The Professional

ENGINEERIssue 66, Summer 2009

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Features inthis Issue

The Society ofProfessional Engineers

was founded in 1969.

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3. The Editor Writes3. News From Council3. Tips of the Trade4. The President Writes4. Lewisham’s Grade I Gem5. Radical Bat Project Takes Wing

5. Competitive Bids Assured6. Monumental Achievement7. Some Interesting Signs8. The Age of Enlightenment8. UK’s Biggest Crane

Lifts M8 footbridge

9. The Health & Safety (Offences) Act 200810. Legal Developments: Accidents Can Help10. CV Quality the Key to Successful

Job Hunting12. Conservation Principles

in Practice

The SamanidMausoleumat Bokhara

2

PATRON To be appointed

VICE CHANCELLORS The Earl of YarboroughLord Alistair Nelson of Stafford 4th BaronThe Earl of Lytton

PRESIDENT HARDCASTLE, David John, P.Eng., Hon.F.S.E., F.C.M.I., B.Ing. (Germany)45 Crossway, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5LD.

IMMEDIATE DIXON, Brian R., BA, P.Eng., A.B.Eng, MCCES, P/PGIS., Hon. FHKIConst.E, Hon.FASI, SASPE, MSPEPAST PRESIDENT 1 Scotts Court, 46 Station Road, Alderholt, Fordingbridge, Hampshire SP6 3RB

PAST PRESIDENTS HARDCASTLE, David John, P.Eng., Hon.F.S.E., F.C.M.I., B.Ing. (Germany)

Ing .P. Eur. PARRATT, David Gordon, LLB., P.Eng., FRICS., FCIArb., MAE., FBEng.18 Orchard Close, New Alresford, Hampshire SO24 9PY

VICE PRESIDENTS GERRARD, Brian W., BSc(mech), P.Eng., MIET6, Pocket Nook Road, Chew Moor, Bolton, BL6 4HN

PARKER, James Malcolm, P.Eng.,17 South Side, Hutton Rudby, Yarn, Yorkshire, TS15

HON. SECRETARY WATT, Arthur, P.Eng1, Farrow Drive, Corpach, Fort William, Scotland, PH33 7JW

HON. TREASURER WATT, Arthur, P.Eng1, Farrow Drive, Corpach, Fort William, Scotland, PH33 7JW

MEMBERS OF WYNNE, Hugh, BSc, MSc, C.Eng., P.Eng., C.Sci, M.Inst.MC., MBCS., CITP, MIEE, FSPE,COUNCIL 103 New City Road, Glasgow, Scotland, G4 9JX

Ing .P. Eur. ELDERS, Ray, P.Eng., F.I.Diag.E, F.E.I., F.I.A.B., M.I.I.E., A.M.I.Mar.Est., A.F.A.28 Birks Lane, Millhouse Green, Penistone, Sheffield S36 9NB

SEEGER-SNOWDEN, J.A., P.Eng(UK)2, Wood Street, North Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.

HARDY, Barry P.Eng.,3 Baird Garden, Dulwich Wood Park, London SE19 1JH.

NON DIRECTOR Ing .P. Eur. WRIGHT, Iain Allan Cooper, P.Eng., F.S.E., M.B.Eng.MEMBERS OF Guinea Wiggs, Nayland, Colchester, Essex CO6 4NF.COUNCIL Ing .P. Eur. TONDEUR, Charles, ipf (France)

SNIPF, 3 rue Fortia, BP6004, 13484 MARSEILLE, Cedex 20, France(Société Nationale des Ingénieurs Professionnels de France)

SP Eng, HONG KONG CHAPTER Brian R. Dixon, BA, P.Eng., MCCES,President/Director

Cheung Wai Lung, MSc, P.Eng(UK), MCIOB, MASCE, MAIC, MIOSH, M.HKIConst.E., MHKISA, MHKIM,MCCES, MCASA, RSO, CP, FSPE, Chairman / Director

David Ho, BSc, P.Eng(UK), M.Eng.(Const.), MA Const.E., MBIM, MIMgt, MASCE, MHKIM, MCCES, F.HKI.Const.E., FCIOB, FPSSE, FSPE, Director

Daniel S.K. Tang, BSc(Hons), MSc, P.Eng(UK), MCIBSE, MIEE, FHKIConst.E., MBIFM, MSOE, MSPE, Director

OVERSEAS CORRESPONDANTS CANADA USA AUSTRALIA HONG KONGMark El Kadi Ronald Schenk JA Seegar-Snowden The SecretariatChristopher West H.K.I.Const.E.

PAST PRESIDENTS OF THE SOCIETY

1969/70 F.W. HYDE

1970/71 D.J. AYRES

1971/72 S.N.B. GAIRN

1972/73 J.D. BURROWS

1973/74 J. MASON

1974/75 D.J. AYRES

1975/76 J.D. BURROWS

1976/77 T.M. SCANLON

1977/78 S.N.B. GAIRN

1978/79 W.E. HUMPHREY

1979/80 R.C. WYKES

1980/81 V.C. EALEY

1981/83 A.J. BARTER

1983/84 D.J. HARDCASTLE

1984/86 J.A. GARDNER

1986/87 D.T. COATES

1987/90 I.A.C. WRIGHT

1990/91 K.A. STATHAM

1991/93 M.J. PREECE

1993/96 R.J.T. ROLLINGS

1996/2000 G.K. TURNER

2000/02 BRIAN R. DIXON

2002/03 IAN T. FITZHERBERT

2003/05 DAVID PARRATT

2005/08 BRIAN R. DIXON

2008/ D.J. HARDCASTLE

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Members Of The Council And Officers 2009 SPEng

Issue 66 • Summer 2009

3 Issue 66 • Summer 2009

The Editor Writes

Welcome to the summer 2009 publication of theBulletin, in this issue we feature articles on “Fiftyyears of the Friends of Friendless Churches”,“the Health and Safety (offences) Act 2008”,“Accidents can happen”, “Lewisham’s grade 1gem”, “Conservation Principles in Practice” and“the Age of Enlightenment”.

