Copy
View this email in your browser
BDA eNewsletter | Issue: September 2021
Introduction from our Chair - Richard Fielden

It was interesting to learn in the news of the present record inflation with the Official figures showing that the increase in the cost of living, as measured by the Consumer Prices Index, hit 3.2% in the year to August. Of course, this is the consumer index, but the trade and construction sectors feel this too impact too. For example, the shortage of haulage drivers is pushing wages in the transport sector up as much as 50% in some cases, and whilst at first glance this would appear to have little impact on the construction sector, already there is evidence the lure of higher wages in transport is pulling labour away from other sectors – construction being one. For a sector that is already struggling with an aging workforce, a shortage of skilled labour a result of Brexit ‘free-movement’ restrictions and COVID, and the well documented struggle to attract fresh talent, this could have the potential to impact growth and the progress and release of new construction projects. The government and the Bank of England suggest this impact will be short-lived – I do hope so!
Closer to home, the British Drilling Association (BDA) has had a busy month, having held all the various sub-committee meetings during the month of September. I will have pleasure in updating you all over the coming months of the outcomes of these meetings and how they will impact and shape the future activity of the BDA.
 
In fact, already such is the success of the webinars that ran throughout the many COVID lockdowns, which were a source of both education and interaction for members, it has been decided to continue with these and a full schedule of topics and speakers will be put together for 2022.
 
In closing, I would like to remind you all to continue to be safe and exercise caution – as we are constantly reminded, the COVID virus is still circulating and with Winter approaching we still need to be careful!
BDA SAP Apprenticeship Scheme 2021/22 Launched 

The BDA is pleased to announce that the BDA SAP Apprenticeship Scheme 2021/22 has commenced, with 12 candidates from 5 BDA member companies participating.
 
The Scheme will finish in December 2022 and consists of 22 days of classroom/site training and minimum of 80 days on site supervised training. The end result will see apprentices holding NCON Cskills Award Level 2 Diploma in Drilling Operations - Land Drilling - Lead Driller, and all candidates will also undertake a “BDA Audit” as part of the scheme.
 
Feedback has been extremely positive, and the BDA would like the thank all companies for releasing candidates to attend the BDA SAP Apprenticeship Scheme and the CITB with delivery, monitoring and grant support.
 
To read more about the scheme and its contents, visit - BDA SAP Apprenticeship Scheme 2021/22 Launched - British Drilling Association
The Search for New General Manager Well Underway

As you are aware, the role of General Manager within the BDA has been filled on an interim basis by John Grainger, who has done an exemplary job in the position, as well as successfully spinning the many plates that the role demands. The BDA would like to thank John for all his hard work and more importantly, for providing a solid foundation for the new person to work from.
 
However, with John stepping down in the coming months, the search is well under way for a suitable candidate to fill the role permanently. The job has been posted on social media and the BDA website, as well as with recruitment agencies, and already a large number of excellent CVs have been received.
 
We'll keep you updated with progress over the coming weeks.
BDA October Webinar

October’s BDA webinar will discuss the topic of ‘Groundwater Problems in Construction – Lessons for Ground Investigation’ and will be held 20th October 2021, at 1pm.
 
Being presented by Dr Martin Preene, Technical Director, Richter, the webinar will discuss that, as most things in the built environment sit on or in the ground, the construction industry relies on ground investigation data to plan, build, maintain (and sometimes litigate!) its projects.
 
The presentation will be augmented using case study examples of problems during construction, as well as illustrate how factors such as permeability, groundwater levels and the presence of aquifers and aquitards can cause problems during excavations and tunnelling.
 
For more information on the webinar’s content and sign up to attend visit -
https://tinyurl.com/4u63dmeu
Post-COVID Resilience

Much has been said about how the on-going COVID pandemic has impacted business from a negative perspective, however, the BDA is looking to see what positive outcomes there may have been.
 
Specifically, the BDA is looking to see if any of its members feel that their business is stronger as result, and if any of the changes you may have put in place in response to the pandemic have been retained.
 
Has the COVID pandemic made your business stronger or more resilient and what systems, procedures, and processes that you have now in place will you continue with post COVID? Has your workplace become more considerate with improved mental health awareness? Has homeworking improved your quality of life? Have changes and improvements to site facilities and hygiene improved for site workers?
 
Your experiences will be used to develop an article in a future newsletter, which we hope will be of value to all members.
 
In the first instance send your comments to - bdajooce@britishdrillingassociation.co.uk
Spotlight on… Jon Christie

Jon Christie is the Chair of the BDA’s Safety Sub-committee, a position he has held for over 6 years!  Jon’s full-time role is the Divisional Health and Safety Advisor at BAM Nuttall, which requires him to work with the Director of Health & Safety in maintaining and developing company health and safety management systems (ISO 45001).
 
Jon develops training to meet business needs and monitors legal and management system compliance and as part of a team of advisors, he leads in matters of drilling, piling and foundation safety across the business, with divisional responsibility to BAM Ritchies and the BAM Nuttall Plant Department.
 
