the PeoPle - OPERC - Off-highway Plant and Equipment Research ...

Plant & Equipment Professional ISSN: 2041-1154 (Online) £2.50
Interview with
Richard Shore,
MD, Mentor
Never WaSte
an opportunity
Putting
the
PeoPle
into Plant
August 2010
DeWalt ® launch
new 6kg SDS-Max
hammer range
excavators used as cranes
hilti tackle the cost
of owning power tools
A-plant wins RoSPA / Severn Trent Gold award • CMPE introduce Gold Competency Card • JCB secures huge order with Lynch Plant Hire

the NEW VOLVO mini EXCAVATORS
HIRE EXPECTATIONS
Volvo Construction Equipment GB Division
Volvo Group UK Ltd
Duxford, Cambridge CB22 4QX
Telephone: 01223 836636
Fax: 01223 832357
sales.vcegb@volvo.com
www.volvoce.co.uk
2
August 2010
NEwS
What do your customers look for in a hire machine? Productivity, user-friendly
controls and cab comfort must all be high on their list of expectations.
So they won’t be disappointed by the new Volvo compact excavator range.
And improved access for daily maintenance chores will make life easier for your
team too. The new C series compacts: raising everyone’s expectations.

Editorial
Have you ever wondered what preserves a company
through a recession and what makes one company go
from strength to strength whilst others fall by the wayside
or become swallowed by larger organisations? A review of
the business world literature would suggest that company
brand, partnering with customers, funding cuts and many
other factors impact upon company survival but most miss
that all important ingredient – innovation and invention!
Traditionally, the accountant will take a hard look at the
books and make judgements upon the bottom line, i.e. where
can savings be made. On the other hand, the manager may
see the value of people as the main resource and try to
protect good staff from redundancy. However, a recession
(and let us hope that we are out of this current one soon) is
actually an opportunity for change because it provides the
impetus that does away with complacency. In good times, it
is all too easy to sit back on the laurels and continue to do
things the way that they have always been done – it certainly
makes for an easier life – and it can take a strong will and
determination to push forward something new and innovative.
In a recession an organisation must actively seek to adopt
new, more efficient and effective practices, procedures and
protocols as a means of weathering the economic storm.
But invention and innovation are part of what makes the
human race unique. A short look at the history books will
soon show that necessity is indeed the mother of invention
as illustrated by the Ancient Greeks, Romans and Victorians
- great races of people who helped to shape the western
world as it is today. Now, within the plant and equipment
industry, the good and the great are already stepping up
to the mark to adopt new inventions or become far more
innovative in dealing with customers (an outward perspective)
and improving processes (an inward perspective).
Innovation is somewhat different from invention though and in
the next issue of PEP (October 2010), the editors will devote
a large section of the journal to these important aspects
of modern management within the plant and equipment
community. If you have a story to relate, a product you wish to
promote or simply a view that you wish to share with other PEP
readers then please do contact the editor on: pep@operc.com
Editorial Team
Philippa Spittle, Karen Jones
Published and Distributed by
On-track Multimedia
On Track Multimedia,
Tel/Fax: +44 (0)1384 356202
Email: enquiries@operc.com (general)
pep@operc.com (newsletter)
Copyright © 2010 On-track Multimedia
While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of
information published in Plant and Equipment Professional,
the Editors cannot accept any responsibility for inaccuracies
or omissions. The views expressed in articles are of the
author(s) and do not necessarily reflect those of the Editors.
NEwS
A-plant wins another RoSPA/ Severn Trent Gold award 4
Bachy Soletanche is cleaning up the River Ribble 5
JCB secures huge order with Lynch Plant Hire 6
Sanmet opts for Volvo’s smooth operator 7
Hewden shows support for a safer industry
with second RoSPA Gold
Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions invests in
new fleet of tractors
August 2010
3
8
10
Safer cleaning up with Herder vacuum flail mower 12
Able UK invests in specialist Liebherr industrial rehandler 13
Speedy unveils Towerlight VT -1 Eco as
Product Innovation Award winner
14
Firms fined after worker falls nine metres to his death 32
Hire Trade Alliance takes part in new CEN workshop 60 32
Going for Gold with NEw CMPE Competency Card 33
OPERC announce next event 33
Quarry firm fined after worker plunge in
30-tonne wheel loader
SPECIAL REPORTS
DEwALT ® hammer home the message with increased
durability, performance and safety
34
16
Excavators used as cranes 18
Interview with Richard Shore, Mentor 22
Never waste an opportunity 26
Tackling the cost of owning power tools 28
Graduate despair 30
OPERC helps sponsor the Tenovus mobile cancer
support unit
PEOPLE
36
At the hub of things in new HILTI position 38
Speedy appoints McIntyre to lead expansion
into new markets
New London business development manager
for Morgan Sindall
Mentor appoints new product manager for
extractives sector
COMPETITION
NEwS MEGAByTES
CONTENTS
38
39
39
31
CLASSIFIEDS 41
42

NEwS
a-plant wins another
RoSPA/ Severn Trent Gold award
A-Plant is once again celebrating
winning one of the prestigious Royal
Society for the Prevention of Accidents
(RoSPA) and Severn Trent Water
(STW) Occupational Health and Safety
Awards in 2010. Awarded to A-Plant
for the second year running, this
accolade provides another element and
dimension to A-Plant’s unique attitude
towards safety. A-Plant’s Gold Award
was judged and awarded as a result of:
4
Excellent occupational health
and safety management systems
A rigorous approach to
occupational health
High levels of compliance with
control measures
Below average and reducing
rates of error, harm and loss
No fatal or major injuries
At A-Plant, health and safety
management is a primary focus,
covering both the company’s workforce
and the customers who use the
company’s products. To complement
robust internal practices, the company
has an ongoing programme aimed at
educating customers in the ramifications
of new health and safety legislation
and how to meet the latest operational
guidelines from the Health & Safety
Executive (HSE). A-Plant offers a
comprehensive fleet of safety products,
which forms part of what is believed to
be the best hire service in Europe. The
ongoing investment in the A-Plant fleet
ensures that customers can always hire
equipment which meets or exceeds the
required safety standards.
The Gold Award was presented at a
ceremony at the National Exhibition
Centre (NEC) in Birmingham. The
RoSPA/STW Awards have been
developed specifically for Severn Trent
Water contractors, to recognise and
August 2010
improve health and safety performance
and demonstrate commitment to this
important issue.
A-Plant has one of the most robust
and integrated Safety Management
Systems within the industry and was
the first national rental company in
Europe to achieve dual certification
to both the ISO 14001:2004 standard
and OHSAS 18001:2007 specification
covering Health and Safety and
Environmental procedures and more
recently has received accreditation to
the quality standard ISO 9001:2008 to
complete the safety system that A-Plant
prides itself on.
A-Plant was also awarded the RoSPA
Gold Award earlier this year as a result
of the company’s continued efforts in
occupational health and safety.

Bachy Soletanche
is cleaning up
the River Ribble
Specialist geotechnical
contractor, Bachy
Soletanche, is working with
main contractor KMI water,
a joint venture between Kier
Construction, J Murphy and
Sons and Interserve Project
Services, on a project for
United Utilities to treat
the water that goes into
the River Ribble using a
storm water shaft solution
involving deep diaphragm
wall shafts and Cased
Secant Piling (CSP).
The project, which started in May of this
year, is due to run until October and is
worth an estimated £4.5m for Bachy
Soletanche, and £70m in total for KMI
Water. A 27m diameter shaft, adjoining
22m deep 50x20m screening chamber
and a 17m diameter shaft constructed
by diaphragm walling will connect
with nine additional cased CFA shafts
on the north side via a 3.5km tunnel
constructed 30m below the ground by
KMI Water and will pave the way for a
cleaner river.
One of the south diaphragm wall shafts
is formed by 14 interlocking panels
1m thick by 20m deep. Between each
panel a CWS waterbar is being installed
to stop water leaking through the joint
and ensure maximum water tightness
between adjoining panels. Panels are
dug under a bentonite suspension, then
reinforcement cages are placed and
concrete is tremied into the trench. All
trenches are going to be approximately
20m deep.
The screening chamber will only be used in
the case of extreme flood conditions when
the shafts can’t manage the load of the
storm water in need of treatment. The 12m
deep shafts on the north side of the River
Ribble will take up the dirty water, feed it
back under the river and into the treatment
works on the south side.
The cased CFA, CSP technique forms a
closed structure to act as a barrier in water
bearing soils and is ideal for a city centre
project, such as the Preston Shafts, due
to its flexible and compact operation. It
has the advantages of better tolerance,
better ultimate appearance and reduced
overbreak than an uncased CFA secant
wall and it is a speedier operation than the
more traditional ‘kelly / casing’ rotary bored
pile method. As it is a cased system it also
reduces the risk of distress to adjacent
structures in certain soils such as sands or
gravels
Steve Mallinson, Contract Manager for
Bachy Soletanche Limited, said:
“The large southside shafts are more than
20m deep, hence the use of the diaphragm
walls which involve less construction joints
than bored pile walls. On the northside
verticality has also been key throughout
this project due to the nature of the
interlocking between the male and female
piles to ensure a watertight solution is
created. Water companies are heavily
investing in waste water treatments at the
moment so the Preston Shaft project has
been a great one to work on and one we’re
sure will make a difference to the quality of
water going into the River Ribble.”
August 2010
NEwS
5

NEwS
JCB secures huge order
with lynch Plant hire
JCB has won a significant
order– including 42 tracked
and wheeled excavators –
from one of the country’s
leading plant hire firms.
The multi-million pound deal has been
secured with London-based Lynch
Plant Hire and includes a fleet of 20
JS220 and 20 JS130 tracked excavator
models in addition to two wheeled
excavators, a JS175W and a JS130W
– all manufactured at JCB Heavy
Products in Uttoxeter, Staffordshire.
The excavator order has been
placed in response to increased
demand from Lynch Plant Hire’s
customers for machines which can
operate in the demanding road and
rail sectors. The deal also includes
40 JCB Loadall telescopic handlers
and six backhoe loaders made at
JCB’s World HQ in Rocester.
Several of the machines have already
been delivered and are now performing
on high profile projects across the
UK. This includes the JCB wheeled
excavator models carrying groundworks
6
August 2010
as part of the
M25 motorway
widening scheme.
Lynch Plant Hire
Director, Robert
Lynch said: “One
of the key criteria
when selecting our
plant is product
quality – ensuring
that our customers
have access to the
best equipment
available and
that it is always
up to the task.
“With this in mind,
we have offered
JCB Loadalls and
backhoe loaders
for over fifteen
years as they
are universally
accepted as the
best machines on the market. When
it came to expanding our tracked
and wheeled excavator fleet we
conducted trials of the leading models
using our own operators to carry
out the tests. We ultimately chose
Left to Right are JCB Heavyline Sales Manager (South)
Steve Bradley; UK and Ireland Sales Director Yvette Henshall-Bell;
Lynch Plant Hire Directors Merrill and Robert Lynch and
Greenshields JCB Major Accounts Director Paul Serby.
“everyone’s talking about it!”
the JCB machines as the operator
feedback was very, very positive,
particularly regarding smoothness of
controls and stability when digging.
“Equally important to us is back-up and
both JCB and our dealer, Greenshields
JCB have shown a great willingness
to help us. We are confident they
will provide us with excellent service
whether it be working together to
enhance the safety features on our
fleet or with on-site support to minimise
downtime for our customers.”
Founded in 1980, Lynch Plant Hire has
developed into one of the country’s
leading plant hire companies providing
an extensive range of operated and
non-operated equipment to applications
in the civil engineering, highways, rail,
groundworks, new build, demolition,
recycling and geotechnical sectors.
With offices in London, the Midlands
and the South East and an operations
centre in Stanmore, North West
London, Lynch can provide any model
from its fleet on a next day basis.

