Play Safe - Managers' Questionnaire on the Way

This year's Play Safe...Stay Safe campaign will kick off with a new questionnaire for quarry managers asking for the latest data on trespass into quarries. QPA needs the latest view of the industry on this important issue to ensure that our campaign is as informed as it can be. The data that we will receive will also help us team up with sites where the problem of trespass is acute allowing QPA to support with local PR and advice to help make a difference.

The web-based questionnaire will be issued to all quarry, wharf and plant managers amongst QPA's members shortly and we very much encourage you to take part. Please contact Tim Parry with any questions on the questionnaire and the scheme for 2008.

Enforcement Notices posted on web site

As from April 1st all enforcement notices issued by HSENI will be posted on its web site. All the notices served by HSENI during 2007/08 are now listed. You can view the notices by clicking here.

Association Writes to Assembly Committees

The Association has written to the Chairmen of the Environment Committee, Regional Development Committee and Enterprise Trade and Invest Committee on issues such as Aggregates Levy Sustainability Fund, Minerals Resource Mapping, Roads Maintenance and the industries commitment to sustainable development. The Association has also extended invitations to the three Committees to visit some of our members sites to view for themselves the standards that the industry now aspire to and the work that many companies do in training and safety, recycling, enhancing biodiversity, reducing the carbon footprint and minimising the environmental impact of their operations, all of which is done within the context of supplying essential construction materials that are needed for a growing and vibrant economy.  

QPANI Welcome Announcement on RPA  

The Association has welcomed the recent announcement by Arlene Foster on the Review of Public Administration. Addressing the structural reform of councils the minister said "In order to deliver the agreed vision for local government the current 26 council areas will be rationalised to create 11 new council area. The ability of councils to connect with and deliver for their communities is central to our vision for local government. This number of councils strikes a balance between reducing some of the diversity between the existing areas in terms of population characteristics and rating wealth, and promoting the ability of councils and their communities to identify and interact with each other.

New innovative and creative models of service delivery will be developed to promote modern and efficient practice, by grouping councils together for the delivery of significant services, such as planning, regeneration, building control and environmental health. These groups should provide the basis for developing conterminously with other service providers".

Functions and services to transfer to Local Government

The Minister outlined that following consideration of the responses to the Emerging Findings report that was published on 19th October 2007, the functions to transfer to local government include:

• Local development plan functions, development control and enforcement
• The public realm aspects of local roads function which include street scaping; town and city centre environmental improvements; street lighting; off-street parking; permitting local events to be held on roads etc.
• Urban regeneration and community development delivery functions including those associated with physical development, area based regeneration (such as neighbourhood renewal) along with some community development programmes and support for the voluntary and community sectors
• A range of housing functions and
• A number associated with driving forward local economic development, local tourism and local arts, sports and leisure.

EmployabilityFEST'08

Calling all companies can get involved with their local Schools and Colleges

The Employability Team at Council for the Curriculum Examinations and Assessment (CCEA) is forging closer links between schools and employers to achieve the Employability agenda. EmployabilityFEST'08 is a two week celebration where schools can engage in activities and is the ideal opportunity for employers and schools to work together.

There are a number of ways to get your company and staff involved with local schools and EmployabilityFEST'08 for example hosting a quarry visit or visiting schools to inform pupils about your workplace and taking part in mock interview scenarios.QPA have a range of resources for you to use including the Careers Campaign flyers

EmployabilityFEST'08 will take place from 12-23 May 2008

For more information and to register your interest click here

Careers - QPA Campaign Connects Members and Recruits

QPA's three careers campaign flyers (for college leavers, graduates and job seekers) are available free of charge by contacting Tim Parry at QPA on 020 7963 8014. One QPA Member who has already taken advantage of the flyers was full of praise for the resources, commenting that "they are well produced and show the industry, quite rightly in a very professional and positive light". The flyers can be used at careers fairs, on school visits, university open days and more. All three point towards the new www.careersinquarrying.co.uk website which gives visitors a modern flavour of quarrying and allows them to submit a mini cv which is then sent to industry employers.

If you're recruiting and have not yet signed up to receive the alerts (which can be tailored to your regional needs), what are you waiting for? The free service can be set up for your company very quickly and the CVs the site has been distributing represent high quality candidates at all levels and in every discipline. Take advantage now, you can even sign up for a limited time until your recruitment needs are met and then drop out until you need it again.

Contact Tim Parry at QPA on 020 7963 8014 and let us help bring the best employees to you.

