cases, these operators havedone all their working lives.This bureaucracy is a bad situation for

employers too, as without the certificationthey can’t put an operator on a constructionsite. All concerned are now in a no-win sit-uation; the employer can’t give them wagesbecause they can’t work without the ticket,and the operator can’t afford the trainingwithout the wages to pay for it.All in all, it’s a dire situation when peo-

ple want to work but can’t afford to. Worse

still, with all due respect, the constructionindustry, at site labour level, has never at-tracted a high level of academics, myself in-cluded, so some of these tests are justbeyond some people when they do get theopportunity to sit them.Now that we have an upturn in the in-

dustry and a shortage of good, well trainedoperators, how do we remedy this?As an employer, one of my main priorities

would be to get hire rates increased to allowus to pay good wages for good people and todo away with zero hour contracts, givingoperators the encouragement and securityof full time employment.Also, the CITB, in my opinion, definitely

need to simplify re-entry into the CPCS andNVQ Card Schemes.Another major issue is attracting young

people behind the levers. You would thinkthis shouldn’t be too big a problem as comeChristmas Day most households withyoung children crave the plastic Tonkatruck or toy excavator or bulldozer.It is my opinion that construction should

become part of the school curriculum aswithout the construction industry theworld comes to a stop.Something we do in my own business,

AMD Contract Services Ltd, and are pas-sionate about is CITB apprenticeshipschemes for fitters and plant operators alike.At present 10% of our 60-strong work-

force are apprentices. If there are around100,000 construction workers across Scot-land, imagine the benefit to all concernedand what it would mean if 10% of thatworkforce were apprentices. A qualifiedconstruction industry for the future. Jobsorted!An issue that would arise from this sug-

gestion is the lack of capacity our collegeshave for construction apprentices.The authorities need to look harder at

this, as they would definitely be usefulcourses with long-term job prospects.You can be rest assured the Scottish Plant

Owners Association as an organisation islobbying the Scottish government on thesevery crucial issues. For those at the CITBwith the UK Contractors Group recom-mending the recognition of the likes ofNPORS (National Plant Operators Regis-tration Scheme) this may waken them up tolook at simplifying tests and reducing hecosts.Overall, the future for the construction

and heavy plant industries looks healthierthan it has for many a year.If we can balance and resolve the issues of

employing qualified, experienced operatorsat rates they’re happy to turn out to workfor, without compromising safety and qual-ity or risk returning to the bad old days, thefuture, in my view, can only get better andbrighter.

KNOW HOW


CPCS is an acronym for ConstructionPlant Competence Scheme. Undersome circumstances when working

in the construction industry, employees andcontractors may be required to hold a CPCScard. This is an indication that the holdermeets required standards for performingparticular roles in construction. This articlegives a brief overview of who needs a CPCScard and how such individuals can obtainone. It is recommended that employees andemployers in the field of construction, andespecially plant operation, should becomefamiliar with this material.

WHAT IS A CPCS CARD?

IIn more specific terms, a CPCS card is anindustry standard identification that an in-dividual has the necessary knowledge andcompetence to work as a plant operatorwithin the field of construction. The knowl-edge and competence required is in definedcategories, these are professional construc-tion and plant competence, and health andsafety requirements and procedures in plantoperation. With the CPCS card system inplace, employers can be confident that theirstaff members have the necessary skills andexperience to carry out the tasks requiredwithin the context of plant operation. Thenecessary skills and knowledge are main-tained over time, as card holders are re-quired to stay up to date on industrydevelopments through periodic refreshercourses.

WHY IS A CPCS CARD NECESSARY?

The CPCS scheme became operational in2003. The objective of the scheme is to en-sure that employers and plant operators canhave confidence that they are meeting therequired standards in health and safety leg-islation. This improves the overall approachtowards safety in the industry and avoids

any penalties that might be imposed by theauthorities should safety procedures not beadequate, or not in accordance with regula-tions. Employing only CPCS cardholders inthe relevant positions ensures that individ-uals who possess, and maintain, the knowl-edge and competence to safeguard plantsafety and meet legislative requirements,hold these key roles.To meet these objectives, applicants for po-sitions in the operation of plant equipmenton various construction sites are required tobe CPCS cardholders. Most plant operatorson the Major Contractors Group (MCG)and National Contractors Federation (NCF)sites have to be CPCS cardholders in orderto be considered for these positions. Otherplant and construction sites are also imple-menting similar requirements, with boththe CPCS card and within the amalgamatedCSCS scheme, which has a broader applica-tion within the whole construction indus-try.

HOW TO GET A CPCS CARD?