Sanmet opts for
Volvo’s smooth operator
Sanmet Ltd, a local authority
approved contractor based
at Tickhill, Doncaster and
specialising in the provision
of quality finished asphalt
and surfaces has taken
delivery of its fourth ABG
paver from Volvo.
The new Volvo ABG6870 wheeled
paver continues a nine year association
with the ABG product for Sanmet Ltd
and according to managing director
Duncan Donald was chosen principally
for the quality and smoothness to the
finished mat. He commented: “In our
opinion, nothing else can beat the ABG
paver for its smoothness and quality.”
Sanmet will also benefit from some
significant improvements introduced
on the ABG6870 over its predecessor
such as up to a 25% fuel saving and a
massive 9dB(a) reduction in external
noise levels – an important point for
the company who specialise in local
authority, urban and private contracts
working in close proximity to housing,
shops and close built communities etc.
The ABG6870 wheeled paver is the
first machine to feature continuous
independent traction control over all six
wheels. Powered by a Tier III 122Kw
engine, the operator is able to use the
‘Smart Power’ setting to vary the power
output depending on the conditions
of the application. Running nominally
at just 1600rpm the ABG6870 boasts
significantly low noise emissions
besides being highly fuel efficient. The
6x6 ‘Smart Drive’ technology offers
unparalleled traction. Even on the
most difficult bases, tractive effort is
automatically adjusted according to
ground condition and the weight of
material available in the machine’s 12
tonne capacity hopper.
The machine demonstrates a class
beating degree of manoeuvrability
thanks to the ‘Active Steering’ feature
with an inside turning radius of just
2.5 metres. This coupled to individual
suspension struts means the paver
can overcome obstacles in one go that
competitive models can only do after
several complicated manoeuvres. This
high degree of flexibility found on the
ABG 6870 enables Sanmet to tackle a
wide variety of contracts but especially
in confined areas when working on
urban roads, side streets and access
drives etc.
The ABG6870 has a
variable screed width
of between 2.5 and
5 metres in standard
configuration but can
be fitted with optional
extensions to provide
a generous width of
9 metres. With an
output potential of
up to 700 tonnes per
hour, the machine can
continuously pave up to
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
August 2010
NEwS
40 metres per minute. Whilst a normal
layer thickness of 50mm at high speed
is easily achievable, the ABG6870
can, for certain applications, lay up to
maximum thickness of 300mm.
Operator comfort and user friendliness
is an important factor for Sanmet’s
road crews. For instance, the steering
wheel, which allows for a particularly
sensitive control of the machine,
can be placed in various positions
around the EPM (Electronic Paver
Management) control panel. The large
screen display is the only one of its
kind on the market giving a bird’s eye
view or map of the paver, allowing
the operator to monitor and control all
the important functions at a glance.
The EPM control panel has backlit
control buttons to facilitate paving
at night. Besides a comfortable seat
the operator is afforded an excellent
view of the flow of material in the
hopper, the head of material in the
auger channel and material laydown.
The flexible all weather roof can be
hydraulically lowered along with the
exhaust pipe for transportation. With
a good deal of work being undertaken
at night time, Xenon lighting has also
been included as an aid to the operator
and crew.
Reliability is also a key consideration
for Mr Donald who said: “With the type
of work we do, the machine has to be
available five and a half days a week,
52 weeks a year and we’ve enjoyed a
relatively high reliability with the three
previous machines.” For complete
peace of mind, a full repair and
maintenance programme for the new
paver is being take care of by Volvo
Construction Equipment under its Gold
customer support agreement.
7

NEwS
For the second year running, hire firm
Hewden has won the RoSPA Gold
Award from the Royal Society for the
Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) in
recognition of its robust health and
safety practices at each of its 63 depots
across the UK. Recognition was given
for commitment to occupational health
and safety, a reduction in accidents
and ill health in the workplace and
implementation of health and safety
management systems.
The company is using this award win
to highlight the ongoing importance of
health and safety as Hewden’s health
8
August 2010
heWDen shows
support for a safer
industry with second
RoSPA Gold
and safety manager, Martin Williams
explains:
“At Hewden, safety is paramount and
we work hard to make sure that the
welfare of our customers and our
employees comes first; an initiative,
which we see reflected across the
industry with major injuries falling by
up to 17% in construction over the past
quarter.*
“This means that common reported
incidents, such as slips and trips or
falling from height are being reduced
and we are keen to support our
customers to make sure that this
positive trend continues.
“Hewden was the first hire company
in the UK to achieve the ISO 9001,
ISO 14001 and OHSAS 18001
accreditations at every location, not just
at head office level. This latest Gold
Award win further demonstrates our
commitment to a consistent standard of
health and safety both onsite and within
the work place.”
“In practice, this means that every
operator or service engineer that is
working on a customer’s site adheres
fully to the company’s safety principles,
including full pre-task assessments – no
matter where the work is taking place.
“In addition, before a machine is
delivered, it is checked and inspected
on two separate occasions for safety
and reliability, so the likelihood of a
fault occurring is minimal; meaning our
customers can be confident that the
equipment is safe and fit for purpose.”
*Figure taken from the Health and Safety
Executive in-year RIDDOR analysis Q4 2009-2010

NEW 6KG SDS-MAX HAMMERS
Email: construction@DEWALT.com
PERFORMANCE
AND PROTECTION:
NO COMPROMISE
DURABILITY:
•Chain drive
•Oil lubrication
PERFORMANCE:
•1250 watts
•12 joules
PEACE OF MIND:
•1 Year Free Service Contract
SAFETY:
*Product Shown D25602K
August 2010
9

NEwS
Balfour Beatty utility Solutions
Puller/tensioner
installing conductor
Straining tractors
used to raise or
lower conductors
during installation/
diversion work
Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions, one
of the UK’s leading utility solutions
providers, has invested more than
£1.3m in 33 brand new John Deere 5M
and 6030 Series tractors, all equipped
with front loaders. The machines have
been purchased to support ongoing
overhead line projects and increase
operational capacity.
The company uses tractors extensively
whilst installing and renovating overhead
electricity lines. The new tractors will be
equipped for one of two key roles; as
either winch or tow machines.
The winch tractors will each be fitted
with a 2000kg winch to enable them
to raise and lower insulators and
other equipment to teams working on
towers. Tow tractors are used to move
equipment around sites as well as
towing tensioners – machinery used to
raise and tighten the main power cables
– to and from site.
In a change from the traditional green
and yellow of John Deere tractors,
Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions’
machines have all been finished in the
10
Tow tractor used for
moving materials
around site when not
towing puller/tensioner
August 2010
Tow tractor used for
moving materials
and conductor drums
around site when not
towing puller/tensioner
invests in new
fleet of tractors
Puller/
tensioner
Small winch tractors
used to raise and
lower insulators and
moving equipment
around site
companies’ distinguishing blue, giving
them a unique and smart presence at
sites around the country.
Rob Sonnex, Mechanical Plant Manager
for Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions, said:
“We always buy the best when it comes
to our plant and vehicles, and this
investment is no exception. John Deere
has an excellent reputation for quality
and safety, whilst the technical support
and dealership back up offered by the
company and its dealer, Agricultural
Industrial Services, made our choice
clear. The new tractors will increase
TyPICAL PLANT RESOURCE FOR CONSTRUCTION
OPERATIONS - NGT PROJECTS
REFURBISHMENT OF EXISTING TRANSMISSION
LINE ON EXISTING TOWERS
Aluminium
working platform
Erection winch
used for landing
and sagging
conductor
“everyone’s talking about it!”
Small winch tractor
used to raise and
lower insulators and
moving equipment
around site
our capacity for overhead line work and
therefore give significant benefits to our
clients, especially on projects where
time is a factor.”
John Deere’s agricultural marketing
manager Chris Meacock said: “John
Deere and AIS are delighted to have
won this important contract to supply
our tractors to one of the country’s
major utility businesses. It underlines
our continuing efforts to provide market
leading technology solutions to a wide
range of customers.”

NEwS
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
11
August 2010
August 2010
11

NEwS
12
Safer cleaning up with
herder vacuum
flail mower
Councils’ efforts to clean up busy roadside verges could be carried out more safely - and
more cost effectively – with the Herder vacuum flail mower. Newly introduced to the UK by
Mastenbroek Environmental, the Herder was recently demonstrated in yorkshire where its
litter-picking capabilities were put to the test with outstanding results.
Local authorities, including
Richmondshire District Council, have
already registered strong interest in
the machine, which could replace
manual litter removal, a costly,
labour-intensive and notoriously
dangerous practice on busy roads.
“We have to maintain the roadside
environment, and that usually means
manual litter-picking, which brings
with it inevitable health and safety
issues. The Herder offers an attractive
alternative,” explained Terry Thorpe,
a supervisor with Richmondshire’s
street scene department.
Johnson Ramsay is a local plant
hire contractor who put the machine
through its paces and believes it has
huge potential. “It is able to pick up
all manner of waste from the roadside
in a single pass. There are obvious
safety benefits, as council operatives
are not put at risk. In the long term,
there would be cost savings.”
The machine is based on Herder’s
successful Grenadier MBK 512 tool
carrier, capable of accommodating
a range of 15 different attachments,
August 2010
including flail mowers, weed mowing
baskets and verge maintenance
systems. The vacuum flail is
available in 3 widths, weighing in
at between 500 and 600kg, and
the articulated boom comes in five
different lengths giving it the capability
to reach most roadside situations.
There is a choice of three different
hydraulic sliding arms offering a wide
selection of reach, travelling height,
flexibility, weight and cost choices.
The flail, operated by dual hand
controls, may be positioned to either
side of the host vehicle, or directly
in front of the driver’s vision. Once
a job is completed the arm folds
conveniently behind the cab permitting
fast transportation to the next location.
The hydraulic unit is fitted in the
three-point linkage as standard or,
optionally, the pumps may be driven
on a forward PTO, in which case the
hydraulic tank can be situated above
the front wheel and hydraulic valves
fitted next to the engine compartment
in front of the cabin. Herder state that
such an arrangement is ideal since the
vacuum unit will then be positioned
on the trailer, offering a standard
tractor-trailer hook-up configuration.
A hydraulically driven auger (0-60l/min
@ 150 bar max.) is situated directly
behind the flail, feeding the waste
centrally to the vacuum inlet, and is
controlled from the cabin where the
driver has on/off, forward and reverse
and stepless speed control. The vacuum
unit operates on its own high pressure
(420 bar max) closed circuit, hydraulic
system (80l/min. at 1,900 rpm).
Travelling speeds are typically in the
range of between 2mph-4mph (3-
6km/h), depending on the density
of the litter encountered or local
circumstances. The hydraulic arm is
controlled by low pressure hydraulic
controls and optionally with one or two
fully proportional electronic joysticks.
The sequence and functions on the
joysticks can be chosen by the operator,
depending on his personal preferences.
Significant interest in the machine
from the Highways Maintenance
sector means that Mastenbroek
Environmental is planning further
demonstrations of the machine.