Members' Training Workshop - Water

In March a workshop was held at OPANI Office for Members looking at the issues of water quality in the freshwater environment, with advice on best practice and pollution prevention measures. This workshop was arranged in partnership with Ballinderry River Enhancement Association (BREA), EHS Water Management Unit, Titan Environmental Ltd and Northern Ireland Reedbed Company (NIRBC). Participants found the training and information constructive and further workshops with be organised relating to Waste, Biodiversity Management and Restoration.

For those of you who couldn't attend the workshop, the presentations from the day including additional information can be accessed here and is made available to all QPANI Members on the members website. Further to Brian O'Neills comments regarding reguialtory consents, a useful resource is provided on Waste Management Regulation for Northern ireland- linking you to the AggRegain website's Step by Step tool for Licensing and Exemptions.

Association supports move to Better Regulation

The Association recently met with EHS, Dr Sara McGuckin, to discuss the Better Regulation Programme. Having reviewed the programme there is a real opportunity to develop a very useful partnership between the regulatory bodies and the business community. The Regional Director reiterated the view that the industry wishes to see a regulatory process that is fair, that is efficient, is well communicated and rewards organisations who actively identify and manage their risks to the Environment.

The industry strongly welcomes the move to have a more pro active and advisory approach to regulation. If we reach the stage of court and prosecution then everyone loses, including the Environment. However there is still a need for strong enforcement and stiff penalties need to be in place as a deterrent for those who don’t want to be helped or persistently offend. QPANI strongly support the wish to streamline regulation by creating a permit to operate that will incorporate different forms of existing permits such as IPC, Water Discharge consent etc.

It is our strong belief that if the Better Regulation Programme can be delivered as intended then the need for an independent EPA is removed.

More meetings are planned with EHS and as CEF are also involved in these discussions a joint initiative under the banner of the Construction Industry Group will now take this issue forward.

The Better Regulation Programme can be viewed at http://www.ehsni.gov.uk/other-index/news.htm?act=d&id=19107 .

Natural Heritage Visit to site

The Association recently facilitated a visit  by a number of Natural Heritage officials to one of our members sites in order that we could better inform them about the industries activities and the challenges that businesses face on a day to day basis. It was a very worthwhile exercise with both QPANI and the Natural Heritage officials enjoying a frank but mutually beneficial exchange of views. It is the Associations view that any official within EHS, or for that matter any other Department, that either regulates or makes decisions about our industry is in effect part of our industry. It is therefore incumbent on us to assist in their awareness and appreciation of industry issues. This is the reason why QPANI plan, with the Departments assistance, to hold many more of these awareness visits and discussion opportunities.

One of the outcomes of the exchange of views was the need for businesses to be more informed as to the value of pre-application consultation with relevant consultees. In fact as part of the Better Regulation Programme EHS are formulating what is called Pre Application Discussions ( PADs).  It is clear that such consultation can remove any issues that might result in lengthy delays once the planning application has been submitted and is being assessed. QPANI are now very keen to agree what could be called “public service agreements” with the various key consultees to ensure that our industry has the knowledge and information available to ensure a fast and effective planning process. This will take the form of a simple communications protocol that will set out key steps and contacts. There is also a need for key third party consultees to be adequately resourced with competent officials to ensure speedy and correct decisions are taken.

Industry Biodiversity/ Geodiversity Strategy launch

We would like to update you with the following launch arrangements for the QPANI “Our Nature with Aggregates” Strategy.

The Strategy which is now out for industry consultation  will be launched on Thursday 22nd May. 11.00am This day is quite appropriate in that it coincides with International Day for Biodiversity. The launch will take place in the Long Gallery Parliament Buildings and is kindly sponsored by Jim Wells, Tommy Gallagher & David Ford. The Association hope to confirm the following speakers, Richard Rodgers Chief Executive EHS, Bob Brown Chairman of the Northern Ireland Biodiversity Group and Ian Enlander who will speak on Geo-diversity and the International Year of Planet Earth. In addition we are delighted to present a special message of support from  Mr Sebastian Winkler Head of European Office of the Countdown 2010 Biodiversity Initiative.

Do you know your carbon footprint?

If the answer to this question is no then you need to be at the forthcoming QPANI / Carbon Trust carbon foot printing workshops. The dates and venues are

June 10th 2.00pm – 4.30pm at QPANI offices Nutts Corner

June 11th 10.00am – 12.30pm at the Glenavon House Hotel Cookstown.

For further information on measuring your carbon footprint visit the Carbon Trust website at www.carbontrust.co.uk/energy . You also may want to find out more information about the new ISO Standard being developed, ISO 14064, visit www.ghgprotocol.org

Official invitations for these events will be circulated to members shortly, but please do get the dates in your diary.

