Category: News

Carl Corry one of our Site Managers has just completed a 285 mile bike ride over 4 days, taking in beautiful English and French countryside whilst raising money for the Royal British Legion.

Carl  decided to undertake the ride after his friend Danny who was deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan wanted to raise money for the British Legion.  Carl’s longest bike ride prior to the event was 45 miles the week before! Carl and Danny were among a group of 7 friends undertaking the ‘Pedal to Paris’ bike ride together as a team.

Carl said, “I truly enjoyed the event and met a lot of people who received funds off the RBL due to mental issues and injuries”.

Well done to Carl and all his friends on a fantastic achievement.  If you would like to make a donation to Carl’s fundraising page, please click the link below thank you:

https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/carl-corry

 

 

O’Brien Contractors has been awarded the RoSPA Gold Medal Award, which is our 9th consecutive RoSPA Gold Award and our 5th Gold Medal, so we are over the moon!

The internationally-renowned RoSPA Health and Safety Awards, are the longest-running industry awards scheme in the UK and has been awarded to us in recognition of our practices and achievements, in helping staff and clients and stakeholders get home safely at the end of the working day.

The RoSPA Awards scheme, which receives entries from organisations around the world, recognises achievement in health and safety  management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

Managing Director, Peter O’Brien, said:

“We are delighted to have been recognised with a RoSPA Gold Award for the last 9 years, with a Gold Medal Award again for the 5th year running.  As a company we are dedicated to making sure that all of our sites are safe both for everyone working on them and for members of the public, Receiving this award again is testament to how hard we all work to achieve that.”

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

Our industry-leading standards have also been recognised with many other occupational health and safety accreditations ranging from ISO45001 to CHAS Gold, Achilles Building Confidence and RISQS.

O’Brien turn sports facility visions to reality, getting projects off paper and out of the ground!

Our experienced Sports, Civils and Construction teams provide a turnkey solution for all projects, from conception, design and planning through to completion, with a proven track record of delivering a diverse range of design and build projects, to exacting client aspirations, providing value engineering to reduce cost, and provide environmental solutions.

From unused former landfill or undeveloped land being turned into first class sports venues, to providing new and refurbished school pitches.  We work sympathetically to the surrounding environment, including live environments, protection and enhancement of ecological areas and having respect for the communities in which we work.

The contracts that we deliver include synthetic and natural pitches, such as those used for rugby, football, hockey, tennis, Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) pitches, as well as athletic tracks, with a range of surfaces to suit all uses, from schools to professional sports teams and public community facilities.

Providing outstanding single and multi-pitch projects, including construction of sports academies, clubhouses, car parks, civil engineering and construction works, including car parks, all drainage and utility arrangements landscaping and more!

Our clients include football clubs, rugby clubs, sports clubs, schools and residential land development companies.

We are SAPCA approved for MUGA, Synthetic and Natural Turf Pitch Construction, FIH (International Hockey Federation) accredited for Hockey Pitch Construction, as well as ISO9001, 14001 and 45001, CHAS and Achilles Building Confidence accredited.  We also have a 9^th Consecutive RoSPA Gold Award winner for health and safety! 

Examples of site wide solutions for brand new sports facilities:

Aston Villa FC  – Completed Project

http://Aston Villa New Training Ground, Bodymoor Heath (obriencontractors.co.uk)

Old Saltleians RFC – Current Project

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

Early Contractor Involvement Benefits

 The most effective way for O’Brien Contractors to work with our clients, to deliver as much value as possible is through Early Contractor Involvement. By being a part of the initial design, specification and programming process, we ensure your project is scoped, de-risked and costed effectively and using our senior management team as consultants where necessary, we also provide operational and commercial advice on feasibility studies.

 

Projects completed / current in the last 12 months:

• Old Salts RFC – brand new site consisting of 7 Rugby Pitches, Car Park, Clubhouse – in progress
• Bromsgrove School – car park extension, road, netball / tennis courts 3G hockey pitch – in progress
• Joseph Chamberlain School – MUGA pitch, Car Park and Welfare/Changing room facility – in progress
• Aston Villa – new site, new academy building, multiple pitch formations, car park, all services – completed
• Solihull School – Playing fields, car park, access road, groundsman building – completed
• Western Park – new development community facilities– 8 rugby / football pitches, bowls green, fencing, footpaths and lighting – completed

It’s employee award time again!

Ashley Tobin has been awarded our quarterly ‘Outstanding Employee Award’ for the second quarter 2022, for his hard work on his project sites.

Project Manager Guy Baker nominated Ashley and said “I would like to nominate Ashley, “he is reliable, trustworthy and very experienced in what he does. He works hard, gives it his all and always gets the job done”.  Well done to Ashley!

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 wins the award. In recognition of their outstanding contribution on site, the winner gets a £500 cheque and a certificate .

Anthony Watson Pedals Through France on a  Cycle Challenge to Raise Money for the Royal British Legion

Our Pre-Construction Manager, Anthony Watson is busy on his bike at the weekends training for his forthcoming charity ride to Ypres, Belgium with the Royal British Legion Cycling Group.