We also give notice of the 40th AnniversaryCelebrations to be held on Monday 14th

December 2009 at the House of Lords, this willbe a “must attend” event and you arerecommended to book early.

And finally, I am always looking for articlesfrom Society members for future Bulletins, and Ishall be pleased to hear from any member thatwould like to contribute.

Brian R Dixon, BA, P.EngEditor

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40th Anniversary CelebrationsIn October this year the Society will be 40years old and a special celebrationLuncheon is to be held at the House ofLords on Monday 14th December 2009.

Enclosed inside the Bulletin you willfind a Booking Form which should becompleted and returned to New Alresfordas indicated, should you wish to attend, and

as soon as possible.Should you wish your wife to attend with

you, please photocopy the Booking Formand submit 2 Forms.

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News from CouncilThe last meeting of Council was held atNorthampton on Monday, 30th March 2009,the President took the Chair and a quorumwas present. Minutes of the last meetingwere confirmed as accurate, but with someconcern in the matter of Charitable Statuswhich would be discussed further before theminutes could be signed off.

It was agreed by Council that membershipapplications from Hong Kong and Chinacould not be accepted for Fellow grade if theUniversity qualification was from Newcastleor Wisconsin.

Ray Needham joined the meeting to

present and discuss the revised Budget, anumber of items would be included in theA.B.E Service Charge which would remainthe same, the Budget was accepted. TheAnnual Accounts for the year ending 31stDecember 2008 were adopted.

The journal was discussed in the absenceof the Editor, it was felt that a greater“engineering” content would be beneficial.

The President had attended eventsarranged by the All Party ParliamentaryClimate Change Group.

It was agreed that the Society should havedirect contact with applicants from Hong

Kong and China, working through theSecretariat of the HKI Const.E.

Additional reports were presentedcovering the Institution of DiagnosticEngineers, Institute of Chartered TechnicalPractitioners of Canada, Hong KongInstitution of Construction Engineers, and theBritish Association.

David Parratt was working on alternativeSPE Letterheads, and there was somediscussion on re-designing the SPEMembership Application Form.

There being no further business theChairman closed the meeting.

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Tips of the Trade site security systems1. Consider the vulnerability of the site.Various systems are available, from a simplemonitored alarm with keyholding responsefacility to an alarm with closed circuittelevision, keyholding response and a PASystem.2. The system should: know when it isbeing attacked and send an alert; remainfunctional for a period if power is lost;include a radio link. CCTV should have

on-site digital recording, a colourmonitor, and provide a log of events, timeand date. 3. Suppliers should be able to provide: aturnkey solution including installation,monitoring and responses; access controlsthat integrate with the security system, ifrequired; and a 24/7 emergency engineercall-out service.4. Use a reputable supplier with Security

Systems and Alarms Inspection Boardaccreditation or similar, and which employesfull-time engineers with Criminal RecordsBureau clearance. The firm should beinsured and ISO9000 certified.5. Consider your long-term securityneeds. Systems are available for hire or forpurchase. If you only plan to be in a placefor a certain period, renting equipmentcould be more cost effective.

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In Numbers7 - The percentage that construction outputwill drop in 2009 to £77.7bn, according tofigures from economic consultant Experian.The plunge was mostly blamed on thecollapse in housing and commercial markets.18 - The number of major school buildingprojects that may be put on hold in 2009 dueto funding problems. So warned GrahamWatts, chief executive of the ConstructionIndustry Council.

60 - The number of days Marks & Spencer iscurrently taking to pay contractors after thetough industry climate forced the retailer tolengthen its payment period from the industrybenchmark of 30 days. Tesco also said itwould slash its suppliers’ fees by up to 50%.250 - The height in metres of the tallest ofthree skyscrapers planned for a site close tothe Shard in London Bridge. Developer SellarProperty Group, London Mayor Boris Johnson

and architects Herzog and de Meuron met lastmonth to discuss plans for the glazed towers,which are primarily residential.700 - The number of jobs likely to be cut atBuro Happold and Faber Maunsell as thecredit crunch continues its assault on theconsulting engineering sector. Faber isthought to be axing 500 employees, or 16% ofits UK workforce, and Buro Happold about200.

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The Samanid Mausoleum (front page photo)The Samanid Mausoleum at Bokhara, wasphotographed by Will Pryce, the tomb

survived Ghenghis Khan and the Soviet era,among other threats. Indeed the Soviet

archaeologist Shishkin helped repair thebuilding in the 1930’s.

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“Nothing is more expensive than a missed opportunity” – H. Jackson Brown Jr.

4

The President WritesWhen something goes wrong how often haveyou heard it said “Well I sent him and email” or “Ileft a message on the voice mail” or even a text.

