Thursday 20 September 2012

NVQ Qualifications Represent the Future for Construction


The ability to prove the competency of an individual to safely carry out a specific task has long been a problem in Construction which no scheme or card system has been capable of solving, however construction based NVQ's at last achieve this goal simply by removing grey areas and proving an individuals competency.

A CSCS card without an NVQ qualification has never been and never will be a way of proving competency, yet Blue Chip organisations and UK's largest construction companies continue to display a lethargic and in some cases a reluctance to embrace NVQ qualifications...Why?

The truth is that obtaining NVQ's in many of the specialist trades is not always readily available with a lack of A1 qualified assessors and costs associated with the obtaining the qualification which is often in the region of £2000 both individuals and companies are reluctant to invest in individuals.

Until this investment arrives or the the larger companies begin to pressurise sub contractors for an NVQ qualification as a minimum requirement, goals such as Balfour Beatty's Zero Harm by 2012 will remain pie in the sky and totally unacheivable.

Monday 3 September 2012

Churchill’s Expand in to the Rail Sector

Churchill Specialist Contracting Ltd is a multi disciplined contracting organisation specialising in the Lightning Protection, Earthing, Surge Protection and Working at Height sectors who wish to expand these specialist services into the Rail Sector.

Operating from our centrally based HQ in Nottingham we currently employ 37 full time field operatives with a skill base including but not limited to fully coded welders, NVQ level 2 (minimum qualification) Lightning Protection Engineers, NVQ Level 2 (minimum qualification) Steeplejacks, NDT Testers, Irata Rope Access Technicians, Appointed Persons and Temporary Modular and Motorised Platform Installers.

Brief Case Study;-

In February 2012 Churchill were employed to remove 2no 50m redundant lighting towers located at the Hornsey railway sidings in North London without the use of mobile cranes, with no disruption to rail services both towers were safely removed within budget and programme. 

The success of this project resulted in the company being encouraged by Network Rail and the contract sponsor to obtain Link Up accreditation to increase our exposure in the rail sector, we are now pleased to announce accreditation to Link Up for the following product codes;-


    0428.1002.SER    Health, Safety & Environment Training - SER
    0803.1007.SMP    Protective Installations - SMP
    0803.1007.DES    Protective Installations - DES
    0803.1007.CBD    Protective Installations - CBD
    0803.1007.TCD    Protective Installations - TCD
    0803.1007.RAD    Protective Installations - RAD
    0803.1007.MRC    Protective Installations - MRC
    0804.1007.SER    Steeplejack Services - SER
    1214.1001.SER    Access Scaffolding - SER
    1230.1001.SMP    Specialist Access (Platforms etc.) - SMP
    1230.1001.DES    Specialist Access (Platforms etc.) - DES
    1230.1001.CBD    Specialist Access (Platforms etc.) - CBD
    1230.1001.RAD    Specialist Access (Platforms etc.) - RAD
    1230.1001.MRC    Specialist Access (Platforms etc.) - MRC
    1237.1001.SER    Ultrasonic Testing - SER


If you would like more information please do not hesitate to give me a call, alternatively you may wish to visit our web site at www.churchillsc.co.uk where there is also an online sales counter for the purchasing of a wide range of lightning protection, earthing and surge protection products.