able uK invests in specialist
liebherr industrial rehandler
Able UK Limited has
taken delivery of a
high-specification
Liebherr A 934 C HD
Litronic Industrial
Rehandler for their
ship recycling
operations at the
Teesside Environmental
Reclamation and
Recycling Centre
(TERRC) at Able
Seaton Port,
Hartlepool. A longstanding
Liebherr
customer, Able UK has
put its new specialist
Liebherr machine
to work as the main
materials handler on
this impressive facility,
loading, stockpiling
and managing the
scrap metal elements of
the vessels as they are
dismantled.
Able UK Limited is a privately owned
independent organisation which
was formed in 1966. A leading
specialist in complex demolition
processes, the company also has
expertise in site reclamation and
associated brownfield property
development. Drawing on its skills
and experience, Able UK has
evolved and expanded to become
recognised as market leader in the
decommissioning and recycling
of marine structures, including oil and
gas platforms and ships, operating a
number of riverside facilities on both
the Humber and Tees. Reclaimed scrap
metals from the ship decommissioning
and recycling process are sold on
to secondary metals merchants,
with a large proportion for export.
Large volumes of material have to be
handled at Able’s TERRC facilities where
the versatility, power and productivity
of the new Liebherr industrial rehandler
is being fully and successfully put to
the test. A 46 tonnes operating weight
wheeled machine, the A 934 C HD
Litronic is powered by a D 934 L turbocharged
and after-cooled Liebherr engine
complying with level IIIA / Tier 3 reduced
emissions and developing 150kW at
1800RPM. The heavy-duty axles feature
front oscillation lock which can be either
automatically or operator controlled and
the four wheels are fitted with Bergunion
16.00-25/CSE solid tyres. Travel speed
is infinitely variable and between 2.50
kmh (creep speed) and 18 kmh (road
speed), with four hydraulic outriggers
providing optimum stability for stationary
August 2010
NEwS
operations. This machine is a longreach
version and is equipped with an
hydraulic swivel for grapple operation,
an 8.60 metres straight industrial boom
and a 7.50 metres angled industrial
stick. Maximum load capacity is 4.90
tonnes at 15 metres radius using
outriggers; maximum lift height is 16
metres. Central automatic lubrication
is fitted.
For optimum load visibility, the
ergonomically designed operator’s cab
can be hydraulically elevated to give
a line of sight raised to approximately
6.85 metres. The Litronic engine
and hydraulics management system
provides complete operational data,
air-conditioning is standard as is
armoured glass, and the fully adjustable
seat is heated and equipped with an
automatic ventral safety belt. The
steering wheel is adjustable and the
twin joystick controls are integrated
into the seat armrests, providing
positive and accurate operation of
slew and attachments. The cab is
also equipped with a front screen
safety grille and a FOPS top guard.
13

NEwS
SPeeDy unveils
towerlight Vt-1 eco as
Product Innovation Award winner
Speedy has announced
the winner of its inaugural
Product Innovation Award
2010 as Towerlight’s VT-1
Eco lighting tower.
Speedy launched the award earlier this
year as part of its overall sustainability
strategy which includes the industry
leading GO Initiative (GO for Green
Option) – which provides customers
with independently verified energy
efficiency data on certain products.
The judges at Speedy were impressed
by Towerlight’s VT-1 Eco’s energy
efficiency features which include
14
August 2010
intelligent light detection sensors
that automatically switch the
lighting set on and off depending on
predetermined brightness levels.
The VT-1 Eco is already in use and a
fleet of the environmentally beneficial
lighting towers was supplied by Speedy
to this year’s Glastonbury Festival.
The lights were placed around the
festival campsites providing proper,
dependable illumination, allowing the
festival revellers to move safely around
the campsites during the night.
Tests conducted by Speedy and
TowerLight have shown that,
based upon the rental of twelve
VT-1 Eco lighting units, savings
of over £4,300 per month can be
“everyone’s talking about it!”
created on operator time, fuel and
carbon savings on an average site.
Andy Connor, supply chain director
at Speedy, said: “The VT-1 Eco is an
excellent example of how a product
used every day on sites can be
made to work far more efficiently.
“As the leading equipment rental
services provider we see it as our
responsibility to make a product like
this available to customers as well
as to encourage manufacturers to
develop innovative new designs. This
is what the awards are all about.”
Paul Hay, international sales manager,
at TowerLight said: “We are honored to
receive this prestigious award for the VT-1
Eco, which is part of TowerLight’s ongoing
policy to develop, with our customers,
increasingly more environmental
and innovative products, which offer
contractors such substantial savings.”
He added, “With Government
departments, such as DEFRA, placing an
increasing emphasis on reducing pollution
on construction sites and civil engineering
projects, we set about developing
the VT-1 Eco with environmental
considerations right at the forefront.
The knock-on effect means that these
benefits will also apply to outside event
managers, whose clients are often eager
to use environmentally sound equipment.”

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and best friend ‘Tom’ his Dad
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
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15

SPECIAL REPORT
DeWalt ®
haMMeR hoMe
the MeSSage
With inCReaSeD
DuRaBility,
PeRfoRManCe
anD Safety
DEWALT ® , the
leading power tool
and accessory
manufacturer, has
announced the launch
of their new 6kg
SDS-Max hammer
range. Designed with
durability, performance
and added safety in
mind, the new range
is built to withstand
the toughest jobsite
conditions. Here we
take at look at some
of the features of
the new range.
16
August 2010
DuRaBility / ReliaBility
Due to the nature of the application
of hammer tools they are subjected
to very heavy use and need to be
extremely durable. DEWALT ® have
introduced new key features to
improve the durability and reliability
of the range, including:
Chain drive mechanism - the
inclusion of this instead of a
conventional gear drive means less
tolerance sensitivity, lighter weight
(due to less parts as compared with
standard gears), greater efficiency
and much quieter operation (no
gear noise).
Oil lubrication – which in
comparison to the use of
conventional grease has the
advantages of causing less wear
on parts and giving a quicker heat
dissipation, especially during longer
periods of use, which means that
the tool lasts longer.
PeRfoRManCe
Users expect their tools to not only last
long but to get the job done quickly too.
To improve performance DEWALT ®
have added several new features:
More powerful motor with full
electronic version (1100w and
1250w versions). Electronic version
helps to stabilise the RPM’s giving
more consistent drilling speeds.
Increased RPM’s for greater
drilling speed.
Optimised hammer mechanism
delivering higher impact energy
and therefore faster drilling/harder
breaking energy up to 12 joules.

light Weight anD
CoMPaCt
In certain applications (e.g. render
removal, cavity wall insulation, chasing
for electrical wires) these power tools
can be used for long periods of time
and any reduction in weight or size
helps to make the job easier for the
user. DEWALT ® have made the units
smaller and lighter than before by
adjusting the position of the motor
and introducing the new chain drive
mechanism, which has less parts than
a gear drive, meaning these tools can
be used more comfortably for longer
periods of time.
CoMfoRt / Safety
Recent legislation has forced
manufacturers into developing safer
and more comfortable tools with
hammers being one of the key product
categories affected. To make this
new range safer DEWALT ® offers the
following optional features:
Complete Torque Control (CTC):
this is a 2 step clutch that defaults
to the low setting (40Nm) every
time the tool is unplugged which is
safer for the user as the drill is less
likely to snag on the low setting. If
the operator requires more torque
to complete the job (e.g. in heavier
applications where more torque is
required such as core drilling) the
user can manually select the high
torque setting of 80Nm.
The new DEWALT ® 6kg SDS-Max hammer
range will be available from all stockists
during September 2010. For general
enquiries, stockists, service and
technical advice, please contact
customer services 01753 567055 or visit
www.dewalt.co.uk or www.dewalt.ie
Active Vibration Control (AVC):
reducing vibration at source is
critical and the introduction of the
chain-drive mechanism (with less
moving parts) and the optimised
hammer mechanism helps to
do this.
Floating rear handle and
vibration dampened side handle:
this unique design helps to further
reduce vibration
DEWALT ® has led the way in reducing
vibration in its hammer range over the
past 10 years with the introduction
of Active Vibration Control and
continues to lead this market in
2010. What is most important is
to increase performance but at the
same time deliver less vibration.
The new range is testament to that
philosophy and does indeed deliver
better performance with less vibration.
The end result is the tools are more
comfortable for the end user, allowing
increased usage time as well as
improving the speed of application.
the neW Range Will ConSiSt of 4 unitS:
D25501K 1100w standard unit
D25601K 1250w, electronic variable speed/impact, floating handle
D25602K 1250w, electronic variable speed/impact, floating handle, CTC
SPECIAL REPORT
D25831K chipping only unit with 1200w motor, electronic variable impact and floating handle
D25501K D25601K D25602K D25831K
POwER INPUT 1100 Watts 1250 Watts 1250 Watts 1200 Watts
POwER OUTPUT 500 Watts 615 Watts 615 Watts 615 Watts
LOAD SPEED 400 rpm 210-415 rpm 210-415 rpm
BLOwS PER MINUTE 2740 bpm
1430-2840
bpm
1430-2840
bpm
August 2010
N/A chipping
only
1420-2840
bpm
IMPACT ENERGy 11 J 1.5-12 J 1.5-12 J 2-12 J
TOOL HOLDER SDS-Max SDS-Max SDS-Max SDS-Max
MAx. DRILLING CAPACITy
(concrete)
MAx. DRILLING CAPACITy
(breakthrough bit)
40mm 45mm 45mm N/A
55mm 65mm 65mm N/A
VIBRATION 18.3m/s 2 9.2m/s 2 9.1m/s 2 8.3m/s 2
COMPLETE TORqUE CONTROL
(2-step clutch)
COMBINATION
(hammer drill and chopping)
No No Yes N/A
Yes Yes Yes Chipping only
17

SPECIAL REPORT
introduction
The excavator, or more
specifically its excavating
arm and array of possible
attachments, is well
recognised for its multitude
of practical uses. This
applies to, for instance,
the tracked excavator, its
rubber wheeled cousin
and the dipper arm of
a backhoe loader.
In addition to excavating,
the arm and chosen
attachment might be used
for a variety of tasks such
as loading or moving
spoil; grading or levelling;
pushing, pulling or otherwise
moving heavy objects along
the ground; breaking out
hard materials and so on.
Another popular application
is to use the arm to lift,
move and place materials
or components – what we
will term here as ‘using an
excavator as a crane’.
However, there is a big
difference between the
former ‘more general’ uses
18
August 2010
and the latter – a difference
which exposes the machine
and its owner to important
relevant lifting legislation
and brings with it additional
significant hazards. We
will consider these issues
of legislation and hazards
relating to using excavators
as cranes, in turn.
using an excavator
as a crane – some
health and safety
legislation
There is much health and
safety legislation that
applies to excavator use
and although this is not
the focus of this article,
two important items
worthy of mention are The
Provision and Use of Work
Equipment Regulations
(1998) and The Supply
of Machinery (Safety)
Regulations (2008). It
is when an excavator
is used as a crane that
additional health and safety
legislation takes effect (on
the owner and operator);
but when exactly does this
excavators
used as cranes
additional legislation apply?
International Standard EN
474-1: 2006, identifies that
the critical point at which an
excavator is considered as
being ‘used as a crane’ is
when it commences ‘object
handling’. Object handling,
according to EN 474-1 is
application of the excavator
to, “...lifting, lowering and
transporting of a load by
use of lifting accessories,
whereby the assistance of
a person or the operator
of the machine is required
for hooking, unhooking,
or stabilising (while
transporting) the load”. A
typical ‘load’ in this instance
might be a pipe that is lifted
for placing into a trench
that the excavator has just
prepared. Lifting accessories
includes things like chains,
straps and shackles.
Other excavator functions
identified in the standard
such as “...excavating,
loading, transporting,
spreading, compacting or
trenching of earth, rock
“everyone’s talking about it!”
Article by Gary Holt BSc(Hons), PhD,
FCIOB, Loughborough University’
or similar materials” are
considered ‘earth moving’
operations and not therefore
prone to this additional lifting
legislation. To avoid any
confusion here, generally, if
an excavator picks up a load
in its bucket (or grab etc.)
without the added assistance
of a person for hooking,
stabilising or unhooking
it, then this is not deemed
to be object handling.
When being used for
object handling (i.e. using
the excavator as a crane)
excavators and their lifting
accessories are subject
to the requirements of
the Lifting Operations
and Lifting Equipment
Regulations 1998 (‘LOLER’).
Broadly summarised,
LOLER requires that lifting
equipment is: strong enough
for the intended use; marked
to indicate safe working
loads (SWLs): used safely
such that the intended lifting
is planned and performed
by competent workers; and
subjected to an ongoing
inspection regime.