Technology is a wonderful tool, but how manyseem to forget the pre-computer days whenprogress of an idea or rectification of a problemdepended on inter personal skills.

I suggest that all engineers attempting toachieve, obtain a decision, gain support, or help,or even to deliver good or bad news, mustunderstand the importance of face to face

discussion to obtain a speedy and successfulresult.

However young or old, junior or senior in thescheme of things, please don’t forget how muchthe attention to other persons problems and theimportance of what I would call “gentlemanlybehaviour” (for men and ladies) can make forefficiency, profit and perhaps joy.

My warmest wishes to you all.David Hardcastle, P.Eng.

President

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Issue 66 • Summer 2009

Olympic Stadium Starts To Raise The RoofWork on London’s 2012 OlympicStadium is progressing on schedulewith the first steel section of the roofrecently lifted into place.

The initial roof section was a 30mlong piece of the roof compressiontruss, taking the height of theStadium to almost 37m abovepodium level.

A 1,350t super lift crawler cranehas been assembled in what will bethe field of play to lift eachsubsequent 85t, 15m high roofsection and hold them in place whilethey are bolted to the top of the 27m

high roof support columns.The remaining 27 sections of the

roof truss will be lifted into place overthe next nine months.

Olympic Delivery AuthorityChairman John Armitt said, “Theconstruction of the roof starts to givereal indication of the height of thestructure and the people can start tosee themselves how the Stadium willlook during the Games,”

The steel terracing supports whichwill hold the upper tiers of seating arenow nearing completion on the southand west stands and work will nowbegin on the north and east stands.

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Lewisham’s Grade I GemA chapel on a busy road in south Londonwas once a rural haven visited by JohnEvelyn. It has been conserved andrefurbished for office and public use byarchitect Charlie MacKeith’s practice.

It seemed like a good idea at the time forour recently formed architectural practice torent a derelict Grade I listed chapel. A “ToLet” board on Boone’s Chapel, put up in2004, marked the beginning of the end of 30years local attempts to repair the building.

The chapel, on the A20 in Lewisham,south London, was built by Christopher andMary Boone in 1682 with four almshouses atthe entrance to their house, Lee Place, in thelost village of Lee. John Evelyn recordedthree visits to his “good and worthyneighbours” the Boones in his diaries. Hedescribed in detail work by Gibbons in thehouse, Boone’s planting of the Zinnar Planetree to protect against plague and the “prettychappell”. It became apparent during buildingworks that it was also built as the founders’mausoleum.

Boone placed the chapel and almshousesin trust with the Merchant Taylors’ Company(MYC) in 1683 to oversee the admission oflocal residents and the appointment of aschoolmistress. The company later built itsown almshouses, which remain in use, ingrounds around the chapel in 1826. Boone’salmshouses were demolished in 1877,leaving the chapel as a free-standing buildingon the increasingly busy road. From 1877 the

chapel served as areading room and,later, as a wartimechapel. Following aVE-Day service in1945 it was boardedup.

The exterior is inred brick withPortland stonedressings to the doorsurround, windowarchitraves andrusticated quoins. Itis a single space of45 square metres,rectangular in plan,with a square altarbay on the northside.

The plain, tiled,hipped roof issurmounted by anopen wood cupola;the east, south and west elevations havepediments with carved Corinthian modillioncornices. Local histories of the 19th centurycredited Sir Christopher Wren with thedesign. However, the peculiar scroll keyblocks to the elliptical windows andanecdotal evidence from diaries and otherlocal buildings suggest that the chapel is thework of Robert Hooke.

The Blackheath Historic Buildings Trust

was established in 1999 by BlackheathPreservation Trust to raise funds for the repairand conservation of the chapel. Under Sir IanMills’s chairmanship the trust adapted anearlier scheme that had secured HeritageLottery Fund (HLF) and English Heritage (EH)funding of nearly £330,000. The earlierscheme included three new pavilions ofsheltered accommodation and a serviceextension to the west elevation.

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Boone’s Chapel, which was builtin 1682, was once thought tobe the work of Wren. RobertHooke is now though tohave designed it.

5

Competitive Bids AssuredSPEngIndustry Ignorantof Age Standards

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The steel construction sector is one of the most transparently competitive inthe construction market. The BCSA has approximately 130 members,ensuring that there will always be a healthily competitive response toinvitations to tender.

Most BCSA members have comprehensive certification of theiroperations through schemes such as the Steel Construction CertificationScheme, The BCSA’s membership assessment criteria allows confidentselection of a steelwork contractor that is properly qualified to undertakeparticular types of project.

Steelwork produced in line with the National Structural SteelworkSpecification helps ensure that steelwork will be accurately, economicallyand safely built. Membership of the BCSA’s Sustainability Charter signifiesthat a steelwork contractor has an independently assessed commitment tothe highest sustainability practices.

Construction professionals are unprepared for the impact of thegovernment’s Lifetime Homes Standard, according to the resultsof a recent CIOB online survey on the impact of the ageingpopulation on the built environment.

The standard, which requires design to make allowance for theaged, has been voluntarily adopted on many schemes, includingarchitect Stride Treglown’s housing project in Letchworth (above).It is due to become mandatory on all social housing from 2011and every new home from 2013.

But 32.3% of the survey’s 2,096 respondents said they had‘never heard of it’.

The next generation of sustainable buildingscould also offer ideal accommodation forBritain’s bat population, thanks to techniquestrailled at an experimental bat house to be builtat London’s Wetland Centre in Barnes.

