Category: News

What does it mean to boost your mental health? These are the discussions we have been having at O’Brien’s, creating more awareness around talking, ways of coping and how we can, as a business, be more open to our workforce and what they might need.

This week is Mental Health Awareness Week 9-15th May, we sat down and had a chat with Anthony Watson, our Pre-Construction Manager, who kindly offer to talk about how he manages his mental health, what works for him and simple advice that might help others.

1. Tell us about you…

I have worked in the construction industry now for over thirty-five years. After leaving school, I started working on building sites for a Regional Construction Company before deciding to get a Degree in Building Surveying. I have worked for a number of businesses from SME’s to Blue Chip organisations and irrespective of the size of business, or your position within them, your own Mental Health and Wellbeing is one thing we all need to be better at protecting.

2. What is your approach to mental health?

Getting that work life balance right is so hard to achieve, and when you think you have it mastered, something changes that tip the balance… and usually, not in your favour! Everyone is different, but I find that being open with people about my mental health, both at work and at home, really helps. I’m not afraid to talk about how I feel and what might be troubling me.

3. Can you offer any tips and advice that might help someone who is struggling?

Just remember, you are not alone, and speaking to someone isn’t a sign of weakness. If you don’t have anyone who you feel comfortable talking to, take advantage of the Construction Industry Helpline App which O’Brien Contractors make available for free. Any conversation you have via this App is confidential… and the people on the other end could really help you address the issues that are causing you to struggle with mental health.

4. If you could choose something to add that would help the construction industry boost Mental Health Awareness, what would it be?

Now, this is a tough one!! We might see mental health issues as being a weakness and we don’t like exposing our weaknesses to work colleagues, family or friends. However, a big boost to Mental Health Awareness within the construction industry would come if we all spoke out about it more! There is great traction already, especially with Days like today, but I feel we could do more.

5. How is O’Brien’s actively supporting mental health?

O’Brien Contractors show real empathy when it comes to our mental health and wellbeing. We are committed to the Building Mental Health Framework which underpins the values of our business and supports people in our industry, every day, and throughout their working lives. We are signatories to the Building Mental Health Charter and offer support through awareness campaigns and training. We also have champions from across our workforce to support keeping people safe. We also support the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity which is the only charity that provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to construction workers and their families. We also encourage and promote an active lifestyle to help improve mental health and wellbeing. This year, a team from across our workforce, will be cycling up to 100 miles to raise money for the O’Brien Charitable Trust.

Our approach to Mental Health & Wellbeing at Work…
Listed here are some of the areas we have worked on in the last couple of years to increase our support with O’Brien Contractors:

We offer access to the “Construction Industry Helpline App” The app is the ultimate self-help tool and is aimed at those who would like more information about how they can help themselves or if necessary, take the next step in seeking professional help. 

Here at O’Brien’s, we have a number of Mental Health First Aiders, our “Mental Health Champions,” who are specifically trained in helping anyone who may need support, ensuring that out workforce always have a trained representative to offer advice and listen when it is needed.

“Building Mental Health Framework” is an initiative we have adopted, with our teams committing to the principles of the building mental health charter, which include areas such as reducing stigma and discrimination and encouraging open conversations while at work.

We ensure that our workforce communications always include a recommendation or links to helpful information should it be needed. Our dedicated page “Help Under the Hard Hat” is there specifically to offer this. Our Toolbox talks are specifically focused around these areas.

One of our chosen charities who helps us with our communication is a charity we support through O’Brien Charitable Trust is “Lighthouse Club.” They offer a helpline and are committed to helping the construction industry tackle its mental health. This is charity receives no public funding and relies on the generosity of those within in the industry to help to continue its vital work. 

Additional Links to Information & Help:

See here how you can boost your mental health in Spring… click here.

See link to the Construction Industry Helpline App and how to find it: click here.

See the Lighthouse Club here: click here.

The O’Brien Charity Golf Day is only a couple of months away and the team at O’Brien has been practicing their swings and avoiding the rough to ensure they are competitive on the 7^th of July.

The response from our suppliers has been fantastic, offering sponsorship and prizes for the event. We would like to extend a huge thank you to them for their support and helping us to create what will be a brilliant day.

The money raised from the event will go to O’Brien Charitable Trust and help to raise money for our local charities and the worthy communities they support.

If you would like to sponsor our Charity Golf Day for 2023 or support O’Brien Charitable Trust, please contact info@obriencontractors.co.uk or follow the link here.

Not long now until 14 intrepid cyclists take on the Charity Bike Ride – “Tour of Cambridgeshire.” The team will be cycling up to 100-miles each for O’Brien Charitable Trust.

We would like to thank our corporate sponsors for their incredible support. Jersey Sponsorship has raised an impressive c.£8,000, as you can see they look fantastic!