In addition to serving on the BDA’s Management Committee and Finance and Strategy Sub-committee, Jon also sits on the Association of Geotechnical and Geo-environmental Specialists (AGS) Safety Committee, the Federation of Piling Specialist (FPS) Plant and Safety Committee, and Joint Industry Working Groups, covering various industry related subjects.
 
To read more about Jon, his experience and how this applies to the work he undertakes within the BDA visit - Meet your BDA... - British Drilling Association
Show Your Support for the BDA

There’s still plenty of time to show your support for the BDA and its shortlisted ‘Manual for Rotary Drilling’, in the ‘Health & Safety’ category at the 2021 Ground Engineering Awards.
 
Being held 23rd November 2021, at The Brewery, in London, the Awards celebrate the very best in geotechnical engineering, and showcase the projects, people and businesses that have excelled during the last 12 months.
 
Show your support and attend the Awards and take advantage of the 15% discount the BDA has negotiated for members looking to book a table of ten.
 
To find out more and to book, visit - https://awards.geplus.co.uk/book-now. If you experience any issues with discounts, please contact debbie@joocemarketing.co.uk
2022 Webinars Taking Shape

Such has been the success of the 2021 BDA webinars, which have covered all variety of topics, the BDA is planning to continue with these, supplemental to the regular and much needed face-to-face events that the BDA hosts.
 
In fact, the plan for next year is to organise a full schedule of events – a mix of webinars and face-to-face seminars, the first of which will be the seminar “What are the Risks of Rising Complacency about Geotechnics” taking place at The Lighthouse, in Glasgow.
 
A full programme of events will be posted on the BDA website here – BDA Events Archives - British Drilling Association – and it is hoped that through the combination of both online and face-to-face events, participation will greatly increase.
External Events – Supported by the BDA


20% Discount for BDA Members - NCE Future of Transport
 
The BDA is pleased to be supporting New Civil Engineer Future of Transport virtual events series, with a 20% discount off delegate tickets for BDA Members.
 
Future of Transport is a series of virtual conferences taking place during 2021, giving a critical insight into the bridges, roads, rail, and airports sectors. These events will explore project case studies, future investment plans and the role of technology to achieve net-zero targets.
 
To book on any of the events visit: https://tinyurl.com/yb3wkz46 and quote BDA21 to receive your 20% discount.


20% Discount for BDA Members - ABMEC Conference & Expo
 

The BDA is pleased to be supporting the ABMEC Conference, which is being held 25th November 2021, at Mercure Daventry Court Hotel, with a 20% discount available to BDA members off the ‘Early Bird’ rate for delegates (for those registering before 30th September 2021).
 
The ABMEC Annual Conference & Exhibition attracts high-profile delegates, exhibitors, and speakers, spanning mine producers and procurement managers to engineers and original equipment, all with an interest in the British mining supply chain.
 
For more information and to register for the event visit:
https://abmec.org.uk/abmec_events/abmec-conference-2021/ and to qualify for the discount add “BDA” in the discount box upon registration.
 

The Contamination & Geotech Expo – CONTAM 2021
 
The BDA is pleased to be supporting CONTAM 2021 - the UK's leading event for Contamination, Geotechnical, and Environmental professionals, which is being held 22-23 September 2021, at the NEC, Birmingham.
 
New additions to the keynote speaker line-up have also been announced:
 
“CL:AIRE – Past, Present & Future” - Rob Sweeney, Project Director and Nicholas Willenbrock, Joint Manager at CL:AIRE will be discussing CL:AIRE’s plans for collaborating more with the industry to strengthen its role as the leading education provider for sustainable land management.
 
“ARCA – The Role of the Asbestos Removal Contractors Association” - Stephen Sadley, Chief Executive at ARCA will be discussing how ARCA drives high standards and good practices across membership to provide safeguards for clients and ultimately the public.
 
To find out more visit the Contamination homepage: https://hubs.la/H0SRsVn0 or to register https://hubs.la/H0SRt100
Safety Alerts Update

With safety always a priority, don’t forget to take a look at the recently published safety alerts and as a reminder here are those published recently:

September 2021 - Counterweight Head Injury
Counterweight-head-injury-–-Alert-updated-following-48-hour-investigation.pdf (britishdrillingassociation.co.uk)

August 2021 - Anti-Vaccination and Anti-Mask Posters
https://www.britishdrillingassociation.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/Suffolk-Safety-Flash-SS024-Anti-Vaccination-Posters-16-8-21.pdf

July 2021 – Angle Grinder Chainsaw Disks
Angle-grinder-chainsaw-discs.pdf (britishdrillingassociation.co.uk)
And finally...
 
If you would like to see any topics addressed in future BDA newsletters, please don’t hesitate to let the team know – office@britishdrillingassociation.co.uk
 
And if you haven’t already, please follow the BDA on LinkedIn – British Drilling Association and Twitter - @britishdrilling – and don’t forget to tag the BDA into your posts, if you tag the BDA we will share / like them.
Twitter
LinkedIn
Copyright © 2021 British Drilling Association, All rights reserved.


Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences or unsubscribe from this list.

Email Marketing Powered by Mailchimp