Back bites and other bits: 26 July 2006

The 'other' Ciria

If you've ever visited the Construction Industry Research and Information Association's website, chances are you'll have typed in www.ciria.com.

In which case, you would have had a bit of a surprise.

For, rather than info about new construction products or research, you would instead have found yourself staring at the striking features of Ciria, a "new Hispanic female vocalist".

Apparently, the 23-year-old sings in a "powerful and emotive style" that "combines a strong female point of view with passionate, sensuous lyrics". Her CD is available for $12.99.

You may, of course, not have been distracted at all by the rather lovely Latino singer, in which you case you'll probably want to know the correct web address of the 'other' Ciria.

It is: www.ciria.org.uk.

Kerb your language

Construction has worked hard to improve its image of late, but every now and again, someone lets the side down - often in the worst circumstances imaginable.

Such was the case a few weeks ago, when one major contractor's lorry parked up on a dropped kerb in Cheltenham, blocking in a group of wheelchair users.

By all accounts, the driver met their polite request to move with a tirade of foul language.

Unfortunately for him, and for the contractor, one of the wheelers was local Liberal Democrat MP Martin Horwood, who was spending the day getting an idea of what life is like for disabled constituents.

"Unbelievable," was his reaction. With Horwood were four teenage wheelchair users and Gill Henry, organiser of Wheelchair Challenge at the National Star College for disabled youth.

A different road block

New speed-limit signs put up along an A-road near Wycombe, Bucks, are so big they are interfering with the TV reception in the area.

The signs were put up by contractors working for Buckinghamshire County Council after a speed limit review of roads in the county.

But according to local residents, the supersize signs are not having the desired effect.

"These signs are ruining the countryside views and since they were put up we cannot get Channel 5 on our TV," said one. "Wherever you look there are smaller signs telling you the speed limit, so why do we need such great big ones?"

Summertime blues

Hot weather is normally a cause for celebration if you're a builder.

But insurers are now warning that the side effects of too much exposure to the sun could cost employers as much in skin cancer claims as asbestos.

Employers' liability claims for skin cancer after exposure to the sun are on course to cost around £20bn in the coming decades.

Nigel Geary from Aon Construction Direct, said: "As temperatures soar this summer, builders need to think about protecting their employees from the potential cancerous effects of working in the sun all day.

"It's easy to think 'it'll never happen to me'."

Number of the week

752: Total value, in millions of pounds, of the Regional Assemblies' handouts from the DfT per year over the next decade.

Quote of the week

"The amount of money is grossly inadequate for the schemes we need in the region." John Reynolds, chairman of East of England Regional Assembly planning panel.

[Contract Journal, 26 July 2006, p. 56]