There are three types of card within theCPCS scheme - the trained operator card,the competent operator card, and the testercard. Each of these cards requires theoreti-cal and practical tests that can be taken atany approved site nationwide, or at one ofthe designated regional test centres. In ad-dition, experience and expertise should bedemonstrated through ongoing documen-tation, such as a professional logbook. The trained operator card, also known as thered card, is the first step, and this is issuedfor a non-renewable two-year period. Amore advanced step, the competent operatorcard, also known as the blue card, is validfor five years and is renewable, making thisthe preferred card type for many plant op-erator positions that are to be held over alonger period of time. The most advancedcard type, the tester card, is issued to indi-viduals who have demonstrated thorough

knowledge and ability in relation to allplant operation environments, and this cardsignifies that an individual is qualified as atester for the CPCS scheme. A temporarytester card, known as a black card, can beobtained as a provisional step towards thisqualification. Applications for the relevanttests, material to help in preparation for thetests, and details of the other requirementsin relation to experience and documentationto be met in order to qualify for the CPCScard, are available online from the issuingauthorities. Detailed help with the processof applying for the CPCS card is availablefrom the knowledgeable staff at Randstad,who can help candidates who have not yetundergone the necessary certification. Thestaff members at the company have the nec-essary experience to ensure that candidatesand positions can be matched correctly interms of the necessary skills, knowledge,and qualifications. Both employers and em-ployees can therefore be confident that theirneeds are being met in terms of finding theright applicant or finding the right job.

How to get aCPCS card:a step-by-step guide

KNOW HOW


Further qualificationsEXCAVATOR 360° TRACKEDBELOW 10 TONNES – CPCSCODE A58 AND ABOVE 10TONNES – CPCS CODE A59

These two courses are for operators oftracked 360 excavators under and over 10tonnes, and are aimed at individuals whoare new to operating these types of excava-tor, have not previously undergone any formof training, or who require refresher train-ing. The courses combine classroom and practi-cal work and cover the following points:• Operating and positioning the machineefficiently and safely.• Adding and removing ancillary equip-ment.• Undertaking routine servicing and mak-ing minor adjustments.• Learning about routine servicing and ad-justments and how to carry them out.• Learning about the various safety pre-cautions necessary to operate the excava-tor.• Understanding information provided bylevel pegs and profiles.• Using laser levels to work to levels.

FORWARD TIPPING DUMPERS:WHEELED - CPCS CODE A09

This course is for operators of wheeled for-ward tipping dumpers and is aimed at in-dividuals who are new to operating this

type of excavator, have not previouslyundergone any form of training, or

who require refresher training.

The course combinesclassroom and

practical workand covers

the fol-

l ow -i n g

points:• Operating

the dumper tominimum safety

standards.• Adding and removing ancillary equip-ment.• Undertaking routine servicing and mak-ing minor adjustments.• Preparing the dumper for travelling onthe public highway.• Recognising the limitations, uses and ca-pabilities of the machine.• Learning about the various safety precau-tions necessary to operate the excavator.• Gain an understanding of how diesel en-gines work and the operation of its variouscomponent parts.

BANKSMAN SLINGER/SIGNALLER – CPCS CODE A40

This course provides the perfect introduc-tion for individuals who are new or inexpe-rienced operators, or those who requirerefresher training. The training aims to en-sure that anyone undertaking slinging andsignalling for the movement of loads usinglifting equipment, has a basic knowledge ofhow to work safely and efficiently. The course combines classroom and practi-cal work and covers the following points:on to the operator of the crane.• Selecting, attaching and detaching ap-propriate lifting tackle safely and correctly.• The use of clear and unambiguous signalsto direct the actions of a crane moving loadsof varying dimensions and weights.• Storage and maintenance of lifting acces-sories and ascertaining their serviceability.

TELESCOPIC HANDLER (ENDORSEMENT C: ALL SIZESEXCLUDING 360° SLEW) - CPCSCODE A17

This course provides foundation trainingand assessment in the maintenance and op-eration of telescopic handlers.The course combines classroom and practi-cal work and covers the following points:• Carrying out all normal tasks with thehandler.• Ascertaining if a load is safe to lift.• Carrying out routine maintenance andservicing procedures in accordance withmanufacturer’s guidelines.• Understanding how the handler func-

tions, and any maintenance requirements.• Being aware of how the machine’s stabil-ity is affected by the weight and size of theload, ground conditions and gradient.• Understanding how to load, transport andstore a selection of materials.• Understanding basic pallet construction.• Gaining an understanding of the permit-ted loading of scaffolds.

