in brief

BEC/FCEC merger

A small group of leading contractors has launched a fresh initiative to promote unity in their building and civil engineering interests.

The move has been prompted by impatience over the breakdown of talks on a link-up between the Building Employers Confederation and the Federation of Civil Engineering Contractors. It seems likely to involve a formal grouping of the top dozen firms, but with links to the BEC and FCEC being maintained.



Foreman beaten up

A Clugston foreman was beaten up by two groundwork operators recently when he told them to exchange their shoes for proper safety footware.

The men, direct labour operatives, had already been thrown off the œ5 million Sheffield site three days earlier for not wearing appropriate footwear. Assault charges may be pressed against the two men.



Trade missions to Asia

Government Ministers are involved in two separate construction trade missions to Asia. Construction Minister Tony Baldry this week led a delegation including Sir Alexander Gibb to visit Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. Housing Minister Sir George Young will next week lead construction representatives on a mission to Kazakhstan and Kyrgyzstan in central Asia.



Virtual reality awareness

The Building Research Establishment (BRE) is setting up a virtual reality awareness club for construction and design companies interested in using the new computer programming techniques to develop and sell their products.



Contamination guidelines

The Confederation of British Industry has published new guidelines to help firms deal with the problem of contaminated land. The processes of site investigation and risk assessment are outlined to enable non-experts to make judgements on how land can be cleaned up.

And consultant Halcrow is to carry out a 10 month study to help develop a research programme on the effect of contaminated land on the water environment.

The study will look at determining sources of contamination, the extent of contamination and the risk posed by it.