Category: News

As part of National Apprenticeship week, we decided to put the spotlight on our apprentice Bradley Walters who is currently working on our Shire Lodge Cemetery Extension project in Corby.

At O’Brien, our apprentices get on the job experience and training and spend 1 day per week at a training centre or university so will come away with an industry recognised qualification or degree. There are no limits or boundaries in terms of progression within the company and we encourage everyone to take an initiative-taking approach to their job, to put themselves forward for training that will develop their skills and discuss ways in which they can advance their career.

We asked Bradley some questions on his apprenticeship with O’Brien Contractors:

Bradley came on board with the company in 2019 age 25 after a member of staff recommended the commitment of O’Brien to its apprenticeship scheme and also told him about the company’s values and commitment to staff training and progression. Bradley has been working on various sites for the last 3 years for four days a week to gain practical experience and studying one day a week at Solihull college for his qualifications.

Collaborating with different staff members on site, for around 6 months at a time, he has found this helpful to gain different experiences and approaches to the tasks he conducts on site.

Bradley has so far completed his HNC Civils and is currently working on his NVQ Level 4 in Construction Management and HND Civil Engineering. He has also received Buried Services, Cable Detection qualifications and is a qualified First Aider on site, as well as having his CSCS card. Bradley gets about in his company van to attend site and his college courses.

Bradley said “I really enjoy working at O’Brien as everyone is friendly, helpful and they make me feel involved and included. I find it easy to approach all members of staff including the Directors, who are involved with the projects. If I need someone to speak to or need assistance everyone is extremely helpful, and nothing is too much trouble.”

His long terms plans are to complete his NVQ 5 & 6 as well as SSMTS qualifications, and a selection of other courses that are available through the O’Brien training programme to eventually become a Project Manager.

See our careers page for details of apprenticeships: https://obriencontractors.co.uk/careers/

For further details on NAW2022 see: https://neaan.org.uk/naw2022/

Following formal inspection of our project sites  by SAPCA, O’Brien Contractors Ltd are delighted to have gained formal recognition and approval from SAPCA (Sports and Play Association) for the construction of natural turf pitches.

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.

Notable recent projects have been 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 where we are also constructing several natural turf pitches.

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.

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/

The Old Saltleians RFC training ground development is progressing at a pace, with the steel frame for the new clubhouse taking shape this week and completed ahead of programme, providing a great start for the building works.

Since starting on site in November 2021 we have completed the cut and fill works, earthworks, the foundations for the building and under the guidance of ecologists, the works to the existing pond and a new pond has been formed on site.

Whilst the weather over the last few months has created challenges, these have been overcome to keep the programme on schedule.

Keeping it Local and Recycling

To date we have brought to site over five thousand tonnes of recycled material avoiding the use of primary aggregates and recycled material has been sourced locally to reduce transport distance and impact on road users and the environment.

Materials were used to create the access road onto site as the first operation to provide access for construction works and avoid carrying debris onto the surrounding roads.

We are providing local staff resources for this project, achieving reduced travel times to site, meaning a decrease in travel time for staff, contributing towards reducing our emissions.

Community Relations

Fundamental to the success of the project is our ability to minimise impact and disruption to the local environment given the site’s location within a busy residential area with housing adjacent to the site.

Keeping residents informed is important and with this in mind a pre-start meeting was held with the local parish councillors and letter drops conducted to keep residents up to date on the works.

No complaints have been received.

Old Salteians RFC Project Overview

Works commenced on the project with a formal ground-breaking ceremony on 25 November 2021, for a 12-month duration to deliver a fantastic new facility for Old Saltleians, who are relocating due to HS2.

O’Brien are using our in-house civil engineering & construction expertise, along with our extensive sports development experience, delivering a turnkey design & build solution for the client.

The scheme includes a brand-new club house, associated access roads, car parks along with seven natural turf pitches and associated infrastructure. This will be a fantastic development for the club, the rugby, and local communities for generations to come.

The scheme follows on from our hugely successful scheme at Aston Villa training ground, which has been testament to our skills and capabilities when it comes to providing outstanding turnkey sports facilities.

 

ilities.

Dear Supporters of the O’Brien charitable Trust

What a fantastic year 2021 has been for the O’Brien Charitable Trust, in fact the best year ever for fundraising! We have blown our target of £15,000.00 out of the water altogether, hitting the massive amount of £30,000.00 which is staggering.