This annual charity event passes through the historic Somme region of France before crossing into Belgium and finishing at the iconic Menin Gate in Ypres.

This event is truly about the journey as the riders visit several historic battlegrounds and war memorials to remember those who gave so much to defend our freedom.

Starting from Dunkirk beach, he will be visiting the moving memorial to the Wormhout Massacre, the trenches and scenic memorial at Vimy Ridge, visiting St Mary’s A.D Cemetery, the Tunnelers Memorial, Ploegsteert Memorial as well as the Missing, the Australian Memorial in Fromelles, Mesen, the Caterpillar Crater, Hill 60, Tyne Cott the Aeroplane Cemetery and finally we will pass through the spectacular Menin Gate in Ypres.

Anthony is raising much needed money for the Royal British Legion and would be grateful if you could visit his JustGiving page to donate.

The link to the page is here: https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/pedaltoypres2325july2022-craigsigley?fbclid=IwAR2nULnJdT04x8RcL3-U6WAeWqYPyrN6XFEA0BGddPIdCYTt_nkfr7TNZ3Y&utm_id=124

Anthony would also like to thank the businesses who have given generously and sponsored his Team WCA cycling jerseys this year.

These are;

• O’Brien Contractors Ltd
• Auctus Management Group Ltd
• Cordia Blackswan
• Nolan Associates Consulting Structural and Civil Engineers
• Clancy Consulting
• Dragonfly Consulting
• Briggs & Forrester Group
• rg+p Ltd
• Barclays, who are matching fundraising up to £1,000.

At the going down of the sun, and in the morning, we will remember them.

O’Brien welcomed Luke and Mason, 2 Year 10 students for a taste of construction life on a week’s work experience out on site and in the office, an experience they both enjoyed, confirming an interest in groundworks for Mason and sparking an interest for Luke.

O’Brien have for many years had a longstanding commitment to encouraging and developing young people in the construction industry, providing them with opportunities to gain experience with our company with work placements, work experience and apprenticeships.  We believe it is important that we encourage and support the next generation of construction workers.

Mason

Mason is 15 years old and a Year 10 student and has an interest in working in groundworks when he leaves school.

Mason really enjoyed his week with us and commented, “It is hard work but being out on site with the lads, who were brilliant with me, has shown me what to expect when I choose this career when I leave school.”

Luke

Luke is 15 years old and a Year 10 student and really enjoyed his week of work experience and commented:

“I was fortunate enough to spend a week working at O’Brien Contractors as part of my work experience in 2022.

After a thorough health and safety introduction I spent some time in the finance office as well as at various construction sites. Finance was my very first office experience and it gave me an insight into the financial workings of a company. The remainder of my time was spent on site, sparking an interest in civil engineering. This was by far the favourite part of my week; I found the work both interesting and enjoyable.

O’Brien staff were professional and helpful, I really appreciate the opportunity. I would like to thank them all for their encouragement and time.”

O’Brien Welcomes the Opportunity to Provide Young People with Work Experience Opportunities

O’Brien welcomes the opportunity to provide young people with the opportunity to overcome concerns around the world of employment, giving them insight and understanding of the workplace through work experience placements, particularly if they have an interest in the construction and civil engineering industry out on site or in support functions that make up our head office.

A live working environment gives our work placements the opportunity to experience the work life routine.  The experience gives them knowledge and confidence along the way, which is important when making the transition from education to employment, a prospect which some young people find daunting and even particularly difficult.

O’Brien have for many years provided short- and longer-term work experience opportunities in both our office and site environments, which for many students have confirmed their choice of working within our industry, encouraging a new generation of construction workers.  Providing work experience placements also forms part of our commitment to social value within our business.

 

 

 

O’Brien win a place on PAGABO Civils and Infrastructure Framework

Following the award of a place on the ‘National Framework for Demolition and Land Remediation’ on the 10 May, the company is delighted to be awarded a place on a second PAGABO framework.  After a rigorous tender exercise we have now won a place on the  ‘PAGABO National Framework for Civils and Infrastructure’.

The PAGABO framework place will provide O’Brien’s clients with the confidence that we have proven high standards of health and safety, commitments to social value, and net zero targets, proven expertise, and financial stability as well as a proven track record of completed projects.

The framework will allow our clients who utilise the PAGABO frameworks to appoint us to carry out works through direct award or invite us for further competition for their projects.

Director Tom O’Brien commented “we are delighted to have secured a place on a second PAGABO framework. We are now able to offer a straightforward procurement route for our clients, whilst giving them the confidence to place orders with us as an approved contractor with a proven track record. We look forward to working in collaboration with clients to deliver schemes through the frameworks.”

Better Procurement

The PAGABO frameworks makes procurement quicker, easier, and more effective. They help public sector organisations across the UK, by providing EU compliant framework agreements, – delivered and backed up by a team of MCIPS qualified procurement professionals with a vast range of experience who support clients throughout the procurement of projects and beyond.

Simpler Procurement

The PAGABO system provides a simplification of the procurement process, which is less onerous, less costly and time consuming, whilst making the processes more transparent, simpler, and faster.