The Bat House Project is a collaborationbetween Turner Prize laureate JeremyDeller, the Bat Conservation Trust(BCT), the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust,the Mayor of London, the RoyalSociety of Arts, and Arts CouncilEngland.

Berkeley Homes is a keyfunding partner for theproject, which aims toshow how bats canroost comfortably inmainstream buildingprojects.

The project is part of the BCT’s campaign tomake sure that bats aren’t disadvantaged bythe move towards designing ‘airtight’ buildings

that don’t include roosting space.‘The need to reduce the carbon footprint of

our future housing stock is beyond dispute.But it is likely that new materials, designs andtechnologies evolved to make buildings‘airtight’ will lead to losses in biodiversity,’ saidDr Carol William, bats and built environment

project officer at BCT.‘Fortunately, it is

possible toincorporate small

changes to new buildsthat will make them a

place where bats and birdscan still find a home. Without

these changes, there will be very few, if any,future roosting opportunities for bats or nestingopportunities for birds in our buildings.’

The bat house, due to begin construction inlate June, uses low carbon lime-based renderfinishes which bats find easier to cling tocompared to cement-based render. A black

roof will absorb and transmit solar radiation tothe bats roosting below during the day.

BCT is also working with architects anddevelopers to produce low and zero-carbondesigns that incorporate roosting and nestingopportunities for wildlife. It is also a member ofthe UK Green Building Council’s BiodiversityTask Group, which is looking at howsustainable building can incorporateenhancements for biodiversity.

Issue 66 • Summer 2009

Radical Bat Project Takes WingSPEng

DO YOU HAVENON-MEMBER COLLEAGUES?

ENCOURAGE THEMTO JOIN THE REGISTER

A membership information packis available on request from

The Society of Professional Engineers, Lutyens House, Billing Brook Road, Weston Favell, Northampton NN3 8NW

Tel: 01604 415729 • Fax: 01604 415729Email: spe@abe.org.uk

Flap Mates:The Bat House Project in Barnes

Pre-assembled Adey Steelsupport truss sections arecraned into position at GloucesterQuays retail developement.

6

City of London Heritage SPEng

Issue 66 • Summer 2009

7 Issue 66 • Summer 2009

Water Firms Aim to Squeeze Last Drop of Cash Out ofChurches and Chapels

SPEng

Britain’s water companies are proposing anew system of charging for churches,chapels and places of worship which ignorestheir charitable status and instead classifiesthen as businesses.

The reclassification will have a hugeimpact on the bills that many places ofworship will receive, which will probablyincrease by several hundreds of pounds peryear, perhaps more. In future, places ofworship will be charged for the size of thearea - for the first time including roofs and carparks - that collects water and discharges itinto the sewer network.

Many parishes already struggle to meet

financial targets. This proposal will hit all ofthem, and buildings of other denominationsand faiths, very hard - leaving even lessmoney available for repair and maintenance.

Linking up to the nearest sewer system isthe surest means of disposing of wastewater. However, for rural churches, many ofwhich have been installing new lavatoriesand kitchens in recent years, one alternativeis that they look into the possibility ofdisposing of waste water by the Trench ArchSystem. This is a comparatively recentlydevised system by which foul water is takenin a trench not far below the ground level(thus avoiding deep excavations) and

percolates through the ground. A suitablycompatible soil is essential, and the systemdoes not, for example, work with clay.

Another alternative is to consider asoakaway, which is used for foul water inconjunction with a septic tank. Someparishes already have soakaways to dealwith rain (storm) water. Parishes will need toweigh the cost of installation, including thecost of archaeology and maintenance,against the cost of water bills if a sewerconnection is near. Such bills are likely tocontinue to rise, even without theredesignation.

Catherine Cullis

Balfour Beatty is preferred contractor for CoventryUniversity’s new £160m engineering building.

Opened in 1999, The New Art Gallery carriesforward the innovative and visionary spirit thathas shaped Walsall and its wider region.

Keep In Touch with The SocietyThe Society of Professional Engineers • Lutyens House, Billing Brook Road,

Weston Favell, Northampton NN3 8NWTel: 01604 415729 • Fax: 01604 415729 • Email: spe@abe.org.uk

www.professionalengineers-uk.org • Executive Liaison Officer - Kate Borrill

Education Boom The New Art Gallery

Some Interesting SignsOn a plumber’s truck - “WE REPAIR WHAT YOUR HUSBANDFIXED”In an office - “WOULD THE PERSON WHO TOOK THE STEPLADDER YESTERDAY, PLEASE BRING IT BACK ORFURTHER STEPS WILL BE TAKEN”Notice in a Dry Cleaner’s window - “ANYONE LEAVING THEIRGARMENTS HERE FOR MORE THAN 30 DAYS WILL BEDISPOSED OF”Signs on motorway garage - “PLEASE DO NOT SMOKE NEAROUR PETROL PUMPS... YOUR LIFE MAY NOT BE WORTHMUCH, BUT OUR PETROL IS”In a toilet, in a London office block - “TOILET OUT OF ORDER,PLEASE USE FLOOR BELOW”

Sign on a repair shop door - “WE CAN REPAIR ANYTHING -PLEASE KNOCK HARD ON THE DOOR - THE BELLDOESN’T WORK”Sign in a London Department Store - “BARGAIN BASEMENTUPSTAIRS”Door of a plastic surgeon’s office - “WE CAN HELP YOU PICKYOUR NOSE”Sign in a laundrette - “AUTOMATIC WASHING MACHINES,PLEASE REMOVE ALL YOUR CLOTHES WHEN THE LIGHTGOES OUT”A Plumbing company - “DON’T SLEEP WITH A DRIP, CALLYOUR PLUMBER”On an electrician’s van - “LET US REMOVE YOUR SHORTS”

SPEng

8Issue 66 • Summer 2009

The Age of EnlightenmentMonkseaton High School head teacher PaulKelly is known as an innovator and free-thinker. ‘He was very much an educationalmentor to us,’ says Alex de Rijke of architectDRMM. ‘The design isn’t the original vision,but he has still encouraged the local authorityto push the boat out.’