The latter will include daily
and routine inspections
along with ‘thorough
examination’ by a competent
person in accordance
with specified cyclic time
limits. The interpretation
and implementation of
requirements of LOLER are
quite detailed and specific,
so appropriate professional
guidance on them should
be sought by owners and
operators as appropriate.
using an excavator as
a crane – additional
significant hazards
There have been several
health and safety incidents
(or near-misses where
potential incidents were
discovered in time) involving
excavators used as cranes.
The main two types of
hazard are presented by:
1. failure in lifting
accessories; and 2. failure
at the point of connection
between lifting accessories
and the excavator (the latter
may be via a dedicated eye
on a bucket or quick-hitch
for example). When a
failure is catastrophic
– that is, a component
or accessory breaks or
fails totally and without
warning – then the hazards
of falling loads need no
further explanation here.
Of course, these are not
the only hazards. Others
relate to things such as
machine stability during
the lift (especially when
reaching or slewing), other
workers in the machine’s
operational area, use of
incorrect accessories and
work being undertaken by
non-competent persons
(e.g. for slinging and
signalling). However, let
us briefly focus on the
two main hazards relating
to component failure.
failure in lifting
accessories
This would be failure in
an item such as a steel
chain or a nylon strap.
Although wear in the item
might be noticed before
failure occurs, the failure
can often occur without
warning. Typical reasons
for this include the SWL
of the accessory being
exceeded or the presence
of a weakness in the
accessory due to abrasive
damage upon it. In practice,
abrasive damage happens
when an accessory comes
into physical contact
with the load or a part
of the machine, such as
when a lifting sling rubs
against the back of an
excavating bucket.
For multiple slings, failure in
one component places extra
stresses into the remaining
ones and so failure can be
progressive, with typical
results of this being that
the load becomes unstable
and in the extreme, falls.
Principal control
mechanisms to avoid
failure in lifting accessories
include: using accessories
appropriate to the nature of
the work; using accessories
with an appropriate SWL
rating; and slinging /
designing / carrying out
the lift so as to avoid any
physical contact between
accessories and anything
else. A freely suspended
set of straps or chains
attached using a master link
to a dedicated lifting eye
on the machine is optimal.
failure at the point
of connection
The risk here is similar
to the last, where the
connection may make
Figure 1
Diagrammatic
Representation
of Magnified
Stresses
Master link
& quick-hitch
contact
Lifting sling or
chains attached
to load
physical contact with
the machine during the
lift. However, the failing
mechanism is often
different; rather than
occurring as a result of
damage due to abrasion,
the risk is that a component
will become lodged against
the machine and, due
to its configuration, the
stresses imposed within
it become magnified due
to the effects of leverage.
That is, although the
component will have an
adequate SWL for the load
to be encountered, this
magnifying effect causes
stresses far in excess of
this, sometimes by as much
as a factor of 6, 7 or 8
times (depending on the lift
configuration and accessory
size). Catastrophic
failure often results from
this kind of hazard.
A typical example in
practice would be where
an operator moves a quick
hitch about its knuckle joint
(that has a master link and
set of lifting chains attached
to it via a dedicated lifting
eye); to fine-tune positioning
during placement of a heavy
component. If the master
link is trapped against the
quick-hitch, further crowding
causes the furthest part
of the link to now act as a
lever as it moves upward
in an arc. This means that
the load suspended from
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
Movement
SPECIAL REPORT
D-shackle through
lifting eye
Quick-hitch with
the attachment
(e.g. bucket)
removed while the
dipper arm is being
used for lifting
As quick-hitch is moved upward, master
link is forced outward and upward
inducing greater forces into it
it magnifies the stresses
within the link’s arms
possibly to the point
that failure will suddenly
occur. Figure 1 shows
this in diagrammatic form.
(The above is but a brief
description of this concept.
For a more complete
explanation with a worked
numeric example, see
the scientific paper by
Edwards and Holt (2010)
listed in the bibliography).
Damage to the
accessories may not
always be catastrophic
– gradual component
degradation
can sometimes prevail.
In such instances, the
‘flattening’ of metal
surfaces might be noticed
in the lifting accessories
(master link for example).
These should instantly
be taken out of service
and the lifting method
redesigned so as to
avoid this contact from
reoccurring.
The principal control
mechanisms to avoid
failure at the point of
connection are as for
failure in lifting accessories
described above, but also
to always ensure that
lifting accessories hang
freely from the lifting eye
and never become lodged
or trapped against the
machine during a lift.
August 2010
19

SPECIAL REPORT
Summary
Where an excavator lifts
materials or components
with the added assistance
of a person for hooking,
stabilising or unhooking
such, this is deemed to be
object handling (using an
excavator as a crane).
Using excavators as
cranes will subject them to
additional health and safety
legislation – particularly
LOLER. This in turn places
additional legal duties upon
the owners / operators
of such excavators.
Using excavators as cranes
brings additional health
and safety risks, the most
significant of which can be
failure of lifting accessories
and failure of the connection
between accessories
and the machine.
In addition to well
entrenched health and
safety guidance on the safe
use of work equipment,
the best ways to offset the
Figure 2 Diagrammatic
representation of a freely
suspended load
20
August 2010
risks of lifting accessory /
connection failure are to:
always ensure that
loads are freely
suspended from
the machine; (see
Figure 2) and
ensure that at no
time are accessories
allowed to make
physical contact with
the load, or any part
of the excavator.
footnote
The content of this
article is for broad
information only and not
in any way meant to be
definitive guidance on
this potentially complex
subject. Readers
who might own / use
excavators as cranes
(e.g. for object handling
or ‘lifting operations’)
should seek professional
guidance where necessary
if any doubt exists on
this subject as to, for
example, their liability
under or compliance
with, relevant law.
Bibliography
SPECIAL REPORT
Earth-moving Machinery – Safety – Part 1:
General Requirements. British Standard BS EN
474-1: 2006. The British Standards Institution.
Edwards, D. J. and Holt, G. D. (2010). Case Study
Analysis of Risk from Using Excavators as ‘Cranes’.
Automation in Construction. Vol.19, No. 2, pp.127-
133. ISSN: 0926-5805 (print). Amsterdam: Elsevier.
DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.autcon.2009.12.013.
The Provision and Use of Work Equipment
Regulations 1998. Statutory Instrument 1998 No.
2306. Accessible via the UK Statute Law Database
at: www.statutelaw.gov.uk/Home.aspx.
The Supply of Machinery (Safety) Regulations
2008. Statutory Instrument 2008 No. 1597.
Accessible via the UK Statute Law Database
at: www.statutelaw.gov.uk/Home.aspx.
The Lifting Operations and Lifting Equipment
Regulations 1998. Statutory Instrument 1998 No.
2307 Accessible via the UK Statute Law Database
at: www.statutelaw.gov.uk/Home.aspx.

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August 2010
21

SPECIAL REPORT
Interview with
Richard Shore
Early days
Richard grew up in the traditional mining
village of Maltby, South Yorkshire and
went to the local Maltby Comprehensive
School. Richard’s grandfathers had both
been coal miners but his parents were
teachers. At his prime, Richard’s dad
was actually a heavyweight boxer and
sparred with the British Heavyweight
Champion of the time, Bruce Woodcock,
but he went on to become a PE
instructor teaching boxing and later
technical drawing. Richard’s mum was
an infant school teacher. Both parents
22
August 2010
encouraged Richard at school and
advised him to take his O levels and A
levels, which he did - Richard remembers
his mother saying “Once you’ve got it
they can’t take it away.”
On leaving school in 1974, Richard
was keen to work and earn a wage,
but unlike most of his friends who went
to British Steel or the National Coal
Board, he wanted something different,
although, what that something different
was he was not too sure. After some
“everyone’s talking about it!”
In each issue of
PEP we seek out
interviews with
leading figures
within our industry
to provide an
opportunity to
document and
learn from their
experiences and
knowledge. In this
interview, we speak
to a highly respected
and successful
professional Mr
Richard Shore,
MD, Mentor who
incidentally was also
one of the founding
members of OPERC.
As his story unfolds,
the traits of good
business management
emerge as helpful
reminders to us all.
discussions with his father, Richard
completed his UCCA (University) forms,
applying for estate management degree
courses, and subsequently accepted a
place at Leicester Polytechnic (now De
Montfort University). He studied there
for three years and graduated with a
degree which gave full exemption from
examinations to join the Royal Institute
of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and
become an Associate member (ARICS).
Richard decided, however, that a job

in this field was not for him and on
completion of the degree in 1978 he still
didn’t know what to do. He wandered
for a while, taking up a number of jobs
ranging from manual labouring to grape
picking in France. Richard had met his
first wife at school and being the typical
business man with an eye for a deal –
he combined the grape picking with a
honeymoon! Better still he went on this
trip with £50 and came back with £200
– an early sign of his business flare.
On the career
ladder
After the trip Richard came back to
the UK, returning to Yorkshire, and
found a job as a trainee sales engineer
at Jungheinrich, at that time a fairly
small German fork lift company who
were just getting established in the
UK. Finally Richard found something
that he enjoyed and his career with
the company progressed rapidly. He
was the youngest ever regional sales
manager at 27 years old and ran the
South East operations based in Essex.
Richard became the head of a team
who grew market share from virtually
nothing to over 16% in just under four
years, selling equipment and services
to Ford Motor Company, Unilever,
Safeway (now Morrisons), British
Telecom, Sainsburys and many other
blue chip companies. Richard cut his
teeth at Jungheinrich for 9 years in
total, leaving the company during the
early part of 1988.
At this time, the Information Technology
(IT) industry was booming and
Richard became tempted with a career
change. He noticed how IT experts
had a tendency to talk down to their
customers and users and he felt
that there was a much better way of
communicating with others. As a result
Richard applied to, and successfully
joined, Apple (THE company to be with
at that time) as a salesman working
with dealers to promote Apple products.
Richard recalls that the initial training
was amazing, consisting of 12 days
of sessions from 8am-7pm, complete
with the Apple company song – and it
didn’t stop then as any preparation for
the next morning had to be done on
the evening! Richard notes though that
the Apple approach really inspired him
and his colleagues to be part of this
company.
One of Richard’s dealers was an
inspirational professional, Joe Exley,
who had developed software for stock
control and design of carpets so that a
roll of carpet could be optimised when
cutting to reduce waste. Joe was the
company owner and strongly believed
that there was a market in the UK for
this software product that had been
co-developed in Australia. Richard
really liked Joe, the product and the
Barnsley sense of humour so he
joined the company as Sales Director.
During his time there (1988 through
to 1994) the product did really well
and the company quickly became the
market leader in the carpet distribution
industry. Sadly, Joe died prematurely
leaving his majority shareholding to his
3 sons and shortly afterwards Richard
left the company and decided to return
to his ‘fork truck’ roots.
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
SPECIAL REPORT
Jungheinrich had just bought Boss
fork trucks in Leighton Buzzard and
Richard went to Boss to meet their
Managing Director, Bob Bischof former
Managing Director at Jungheinrich
GB and a man that Richard admired
and knew very well. He was offered a
job as Sales Operations Manager and
was responsible for setting up rental
divisions within the company to rent
forklifts, and for providing technical and
marketing support to sales staff around
the country. After three years Boss
decided to set up separate businesses
to give better company service to
customers and Richard was made
Managing Director in the South East.
The business prospered over the next
2-3 years but there was a change in
management and policy at Jungheinrich
to have one company, not several, and
they merged them all together. Up to
that time Richard had been encouraged
by Jungheinrich to organise a
management buyout of the South East
operation and therefore didn’t agree
with the new policy so he decided to
move on to pastures new.
August 2010
23