These sponsors include:

• MJL Midlands
• Ridge & Partners
• Edge PS
• SGP Architects
• Burdens
• Weightmans
• MCI Electrical
• Nolan Associates
• Smiths Concrete
• CQS Solutions
• CMT Group
• Midland Quarry Products
• Titan Site Solutions
• Coventry Timber Products
• YardLink
• Emily Jayne Hair
• Keyline
• HD Ricketts
• MAP Civils
• Tracey Concrete
• Belgrade Insulations
• F P McCann
• Simson Aggregates
• Clancy Consulting
• FGD Aggregates & Waste Removal
• First Fence
• Midland Rock
• Clowes Developments

With the 4^th of June approaching fast this leaves only 6 weeks to go. If you would still like to support our fundraising event, please donate here or email info@obriencontractors.co.uk.

Now into its 67th year, the RoSPA Health and Safety Awards is the largest occupational health and safety awards programme in the UK. The programme recognizes an organisations’ commitment to continuous improvement in the prevention of accidents and ill health at work, looking at entrants’ overarching health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

O’Brien Contractors are committed to providing a safe and healthy working environment for all our staff. O’Brien  provides ongoing training, information, supervision and health advice so that all of our employees are competent to work safely and we are committed to providing the resources necessary to support this provision.

Managing Director, Peter O’Brien, said: “We are delighted to have been awarded our 10^th RoSPA Gold Award and to receive a President’s Award as recognition of this is outstanding. It’s a fantastic achievement and a positive reflection of all who work for us. We are dedicated to Health & Safety and making sure that every element of our works are delivered with the upmost safety in mind. This 10^th gold award is proof that it is always a priority.”

Our industry-leading standards have also been recognised with many other occupational health and safety accreditations ranging from CHAS Gold, Achilles Building Confidence and RISQS. With O’Brien Contractors successfully completing our recent audit for ISO9001, ISO14001 and IS045001 for 2023.

Our very own Masterchef  Anthony Watson has cooked up a treat for the office today, by cooking us all a beautiful homemade and extremely delicious Thai Yellow Curry with Jasmine Rice for his Thai Friday theme day. Anthony is a keen chef in his spare time, cooking up a variety of delicious curries!

Anthony has organised the day to raise money for our O’Brien Charitable Trust.  https://trust.obriencontractors.co.uk/

Thanks Anthony!

O’Brien are absolutely delighted to have won the award for Large Project of the Year from SAPCA for our Old Saltleians RFC project!

Using our in-house civil engineering & building construction expertise, along with our extensive sports development experience, we delivered a turnkey design & build solution for the client, to develop 17 acres of former farmland into a sports facility with 6 natural turf pitches, a clubhouse and associated infrastructure.

Beginning with a Breaking Ground Ceremony in November 2021 O’Brien commenced works to develop seventeen acres of fallow arable farmland into a state of the art facility. The new grounds would provide a clubhouse and 6 natural turf pitches, ecological area as well as ample parking for cars and coaches.

O’Brien worked extremely closely with the Old Saltleians Rugby Club along with their consultants and design team, Robinson Lowe Francis (RLF), AJA Architects, Nolan Associates and PSD to bring the project from a concept to a completed facility fit for the future. The project was completed on time and to budget.

Kevan Fell has been awarded our quarterly ‘Outstanding Employee Award’ for the last quarter of 2022, for his hard work on our Fairham Park and Ride Highways Works project.

https://obriencontractors.co.uk/fairham-project-starts-to-take-shape/

Site Manager Tim Murphy said “Kevan’s good all-round attitude at work and the pride taken shaping batters and ponds at our Nottingham site has been top notch, also taking charge of his own sections of work, showing his overall knowledge in earth moving and plant operation, as well as the understanding of work needed to achieve programme dates.

Well done to Kevan!

O’Brien values the skills, experience, and dedication of our site teams.

In recognition of this, we have for many years run the ‘Employee Outstanding Achievement Award.’ The award goes to a member of one of our site teams each quarter to coincide with our quarterly newsletter.

Project Managers nominate the operative that they think has gone above and beyond for the previous quarter and the candidate with the most recommendations win the award. In recognition of their outstanding contribution on site, the winner gets a £500 cheque and a certificate.

The contest is hotting up, with our Director Tony Mitchell going for a very distinguished Paul Hollywood look.  Click on the link to sponsor him, make sure you mention his name in your donation message. https://trust.obriencontractors.co.uk/

Our Movember contestants have taken up the fuzzy challenge for our 2022 challenge to raise money for the O’Brien Trust charity.

The boys in the office do us proud every year raising money for the Charitable Trust in the Movember Challenge, and they are very competitive!

• Dan Taylor – QS
• Tony Mitchell – Director
• Matthew Moore – Buyer
• James O’Brien – Workshop Manager

They will be growing those top lip warmers for the whole of November (possibly glad of the extra warmth during this time of year)!

If you would like to sponsor any of our contestants, use our Paypal donation button (we get Gift Aid as well), leave a message and don’t forget to say who you are sponsoring with your donation! (message function comes up after payment, just be patient and wait for the screen to pop up).

