Kick start donation from O’Brien Contractors Ltd

Representatives from Nottinghamshire’s brand-new neighbourhood, Fairham, have committed to raise funds for Lincolnshire and Nottinghamshire Air Ambulance (LNAA).

Fairham delivery partners, Clowes Developments and Homes England, selected the local charity to benefit from any funds raised at the development during the 10-15year lifespan as they deliver the brand-new neighbourhood. As lead infrastructure contractors we contacted Clowes Developments about supporting a local charity with a generous donation of £2,000. Naturally, the partnership with LNAA presented an opportunity for us to kick start the fund-raising activity with our generous donation to this much needed charity.

Tom O’Brien, Director at O’Brien Contractors Ltd commented on the donation:

“O’Brien Contractors Ltd are proud to support our clients, Clowes Developments and Homes England with not only the delivery of major infrastructure works at Fairham but also in their endeavours to raise much needed funds for Lincs and Notts Air Ambulance. The construction industry has a frighteningly high workplace fatal injury rate, to know that we are giving something back to a service that helps save lives provides a full circle moment.”

(L-R Tom O’Brien – O’Brien Director and Joe Harper – Lincs & Notts Air Ambulance)

O’Brien Breaks Ground on New Cemetery Project for Sandwell MBC

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.

The name of the new cemetery has also been revealed – almost 100 years to the day the first burial took place at neighbouring Rowley Regis Cemetery.

Sandwell Council’s £2.2million project to create Canalside Cemetery and Open Space just off Powke Lane is set to be completed next year (2022).

The new cemetery is on land opposite the existing Rowley Regis Crematorium and Cemetery, where the first burial took place on 21 November 1921. Fifteen-year-old shovel maker Clifford Blunt of Old Hill was the first person to be buried there, records show.

The new cemetery, which is being constructed by O’Brien Contractors Ltd, will provide burial space for Sandwell residents for decades to come.

The project includes improvements to the open space around the new cemetery, areas near the canal walkway – from which the cemetery will take its name – and ecological improvements.

Local companies and contractors are working on the site, including staff who live within walking distance of Powke Lane and Black Country-based suppliers.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and communities Councillor Kerrie Carmichael said: “The new cemetery will take up less than 30 per cent of the green space, and the rest of the area will still be open to the public for walks and other activities, which we know is really important to the local community.

“Work will be carried out sensitively, minimising disruption to residents where we can. We’ll be focusing on not only improving the open space around the new cemetery, but also boosting the ecological value of the site.”

Deputy Leader of Sandwell Council Councillor Maria Crompton said: “This new cemetery is so necessary for Sandwell as we are rapidly running out of burial space. Rowley Regis Cemetery is now close to capacity, having been in use for exactly 100 years.

“Without this new site, we’re facing the possibility of families being unable to bury their loved ones here in the not too distant future which would be heart-breaking for them.”

Stuart Chamberlain, Executive Director at O’Brien Contractors Ltd said: “We are delighted that Sandwell Council has turned to our groundworks and civil engineering expertise to deliver Canalside Cemetery in Rowley Regis.

“Once completed, the cemetery will provide a beautifully landscaped and peaceful resting place for loved ones and for those visiting to pay their respects.”

Plans for the site include not only the creation of space for burials, but also an office building, toilets for staff and mourners, installation of CCTV, car parking and an improved and much safer entrance off Powke Lane to the new cemetery and open space.

Work on the new cemetery will see more than 70% of the existing green area remain as public open space.

Public rights of way will also be maintained across the site once the cemetery is completed, but currently remain temporarily closed while construction is under way.

O’Brien Contractors Awarded 7th Consecutive RoSPA Gold Award and (3rd Gold Medal Award)

O’Brien Contractors has been awarded the RoSPA Gold Medal Award, which is our 7th consecutive RoSPA Gold Award and our 3rd Gold Medal Award!

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 2020. 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, Achilles Building Confidence and RISQS.

Vision Beyond the Ordinary, with O’Brien’s New Site Vision Technology!

Continuous Investment

O’Brien Contractors have made our latest investment in technology with Trimble’s new in-field visualisation system, SiteVision. Thanks to KOREC, we have been very fortunate to have the first unit in the country outside the beta testing group. We feel this new technology is going to be of great benefit to us with a wide range of on-site applications. Realising the potential of new technology and investing early in such systems has given us a proven strategic advantage in terms of quality, programme and cost.