Last month, Kelly made national headlineswhen he urged schools across the country tostart classes at 11am, in response to thelatest research on the human body clock byOxford professor of neuroscience RussellFoster, who found that early starts can have anegative impact on teenagers’ learning.

‘From the age of 10 our internal bodyclocks shift, so it’s good for young people tostay in bed,’ Kelly told The Observer. ‘The“time-shift” is two hours on average, soteenagers should get up two hours later. We

are making them ratty by making them get upearly.’

Kelly hopes Monkseaton’s governors willadopt the plan. But even if they don’t, he hasback-up: the school’s rooflights and bands ofhigh level windows. ‘You can compensate forthe negative effect on the body clock bymaking sure that even on dark days there’s1,000 lux of daylight. An hour of this helpsentrain people to the fact that it’s morning.The school building programme in England isgenerating buildings with lux levels ofbetween 300 and 450, which is damaging.’

The building’s design has also beeninformed by other studies. For example,passive ventilation systems will improve freshair circulation, boosting attention levels andremoving the problems of noise and potentialinfection associated with air conditioning.

With a sports pitch and two gyms in thecentre of the building, Kelly hopes to exploitrecent research carried out at Monkseaton,which found that combining study with shortbouts of physical exercise improves memoryfunction. Pupils in a trial scored up to 90% ina GCSE Science paper after one sessioninvolving 20-minute bursts of intensiveteaching interspersed with 10 minutes ofphysical exercise.

SPEng

UK’s biggest crane lifts M8 footbridgeA giant Gottwald AK680 crane, the largest mobile crane in the UK,with a 90m jib and 600t of superlift counterweight was used to installthe new Harthill footbridge over the M8 in Scotland. The liftingoperation required an overnight closure of the busy motorway, and thebridge weighing 230t, had already been completely assembled off-siteand trial erected. Working on behalf of main contractor RayneswayConstruction steelwork contractor SH Structures delivered the bridgeto site in seven sections before welding them together, prior to the lift.The steel bridge has a 90m span, comprising a helical lattice trussformed from tubular steel which supports a fully glazed walkway. TheHarthill footbridge links two service stations either side of the M8 andreplaces an older structure.

No other choiceIn a number of recent media interviews, Gordon Brown has beenpressed on the issue of the credit crunch and whether the bankbailout was the right thing to do. Despite the simplicity of theexplanation, the fact that there was no choice seems to haveescaped some commentators. There are some prominenteconomists who argue that, for capitalism to work properly, theappropriate course of action would have been to allow banks to fail.I’m not sure they would feel the same way after the event though,when they would face the reality of the meltdown of society.

Imagine the situation, if, for example, HBOS had been allowed tofail. Obviously, all the retail savers would be up in arms and hopingfor a handout to replace their losses, but what about the widerimplications? Consider all businesses which banked with Bank ofScotland or Halifax; obviously, the loss of their deposit capital wouldmean that they were not in a position to pay their staff wages, letalone their suppliers. As a result, the liabilities of the suppliers and thestaff would not be met and the situation would snowball with theultimate result that all ‘connected parties’ fail. In such a scenario, notjust with regard to interbank lending, most UK banks are ‘connectedparties’. The failure of one major bank would, without appropriateaction, lead to the collapse of another followed by the inevitable‘house of cards’ scenario and then the collapse of the currency andthe economy.

Whilst there has undoubtedly been significant greed andnegligence at play in the banks as well as in society generally,confidence in the banking system as a whole must be maintained ifan economy is to function. Whilst things could have been handledbetter, the various interventions have meant that we now seem tohave turned the corner to the extent that confidence is returning.

Qualified QA/QC Engineer in Industrial Efficiency,General Construction, NDE. Petrochemical.

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Contract Values: from £100,000 sterling to 4 Billion Rand on the DurbanHarbour Deepening and Widening, as Quality Assurance Manager.

Available World Wide as your ConsultantIng. P. Eur. N.J. Budd P.Eng(UK)

MSPE, F.I.Diag.E, F.I.A.Q.P. • QA/QC Engineer / ConsultantTel: +27 (31) 916 7492 - R.S.A. • Cell Phone: 082 83 77853

Fax to email: +27 86 645 3615 • Email: nevillebudd@qaqc.co.zaor admin@qaqc.co.za • www.qaqc.co.za

9

The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008Tougher penalties for breaches of health and safety legislation

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Issue 66 • Summer 2009

The Friends of Friendless Churcheswas established at a meeting held on3 July 1957 in Committee Room 13of the House of Commons, a roombooked for the purpose by RoyJenkins, lifelong family friend andadmirer of the founder, Ivor Bulmer-Thomas. The name was both ahomage to ‘Le Club pour Sans Club’of Paris and, later, an inspiration forthose seeking a title for the Friends ofthe Earth. Ivor was already wellknown as one of the principalfounders of the Historic ChurchesPreservation Trust, established in1952, and it was followingArchbishop Fisher’s determinationthat HCPT funds should only go on

churches ‘in use’ that Ivor set up TheFriends.