QPA Sustainable Development Survey 2008- last orders please

Could all members who have yet to respond to the QPA's 2008 Sustainable Development survey do so as soon as possible. Our Chairman is expecting responses from all members this year, and even if you are unable to answer all of the questions please respond with the information you have available. Please contact The office or Jerry Mclaughlin or David Yelland with any queries and for information on how to supply data, which can be done electronically or on paper.

£40 Million Fund of Knowledge on Sustainable Quarrying

MIRO and English Heritage, supported by a wide range of stakeholders including the QPA and BAA , have launched a new resource that will help the UK's quarrying industry hit new levels of sustainability and environmental performance.

The resource, which is based on a new website www.sustainableaggregates.com and a suite of reports, brings together a treasure trove of new thinking and ideas.The Sustainable Aggregates publications draw together the outcomes from the best of over 360 ALSF funded research projects, representing an investment of over £40 million, into one easily accessible digest.

The range of topics covered is enormous, and includes: new methodology for monitoring and reducing dust and minimising vibration from blasting; information on how to maximise the biodiversity and geodiversity potential of quarries during restoration; and new techniques for locating and preserving archaeology.

"The quality of information and progress set out in the reports and website is very impressive. It provides a valuable resource for industry" - Simon van der Byl the Director General of the Quarry Products Association.

The research is grouped into four broad themes:

• Reducing the environmental effect: concentrates on the water environment; dust noise and vibration; and transport
• Sustainable provisions of aggregates: focuses on assessment and planning; optimising production efficiency; and sustainable use of by-products
• Creating environmental improvements: looks at biodiversity; geodiversity; and restoration
• Heritage: is devoted to the development of a pool of knowledge; managing impacts on the historic environment; and communicating heritage to the public via outreach projects.

Simon Thurley, Chief Executive of English Heritage, said: "Sustainability is a vital issue for our irreplaceable natural and historic environment, as it is for the aggregates industry, and we are very pleased to have been involved in such a huge initiative."

The resource has made ALSF-funded research more accessible, so that industry operators will be able to draw on this bank of knowledge to deliver real benefits to their own businesses.

The reports are downloadable from www.sustainableaggregates.com.

Adopt an Effective Environmental Management System

Guidance for quarrying and quarry product companies on certification to ISO14001:2004 and opportunities for enhancing Environmental Management Systems, is now available here.

This guidance provides a user-friendly EMS for quarrying and quarry product companies which enables maximum environmental benefits and minimum administrative burden.

Safequarry Launches 'CPD' Facility

An innovative Continuing Professional Development (CPD) reporting facility has been added to www.Safequarry.com that will enable registered users to maintain, save and print a log of their activity (whilst logged in) on this groundbreaking QPA-managed health and safety website.

Any worker, supervisor, manager or director will be able to produce a summary record, over their own specified period of time, of their activity on this website. The Record will provide evidence of your personal commitment to maintaining and developing your work-related competence. The reports provide both a short summary of your activity on Safequarry.com and a more detailed log which lists each 'resource' that you have viewed over that period. The CPD Reports facility is therefore a practical adjunct to any record of Continuing Professional Development.

Safequarry CPD Reports are recognised as valid contributors to the CPD Schemes run by The Institute of Quarrying; the Institute of Asphalt Technology; the Institute of Highway Incorporated Engineers; and others.

The introduction of this new facility provides a further incentive for employers to encourage users to take advantage of www.Safequarry.com. Please encourage your colleagues who have not so far registered, to go to the homepage and click on the grey Click to Register box. To register is very straightforward and only takes around 90 seconds! Register now to reap the benefits of CPD To ensure a complete record, you will need to log in every time you use this website.

Asphalt

QPANI Welcome Pre-action Protocol

The Association has welcomed the Court Service publication of a Pre-Action Protocol. Since 2002 and the beginning of our meetings with Central Claims Unit both QPANI and CCU have been lobbying the Court Service about the need for the introduction of a pre-action personal injury Protocol. The is a Pre-action Protocol for PI litigation, but applies to the high court only. The bulk of claims of course sit within the County Court and with the limit for those cases expected to increase in the near future, there will be fewer cases to which this will apply.

Anything new in this area can be seen as positive and hopefully there will be more to come via the review of civil Justice ongoing process.

Concrete

Concrete Committee visit Cemex site

The Concrete Technical Committee recently visited Cemex North Road Site in Newtownards to view the closed water drainage and recycling system that operates on site. Water management issues are a growing issue for concrete manufacturers and the sharing of information on a matter like this is one that everyone views as non-commercial and one that is critical in improving the industries image.

