Demolition News Radio

A joint venture between C&D Consultancy and Prosafe Consultants Limited recently delivered an important new demolition training course targeting the delicate and often overlooked issue of adult mental health awareness.  In this episode of Training Talk, we speak to Prosafe's Danny Kearney, one of the driving forces behind the new training course and a vocal advocate for greater mental health aware...

So, an Englishman joined a party of Europeans in Japan to record an interview with an American...! During the recent European Demolition Association Study Tour to Japan, Demolition News Radio caught up with Christopher (Chris) Godek, the new president of the National Demolition Association in the US.  Godek gave a memorable speech to mark the official end of the formal part of that tour, and...

This extended episode of Demolition News Radio was recorded almost entirely in Japan during the European Demolition Association Study Tour to the country. Unscripted and largely unedited, this episode has been recorded to capture some of the sights, sounds and even smells that I encountered during a truly memorable trip to a truly remarkable country. My thanks to Caterpillar and to Finning UK for...

Against a backdrop of political and economic uncertainty, the UK construction industry continues to confound and confuse. Builders' Conference CEO Neil Edwards attempts to make sense of an industry that is seemingly rewriting the rule book.

This is the pilot episode of what we hope will evolve to become the latest series on the Demolition News Radio network. The basic premise of this show is very simple.   Take a dozen or so standard questions, and ask individuals from across the demolition spectrum to answer them as honestly and comprehensively as possible.   Over time, we are hoping this will give us all a uniqu...

In this episode, we feature an exclusive interview with Dr Terry Quarmby, former president of the Institute of Demolition Engineers and driving force/lead lecturer behind the IDE's Foundation Degree Course that is currently underway at Wolverhampton University.

 What if there came a time when demolition companies found themselves being prosecuted retrospectively and fined for their role in causing issues with the mental health of their workers?   What if those prosecutions mirrored those handed down for physical problems such as asbestos-related diseases or conditions caused by excessive hand arm vibration?  And what if those prosecut...

On a day upon which I find myself once again taking Citalopram tablets to help with my ongoing bout of depression, here's another quick insight into my current bout of depression. I don't normally say this but can I please urge you to listen to the very end, particularly if you know someone that you think might be struggling at present.

Has the demolition industry placed too much faith in certificates, competence cards and insurance policies?   Is the sector guilty of a creeping complacency?  And were we better (and safer) whe company management took a more "hands-on" role?

This is the second part of our exclusive interview with Howard Button and Lesley Ransome of the National Demolition Training Group.   If you didn't catch the first episode, we strongly suggest that you check that out.   Just search for Demolition News Radio on the podcast platform of your choosing.

Training Talk is a new show that is dedicated to the subject of demolition training, a sector that moves almost as fast as the industry it serves. In this launch episode, we are delighted to bring you the first part of a two-part interview with Howard Button and Lesley Ransome of the National Demolition Training Group. We sincerely hope you enjoy this launch episode and that you will check back so...

The problem with talking about mental health issues is that it is generally done in retrospect; looking back at a period of intense negativity whilst wrapped in a blanket of renewed positivity.  That's like asking an alcoholic to explain their addiction after they've been sober for 20 years.  I am not sure that helps anyone. As someone that has suffered from mental health issues in the p...

To have moved an industry on is itself worthy of applause. To have helped shape that industry long after you have ceased to be a part of it is surely the ultimate accolade; one that is worth way more than any upward career move or positive profit report.

February is the shortest month of the year so, traditionally, it has served up some of the lowest monthly totals on the BCLive league table. It does not enjoy the post-festive period upswing that characterises January and, this year, February serves as the beginning of the final countdown to Brexit and all the uncertainty that brings with it.  But the UK construction sector is notorious for p...

 The annual general meeting of the UK's National Demolition Training Group took place in London on Friday last week.   But, at a time when the future of demolition training in the UK is at a crossroads, non-NFDC members were grossly under-represented.   Yet these same companies will be the first to complain if there is a hike in training costs. 

Why demolition equipment manufacturers, dealers and distributors are more than just purveyors of "dumb iron"; and why the demolition industry needs them perhaps more than it cares to admit.

   After 11 consecutive months in which the value of new construction contract awards did not once dip below the £4.0 billion mark, the £2.7 billion posted in December 2018 was a bitter disappointment filled with ominous portent.  So was this merely a seasonal glitch or was it a sign that the pre-Brexit jitters have finally taken hold? We spoke to Builders Conference CEO Neil Edward...

Why I don't want my epitaph to read "he was quite good at spelling and grammar" and why, when the day of judgement comes, business accomplishments will likely count for very little.

The digger driver that rampaged through a Travelodge hotel lobby earlier this week throws a spotlight onto the evergreen issue of non and late payments in the UK construction sector.   In fact, this one man's actions were almost inevitable in a sector in which late payment by larger contractors is worn as a badge of honour; something to be proud of.

To post or not to post, that is the question.   Yesterday, we posted a 1987 BBC documentary on DemolitionNews.com.  It provided a fascinating insight into the demolition industry some three decades ago.   But it also featured a man that has subsequently been convicted of child sex crimes.   So should we have posted it or not?   Can we rewrite history by...

After 11 consecutive months during which the BCLive league table of new contract awards never ONCE dipped below the £4 billion monthly total, could the industry achieve a full year of unsurpassed positivity and stability?

With a Brexit-shaped storm gathering on the horizon, now is the time for the UK demolition industry to forge alliances and collaborations; to unite for the greater good of the sector.

An object lesson in why I should practice what I preach; and how a single comment on LinkedIn might just have saved my son's life. Our thanks to Mavis Nye for inspiring this episode. Contributions to her charitable foundation can be made here: https://www.mavisnyefoundation.com/

The fact that the demolition industry now has time to focus upon relatively minor health, safety and welfare issues is a sign of just how far the sector has come.

After almost a year of almost unprecedented stability and consistency, the first signs of uncertainty might have just showed themselves. Is this the beginning of the end of the good times?