CRANE SUPERVISOR – CPCSCODE A62

This course is aimed at supervisors andmanagers responsible for supervising liftingoperations. Candidates must have sufficientexperience of cranes to meet the require-ments of BS7121 Safe Use of Cranes.Only individuals that are considered 100%suitable will be selected for this highly re-sponsible role. When booking the course,applicants will be asked to fill in a self-pro-filing form to help determine their level ofknowledge.The course combines classroom and practi-cal work, and covers the following points:• Regulations, legislation and Codes ofPractice relating to lifting activities.• Ensuring safe working practices, includ-ing method statements.• Taking personal responsibility.• Describing types of cranes and technicalterminology.• Crane documentation.• Understanding duty charts, crane stabil-ity and safety devices.• Displaying an appreciation of cranes.• BS 7121.• The role of crane supervisor.• The role of appointed person.• Preparing an area with exclusion zones.

If you would like to knowmore about the benefits ofholding a CPCS card or forinformation on trainingplease call please call Daleon:+44 (0)1823 338606or email us at: [email protected]

NFPEO


Having been in operated plant hirefor over 25 years in some way oranother I have seen many

changes, most with good intentions, manyof which have been good for the industry,but a lot have not…The alarming trend at the moment is the

plant operator being held financially re-sponsible for accidents on site while theworksite management get away withouteven an ‘excuse me’…. it was for this rea-son and many other issues that plant andequipment operators are experiencing, whythe NFPEO was formed. The industry, led by the major contrac-

tors, has worked hard and has been insis-tent about safer plant operators andregulations to ensure safer working condi-tions for all work site personnel. Theyhave, with the help of associated tradessuch as CPCS and CSCS, pushed throughregulations in order to ensure bettertrained operators. I feel this has helped theindustry achieve higher standards, but forall its good intentions and hard workeveryone has forgotten who ultimatelyends up paying for this… the poor old op-erator … who then has to get into debt inorder to keep their tickets up to date justto be able to get work within the industry.

And if that is not enough the operator isnow being held financially liable if an in-cident occurs which will probably end upwith them being fired as well.And despite all the good intentions

throughout the industry, its not difficultto understand why there are not enoughoperators entering the system. It wouldappear they are not being given the chanceto gain the experience they require by theplant hire companies or contractors.In a recent get together the topic of de-

bate was to try and name a dozer driverwho was under 40 years old, no-one could,but we knew a couple at 73 and 74 yearsrespectively who were still working. Al-though this was good fun, it is no reallaughing matter as the serious undertoneof this observation is that, unless the man-ufacturers are bringing out an automatedset of plant in the next ten years, the short-age of operators will be so bad, construc-tion will be greatly effected to the point ofstopping on some jobs.What we don’t want to happen is what

has happened in other areas of constructionrelated industries where governments havecome up with fast track bricklaying orplumbing courses leaving less than 1% ofthese still in the trade.

What we do need is sustainable workingconditions for operators with consistentrates of pay where the industry doesn’t justtalk the talk to get new blood into the in-dustry but mentors and nurtures itthrough so it won’t leave for other indus-tries. It doesn’t expect trained persons totake all the risk and all the responsibilitywhen things go wrong, it allows the oper-ator time to grease and check the equip-ment in the working day and invests intraining to keep these valued members ofthe industry, rather than plough millionsof pounds on job creation schemes just toappease the agreements with planning andlocal jobs statistics.Best practice will only become ‘best’ if

it takes notice from the feedback given bythe shop floor; the operators are the gluewhich holds the Contractors, Manufactur-ers, Plant hire Companies, Labour Agen-cies and the trainingproviders/organisations together.It is about time we all as a collective sat

down together and realised this to be trueand then acted to protect its most valuablecommodity. I hope all who care supportthis Federation and build upon all thegood the industry has achieved so far..

On track for changeBy Mark Kennedy - NFPEO CEO


EVENTS GU IDE

Operator Trials - Dartford10/01/2017

Lynch DartfordHawley Road

Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ



Dartford, DA1 8HJ

CLASS I F I EDS


G

s

BEMA SWEEPERS UK & IRELAND

C ‘Phil the Brush’ T 01159630011 Mob: 07436272292

w [email protected]

Technically Advanded.Simply Safe.

TECHNICALLY ADVANCED.

SIMPLY SAFE.

CONTACT US TODAY IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO FIND OUT MORE ABOUT OUR ADVANCED TEFRA & TITAN RANGE.CALL: 028 3025 2555 VISIT: HILLATTACH.COM EMAIL: [email protected]

Documents

UK Plant Operators Magazine - Issue 01