SPECIAL REPORT
Acquiring and
growing Mentor
Richard next took up the role, in 2000,
of Commercial Director at Linde,
based in Basingstoke and during his
time there crossed paths with the then
owners of Mentor who were planning
to sell the business and retire. Richard
and the owners quickly agreed a basis
for a deal, an arrangement that had
particular attractions as it would mean
amongst other things the opportunity
to move back to the north. The original
plan was to work alongside each other
and Richard would acquire shares in a
ratcheted financial deal, acquiring more
shares incrementally over time. The
relationship worked well for just over
a year as Richard learnt more about
the training business and in April 2002,
Richard and John Neal bought the
company with the support of Royal Bank
of Scotland and their venture capital arm.
Mentor was a sizeable provider of fork
truck training, having been established in
1988. By 2002 the company had grown
from just a few instructors working from
a back-bedroom to 50 instructors in new
premises in Chesterfield. Since acquiring
Mentor, Richard has consistently built
on the strength in fork truck training and
now the company is at least four times
bigger than its nearest competitor!
Richard has also listened extensively
to his customers and has improved
24
August 2010
both training content and delivery,
as well as diversifying the range of
courses offered. Now, in addition
to fork lift trucks, Mentor also offers
training on cranes and access
platforms – indeed, Mentor are now
the largest independent IPAF training
company and the fifth biggest in the
country overall. Four years ago at
the invitation of Cemex and Hanson,
Mentor expanded into plant training
within the extractives industry and
have been approved by MPQC
since 2004. Today, major customers
include Travis Perkins, Asda, Tesco,
Homebase, Corus, DHL and a good
wealth of other blue chip companies
whilst in the extractives sector,
Hanson, Aggregate Industries, Cemex
and others are regular customers.
So what differentiates the company
from its competitors and why has
Mentor been so successful? Good
leadership and dedicated employees
is one obvious answer – but Richard
adds more: “About two years ago the
recession affected all companies;
our solution was to go out and talk
to people to seek new contacts
within the industry. Traditionally
conservative companies (‘we’ve
always done it this way so we see
no reason to change’) began to look
at alternatives with lower costs but
higher quality. Because we actively
marketed Mentor’s services throughout
industry, we were able to capitalise
upon this economic turbulence by
offering national coverage, good
quality training, competitive costings
and ready availability (short waiting
lists/times to training). This strategy
has worked because the company’s
sales have grown exponentially. We
now have 130 training instructors
nationwide and are three times the
size as a business that we were in
2002 - with satellite operations in
Scotland and the West Midlands.”
Most would agree that it is a
remarkable achievement for
a company to grow during a
recession and this seems to be
down to pure grit and determination
backed by a quality product and
superb team of professionals.

The future at
Mentor
When asked about the future of
Mentor, Richard said: “There are
lots of complementary areas that
we are currently exploring and we
are constantly being approached by
existing customers to provide them
with the same level of training but in
different areas and on different pieces
of equipment. And, we are finding
growth in third party training – i.e. we
do the training but under someone
else’s banner.
“There are lots of opportunities to
branch out from plant operator and
instructor training and expand into
general health and safety and wider
Lessons learnt
Richard’s career has been a fascinating
roller coaster ride, always on the move
and looking for the latest opportunity –
perhaps this keen eye is what makes
him the successful professional he is
today? So we asked him what lessons
and advice he would offer to others.
Richard said: “In the mining village
where I came from, I was of a small
stature in a tough environment. This
taught me when to fight and when not
to – furthermore to fight only when you
absolutely have to and only if you have a
really good chance of winning! There is
a famous saying attributed to Theodore
Roosevelt that I often remind myself of,
“- speak softly and carry a big stick; you
will go far…..”
“Be careful with your choice of industry
because even if you are the highest flyer
in that industry of your generation, the
wrong choice means that your success
is limited – you have to try to predict the
future and go with the industry with the
greatest opportunity.
“It is important to communicate well
with others, to be clear about your and
your company’s goals and never give
in. Always be on time - being late is the
ultimate rudeness.
“As words of encouragement – be good
at what you do and never be envious
of others. If you are good and enjoy
training too and in the near future we
are hoping to launch a range of new
services using the same philosophy
that has worked so successfully in
recent times.
“We have looked to extend the use of
innovative technology solutions such as
plant simulators but these have proven
not to have been as commercially
successful as we would have liked.
For larger plant items of a value of
say a couple of hundred thousand
then simulators may be worth it, but
for smaller items of plant, it is far more
efficient to buy a machine than pay out
a substantial fee on a simulator.
what you do, you will be successful.
Look beyond the UK because we do
live in an international market and be
prepared to travel or move if that is
important to you. Finally, never whinge
because no-one likes whingers.
“Perhaps the greatest asset is to have a
good supportive partner to be there with
you during the difficult times. My wife
Andrea was a childhood sweetheart
and we were both originally from the
same area in Yorkshire. She married
SPECIAL REPORT
“We’re also looking at e-learning to
facilitate an assessment of existing
operators to determine if retraining
is required or up-skilling on new and
relevant regulations that may impact
upon plant and machinery operation.
“As a progressive and upwardly
mobile company we continuously
scan the marketplace for new
innovative solutions that ultimately
have the potential to improve
the training and competence of
operators. We constantly seek
extensive customer feedback and we
do continually improve what we offer
to the marketplace. “
and moved to Venezuela but came
back to England in 1988 with two
children and two suitcases. We met
up and rekindled our romance. I have
two stepchildren (Joe, 27 and Sofie,
26), a daughter, Jessica, 24, from my
first marriage and a further child with
Andrea, Edward who is now 17. Not
only is Andrea very supportive, but she
is incredibly strong and doesn’t listen
to excuses, so we are very similar. She
is the rock in my life and I couldn’t be
without her.”
Mentor FLT Training Limited
If PEP readers would like
to contact Richard or find
out more about Mentor and
Burley Close, Turnoaks Business Park, Chesterfield S40 2UB
the services it provides, Tel: 01246 555222 Fax: 01246 234184
then please contact:
Examples of tilt tables E: richard.shore@mentortraining.co.uk www.mentortraining.co.uk
August 2010
25

SPECIAL REPORT
never
WaSte an
opportunity
Although waste is an accepted
by-product of many human
activities, we are growing
increasingly aware of the
issues related to our waste
production, such as waste
minimisation, reuse, recycling
and processing. Without due
consideration to these issues
we are in danger of literally
turning our planet into a rubbish
heap. The exact figure for
waste produced in the UK each
year varies significantly across
the various sources, with some
suggesting that the figure is as
high as 100 million tonnes of
waste each year 1 !
26
August 2010
The Department for Environment,
Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) state
that for every one tonne of household
waste produced, a further six tonnes is
created within commercial, industrial
and construction business. They further
claim that manufacturers could save
up to 1% of turnover through the use
of simple, yet effective, techniques
to minimise waste, such as reduced
packaging. The recycling information
centre www.recyle-more.co.uk 2 state
that some 30 million tones of household
waste is produced each year so
multiply this by six to include industrial
waste as per DEFRA’s figures, then
the total waste produced could be as
high as 210 million tonnes of waste
produced each year – a huge figure
by any standard! Worryingly, of this
30 million tonnes of household waste,
approximately 6.7 million tonnes is
attributed to food waste – given an
expanding global population and
anticipated food shortages (the so
called food security issue 3 ), this figure
of food waste is a major concern for
organisations such as Oxfam. Indeed,
Oxfam stated in 2009 that 1 billion
people need help right now to resolve
the global food crisis.
Given the aforementioned, a massive
depletion of natural resources, food
security, an exponential growth in the
global human population (fuelled in turn
by an aging population and higher birth
rates) and consequential environmental
“everyone’s talking about it!”
SPECIAL REPORT
concerns, the UK and other governments
around the world are in the process of
implementing strict waste management
regulations. This push to conserve
resources has inadvertently created
a boom in the increasingly profitable
recycling industry – some would even
suggest that recycling is becoming the
21st century’s equivalent to a gold rush!
Re-use or recycle
construction materials?
Fashion can be a powerful force for good
in a green revolution because bricks,
steel, glass and many other products can
simply be deconstructed and reused on
other projects. Consider the high profile
London Olympics 2012 which have
specifically designed structures that can
be de-constructed and rebuilt elsewhere
after the games – moreover many of the
components for the main stadium have
already been reused from the oil and
gas industry. The official London 2012
website 4 claims: “We aspire to host the
Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2012
in compliance with the British Standard
for Sustainable Events (BS 8901). As
part of this approach we must ensure
that the events we host leading up to the
Games are as sustainable as possible.
We have published our Sustainability
Guidelines for Corporate and Public
Events to help us. A key aspect to our
Guidelines, and indeed our approach to
the Games overall, is ensuring that we
only use or hire what we need.”

On the domestic front, we should
not discount the vogue for old
reclaimed bricks and roofing tiles
to give new homes and gardens
that rustic look and feel.
Other materials such as asphalt
and concrete often cannot be
re-used without first processing
the material – a procedure that
involves breaking, removing,
crushing and screening the
concrete into materials of a
specified size and quality. Once
processed, the screened material
can be used for a wide range of
applications including general
bulk fill, drainage, road base,
embankments and road barriers
and so on.
1 www.recyclezone.org.uk/iz_
wastefacts.aspx
2 www.recycle-more.co.uk/nav/
page2129.aspx
3 www.oxfam.org/pressroom/
pressrelease/2009-01-26/global-foodcrisis-will-worsen-1bn-hungry-peopleneed-help
4 www.london2012.com/index.php
For more information about
waste management visit:
www.environment-agency.
gov.uk/business/topics/
waste/default.aspx
www.defra.gov.uk/
Environment/waste/
Case study
Flannery Plant Hire
(Oval) Ltd
In tackling the issues of waste production
we cannot just rely on the megaprojects
such as the London Olympics
2012; we must also turn to the many
smaller enterprises and organisations
throughout industry who can make an
invaluable contribution to waste reduction.
Indeed there are a growing number of
organisations who are adopting best
practice to address their own waste
production but also exploiting the
opportunities that are available in the area.
Whilst considering how the construction
industry is dealing with waste, let us
take a snapshot look at Flannery Plant
Hire (Oval) Limited who are now helping
to keep London clean and productive
by recycling construction waste.
About three years ago the company
opened a recycling plant to take
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
SPECIAL REPORT
advantage of a yard that came
up for sale next to their present
offices in north London.
Patrick Flannery said: “We saw an
opportunity to become greener as a
company on one hand but open up a
new business opportunity on the other.
So we purchased mobile crushers
and screeners and can now crush and
screen to any specification required
from type 1 and 2 to oversized, reject
sand, recycled shingle and so on. As
an incentive to hauliers, we offer a free
tip for clean concrete although there
is a charge if the material is not so
clean – mainly because of costly tipping
charges today. The business has grown
and today we recycle about 5,000
tonnes of material per day and there
is growing demand for our services.”
As a company, Flannery Plant Hire
certainly has its eyes firmly fixed on
the growth and niche areas in which to
operate – a sign of good entrepreneurs!
More than that though, Patrick and his
brother Martin have a real passion for
the job and the industry that they serve.
For industrialised nations to implement
government targets for waste reduction,
we need firms like Flannery Plant Hire
to take on initiatives and adopt new
and novel practices of which, recycling
is perhaps the current growth area for
any economy. Without them, society
would surely outstrip resources and
our environment would be ruined.
For further details, please contact:
Flannery Plant Hire (Oval) Limited, Flannery House, Third Way, Wembley, Middlesex, HA9 0EL
T: +44 (0)870 6092187 F: +44 (0)20 8902 7357 E: info@flanneryplant.co.uk w: www.flanneryplant.co.uk
August 2010
27