Providing Our Clients’ and Prospective Client’s with a Vision! 

SiteVision gives us the ability to communicate Designs with our Clients (contracted or prospective), stakeholders, management and operatives by visualising a design in real time, in the real world rather than pondering over paper drawings or reviewing 3D models on a computer.

Improved Safety on Buried Services

It also enables us to highlight any existing buried services prior to breaking ground, helping us to improve the safety of our operatives. As well as promoting safety, it enables us to understand the possible implications and interaction our works will have with existing services and avoid any potential issues or clashes before we commence.

O’Brien and Dudley Metropolitan Borough Council Experiencing the Benefits of Site Vision

The benefits of SiteVision have already been capitalised on in our new job in Dudley, facilitating the enabling works for the Dudley Very Light Railway Innovation Centre. SiteVision enabled us to easily communicate the design to directors, engineers and operatives alike, making visualising the site much easier than it would be using traditional methods. As well as this, SiteVision enabled visual validation of the works being carried out by our 3D Machine Controlled (3DMC) plant. Due to the same 3D model and coordinate system being used in both the 3DMC machines and SiteVision, it was very straightforward to compare exactly where the machine operators had constructed elements on site in comparison to where they should be according to the design.

All in all we feel our new SiteVision will be a valuable asset to the company, and are confident there will be many new and interesting opportunities it will assist us on in the future.

RAISE YOUR GAME – O’Brien Contractors is now an Affiliate Partner with Wasps

O’Brien is pleased to announce it is an Affiliate Partner for Wasps Rugby Club, which is based at the Ricoh Arena Coventry.

The official announcement was made on Saturday at the Wasps vs. Gloucester game. Peter O’Brien, O’Brien’s Managing Director was invited down on to the pitch with his O’Brien team to meet Wasps Managing Director, Stuart Cain.

O’Brien launched a campaign at the ground to strengthen the association between its sports and civils work. “Raise your game” was designed to encompass and promote its experience and capabilities within both areas of sports and civils contracts.

Peter O’Brien, said: “It is a great opportunity for O’Brien to be associated with a prestigious club such as Wasps. We hope the campaign at the ground will enlighten and encourage people to think of O’Brien Sports and O’Brien Contractors when they need any advice on sports and civils projects.”

O’Brien looks forward to the year ahead and supporting Wasps in their 2018/19 season.

O’Brien Win 5th Consecutive Gold RoSPA Award

O’Brien Contractors is committed to providing safe and healthy working environments for all staff and clients. This has been recognised by it being awarded the Gold Royal Society for Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Award, which is the fifth year in a row the company has received this prestigious accreditation.

The RoSPA Health & Safety Awards have become a key accreditation in the UK construction industry and offer firms a way to demonstrate their commitment to continually improving standards.

Managing Director, Peter O’Brien, said: We are delighted to have been recognised with a Gold RoSPA award for the fifth year in a row. 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.”

 

Julia Small, RoSPA’s head of qualifications, awards and events, said: “The RoSPA Awards are the most highly-respected in the health and safety arena, with almost 2,000 entrants every year, and allow organisations to prove excellence in the workplace, demonstrating a commitment to the wellbeing of not only employees but all those who interact with it.”

O’Brien Contractors 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 OHSAS 18001 to CHAS, Achilles Building Confidence (five star rating) and Achilles RISQS.

O’Brien Secures Contract with Prestigious New Client

O’Brien has successfully secured a new contract with the University of Oxford as principal contractor to build a new access road.

The works include a new junction to the public highway along with the new road which is 1km long. The road includes culverting existing streams, forming earthwork batters and the construction of the new access road kerbs and surfacing

Tony Mitchell, Operations Manager, O’Brien Contractors, said: “We are very pleased to have the opportunity to work for the University of Oxford. We have an excellent track record of delivering civil engineering services across the Midlands and as with all our schemes, our team will approach the project in a flexible manner, offering cost and efficiency savings to ensure we deliver the best results for our client.”

This will be O’Brien’s first contract with the University of Oxford, the contract is currently underway and due to be completed in June 2018.

O’Brien Charitable Trust Donates £2K to The Helping Harry Trust

O’Brien Charitable Trust (OBCT) met up with Harry’s mum, Hayley, and Harry, at their Warwickshire head office, to donate the £2K raised and discuss much-needed funds for The Helping Harry Trust.