The title tells it all. In the firstdecade of the new organisation therewere campaigns for particularchurches, notably St Mary at Quay,Ipswich, St. Peter’s Wolfamcote inWarwickshire, Holnest in Dorset and,the first church repaired with Friends’funds, that at Willingale Spain inEssex. But all the time Ivor felt thefuture lay with a new formal bodypaid for by the church and State. Thiswas the Redundant Churches Fund(now the Church Conservation Trust)which came into being in 1968 andfor which Ivor was the logical choiceas its first chairman.

The Health and Safety (Offences) Act 2008,which came into force on 16 January 2009,amends Section 33 of the Health and Safetyat Work Act 1974 (HSW Act) and coversGreat Britain and Northern Ireland. Underthe new legislation, courts will have greatersentencing powers in relation to breaches ofhealth and safety regulations.

The new Act sends out an importantmessage to those who flout the law andindividuals can no longer hide behindcorporations. Employers who managehealth and safety effectively have nothing tofear from the new act and the HSE willcontinue to target unscrupulous employers.

The Act raises the maximum penaltiesthat can be imposed for breaching healthand safety regulations in the lower courtsfrom £5,000 to £20,000 for most offences.The Act also broadens the range of offencesfor which an individual can be imprisonedand make certain offences currently triableonly in the lower courts, triable in either theupper of lower courts. It does not create anynew offenses.

Minister Lord McKenzie said: “It isgenerally accepted that the level of fines forsome health and safety offences is too low.These changes will ensure that sentences

can now be more easily set at a level todeter businesses that do not take theirhealth and safety managementresponsibilities seriously and furtherencourage employers and others to complywith the law.

“Furthermore, by extending the £20,000maximum fine to the lower courts andmaking imprisonment an option, morecases will be resolved in the lower courtsand justice will be faster, less costly andmore efficient.

“Jail sentences for particularlyblameworthy health and safety offencescommitted by individuals, can now beimposed reflecting the severity of suchcrimes, whereas there were more limitedoptions in the past.”

The Act will help to strengthenawareness for the need to maintain vigorousrisk controls and safety managementsystems to avoid costly payouts, fines andeven imprisonment. It also highlights theimportance of the use of best practice in theworkplace and sends a very clear messageto employers that neglecting health andsafety regulation is not acceptable and willbe punished.

Everyone has the right to work in an

environment where risks to their health andsafety are properly managed, andemployers have a duty in law to deliver this.Staff at all levels need to fully understandtheir role, their responsibilities and their dutyof care to other people.HSE data:• 2.2 million people work in Britain’s

construction industry, making it the country’s biggest industry. It is also oneof the most dangerous

• Construction has the largest number of fatal injuries compared to other main industry groups.

• In 2007/08 there were 72 fatal injuries• Compared to workers across other

industries, construction has higher proportions of reported injuries caused by falls from a height (15% of construction injuries compared to 5% across other industries) and moving / falling objects (16% construction, 12% other industries).

• In comparison with other industries a much higher proportion of all reported injuries within construction are serious, i.e. the ratio of fatal and major injuries toover 3-day injuries is higher in construction than most other industries.

Fifty Years of the Friends of Friendless ChurchesSPEng

Interior of the chapel of St John the Baptist, Matlock Bathin Derbyshire (Photo: Simon Harpur)

English Heritage’s ongoing ‘Save ourStreets’ campaign highlights the blight ofsigns and markings cluttering the builtenvironment, but Austrian artist Gregor Grafhas his own take on this problem, with aseries of photographs of London streets thathe has purged of all signing. The effect isprofound.

Tired streetscapes suddenly seemarchitecturally attractive; even the hotch-potch of the capital’s centre calms down.

His project, Hidden Town, seeks to openup familiar views to new interpretation - andunremarkable buildings appear rehabilitated.

No Signs of the TimesSPEng

10Issue 66 • Summer 2009

Legal Developments - Accidents can happenIt is a commonly held misbelieve that healthand safety law has gone bonkers; that itrequires zero risk and allows for zeroadventure. In fact, while the principles haveebbed and flowed a little, the law has alwaysbeen pretty balanced and rooted in commonsense.

A recent case of a ricked ankle in RiponCathedral serves as a reminder to us all, andperhaps most importantly, consultants andinsurers, that it is not the responsibility of aproperty owner to make visitors totally safe.That is, after all, unachievable. It wasunfortunate that Jennifer Hunt turned herankle over while descending into the crypt.She stepped into a depression typical of theuneven stone surface of such old buildings.But was it the fault of the Cathedral or anaccident without blame?

Quite properly the cathedral hadundertaken a health and safety riskassessment for visitors. It had concluded thatno handrail was necessary down the stairsand no signage was needed warning of theuneven floor. There was a one-way system inoperation, presumably to preventovercrowding and jostling on the stairs.

Ms Hunt sued for her personal injuryclaiming a breach by the cathedral of its dutyunder section 2 of the Occupiers’ Liability Act

1957. That duty is to take such care as in allthe circumstances of the case is reasonable tosee that the visitor will be reasonably safe inusing the premises for the purposes for whichhe is invited or permitted by the occupier to bethere. It is critical to note that only reasonablesteps have to be taken to see that people arereasonably safe. You do not have to take everylast measure to ensure absolute safety.