We will therefore hit £45,000.00 once O’Brien Contractors £15,000.00 donation has been added.  Despite all the down beat vibes and fallout regarding the pandemic, those who work at O’Brien’s have taken the opposing view by pressing forward, recognising the needs of others stood up and have done something about it resulting in this exceptional outcome.

A massive well done and thank you to the committee members: Wayne Inskip, Vicki O’Brien, Dan Taylor, James Bilson, who have being the driving force throughout the year. Big thanks and congratulations to Stuart Chamberlain for his epic bike ride across England and Scotland which raised over £4,000.

We are also fortunate enough to have great relationships with our suppliers who have supported us in an unbelievable manner once again, as they do every year.

We are well on the way to making donations to a number of smaller charities and will be in a position to confirm those in January 22.

Looking forward to 2022 we already have our golf day booked at the Warwickshire for July, and we will be announcing other events in the new year.

Thank you to every single person who attended our events, donated prizes, sponsored events, donated money, shared our charity posts, we appreciate every single one of you!

Have a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

 

The O’Brien staff have done a great job filling up our donation bin, 3 times in the last few weeks, ready to take over to Coventry Cyrenians tomorrow morning ready for their Christmas Day Dinner event for anyone who is homeless, vulnerable or would like others to spend their Christmas with.

Cyrenians is a fantastic charity and is one of the charities that O’Brien donates money to, from our O’Brien Trust annual fundraising.

O’Brien Contractors are proud to be working with Old Saltleians RFC to develop their new training grounds in Water Orton.

A number of years after the process started our O’Brien Director Tony Mitchell along with the Client and their professional team have succeeded in bringing the project from the table and onto site. Works commenced with a formal ground breaking ceremony on 25 November.

Members of the Old Saltleians RFC and other stakeholders attended the formal ground breaking ceremony on the 25^th November which kicks off the 12 month project to deliver the new facility for the relocation of Old Salts from their old grounds due to HS2.

Utilising our in house civil engineering & construction expertise, along with our extensive sports development experience, we are delivering a turnkey design & build solution for the client.

The scheme includes a brand new club house, associated access roads, car parks along with seven natural turf pitches and associated infrastructure. This will be a fantastic development for the club, the rugby and local communities for generations to come.

The scheme follows on from our hugely successful scheme at Aston Villa training ground, which has been testament to our skills and capabilities when it comes to providing outstanding turnkey sports facilities.

A massive well done to the O’Brien team involved on bringing the project to fruition, some things are definitely worth waiting for!

Some of the O’Brien machines working on the site, came along for the photoshoot as well!

 

Sean Mahoney one of our Groundworkers has been awarded our last Employee Outstanding Achievement Award for 2021.

Project Manager Ed Rushe and Site Manager John Maxwell nominated Sean saying “Sean is a good hard working lad nice & well mannered with very good time keeping, shows willing to work, as well as being well liked on site. Well done Sean!

O’Brien Values Skills 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.

O’Brien Contractors are proud to be working with Sandwell Council on this important and sensitive project.

Sandwell Council Press Release:

Name of New Cemetery Revealed as Work Begins 100 years After First Burial at Neighbouring Cemetery

Work has begun to create a brand-new cemetery and improve open space in Rowley Regis.

O’Brien Groundworker Jack Johnston Wins Outstanding Employee Award and a Cheque for £500!

Our colleague Jack has been awarded the for the third quarter of 2021.

Jack was presented with a certificate and will receive a cheque for £500 as a reward for his hard work.

Project Manager Guy Baker commented:

“It is a pleasure to work with Jack.  We are currently working together on the Cottam Ash power station project.  The project involves carrying out Earthworks that are modelled by the Topcon GPS machine control system.  Jack is a very good plant operator and is highly competent in using the GPS system.

Jack is hard working and his work ethic is second to none.  Well done Jack.”

O’Brien Values Skills 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.

 

O’Brien Contractors has been awarded the RoSPA Gold Medal Award, which is our 8th consecutive RoSPA Gold Award and our 4th 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 Medal Award again for the 4th year runnning.  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, especially in a year dominated by COVID-19, requiring additional safety procedures on site. 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, Achilles Building Confidence and RISQS.