DCTF NEWSLETTER

1. 3rd ISSUE DECEMBER 10 DCTF NEWSLETTER Its hard to believe yet another year is coming to a close. Thank you for all your support this year. Although it has been a very difficult time for the construction industry your commitment to training your staff is greatly appreciated and I hope you have found the savings in time and money have made it beneficial. I am looking forward to working with you through 2011 and I am always happy to help. In 2010 the group arranged 345 training days with a total saving of £15,648 being achieved by booking through the group. What a Year! 2010 has seen a few additions, we have our new web site, www.dctf.co.uk this is not only a great marketing tool to encourage new members but also where current information will be loaded as well as a list of current course being run and important link information. If you would like to add any articles please send them to Caroline. We also have a new advertising stand to increase our profile at events together with leaflets to highlight what the group can offer other potential members. The savings that we have been able to achieve over the last two years is only because you are training! 2011 is predicated to be another challenging year and we are keen to continue to be able to drive down the cost of training. If everyone recommended the group to someone they think may benefit this will ensure numbers are kept up and we can negotiate away!! Everyone needs the basic training, First Aid, Asbestos, IPAF, PASMA, Abrasive wheels to mention a few. As well as an opportunity to meet like minded businesses it also allows us a a group to address issues effecting our industry. Another area where the group has done extremely well is with apprentices, we had 7 traditional starters, 2 PLA and 5 framework completions during the year, which considering the number of members being just 31 this is a great achievement. /we also help one displaced apprentice. NVQ’s took a down turn in the later part of the year which I am confident was due to the lack of grants. The B&P college are offering OSAT for NVQ 2 (unfunded) if anyone is interested in unskilling their workforce. Courses for 2011 Minute Taking – 1 day Scaffold – 1 or 2 day Abrasive wheels – half day Paslode Workshop – 2 hrs Project Management – 1 day If you have ANY training needs, please do not hesitate to get in touch with Caroline to discuss Some of the Courses run in 2010 First Aid – 1 day, 2 day and 3 day Manual Handling Plant training IPF PASMA PAT testing Asbestos Scaffold Awareness SMSTS Working at heights Equality & Diversity 2011 Targets A meeting with CSkills on the 5th January will give us a chance to discuss the 2011 targets for the group. We did reach most of our targets in 2010 but fell short in a couple of areas. If you have anything you would like to be discussed, please let Maria or Caroline aware.

2. Wishing you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year DCTF NEWSLETTER Stress is top workplace hazard Stress, bullying and harassment, and back strain are workers’ top three safety concerns, according to the TUC's biennial survey of union safety reps. Nearly two-thirds of reps in the 2010 survey identify stress as one of the top five problems faced by the workers they represent. The results come just days after another survey by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD) found that more than a third of employers reported rising stress- related absence at work last year. In line with the CIPD findings, responses from safety reps suggest that stress is a bigger issue for the public sector than the private. More than two thirds of public sector reps say it is a problem, compared with 54% working in the private sector. Stress is also more prevalent in larger workplaces and is more common in London than in other parts of the UK. “The economic crisis and redundancies have created more anxiety about job security,” said TUC general secretary Brendan Barber, “and as the spending cuts begin to bite and even more jobs start to go, stress at work is bound to increase.” The TUC survey also suggests that concerns about bullying and harassment, which come second on this year’s list, are increasing. More than a third of reps list it as a top five concern, almost double the proportion (20%) that felt bullying was an issue in 2008. Back strain is the third most frequently mentioned hazard, identified by 33% of reps as a top five concern, a slight increase on the 31% who cited it in the last survey. The great Ladder Exchange continues…. The 2010 Ladder Exchange campaign kicked off for the fourth year, with campaign partners the HSE and Ladderstore warning users of the equipment: don’t let ‘dodgy’ ladders shatter lives. Last year, 1400 ‘dodgy’ ladders were taken out of service, with a total of 7000 withdrawn since the campaign began in 2007 What would you like? If you could have someone come and give a short presentation, taster session or a speaker, who would you like? Your time is valuable but you need information!! Have you got anything you could share? Any suggestions to any of the Directors or Caroline. Outstanding Achievement Sponsored by Dorset Construction Training Forum Ladder owners and users are given the opportunity to get rid of bent, broken or battered ladders in exchange for new ones at dis- counted prices. Ladderstore has seen its fair share of surrendered ladders and emphasises education for users through training and correct ongoing ladder inspection. This year, in addition to taking in old and damaged ladders, the company is also offering a ladder safety checklist plus discounts on its lad- der training courses. For more information, visit www.hse.gov.uk/falls/ladderexchange.htm or www.ladderstore.com/hse. Alan Connell on behalf of the group presented Shaun Hardy a Level 3 Carpentry student from B&P college with a trophy and a tools voucher for winning this prestigious award. Next DCTF meeting:- 17th March Poole College, Unit E Vantage Way Poole Dorset , BH12 4NU. 9.30am PLEASE FORWARD YOUR ARTICLES TO dctg.cbennetts@live.co.uk