From left is Brian Curtis Curtis Enterprises, John Rodgers Cemex NI, Willie Doherty Creagh Concrete, Paul Adamson Cemex NI, Pat Ellison Larsen, Gareth Doyle Roadmix, Stephen Dowds Norman Emerson Group, Michael Hardy Patrick Bradley Ltd.

Industry Concern Over Construction Downturn

QPANI in partnership with CEF have made their concerns known to the Strategic Investment board and the Construction Industry Forum over the alarming downturn in construction activity in Northern Ireland. The Regional Director and CEF Managing Director John Armstrong have called on both the SIB and Construction Procurement Directorate to ensure a urgent out-rolling of the Government Departments Investment Delivery Plans in order that the impact of the private sector downturn can alleviated. QPANI figures show that Cement, concrete and aggregates are down an average of over 25% on the same period last year through January and February. The CEF state of trade survey confirmed that these figures were representative of the downturn being experienced in the house building sector.

QPANI and  CEF are now gathering information on job losses and site closures from their respective members to reinforce their call for urgent action by Government. A letter will be sent to all MLAs setting out the current situation that the wider Construction Industry finds itself in. 

QPA Condemns 25% Levy Increase in Two Years

QPA issued a press statement shortly after Alistair Darling's Budget that branded the Chancellor's decision to index link the Aggregates Levy in 2009 as environmentally and economically perverse. Next year's 5p increase in GB amounts to a remarkable 25% increase in just two years.

In the press release Simon van der Byl commented "the Government claims that the Aggregates Levy is being increased 'to maintain its environmental impact', but as it has yet to produce any evidence of the green benefits of the tax, there is no justification for the increases. The QPA has been asking Government for environmental benchmarks with which to monitor the effectiveness of the Levy since its introduction in 2002. Government has refused to publish any such benchmarks or to carry out any assessment of the environmental impact of the Levy, but continues to claim significant environmental benefits"

Quarry Companies Fined in Silicosis Cases

Following a routine unannounced inspection, an HSE Inspector discovered that an employee had contracted silicosis and that a number of others had been exposed to levels of Respirable Crystalline Silica (RCS) in excess of the workplace exposure limit. Dunhouse Quarry Co Ltd of Staindrop, Darlington, County Durham was fined £3,750 after pleading guilty to breaching the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulations 2002 by failing to ensure that employees' exposure to RCS was adequately controlled. The case was brought by HSE. The company was also ordered to pay costs of £8,177.

HSE Inspector Andrea Robbins said: "This prosecution serves to publicise the need for employers to be vigilant in identifying substances which can affect their workers' health. In particular, companies who generate stone dust, which contains silica, must take precautions to protect the health of their employees. Trades most at risk include stonemasons and quarry workers."

In a separate case, Robert Thomas Charlton, trading as Border Stone Quarries, of Kirkholmdale, Haltwhistle, was fined £6,000 plus £7,602 costs at Tynedale Magistrates' Court, Hexham. Mr Charlton similarly pleaded guilty to charges of breaching COSHH, but also of breaching RIDDOR for failing to notify the HSE of a case of ill-health.

European Issues

Click here to download the latest edition of EU Insight, the newsletter from the UEPG.

Companies recognised at NI Business Awards

Three QPANI member companies where recognised at the recent NI Business Awards in the Ramada Hotel Belfast. Tobermore Concrete won Business Team of the Year. The judges were impressed by Tobermore`s focus on quality; the world renowned European Foundation for Quality Management award was presented to the company in Athens last October. In the last three years, the company has also won a series of other high profile awards including the UK Business Excellence Award 2005, the CIM Sales Excellence and Overall CIM Winner Award Winner 2205.

CDE were highly commended in the same category and in the Innovation for Business Improvement. Whitemountain Quarries were also highly commended in the people development category.  

QPANI Awards

2008 Environmental Awards

The Environmental Awards have been given a fresh look for 2008 and all information is available on the QPANI website. The extended application period will be closing on the 30th May so please be sure to get your application in before then. If you have any queries please contact Laverne at the QPANI Office.

For more information on the Environmental Awards please click here.

To download an application (pdf) for the Environmental Awards please click here.

2008 Health & Safety Awards

The Health & Safety Awards held jointly with HSENI will be held on the 15th October at the Glenavon Hotel, Cookstown. As with the Environmental Awards the extended application period will be closing on the 31st May so please ensure all applications have been forwarded by this date. If you require any further assistance please contact Gordon at the QPANI Office.

To download and application (pdf) for the Health & Safety Awards please click here.

Events Diary