Ms Hunt lost her case. The judgeacknowledged that very old buildings haveuneven floors. He said no additional signagewas necessary to warn of a risk of falling as itwas reasonable to assume that people wouldtake care when placing their feet in a place ofsuch antiquity. The absence of a headrailposed no real danger as the stairs werenarrow.

This is only a first-instance decision andsince it is in tune with other personal-injurycases away from the historic environment it isperhaps unremarkable in legal theory. But I dothink it is vital that owners and advisers arereminded of where the law stands. There isalways a natural tendancy towards moreprotection. Some of the pressure comes fromconsultants and insurers whose direct self-interest is never served by placing the risk inthe middle ground. Increasing protection alsoresults from ignorance - a half-baked and risk-

averse understanding of what is required inthis day and age to discharge one’s duties.

I am sure that Ms Hunt’s accident couldhave been avoided if the cathedral had beenaltered. So it does not look kindly to besuggesting that protection should go so farand no further, as to do so is to suggest thatwe tolerate injuries in favour of less clutter anda more pure visitor experience. But the law, atleast, recognises that there is no such thing asabsolute safety. Accidents will always happen.The cost of attempting to avoid any risk isharm to the historic environment itself,sometimes irreparable, and a loss ofenjoyment by the visitor.

Any decision to alter a building or siterequires a balance to be struck betweenconservation and pressures for change. Thedifficulty with decisions involving safety is thatthe words ‘safety first’ tend to float by, puttingit on the moral high ground. The Ripon caseemphasises that safety is not a trump card. Itis still a balance. The question is: what can thevisitor reasonably expect? With an old buildingthey can generally expect standards to be lessthan those of the 21st century. That is not tosay that they should be prepared for realdangers or look out for real surprises, but theycan expect a building to be what it is - worn,unusual, uneven and interesting.

SPEng

Emergency Government Talks Over Apprentice CrisisOver 600 apprentices have been maderedundant in the past six months, withpredictions that the figure could top 1,000 thisyear.

The government is seeking solutions toboth the present job shortages and thewidening skills gap created by apprentices notkept in the industry.

James Wates, who is also chairman of the

UK Contractors Group, along with Mark Farrar,chief executive of ConstructionSkills, attendedthe meeting with a number of senior civilservants and union officials.

One measure under discussion is the ideaof making it mandatory to offer apprenticeshipson all public sector construction projects.

The summit came only two weeks afterSkills Secretary John Denham and Children,

Schools and Families Secretary Ed Ballsrevealed the government’s decision to increaseapprenticeships by 35,000 across the publicand private sectors.

The government has also announced a£500m stimulus package for jobs and theOlympic Delivery Authority had increased itsapprenticeship pledge by 250 places, up onthe original 2000.

SPEng

CV Quality the Key to Successful Job HuntingAs competition for roles intensifies during thedownturn, Trevor Mills, regional director at HaysConstruction & Property, looks at ways in whichjobseekers can stand out from the competitionand boost their chances of securing the right role.

The need for jobseekers to tailor their CV’s inpreparation for interviews has never beengreater. Recruitment is a time-consumingprocess and employers will warm to thosecandidates that can make their life easier whenthey come to trawl through many CV’s received.So, how can you make your document capturethe employer’s eye and make it through to theinterview stage?

Your starting point should always be the jobdescription and personal specifications providedby the employer. These need to be carefullyscrutinised, as employers will be looking forevidence to show that you can meet theirtechnical and behavioural competencies. By

technical, we are referring to your job-specificconstruction skills, and you need to list all yourrelevant experience, quantifying yourachievements where possible. Employers willalso probe into your interpersonal skills – forexample, you may have managed a project orused your influencing skills to generate morebusiness or to persuade fellow colleagues.

Once you have satisfied that you havecovered all the competencies, including IT skillsand other training relevant to the role, you mustthen ensure that the information is presented in aformat that is easy to read. Aim for around twopages in length (unless you are applying for asenior role) and apply a consistent layoutthroughout. If using bullet points, ensure that youuse the same format throughout. Don’t forget toinclude a personal statement or profile beneathyour contact details, as employers will look at thisfirst to obtain a snapshot of your skills and

personal qualities. Use this space wisely. Anygaps in employment must be explained – omitthese at your peril. Always run a spell check atthe end as your CV will be discarded at the firsthurdle if errors are spotted.

Once you are satisfied that you have coveredeverything, print a hard copy and read throughone final time to avoid any glaring errors. You willthen need to write an accompanying coveringletter, which again needs to reinforce yourcompetencies and reasons why the employershould invite you to interview. Assuming youhave followed all of the above, you have putforward a strong case for short-listing and youwill hopefully have secured an interview.

Gordon Brown mentioned the demand forconstruction workers in a recent speech to theNew Local Government Network (NLGN). Thosethat have meticulously prepared CV’s can propelthemselves to the front of the jobs queue.

SPEng

Articles for the Bulletin - We are always looking for news of members and project articles for publication in the bulletin,do you have something of interest, lets hear from you. Please supply articles up to 1500 words.

11

Other Professional Bodies

Reciprocal Membership Arrangementswith other Professional Bodies

Reciprocal membership arrangements are in force with the bodiesmentioned below. In every case Members wishing to apply shouldfirst contact the Society for an Application Form and/or a letter ofrecommendation.