SPECIAL REPORT
28
tackling the cost of
owning power tools
August 2010
Over the last eighteen months, there has been
a rapid decline in the UK construction industry
due to the global economic climate. During
these challenging times, a number of companies
within the construction industry have realigned
their businesses to the ever-changing market
place. The majority of construction companies
have had to tighten their belts and monitor
spend, in particular their power tools spend.
Cost of ownership
Most construction companies today
have large tool fleets, which are a
significant expense throughout the year.
It is important therefore, for customers
to ensure that their tool fleets are
procured in the most effective way to
keep additional costs to a minimum.
Purchasing a fleet of power tools is
generally straightforward, as a company
simply specs out the job and then the
purchaser gets the best deal. Although
that all depends on how the ‘best
deal’ is defined. It is useful to consider
whether a ‘best deal’ is defined in
terms of price or whether it is defined
in terms of the cost of ownership.
Cost of ownership is expensive;
research shows that the costs for tool
ownership are increased with multiple
factors, including the frequency of
re-purchase, the amount of downtime
and the direct costs of repair bills. An
independent questionnaire conducted
by LW Associates, revealed that power
tool owners have to put up with long
delays when having their tools repaired,
with many waiting over 5 days for a
tool to be fixed and returned. Overall,
75% of those surveyed said that it was
common for a tool to take over 1 week
for repairs, with 60% citing downtime as
the biggest problem during the delay.
It is useful to remember that different
tools have different lifetimes. In
reality, construction companies often
believe that tools have short lifetimes
so therefore decide to replace not
repair, which consequently adds to
increased costs for ownership. The
companies assume that the tools will
last an average of 1 year and that
they will have to replace them when in
actual fact tools can often be repaired.
Independent research shows that 64%
of battery tools and 61% of grinders
are replaced when they break versus
extending the life with a repair.
For further information on the Hilti Fleet Management
programme, please visit www.hilti.co.uk/hfm or
contact Hilti Customer Services on 0800 886 100

hilti fleet Management
programme
One UK leading tool and equipment
manufacturer, Hilti has reinvented
its business model by understanding
that its customer’s needs are not
ownership of power tools but are
in their use to get jobs completed
faster and safer, with tools that offer
them true value. Hilti consequently
created their ‘Hilti Fleet Management’
programme, changing the perception
of their power tools from products
to services, as well as assisting
customers in the current challenging
market place.
Hilti Fleet Management is a service
programme that offers customers
brand new tools for a small monthly
usage fee. This is an ideal programme
for those companies who may have
little cash outlay in these tough times
but still require the best tools to
complete projects productively. One low
monthly usage fee replaces the upfront
cash outlay on tools and the fee covers
all tool related costs, including tool
usage repairs, servicing, calibrations,
unlimited battery exchanges,
personalised labelling, online tracking
and theft coverage – for up to 5 years.
There are no unscheduled, or surprise
repair bills, so any unknowns are
eliminated.
Tools supplied as part of the Hilti Fleet
Management programme are each
personalised with customised customer
labels, which can incorporate the
customer’s logo if requested. These
labels can be used to deter theft,
assign accountability and increase
transparency. The element of theft
SPECIAL REPORT
coverage within the scheme limits
financial exposure in the event of a
theft and provides a cost effective tool
replacement.
Hilti provide a good example of a
company which has made fundamental
changes to align its business model and
practices to customers’ requirements
in today’s challenging market. The Hilti
Fleet Management programme is a
highly innovative service that will assist
companies with the co-ordination of
tool repairs, budgeting their yearly tool
costs, managing their businesses more
effectively and ultimately reducing their
overall tool spend, which is increasingly
more important in the current
challenging climate. This innovative
service is a proven programme that can
reduce overall tool spend by between
30% and 50%.
August 2010
29

SPECIAL REPORT
Disappointment and
despair walk hand in hand
for the current glut of
graduates who once again
find that hard work, good
results and perseverance
do not, as led to believe,
lead to employment – or
at least not for the sixty
eight unsuccessfuls
who are chasing the one
available job according
to recent estimates.
Neither do these graduates see
any positive outcome from the
encouragement they were given by
government and university recruitment
incentives at the outset of their chosen
careers of three or four years ago, when
100% graduate employment and good
salaries were a motivating force to
balance out the worry of a hefty student
loan repayment. But hey, never mind,
if they can manage to find a bar job
30
August 2010
graduate
despair
instead they won’t have to pay it back
yet as the wage will be too low, and
even if they want to live independently
in their twenties does it really matter
when they can go back and be
supported by their parents?
Let us look at one sample case. Back
in 2005 when Verity Beattie was
embarking on her chosen career, there
was an emphasis on the recruitment of
females into the worlds of engineering
and construction.
“Even in High School I was very keen
on Design and Technology along with
Mathematics and prior to GCSE level
I was being encouraged by my DT
teacher and careers advisor to think
about the opportunities in engineering
and construction, particularly as a
woman.
“I fulfilled my potential both at GCSE
and A level and felt excited and
motivated to be able to have a good
choice of University courses in which
I felt I could expand my knowledge,
skills and expertise. I gained 9 GCSEs,
an AS level and 3 A levels all with
good grades and got offers at all
my preferred Universities. I chose
Newcastle University because the
course in Surveying and Mapping
Sciences in the Geomatics department
of the Civil Engineering Faculty seemed
ideally suited to my love of Mathematics
and Geography. Also, being a ‘hands
on’ practical learner, I liked the idea of
the ‘doing’ side of the course“.
Believing that she was on the right
course of action and having no problem
being accepted on the course, Verity
did not delude herself by thinking
that a good degree and having a
conscientious work ethic would be
“everyone’s talking about it!”
enough to guarantee a job at the end
of things, so she set about finding work
placements.
“I worked as an overseen surveyor with
Birse Civils who were building a new
link road and was able to apply some
of the technology and skills I had been
learning on my course. But the most
important learning was experiencing how
the knowledge and skills are applied in
a job and the interrelation and teamwork
which is so important when working
in construction or any other industry. I
felt that the work experience element
was very important in consolidating
and updating what I was learning at
university so I applied for a job with a
firm working on pilot studies for transport
and road schemes. I am still doing some
work with them but like everyone else,
although they would like to be able to
carry on employing me I am about to
finish when the current scheme ends. It’s
the same story everywhere- no money
to spare“.
“now it is all starting to
look very bleak and the goal
i have worked towards for
years seems out of reach.”
Thinking that a good 2.1 degree
might not be enough with the number
of students entering universities to
meet government targets for higher
education, Verity was encouraged
to do a Masters Degree. She chose
Transport Engineering with Operations
as this seemed the ideal route to
develop her interest and talents.
Verity told us: “It was a very hard
decision to make at the time as my
student loan was piling up already even
though I had tried to spend carefully,

ut I thought that if I could carry on and
work part time that I could try to live off
that and I would be able to recoup a bit
when I got a job at the end of it. Now it
is all starting to look very bleak and the
goal I have worked towards for years
seems out of reach. I have worked
so hard for years and there seems
to be nothing at the end of it. It’s so
frustrating.
“I recognise Graduate recruitment
companies are finding themselves in a
difficult situation in the current financial
climate, but they are potentially missing
out on a talented and enthusiastic
workforce whose up to date knowledge,
skills and initiative could energise and
inform a workplace. What happens ten
years down the line?
“I really want to work. It is demoralising
to think that I am working towards
a first in my Masters, have good
work experience and have had
good responses and feedback from
interviews with my prospective
employers but that like most firms they
just aren’t taking people on.”
PRize CoMPetition
M
S
No 8
D
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
Clue: Item of PPE
COMPETITION
Construct-a-gram
Construct-a-gram
A T U S
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
S
K
Can you solve this anagram?
Then email your answer to
pep@operc.com, quoting
“Construct-A-Gram No 8”, and
you could win a copy of Dr Plant’s
Construct-A-Grams (RRP £5.99).
The book contains another 50 of
these brain-teasing anagrams, each
with a humorous illustration by
Geoff Tristram.
Closing date for entries is
Sept 30 th 2010 and four winners
will be drawn at random
from correct entries received.
August 2010
31

NEwS
Firms fined after worker falls
nine metres to his death
An architect’s practice and a
construction company involved in a
Somerset development have been fined
a total of £195,000 following a fatality
on the site.
Express Park Construction Company
Limited (EPCC), of Harley Street,
London, pleaded guilty on 29th July
2010 to breaching Section 3(1) of
the Health and Safety at Work etc.
Act 1974 for failing to safely manage
subcontractors working for it.
The architects involved, Oxford
Architects Partnership, of Bagley
Croft, Hinksey Hill, Oxford, pleaded
guilty to breaching Regulations 13,
and 14, of the Construction (Design
and Management) Regulations 1994,
which require designers to take safety
considerations into account.
EPCC was fined £75,000 and ordered
to pay costs of £68,000 and Oxford
Architects Partnership was fined
£120,000 and ordered to pay costs of
£60,000 at Bristol Crown Court today.
The court heard that on 26 January
2005 David Cairns (64) was working
for EPCC sub-contractors H&F Air
Conditioning Limited, at the newly-built
‘Exchange’ building at Express Park in
Bridgwater, Somerset.
Mr Cairns was working on the air
conditioning plant, which was built on
32
August 2010
a platform accessed via a ladder at
the edge of a flat roof. The roof only
had a low parapet, which was not high
enough to prevent Mr Cairns falling
nine metres to the ground.
Speaking after the hearing, HSE
Inspector Sue Adsett, said: “This is a
tragic case where both the failings of
the construction firm and the architects
led to Mr Cairns’ death. While it is
rare for designers to be charged with
breaching health and safety legislation,
they must be aware they can be held
responsible where bad design is an
important contributory factor to a
work-place fatality. Designers must
ensure that plant and equipment
can be accessed safely, and that
safety harnesses are only used as a
last resort. HSE will not hesitate to
take enforcement action against any
company or individual who fails to
carry out their health and safety duties,
especially when that failure results in a
tragedy, as in this case.”
Mr. Cairn’s family, who were at court,
said: “The loss of David has deeply
affected us all and he will be greatly
missed. Our hope is that lessons
are learnt within the construction
industry so that other similar incidents
are prevented. Safety should be
paramount during all stages of the
building process so that another
family doesn’t have to suffer the loss
that we have.”
The platform access point
from which Mr Cairns fell.
hiRe tRaDe allianCe
takes part in new
CEN workshop 60
Hire Trade Alliance (HTA), the tool
hire trade association dedicated to
helping small to medium size tool and
equipment rental companies in the UK,
recently sent a delegation of senior
members to Brussels to participate in
the newly formed CEN workshop 60.
This workshop has been empowered
by the European Committee for
Standardisation (CEN) to prepare a
business plan with the eventual aim to
produce standard terms and conditions
for the rental industry throughout
Europe.
HTA delegates took their place
alongside several other rental trade
associations and other interested
representatives from within Europe.
The day long meeting successfully
agreed upon the formulation of a new
business plan, ensuring that work can
immediately start on drawing up new
terms and conditions. It is expected
that consultations will take place over
the next 18-months, with the terms and
conditions then being available for use
by any country in Europe.
“We will fully participate in the workshop
in order to ensure that our members,
principally small and medium sized tool
hire firms, are fully represented and
their views are expressed”, promised
Phil Lear, CEO of Hire Trade Alliance.
“Having an HTA delegation within this
group will help to balance the needs
between the larger rental organisations
and the smaller independent outlets.”
The European Committee for
Standardisation has put together the
CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA)
to draw together standard terms and
conditions for rental equipment supplied
without an operator. The intended
outcome is to produce a document
that can be used by associations as
well as by rental companies, and as
a reference point for developing their
own standard terms and conditions for
the rental of equipment to consumer
customers within their own and other
European countries.