We are working towards our £15,000 goal for 2022.

The Office Ladies Getting in on the Act in 2022!

The girls in the office will be joining in this year, with a competition for the most ridiculous fake face fuzz, wearing it for 3 hours on the 25 November!

Just in case you don’t know, if the staff raise £15,000 between January and the end of December, the O’Brien Directors match that amount, so we have £30,000 to distribute in January 2023 to our chosen small charities and community organisations.

We really appreciate all the support and sponsors, not just for this event, but all of our events and fundraising efforts throughout the year.

THANK YOU FROM THE O’BRIEN TEAM!

O’Brien have been members of SAPCA (Sports and Play Association) for a number of years for artificial turf pitches and MUGA’s, and decided it was time to request formal recognition and approval for natural turf pitches which we have been constructing for many years.  So earlier this year SAPCA did it’s first inspection on our natural turf projects, choosing our Western Park Project Phase 1 and Phase 2 where we constructed several natural turf pitches as part of the project and our current project at Old Saltleians RFC, which at the time was in its very early phases.

A few weeks ago, SAPCA once again visited our Old Saltleians RFC project which had developed quite significantly since SAPCA’s previous visit.  They also visited our Solihull School completed project where we have completed a significant natural turf and construction project, and our Bromsgrove School project where we had installed a hockey and tennis courts resurfacing project, along with car park extension works.

https://obriencontractors.co.uk/projects/solihull-school-st-martins-redevelopment-project/

https://obriencontractors.co.uk/projects/old-saltleians-rfc-new-rugby-grounds-and-clubhouse-development/

https://obriencontractors.co.uk/projects/bromsgrove-school-worcestershire/

O’Brien’s Sport Facilities Expertise and Experience

O’Brien offer turnkey solutions for multiple sports facilities, ranging from rugby, football, hockey pitches to stadiums and arenas.

We have a wealth of experience in sports pitch construction, and we are one of the first large contractors to be able to offer turnkey solutions for multiple sports facilities, ranging from rugby, football, hockey pitches to stadiums and arenas.

This capability is maintained in-house by our team of experts who have a proven track record of delivering a diverse range of design and build sports projects to exacting client specifications.

We offer a full range of sports pitch services, including:

• Full design and build construction projects
• Synthetic and multi-use games area (MUGA) pitches
• Pitch renovations
• Natural sports pitches
• Total solutions for sports pitches

The sports installations that we deliver include natural sports pitches, such as those used for rugby, football and cricket, and synthetic and Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) pitches with surfaces suitable for just about every sport and user, from professional sports teams to schools and communities.

We provide the total solution from concept to construction to design and build all Synthetic and Natural Sports Surfaces.

FIH (International Hockey Federation) Certified Field Builder for Hockey Pitches

FIH Certified Field Builders specialise in building hockey fields and have a proven ability to construct fields to the standards the game requires. They have appropriate in-house civil engineering expertise for the design and construction of 11-a-side and Hockey 5s fields, operate quality management systems to ensure consistency in their work and provide comprehensive maintenance advice to their customers.

http://www.fih.ch/inside-fih/fih-quality-programme-for-hockey-turf/find-out-who-has-fih-certification/fih-certified-field-builders/

SAPCA Quality System

SAPCA’s Quality System ensures that only specialist companies that can consistently deliver high standards of sports and play facilities can join SAPCA and then remain as members. Members must have a proven track record and trading history, with SAPCA checking that contractors are able to offer clients the necessary high standards of workmanship and must also meet financial stability criteria.

Standards of design and construction

SAPCA has a series of Codes of Practice that set out the industry’s standards of construction. SAPCA members must comply with the required construction specifications and quality of completed work.

Inspection of contractors’ projects

In order to ensure that SAPCA contractors continue to deliver high quality facilities, the Association has an inspection programme, through which checks are carried out on a selection of members’ projects, both during construction and on completion.

https://sapca.org.uk/

Our Fairham Project, Starts to Take Shape in Nottingham!

Works have been going at a pace following the commencement of the cut and fill earthworks on site. O’Brien are creating a new access road and controlled junction for the new Fairham neighbourhood, along with improved access to the existing Park & Ride site.

Access to and from the Clifton South Park & Ride has been maintained to keep traffic flowing while works are ongoing.

We are conducting the work on behalf of Clowes Developments, the company behind the Fairham masterplan. Fairham is being brought forward in partnership with Homes England, the government’s housing accelerator.

The works will create a new route into the £800 million Fairham neighbourhood in Nottinghamshire.

The 606-acre site is in the process of becoming a whole new neighbourhood for Nottingham with 3,000 new homes, one million sq. ft of employment space and 200 acres of open green space. The works are all part of £100 million of infrastructure improvements scheduled for Fairham.

https://fairhamlife.co.uk/access-works-for-800

https://obriencontractors.co.uk/contract-win-at-fairham-nottingham-for-obrien-contractors/