National Society of Professional Engineers®1420 King Street, Alexandria, Virginia, 22314 - 2794, USA

Tel: (703) 684 2800 • Fax: (703) 836 4875 • www.nspe.org

The China Civil Engineering Society (CCES)Zhang Junqing, Director, Dept. of International ContactPO Box: 2500, 9, San Li He Rd., Beijing 100835, ChinaTel: 00 86 10 58933071 • Fax: 00 8610 58933071 •

www.cces.net.cn

Societe Nationale des Ingénieurs Professionnels deFrance (ipf)

Charles Tondeur, 3 rue Fortia, BP 60004,13484 MARSEILLE, Cedex 20, France

Tel: 04 91 59 90 14 • Fax: 04 91 33 13 56Email: snipf2@wanadoo.fr • Website: www.snipf.org

Hong Kong Institution of Construction Engineers LtdThe Secretariat,

Unit 1801, Man Shing Industrial Building307-311, Castle Peak Road, Kwai Chung

Northern Territories, Hong KongTel: 00 852 2387 9477 • Fax: 00 852 2380 9494

Website: www.constructionengineers.org.hkEmail: membership@hkiconste.com

The Institution of Diagnostic Engineers7 Weir Road, Kibworth, Leicester LE8 0LQ

Tel: 0116 279 6772 • Fax: 0116 279 6884Email: admin@diagnosticengineers.orgWebsite: www.diagnosticengineers.org

The Association of Building EngineersThe Membership Secretary Association

of Building EngineersLutyens House, Billing Brook Road, Weston Favell,

Northampton NN3 8NWTel: (01604) 404121 • Fax: (01604) 784220

Website: www.abe.org.uk

The Association of British Engineers in ItalyPresident: Ing.P.Eur. Saverio Iuzzolini, P.Eng.(UK),

FSPE, MSE, MBEng, FABEI, FIIEng, MIET(UK),MCIOB(UK),MASCE(USA)

Via Padova No. 127, 20127, Milan, ItalyTel/Fax: +39 02 6698 8898 • Website www.abei.org

Design Technology and Management Society International (DTMSI)PO Box 306, Ladismith, Western Cape, 6655, South AfricaTel: +27 (0)28 551 2098 • Fax: +27 (0)28 551 1305

Email: info@dtmsi.co.za • Website: www.dtmsi.org

Self Inking Personal StampsAs Members will be aware the Society has for many years had onoffer a Stamp for use on notepaper and drawings containing thename of the Society and the name and Registration Number of theMember. The Firm that supplies the Stamps can now offer a self-inking Stamp which produces an even more finished appearanceand is enclosed in an impressive case that will sit wellon the office desk. These are now available from theSociety at the modest price of £30.00 each whichincludes VAT, postage and packing.

Lapel BadgesLapel Badges are now available from the Society at a cost of £3.00each inclusive of postage. All paid up members are encouraged topurchase a lapel badge to indicate their membership of the Society,and to be proud to wear it among their professional colleagues.

SPEng

The Professional Engineer is Published byThe Society of Professional Engineers

Editor: Brian R. Dixon, P.Eng.Deputy Editor: Arthur Watt, P.Eng.

All correspondence should be sent to the following address:Lutyens House, Billing Brook Road,

Weston Favell, Northampton NN3 8NWDesigned and printed by: Spingold Graphics www.spingold.co.uk

The Society of Professional Engineers, as a body, is not responsiblefor the statements or opinions expressed in this bulletin.

Society TiesWe are pleased to advise members that we now have good quality ties in stock of polyester satin in Silver Grey, Navy and Maroon with theSociety Logo picked out in gold, They are very striking and will certainly provoke discussion when worn in the office and at business meetingsand training. Support the Society by ordering one now at the modest price of £11.50 (including postage and packing).

Issue 66 • Summer 2009

Thin Ranks on the Front Line20 per cent of English local and county councils have no specialistconservation service staffed by professionals.54 per cent of local and county councils have fewer than two specialistconservation staff.10 per cent of local and county councils have no conservationprofessionals on staff.2 per cent of local & county councils never consult conservation experts.30 per cent cuts in the wages of some local and county councilconservation staff.Only 30 per cent of councils require conservation officers to bemembers of the professional body.As many as 50 per cent of local authority conservation posts may bevacant.(2006 estimates. The situation is believed to have significantly deteriorated since then)

Conservation Principles in Practice SPEng

Gibson Mill is an 18th century former cotton mill at Hardcastle Crags, West Yorkshire. The building relies largely on water power, with the addition today ofphotovoltaic cells on the roof and a wood-burning stove - an example of how modern adaption can be achieved while simultaneously helping to preservehistoric value.

Interior view of the bar of the 19th century Cafe Royal - a listedbuilding that remains in use as one of Edinburgh’s most popular andattractive pubs.

In 2007 the Grade II listing of Plymouth’s innovative post-war Civic Centre wasgreeted with a storm of protests from some quarters. As a symbol of the city’s post-war regeneration it should be highly valued by local people, but some have still to bepersuaded of its historic, aesthetic, and communal heritage values.

Understanding significance: Hinemihi is a Maori meeting house now located withinthe grounds of Clandon Park, near Guildford, Surrey. The National Trust has beenworking with the Maori community on plans for the future care of Hinemihi.