Going for Gold
with neW CMPe
Competency Card
The Contractors Mechanical Plant
Engineers (CMPE) has chosen
Commercial & Professional
Qualifications (CPQ) as its preferred
partner in the provision of NVQs to
support a new Gold card scheme.
CPQ is a well-established and highly
regarded provider of NVQs and other
construction based qualifications,
with an enviable client list including
numerous construction, plant and civil
engineering organisations. CPQ has
access to Train to Gain funding and is
Matrix, Construction Awards Alliance,
City & Guilds, CPCS and National
Plant Operators Registration Scheme
(NPORS) accredited.
The CMPE Certificate of Competence
(CoC) for plant operatives
(administered by National Registrar,
Mr Chris Miller) has been available
to CMPE members for many years
and there are over 20,000 holders of
this valued and well-respected proof
of plant operating competency and
experience. In response to requests
Mr Chris Miller, National Registrar for the CMPE’s
Certificate of Competence (CoC)
from many CMPE members, the
CMPE has strengthened and
enhanced the existing CoC scheme
and introduced the new Gold CMPE
Competency Card. Now, if a CMPE
CoC holder or future applicant holds
an NVQ – Level 2 in Plant Operations,
the CMPE will be able to issue the
operator with a Gold Card, which will
stand beside the existing certificate,
proving a greater level of skill and that
the holder has been independently
tested to nationally recognized
standards.
Commenting on the partnership,
James McClean, Managing Director
of CPQ, said: “We are delighted to
be working with the CMPE which is a
much respected, nationally recognized
association that has supported its
members for well over 50 years.
We are pleased that our training
strengths and experience can improve
the standing of an organisation with
that pedigree by enhancing their
competency certification scheme.”
Mr James McLean, Managing Director, CPQ
August 2010
NEwS
oPeRC
announce
next event
Following a successful summer
event at the Health and Safety
Laboratory (HSL) offices in Buxton,
OPERC has announced that
its next event is currently being
arranged for the 19th November
2010 and will be run in conjunction
with Birmingham City University.
The event aims to promote the theme
of innovation and guest speakers
have been invited to give a 30 minute
presentation on this theme to the 100
dignitaries in attendance. If you have
a product or service that you feel is
highly innovative and would like to be
considered to present, then please
contact OPERC at: enquiries@operc.
com. All enquiries are welcomed.
Attendees will learn about the
latest developments, network with
the very best and brightest talent
within industry and preview some
highly innovative and exciting
products. For more information
about the event, please contact
enquiries@operc.com
19 th november
Baker Hall, City North Campus
Perry Parr, Birmingham
Tickets are to be priced at £55
33

NEwS
Humberside Aggregates and
Excavations Ltd, of Newport Road,
North Cave, East Yorkshire, was
also ordered to pay £10,590 in costs
after pleading guilty to three separate
breaches of Quarries Regulations 1999
in the prosecution brought by the Health
and Safety Executive (HSE).
On 28 July 2010 Beverly Magistrates
Court heard that an employee, who
does not wish to be identified, was
being trained as a wheel loader
operator at North Cave Quarry,
Humberside Aggregates and
Excavations Ltd’s sand and gravel
extraction and processing facility.
On 30 October 2009, he was
transporting sand from a stockpile
when the access ramp edge he was
driving on gave way, which caused
34
August 2010
Quarry firm fineD
after worker plunge in
30-tonne wheel loader
A quarry operator has been fined £30,000 after a
30-tonne wheel loader vehicle overturned and slid
almost 16ft down a sand stockpile.
the machine to overturn and plunge
almost 16ft because there were no
edge protection barriers in place. The
trainee lost consciousness, suffered
concussion and was hospitalised for
two days.
The Health and Safety Executive
prosecuted Humberside Aggregates
and Excavations for failing to assess,
identify and minimise potential risk,
and for ultimately failing to protect the
worker.
Following the hearing HSE inspector
Richard Noble said:
“This accident could have been avoided
had sufficient edge protection been
put in place at minimal cost, which has
been the standard within the quarrying
industry for many years.
“everyone’s talking about it!”
“Quarrying remains one of the most
dangerous industries to work in.
Since 2000 more than 3,000 workers
have suffered an injury reportable to
HSE and 24 people have been killed.
Workplace transport is the biggest
cause of fatal accidents within the
industry, and that is why the industry
and HSE work together in a joint
advisory committee to introduce good
practices for quarry operators.
“We are working very hard to reduce
these accidents and fatalities. HSE
produce much guidance on how to
avoid them, so the reasons why this
accident occurred are inexcusable.”
For further information on
quarry safety go to:
www.hse.gov.uk/quarries

Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
August 2010
35

SPECIAL REPORT
oPeRC helps sponsor the
tenovus mobile cancer
support unit
Article by Gary Holt,
OPERC Member
I recently had the pleasure of
completing a sponsored walk with my
partner’s daughter Hannah and a group
of her school friends, who collectively
were raising funds for the Tenovus
charity to help purchase a new mobile
cancer support unit for the County of
Powys. Powys does not host a district
hospital; so resident cancer patients
have to travel up to 80 miles to receive
treatment. Tenovus already operates
one such mobile unit and the present
initiative aims to add another to expand
capability.
The group were all from Builth
Wells High School in mid-Wales
36
August 2010
and they undertook the fundraising
campaign for the community
participation component of their Welsh
Baccalaureate qualification, with
the sponsored walk representing the
culmination of a host of fund-raising
activities that they had performed.
The walk took place around the
perimeter of beautiful LLandrindod
Wells Lake, situated in the Welsh town
from which it takes its name, in the
heart of Powys. This man-made feature
covers approximately 14 acres and
was formed circa 1870 from digging out
marshland, to create a boating facility
for the Victorians who came to the town
to sample its ‘health-giving’ sulphur,
saline and chalybeate spa waters.
Indeed, if you are ever in the area,
the lake and its abundant surrounding
Victorian architecture are well worth a
look at – and you can even sample the
spa waters as well if you
want to!
Notwithstanding a baking sun and
soaring temperatures, the group’s
target of ten circuits of the lake was
completed in less than three hours,
representing a total distance of 7
miles. Blisters aside, the event was
hailed an enjoyable and resounding
success – credit really does go
to these schoolchildren for so
enthusiastically taking up the cause
and applying themselves to it with
such diligence and enthusiasm.
While the final sum has yet to be
accurately determined, between them
participants raised in excess of £1,000
towards the Mobile Cancer Unit. Well
done Emily, Chloe, Christian, Tom,
Katy, Hannah, Charlie and Angharad.
And of course, thank you to OPERC
for being such a willing sponsor!

the existing
tenovus mobile
cancer support unit
Tenovus is the leading cancer charity
in Wales and a part of the service they
provide for the community, is through
its existing mobile cancer unit - ‘The
Bus’. This item of very specialist mobile
equipment provides cancer treatments at
point of contact, including chemotherapy
and emotional / practical cancer support.
The bus was launched in February
2009. Up until the end of March 2010 it
has been open for a total of 214 days in
33 locations throughout Wales, during
which time some 4,068 people have
visited it and 736 treatments have been
provided, with up to 25 patients receiving
treatment on each day of opening.
Over the last five months the range
of treatments provided on the unit
has continued to expand and these
include Bolus 5fu, Mitozantrone,
FEC, Gemcytabine, Continuous
Ambulatory 5fu, Herceptin, Zometa,
Pump disconnects and PICC dressings.
Health awareness days and activities
have also taken place. Additionally, the
bus is used to help promote Tenovus.
More than 1,200 invited guests have
visited the bus and these have included
HRH Princess Anne, Rt Hon. Rhodri
Morgan (First Minister for Wales) and
Dr Tony Jewell (Chief Medical Officer
for Wales).
Some facts and
figures about ‘the Bus’
The Tractor Unit being used to tow the
bus is a MAN TGA that was generously
donated to Tenovus in January 2010 by
Man Truck and Bus. The bus unit is a
Voyager 7 vehicle. The unladen weight
SPECIAL REPORT
of the bus is 32 tonnes, its external
height is 4m and the internal area of the
bus is 57 square metres. The internal
height varies between 2.2m and 3.3m
and the main access (including disabled
access) is located at the rear of the
vehicle.
The bus requires a flat space of 18m
x 7m to set up (roughly 16 car parking
spaces) and to achieve this takes
approximately 2 hours. The bus has two
hydraulically operated pods, which once
opened, double the amount of interior
space available. The unit has its own 30
KVA generator together with a built in
air-conditioning and heating system.
If you would like to donate to
Tenovus, or would like more
information, see:
www.tenovus.org.uk
August 2010
37

PEOPLE
at the hub of things in
neW hilti PoSition
Gareth Lewis has been
promoted to the newly
created role of General
Manager Great Britain (GB)
& Region Head of Northern
Europe for construction
products manufacturer, Hilti.
The position, which replaces and
expands on the preceding Managing
Director’s role, will see him initiate a
new hub that will be responsible for
sales, marketing and purchasing across
several countries, including GB, Ireland,
Sweden, Finland and Denmark.
Lewis, who joined Hilti in 1999,
previously held the title of General
Manager South in North America. Prior
to that he held senior positions for the
company in the USA, Europe and GB.
38
August 2010
“The UK is the second biggest
economy in Europe and coupled with
the business and cultural similarities
with Northern European countries,
it makes eminent sense to have the
significant presence and workforce
in this country,” said Lewis.
“Despite the recession, Hilti is in
a very strong position in terms
of brand, product innovation and
project expertise and the company
uses these credentials to really
add value to our customers.”
“By utilising our strengths in key
areas, such as supply chain
management, technical support
and health and safety, including
our market leading products
designed to minimise dust, working
at height and hand-arm vibration,
I see strong growth potential.”
SPeeDy appoints Mcintyre to
lead expansion into new markets
Steve McIntyre joins Speedy following
a five-year spell as marketing director
for PPG Architectural Coatings (owner
of the Johnstone’s and Leyland paint
brands) and having previously headed
up the marketing team at French utility
giant Gaz de France (GDF Suez).
Before studying marketing strategy at
Chicago North Western University’s
Kellogg Institute in 2001, Steve worked
in an international marketing role in the
oil and gas sector for almost twenty
years, which included several years in
the Middle Eastern Gulf States.
Speedy’s chief executive Steve
Corcoran stated that McIntyre’s
wealth of experience made him the
ideal choice to lead the FTSE-listed
firm’s continuing expansion into
industries outside its core client base
in construction and into related support
services, as well as its presence in the
Middle East.
“everyone’s talking about it!”
He said: “We have evolved from an
equipment hire firm to become a
leading business to business support
services company within the UK
construction sector and are now
establishing ourselves as a provider
of choice to major asset owners in
industries like infrastructure, energy
and facilities management.
“Steve’s experience in some of these
sectors both in marketing and at an
operational level will make him a huge
asset to the business.”
Commenting on his appointment, Steve
McIntyre said: “I’m joining Speedy
at a hugely significant stage in its
development as it continues to grow
its presence in new markets as a total
supply chain partner.”

