This full time position is on a self employed basis and involves the day to day management of FeRFA, its activities and its future strategy for growth. As training development and delivery, technical guidance and member support are all key elements of this role, we are seeking candidates with extensive experience of the resin flooring sector. The role is home office based but involves daily communication with the Secretariat based in Stone. If you would like to discuss this opportunity and/or require further information, please contact helen@ferfa.org.uk. The closing date for applications is Friday 11 May 2018.

As a result of pending retirement, we are seeking someone who has several years’ experience in the specification and installation of resin flooring systems, with good presentation and classroom teaching skills, to take on the part-time role of FeRFA trainer. This role is on a self-employed basis and involves the development and delivery of specialist apprentice schemes and as well as upskilling programmes. The FeRFA Trainer will also receive assessor training in order to carry out onsite assessments as part of the role. For more information, please contact helen@ferfa.org.uk.

Cobra Insurance Brokers have partnered with FeRFA for over 10 years, gaining specialist knowledge and an understanding of the protection needed for the resin flooring industry. The new website, designed specifically to support FeRFA members and their business activity is now available at www.ferfainsurance.co.uk. The website covers all aspects of insurance, risk management and guarantees, as well as a client login portal where you can view your policy documents. FeRFA Members can also request free access to a vast library of resource material.

Cobra offer a free insurance health check plus no obligation quotes. Howard Collins can be reached on 07775 888933 or emailed at howard.collins@cobrainsurance.co.uk or visit the website.

Stallard Kane Associates Ltd provide a support service to SMEs for both Health & Safety and Employment Law. FeRFA members can access its services for free via the Business Shield – detailed below.

This month we look at occupational health issues, the new construction training register and the upcoming changes in statutory pay, which every employer needs to be aware of.

Read Stallard Kane’s Lastest Business Shield article here.

SKA understands that busy management teams don’t always have the time to keep up-to-date with changes in workplace legislation and health and safety policies, which is why FeRFA has supplied FeRFA Business Shield as a key member benefit

All FeRFA members have FREE access to the Business Shield service giving you:

• FREE access to the FeRFA Business Shield online portal
• FREE and unlimited use of the 24hr hotline
• FREE one hour review of your daily activity and associated risks
• FREE one hour review of your existing employment contracts

Further details on the service are available in the brochure here.

All FeRFA members are supplied with a unique username and password for the FeRFA Business Shield and can speak to an advisor to answer any queries that you may have regarding the service.

In the meantime, members can access the advice line on 0345 076 6485.

The dedicated FeRFA Business Shield Account Manager is Barry Nicol, please call him on 07854 938693 for more details

Most people are now aware that there are new regulations coming into force, concerning the way that organisations collect, hold and use personal data belonging to customers, staff and others that they might interact with.

What is not so well-known is that this is not just something that affects large companies. All businesses and individual traders who hold personal data need to make sure that they comply with the new regulations. What’s more, the date for doing so is fast approaching – the enforcement date on 25 May 2018.

The new rules were approved at a European level two years ago, 21 years after the original Data Protection Directive came into force. Since the 1990s the internet, online marketing and digital data storage have revolutionised this area. For these reasons and also due to a lack of consistency internationally, it is generally considered that the original regulations are no longer fit for purpose. Therefore the requirements are changing in all European countries.

The core principle of data protection legislation is that: “Data must be processed fairly for specified purposes, based on consent or other legitimate purposes laid down by law. Everyone has the right to access to data collected about them and the right to have any errors rectified”.

FeRFA is keen to communicate the key requirements of the new regulatory regime, so that member companies are equipped to make any necessary changes to the way they collect, handle and store customer and employee data.

One of the key requirements is that organisations can no longer make assumptions about how people want their data to be dealt with. For instance, pre-ticked opt-in boxes are not considered valid methods of consent. Individuals must now pro-actively state their agreement for their data to be held and used in particular ways. Consent for companies to handle an individual’s data must be freely given, on the basis of an opt-in and unbundled and separate from other conditions.

