NEWSBRIEF

Crane collapse prosecution case adjourned

The prosecution of three companies involved in an incident where a crane jib fell through the roof of a Hounslow home has been adjourned. The Health and Safety Executive decided to take action after the crane collapsed in the early hours of 28 June 1998 at Boston Manor Underground station. Those being prosecuted are London Underground, which commissioned the work; Baldwins Industrial Services, which supplied the crane; and contractor Tilbury Douglas. The case, which was meant to be on 14 April at Brentford Magistrates' Court, is now due to be heard on 28 April.

reclassification for Peterhouse Group

Peterhouse Group, the rapidly expanding services and construction group, has won its case for reclassification by the Stock Exchange. From 25 April the company will be listed in the City in the business support services sector rather than construction.

industry directors in share buying frenzyÉ

Directors in several construction groups have been actively buying shares in their own companies. An Amec director has bought 14,000 shares for £26,000, while a director at John Mansfield had handed over £99,000 for 2.5m Mansfield shares. At Baldwins, a director decided to snap up 25,000 shares for £106,000 while a couple of WSP's directors jointly spent £23,000 on 8,000 shares.

Éalthough W S Atkins directors sell theirs

Ric Piper finance director at WS Atkins sold 155,000 shares with a value of £1m after the exercise of options. Two fellow directors at Atkins followed his move, the shares they sold had a total value of £2.1m.

Turkey rebuild gets help from UK firms

Laing, Balfour Beatty, Bovis Lend Lease, Hyder, Ove Arup and Thames Water will all play a part in the rebuilding of Turkey following last year's earthquakes. Representatives from each company, who are now all members of the British Earthquake Consortium formed earlier this year, will work together for the next four months to carry out geological studies, concept designs for the reconstruction of the utilities network and a town and transport planning study. Construction firms are expected to fly to Turkey later this year to see how they can assist with the rebuilding.

Skills cards required for all NHS projects

National Health Service Trusts are being recommended by NHS Estates to request Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) cards from individuals working on their projects. South Devon Healthcare Trust is pioneering the move and has said 20% of the workforce must by registered with CSCS, Certificate of Training Achievement (CTA) or Construction Industry Scaffolders Record Scheme (CISRS). This will go up to 30% by October 2001, 40% by 2002, 50% by 2003 and 75% by October 2004. For smaller contractors (less than five operatives) and sole traders at least one operative must be covered.

On the move

Nigel Fee and Colin Cole are now managing director and deputy director of Westbury Homes respectively. Daniel Atkinson has been appointed managing director of the international legal and arbitration division at James R Knowles. Steve Oldbury has been made group managing director of the Withey Group. Paul Hulme is regional director for the North of England at Lovell Partnerships. Birse Construction has made John Marshall regional director for civil engineering in the north west.