neW london business
development manager for
Morgan Sindall has appointed
Kathy Bagster as its new business
development manager for London.
Kathy, who began her career as a
project engineer in Australia, will
drive the strategic development
of Morgan Sindall’s operations
throughout London from the
company’s Golden Lane office
at EC1.
“I’m delighted to be joining the
Morgan Sindall team in London,” she
said. “This is a particularly exciting
time for us with the recent merger of
our Group’s construction, design and
infrastructure businesses to create
Morgan Sindall. The new business
creates one of the biggest and most
robust construction companies in the
UK, as well as creating significant
new opportunities for further
business growth and development.
I’m looking forward to working
towards our goal to be the leading
construction and infrastructure
company in the UK.”
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
August 2010
PEOPLE
MoRgan
SinDall
She added: “I hope to bring my
experience to help us develop the
business with a particular emphasis
on building long-term relationships
with clients and design partners in all
sectors, particularly in health, education
and commercial. We are committed
to delivering high-quality, value-formoney
schemes which are sustainable,
innovative and creative – delivered on
time and to budget.”
In London, the company is working on
a £26 million design and build contract
to carry out a roof refurbishment at
Paddington Station for Network Rail, as
well as a scheme to extend Stratford
International Station ahead of the 2012
Olympics and a contract to re-roof
platforms one to four at Marylebone
Station.
As part of the MVB joint venture, Morgan
Sindall is delivering the £400 million Lee
Tunnel scheme for Thames Water, as
well as the Brixton to Honor Oak Ring
Main project, also for Thames Water.
MENTOR appoints neW product
manager for extractives sector
Following a successful venture into the
quarrying and mining sector, Mentor
Training has recently appointed Steve
Parfitt as its new Product Manager,
Extractives Sector. This follows a major
surge in demand for the company’s
services within this sector of industry.
Steve is highly qualified and
experienced for the role, having
worked within the industry for over
25 years since leaving school, 20 of
which he served with Foster Yeoman.
Within Mentor, Steve is responsible
for all training on heavy plant, both for
operators and instructors, and has also
taken on a developmental role to ensure
that courses are current, relevant and
cover all relevant legislation.
Steve said: “I thoroughly enjoy
working with Mentor because of the
professionalism inherent within the
company and the vision for the future
which aspires to make training both
better for industry, more relevant to the
man in the machine and cost effective
– high quality but simplistic. Customers
want to know that they get a good
package of training and that at the end
of it, their workforce is competent and
safe to operate the machine. I’m looking
forward to the future and to progressing
the company within the heavy plant
sector.”
Steve can be contacted at Mentor FLT Training Limited, Burley Close,
Turnoaks Business Park, Chesterfield, S40 2UB, tel: 01246 555222
39

CONVEX MIRRORS | CAMERA SYSTEMS | OBJECT DETECTION | STROBE LIGHTS | SAFETY WHIPS
SPECIAL REPORT
think safety
think spillard
Everything we do at Spillard has a single aim - to make mobile plant
and vehicles as safe as possible for the workers on site and for the
people who operate them.
No other UK company offers such a complete range of specialised
safety equipment and systems for use in this area.
Because we’re dedicated to safety, we’re able to concentrate on
key aspects of legislation – and we go to enormous lengths to
meet the most demanding standards.
Every item we supply is carefully developed using the
best available technologies. It’s stringently tested, fully
guaranteed, and customised to meet the specific needs of
the application.
And it’s backed by the expertise of people who understand
the industry inside out – with deep experience and a strong
track record in every aspect of field operation, design,
manufacturing, assembly, supply and service.
As well as being one of the UK’s leading suppliers of specialised
safety equipment to the quarrying and mining industries, our
wide customer base includes many household names in
construction, vehicle manufacturing and defence.
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL
01902 797930
email: sales@spillard.com www: spillard.com
40
August 2010
VISION
DETECTION
RESTRAINT
WARNING
CONTROL
SERVICE
msc1884

Training and Testing
Specialist in construction plant and
equipment operative training and
assessment.
Courses tailored to suit client’s
specific site requirements.
Anywhere in the UK.
Contact:
Mr Mick Norton BEM,
10 Pinders Grove, Wakefield, West
Yorkshire, WF1 4AH
Mob: 07880 743288
Tel: 01924 210817
Email: micknorton@spindoctor.co.uk
www.cpcs-plant-training.co.uk
BaRRy
RoBinSon
ConSulting
Specialist Trainer in Quarrying and
Construction Plant and Equipment.
Contact: Mr Barry Robinson, MBE.
Mob: 07815 736 924
aPPle
inDuStRial
Safety
PLANT & SAFETy TRAINING;
OPERC Safetynet testing, NPORS,
RTITB, CPCS, IPAF, CCNSG, SPA,
VCA and PASMA, UK & Europe.
Mill 1, The Business Park, Mansfield,
NG19 8RL
Tel: 0845 505 2020
Fax: 0845 505 2021
Contact: Kay Knowles
kay@applesafety.co.uk
web: www.applesafety.co.uk
RitChieS
tRaining CentRe
Construction plant training courses,
LGV/PCV training, crane training,
forklift training. NPORS, CPCS,
LANTRA, OCR, FTA, RHA and
Department for Transport.
Hobden Street, Glasgow, G21 4AQ
Tel: 0141 557 2212
Fax: 0141 558 8252
Email: sales@ritchiestraining.co.uk
www.ritchiestraining.co.uk
taSC Solutions
Providing educational resources and
consultancy on specialist plant and
equipment, and services on diamond
drilling rigs, diamond cutting, masonry
saw benches, floor saws and
abrasive wheels.
5 Tavistock Close,
Sittingbourne, Kent, ME10 1JY
Tel: 01795 436435
Mob: 07515 994986
info@adamsconsultancy.org.uk
fielD SaleS
tRaining gRouP
Field sales training workshops
individually tailored to the precise
requirements and
aims of your
company.
ShaRP PRaCtiCe
Management Consultancy with a deep
understanding of the Capital Equipment
Industries and Markets. Specialists in
Private Client research and analysis
of the Capital Equipment Markets on a
Global Basis.
3 Hartwell Grove, Creswell Manor,
Stafford, England, ST16 1RW
Mob: 07932 693 184
Tel: 01785 606 677
Email: info@sharppractice.eu
www.sharppractice.eu
RoBinSon Plant
SeRViCeS
“Giving you full service,
quality and value”
7 Carsic Lane, Sutton-in-Ashfield,
Nottinghamshire, NG17 2AS
Tel: 07812 148711
For a free quote
contact Field Sales
Training Group
info@fieldsalestraininggroup.co.uk
Tel: 07788 480220
richard@robinsonplantservices.co.uk
CLASSIFIEDS
MilleR
Plant
Specialists in the supply of new and
quality used construction equipment
for the UK and abroad; full service
backup and training provided.
Miller Plant, Woodside House,
Pedmore Road, Dudley,
West Midlands, DY2 0RL
Tel: 01384 262400
Fax: 01384 350269
Email: millplant@aol.com
CaRl PalMeR
Master engraver and craftsman.
Hand engraving for trophy prizes and
crystal wear.
Contact: 07751 978731
Geoff Tristram Ltd
Artist, cartoonist and
comedy novelist.
Fine art and
illustration, cartoons
and caricatures.
‘Live’ caricatures at
corporate events.
Humorous talks - ‘Confessions of an
Artist’ - amusing anecdotes from 30
plus years as a professional artist.
Tel: 01384 442881
Email: gt@geofftristram.co.uk
www.geofftristram.co.uk
e&P ConStRuCtion
SKillS liMiteD
Professional trainers offering a wide
range of courses to the construction
industry. NPORS Accredited Training
Provider.
Contact: 55 Oldfield Drive, Vicars
Cross, Chester, CH3 5LT
Tel: 0845 619 0910
Steve: 07531 725 598
Bobby: 07531 725 650.
tyPing MatteRS
your virtual office assistant
Providing a 24/7 confidential,
reliable and cost-effective on-line
transcription service for
all your typing requirements.
Tel: 01785 606677
Email: typingmatters@ntlworld.com
August 2010
41

NEwS MEGAByTES
42
MB
neWSMegaByteS
BBCel achieve million man
hours without a RiDDoR
The Balfour Beatty Mott MacDonald Area 2
team have reached a major milestone in their
journey to Zero Harm having recently completed
one million man hours on the project without
a reportable (RIDDOR) accident. The entire
project team has worked extremely hard in
driving the project commitment to ‘Make Safety
Personal’ and striving to achieve the Zero Harm
goals.
Costain are tops in graduate
training
The Association of Graduate Recruiters
(AGR) has named Costain the winner of the
Best Graduate Development title in its 2010
awards. The latest award followed on from
the AGR naming the Group top of two subcategories
- strategic alignment and graduate
inductions - in the field earlier in the year. That
was enough for Costain to outpace seven major
organisations including Barclays, Boots and
PriceWaterhouseCooper to the overall prize.
mtrack service hot off the
mark
The effectiveness of the mtrack tracker service
was ably demonstrated in July, with four
customers reporting assets stolen in just two
days. The mtrack protected assets included
two large items of plant equipment, a quad bike
and a rare Ferrari, all found within hours. The
tracking success reinforces mtrack’s reputation
as the world’s leading Stolen Vehicle Recovery
(SVR) tracker system.
Production underway at JCB
Brazil factory
JCB is continuing its investment in global
excavator production capability with the
opening of its newest factory in Brazil where
the first 20 tonne machine, a JS200LC tracked
excavator, has already rolled off the line. Carlos
Hernández, Regional Director JCB in Latin
America said “The Latin American region is
undergoing strong growth this year and our
decision to constantly invest in the expansion
of production capability will help us achieve our
objective of maintaining business growth and
increasing our market share in the region.”
August 2010
Ensure guarding is fitted
to dangerous parts of
machinery
“Opportunity is
missed by most
people because
it is dressed in
overalls and
looks like work.”
Thomas Alva Edison
“everyone’s talking about it!”
Have you thought about
advertising in Plant and
Equipment Professional?
Email us at pep@operc.com
for more details.

For more details please contact:
Mr Chris Miller
National Registrar
Contractors Mechanical Plant Engineers,
Woodside House, Pedmore Road,
Dudley, West Midlands, DY2 ORL
Tel: 01384 352403
Fax: 01384 350269
Email: millplant@aol.com
www.cmpe.co.uk
Don’t be a monkey!
Get trained!
Get competent!
Get the CMPE
Certificate of
Competence.
Special reports, Latest news, Worldwide distribution & Expert opinions
August 2010
43

44
August 2010
NEwS