It is important to remember that this applies to employees, as well as customers. Companies should also ensure that internal data security is sufficient and that adequate training is provided for members of staff who handle employee and customer data. Under the legislation an employer is considered liable for the actions of its staff, and there have been instances of companies being prosecuted due to theft of personal data by an employee.

In communication with those on whom organisations hold data, valid forms of consent include: “I would like to receive emails about your products (Tick box)” or “I give my explicit consent to receiving emails about resin flooring products, and please send them to: (email address)”. Therefore resin flooring companies will be required to contact their customers and others on any mailing lists that they hold, in order to secure their active assent to hold and use their data.

The law builds in a number of further requirements, with which organisations will have to comply:

• Data retention should be transparent, including documentation of how it is held.
• The person whose data you are collecting should be informed of the reasons why you are collecting it.
• The data that is collected should be adequate, limited in scope and relevant.
• Information that is held should be accurate and up-to-date.
• It should not be retained longer than necessary.
• It should be held securely.
• The rights of those whose data is held should be protected – these rights include information, access, rectification and erasure.

Companies should consider whether they need to appoint a data protection officer within their organisations, although this is normally only required if processing of personal data is a “core activity” and carried out on a large scale. However they do need to take steps to ensure that they comply, and they may need to demonstrate their compliance to the Information Commissioner’ Office (ICO). Companies which require further information on GDPR and what they have to do now will find that information on the ICO’s website at www.ico.org.uk. There are also details on the GDPR portal at www.eugdpr.org.

The 2017/18 BUILD UK Accident Survey is now live for FeRFA CONTRACTOR MEMBERS to submit accident statistics for the last 12 months from 1 April 2017 – 31 March 2018 via the following link:

Accident Survey 2017/18

The deadline for responses to this year’s survey is Friday 1 September 2018 – but please don’t wait until the deadline to complete it as we will send regular reminders until it is completed.
It should only take a few minutes to do, and if you have had no reportable accidents it will be just seconds as all you need to give is number of employees for that period, then click NO to accidents and it is done.

Please note that providing annual accident statistics is a requirement of membership for contractors.

A good response to the survey is vital as the information can be used to demonstrate to clients and others that the safety record of members is better than non-members. It can also help to identify accident trends in order to produce guidance which can reduce the risk of similar incidents in future.

The government have announced proposals to help smaller businesses bid to win government contracts.

Suppliers will have to advertise subcontracting opportunities via the Contracts Finder website, and provide government with data showing how businesses in their supply chain are benefitting from supplying to central government.

Read more.

CSCS has launched a new website dedicated to the free Go Smart app. Go Smart lets you check cards from CSCS and other Partner Card Schemes electronically. Checking a card takes seconds and lets you record card data without tedious manual entry.

View

CSCS is pleased to announce that the Safe2Site online course has been approved as the latest route to the green Labourer card.

Safe2Site is owned by the Compliance and Skills Academy (COSAC), a training institute which delivers courses in a range of construction specialities. COSAC will be working with TestReach, an online exam and assessment technology provider, to deliver Safe2Site online.

Historically CSCS has not approved e-assessment in non-invigilated conditions due to the high risk of malpractice and lack of measures to control it, particularly in locations that are remote from test centres such as a learner’s home.

Read more

The Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) launched its new Grants Scheme on 1 April 2018, which is supported by a new Construction Training Directory and Construction Training Register. These are collectively known as the new ‘Training Model’.

The new Training Model will be phased in over the coming months and is designed so Employers will find it quicker and easier to book training with a recognised provider, claim grant and check records of the training and qualifications that individuals have achieved.

Read more here.

FeRFA MEETINGS AND EVENTS 2018

FeRFA Council Meetings: Jun 20, Sep 19
FeRFA AGM & Awards Dinner: Nov 23
FeRFA Resin Bound/Bonded Technical Sub Committee: May 1
FeRFA Technical Meeting: TBC

INDUSTRY EXHIBITION DATES 2018

Hospitality Technology Innovation – ExCeL, London: 25-26 Sep