Harry is a little boy who suffers from spastic quadriplegic cerebral palsy and has very complex needs. There are substantial caring costs involved to ensure Harry has access to the latest equipment and healthcare products, so that he can benefit from a greater quality of life. While chatting to Hayley about the Trust and its work, it was clear that the funds would be best used to help with Harry’s physiotherapy and could cover several month’s worth of treatment.

Steve Crosthwaite, from OBCT, said: “It was great to meet Harry and his mum Hayley. Hayley is hugely inspiring and her drive to ensure Harry’s care is the best it can be is wonderful to see. We couldn’t think of a worthier charity to donate to.”

The Helping Harry Trust helps to support Harry and any equipment, care or treatment he may need to live a fulfilled life. If you would like to support Harry, please visit: https://www.gofundme.com/2ptcczw or to learn more about The Helping Harry Trust, please visit: https://thehelpingharrytrust.com/.

Stace congratulate teams involved in JLR 4 Engine Manufacturing Centre completion

O’Brien Contractors was congratulated alongside teams that delivered the Module 4 Engine Manufacturing Centre completion.

The completion of these works is a significant milestone in the development of Jaguar Landrover’s Engine Manufacturing Centre. As part of a £450 million expansion,  the project has doubled the size of its Engine Manufacturing Centre, and raised the total investment to £1 billion, making it the most significant new automotive manufacturing facility to be built in the UK in the last decade.

Stuart Chamberlain, O’Brien Contractors Director, said: “We are delighted to receive positive feedback on such a prestigious project for JLR and look forward to working with them again on further projects.”

Stace’s, Adrian Murray, Associate Project Manager, said: I would like to take this opportunity to thank and congratulate everyone involved for all their hard work and dedication over the last two years; from moving 210,000m³ of earth to turn disused playing fields into a level building plateau while providing safe habitat zones for protected bird species and seeing them lay eggs, then constructing an 11m-high, 85,0000m2 building almost doubling the size of the existing facility in a challenging timeframe with a very collaborative approach sensitive to the needs of JLR and its process equipment fit-out.

You and your teams have each and all delivered to JLR a fantastic building for fit-out of its process equipment and ultimately production of state-of-the-art engines. I’m sure you are all as equally proud as I am to have been involved in and contributed to this prestigious project for JLR. We wish JLR all the best with the continuing fit-out of process equipment and JLR’s ongoing success as a whole, looking forward to the award winning facility producing state-of-the-art engines for many years to come.”

O’Brien’s recent projects for JLR, include: The Gaydon Triangle Project and i54 Jaguar Landrover Manufacturing Plant Extension. Please see www.obriencontractors.co.uk/projectprofiles/ for further information on these projects.

 

 

O’Brien Contractors win RoSPA Gold Award for fourth straight year

We won a Gold Award in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Occupational Health and Safety Awards for the fourth year running.

We have won a Gold Award in the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) Occupational Health and Safety Awards for the fourth year running.

We will be presented with the award during a ceremony at the Hilton Birmingham Metropole hotel on Wednesday, July 12, 2017. The award was achieved during a special year for family-safety charity RoSPA, as it celebrates its centenary.

Peter O’Brien, Managing Director of O’Brien Contractors, said: “Health and safety is sown into the fabric of our business and this is why we have made it one of our core values. We place great emphasis on minimising the risk of accident or injury to employees and sub-contractors, as well as members of the public. It is not just about staying compliant.”

O’Briens commitment to occupational health and safety has seen its industry-leading standards recognised with accreditations ranging from OHSAS 18001 to CHAS, Achilles Building Confidence (five star rating) and Achilles RISQS. 68% of its annual training budget was also dedicated to H&S training and 80% of their site operatives were also qualified to NVQ 2+ standard during 2016.

“It is always pleasing to receive recognition for outstanding achievement; especially rewarding when it is for maintaining an outstanding health and safety record over a sustained period of time.” said Peter.

Judges consider entrants’ overarching occupational health and safety management systems, including practices such as leadership and workforce involvement.

Julia Small, RoSPA’s head of awards and events, said: “The RoSPA Awards are the most prestigious in the world of occupational health and safety, and held in high regard around the world, as winning one demonstrates an organisation’s commitment to maintaining an excellent health and safety record. Achieving the standard required is no mean feat.

“This is a special year in the history of RoSPA, and we congratulate all of our winners in this, our centenary year”.