Embedded Social Value

Pagabo aims to embed Social Impact and Social Value through every procurement and guide suppliers of how to deliver more Social Value through their contracts, as well as provide Social Value guidance to suppliers.

https://www.pagabo.co.uk/news/pagabo-reveals-winners-for-l1-56bn-civils-and-infrastructure-framework

https://obriencontractors.co.uk/obrien-win-a-place-on-pagabo-demolition-and-land-preparation-framework/

World Bee Day – Concentrating on the Solitary Bee Species Today

Having done some research on Bees for World Bee Day, I found that there were bees that lived solitary lives, with no hives (I was a poet etc…), so decided to concentrate on the solitary bees for todays awareness day!

We love bees at O’Brien so much we have beehives in our garden at the office for our honeybees!

Over 200 out of 275 bee species in the UK are solitary bees, the rest are bumble bees and we have just one species of honeybee.  That surprised me!

Solitary bees do not produce honey and don’t live in a hive, however they are very important! Female solitary bees are prolific pollinators, carrying out the majority of pollination in Britain, (the males are purely for breeding and then unfortunately, they kick the bucket after completing the task)! They are also quite small in size, with an extremely weak or ineffective sting – even more reason to welcome them into your garden.

Let’s Get Planting for the Bees!

Bluebells, hellebores, forget-me-nots, crocuses, grape hyacinth, mahonia japonica and rhododendrons, hollyhock, snapdragon, aquilegia, aster, delphinium, foxgloves, fuchsia, geraniums, heather and lavender abelia, anemone sylvestris, dahlias, salvias, sedum and  verbena bonariensis, alliums, astrantia, deutzia, erysimum, lavender, pulmonaria. They particularly love blue, yellow and purple flowers! Let’s get planting!

Bee Bombs are Great for the Bees, Throw it and Grow it!

 

Let’s Get Building for the Bees!

Building a bee hotel is one of the ways you can help or using just one Bee Brick in your building project is the other.  We are installing a bee hotel on one of our current projects and will update you on this when the project is completed!

Build a bee hotel and involve the kids!

Bee hotels can be made for pretty much pennies, with most of the materials lying around the average garden or a good rummage in the local woods or park, so a great project to involve the kids in.

Use a plant pot or old tin can and put pieces of cut cane inside, or one full of leaves, an old fence post with drilled holes or use some basic carpentry skills,  or you can buy some luxurious style ones.  Whatever you decide the bees will love you for it!  A couple of links below for simple bee hotels.

https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/how-to-make-bee-hotel.html

https://www.woodlandtrust.org.uk/blog/2020/04/how-to-build-a-bee-hotel/

https://friendsoftheearth.uk/bees/make-a-bee-house

Use a Beebrick in your construction project

Bee Bricks come in all sorts of colours, with each brick containing cavities in which solitary bees can lay their eggs before sealing the entrance with mud and chewed-up vegetation, which will hatch the next spring with no further involvement from the queen.

O’Brien will be encouraging our clients to include a bee brick in their construction projects, to be used in replacement of a standard brick, adding an ecologically friendly twist to their project .

 

 Some of the Solitary Bee Species

• Carpenter Bees – found in logs and tree stumps
• Masonry (or mason bees) – found in mortar joints or brick walls
• Miner Bees – found in the ground
• Leafcutter bees – nest in soft, rotted wood, thick-stemmed pithy plants
• IVY bee – nest suitable sloping sandy banks
• Flower Bees – nest in the soil, & high-up sites.

 

Following a robust competitive tender exercise, O’Brien are delighted to have been awarded a place on the brand-new £1.1 billion demolition and land preparation framework.

The framework has been developed to provide clients with confidence that the  organisations on the framework are monitored and audited, ensuring that they maintain a high level of safety and provides clients with compliant access to suppliers with expertise, allowing the client to redevelop existing estate stock and develop on brownfield sites.

Director Tom O’Brien commented “we are delighted to announce we have successfully secured a place on the PAGABO Demolition and Land Preparation Works Framework and look forward to working in collaboration with clients to deliver schemes through it”.

https://www.pagabo.co.uk/news/breaking-things-down-pagabos-l1-1bn-demolition-framework-awards-announced

The framework is now live.  If you have schemes that you want to procure via this Framework, please get in contact.

It’s award time again!

Owen Keogh has been awarded our quarterly ‘Outstanding Employee Award’ for the first quarter 2022, for his hard work on our Shire Lodge Cemetery Extension project in Corby.  Owen was presented with an award certificate and will also receive a cheque for £500 in recognition of his hard work.

Project Manager Kevin Brennan said “I would like to nominate Owen due to always working diligently and safely on all tasks asked of him on the Shire Lodge Cemetery Project”.

The project that Owen is working on involves extension of the grass cemetery, construction of internal roads, footpaths, drainage, visitors car park, hard and soft landscaping and an amenity building.

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 wins the award. In recognition of their outstanding contribution, the winner gets a £500 cheque and a certificate in recognition of their hard work.