Imagine turning on the TV news and being greeted with a smiling presenter who says. “Good evening. Everything, everywhere is just hunky-dory. Goodnight.” Or you stop on your way to work to pick up a newspaper. And there, on the front page, is a headline that reads: “The world is tickety-boo”. For one thing, that’s…Read moreRead more
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Meanwhile, in the real world…
Industry’s imposed insecurity
Constant pressure from above equates to a constant threat of reprimand, punishment or dismissal. Constant concern over whether you’ll be paid this week, next week, or the week after. Constant worry that you might be replaced by someone less experienced and, therefore, cheaper than you. Constant fear that work will dry up or that your…Read moreRead more
Construction’s lack of consequences
A construction company boss folds his failing company, leaving the supply chain in disarray. Workers unpaid, scaffolders chasing invoices, plant hire firms stuck with damaged kit and no recompense. And just when the dust settles, he reappears. New logo. New name. Same game. Same man. He re-emerges without a scratch, as if the chaos he…Read moreRead more
Ethical free-fall
In the past few weeks, the UK construction and demolition sector has been rocked by a series of corruption scandals that expose a deeply entrenched culture of unethical practices. From bribery and bid-rigging to fraud and collusion, these cases reveal systemic issues that threaten the integrity of an industry vital to the nation’s infrastructure and…Read moreRead more
A tale of two presidents
As I sat in the auditorium of the Royal Armouries in Leeds at the Institute of Demolition Engineers’ spring seminar on Friday last week, I was blissfully unaware of the meeting that was taking place at the White House between Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy and US President Donald Trump. I was seated in the front…Read moreRead more
Trouble in Store…
Angela Rayner’s green light for the demolition of a landmark M&S store raises more questions than it answers. Rarely has the demolition and construction of a retail store been quite so divisive; quite so polarising; and quite so protracted. The proposed demolition of the flagship Marks & Spencer store on London’s Oxford Street has been…Read moreRead more
Sam’s story
This story is a work of fiction. Or is it? Like most children, Sam looks forward to the weekend. It’s not that he doesn’t like school; he does. But when Saturday rolls around, he generally gets to spend some time with his dad. They’ll walk the dog in the park, go fishing, maybe even go…Read moreRead more
All those memories
No Title No Description From the moment of its inception, a demolition company is locked in a battle for survival. Like a bait fish birthed into a pool of hungry sharks, some are eaten immediately while others are chased away. Those that survive then face a new battle: a battle for recognition and reputation; a…Read moreRead more
Progress? What progress…?
As a society, we like to believe that we are better and more enlightened than those that went before us. The facts tell a different, unpalatable story. Man’s inhumanity to his fellow man remains unchanged. We are still fighting wars over land, religion, and resources. Poor nutrition and hunger results in the death of more…Read moreRead more
Will we ever learn…?
When Carillion went into compulsory liquidation at the beginning of 2018, it did so with liabilities of almost £7 billion. It was the largest corporate failure ever dealt with by the Official Receiver, costing the taxpayer more than £150 million. That collapse led to around 3,000 redundancies in Carillion alone, and had a financial impact…Read moreRead more