Industry News HubA councillor has criticised the wait for a government funding decision on a £51m school rebuild in Northumberland, describing the delay as “unforgivable”. Georgina Hill, an independent representative for Berwick East on Northumberland County Council, hit out at the uncertainty over a requested £13m contribution…
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The forecast cost of a town centre council redevelopment in west Wales being delivered by Bouygues UK has more than doubled. Carmarthenshire County Council said the expected outlay for the Atriwm scheme – which transforms a former department store into a multipurpose site featuring healthcare…
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Galliford Try, architect Building Design Partnership and insulation manufacturer Kingspan have failed to have claims over alleged cladding defects at an Aberdeen hotel thrown out of court. The Court of Session ruled that hotel operator Leonardo’s claim against Galliford Try and BDP could proceed, along…
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MRW British Soft Drinks Association argues for major PRN overhaul review Membership body representing manufacturers and producers hopes existing consultation will allow for broader rethink of how evidence system sits alongside other reforms British Soft Drinks Association argues for major PRN overhaul review Neil Merrett Read More
Chime Housing has launched market engagement for a construction and consultancy framework valued at £1.2bn, according to a procurement notice published this week. The housing association is working with Echelon Consultancy to develop the second-generation Herts, Beds & Bucks Development framework, covering Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Buckinghamshire…
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According to a new SNIPEF report, plumbing and heating businesses are reconsidering whether they can afford to train the next generation of skilled professionals because of these barriers.
Fiona Hodgson, chief executive of SNIPEF, stated: “Scotland cannot afford to take its future skilled workforce for granted. Apprenticeships provide a vital route into employment, but without employers willing and able to create those opportunities, there are no apprenticeships.
“Our research shows that employers remain committed to training the next generation. What is changing is their ability to afford that commitment. They pay wages, provide supervision, absorb lost productivity, and carry the financial risk over four years, yet receive too little direct support for those costs.”
The report, which has involved or secured the backing of more than 350 plumbing and heating businesses across Scotland, warns that declining employer participation could weaken the skilled plumbing and heating workforce needed to protect public health, maintain safe homes, build housing and deliver low-carbon heating.
The research reveals a concerning gap between past recruitment and future intentions. While 84% of surveyed employers had recruited plumbing and heating apprentices in the previous five years, only 53% of those expressing a definite view expected to recruit over the next three years.
Rising wage costs, more than 1,000 hours of mandatory college attendance, substantial supervision requirements and limited productivity during the early years of training are placing increasing financial pressure on employers and discouraging apprenticeship recruitment.
These challenges are compounded by the risk of losing newly qualified apprentices after businesses have invested significant time, money and resources in their development, often with little opportunity to recover that investment.
The financial commitment is substantial. Based on nationally agreed apprentice wage rates and a 40-hour working week, SNIPEF estimates that employing one plumbing and heating apprentice costs approximately £82,500 in wages over four years.
Brian Warrender, managing director of B&B Warrender Limited in Fordoun, Aberdeenshire, explained: “We believe strongly in apprenticeships and see training young people as an investment in our future. But taking someone on is a major four-year financial commitment.
“We pay wages during college attendance, provide experienced staff to supervise apprentices and accept that they cannot be fully productive initially. Even after that investment, we can’t guarantee they will stay with us once qualified. We want to keep training, but without practical support, the costs and risks are becoming increasingly difficult to justify.”
Some 78% of respondents rated Scottish Government apprenticeship support as inadequate or poor, while 93% identified increased funding as an incentive to recruit. Almost two-thirds believed employers and the government should share training costs equally.
However, employers have not lost faith in apprenticeships. More than four in five support the established four-year training model, recognising its importance in developing the competence and judgement needed to work safely.
“The four-year apprenticeship has served our profession well for generations. Plumbing and heating is skilled, safety-critical work, and it takes time, experience and proper supervision to develop someone who can work competently and independently,” said Ross Butter, of Jim Butter Plumbing and Heating in Dundee and vice president of the SNIPEF Dundee & District Association.
“We cannot afford to see that standard weakened or the number of employers willing to train reduced. If businesses stop taking on apprentices today, the consequences will be felt for years to come. Scotland needs skilled professionals to maintain essential services, keep homes safe and install the heating systems of the future.”
The report makes four recommendations to overcome these challenges:
Targeted financial assistance towards wages during mandatory college attendance and early supervision costs
Recognition of nationally agreed apprentice wage rates in public grants and employer support schemes
Ensure that public contracts requiring businesses to recruit or train apprentices as part of tender conditions explicitly recognise, cost and fund those commitments.
The plumbing and heating profession to examine flexible, accredited routes for people with relevant skills and experience while maintaining established competence and safety standards.
Hodgson concluded: “We are not asking for standards to be weakened or employers to be relieved of their responsibilities. We want a fairer, more sustainable partnership.
“Scotland’s housing, infrastructure and low-carbon ambitions depend on skilled people, and those skills depend on employers prepared to train them. The time to act is now, before declining confidence becomes a lasting loss of apprenticeship opportunities.”
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Miller UK Ltd, a Northumberland-based manufacturer of earth moving attachments, has been fined £173,334 after a 25-year-old employee sustained multiple fractures when an excavator bucket collapsed on him during repairs. The incident, which occurred on 10 November 2023, prompted a Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigation that also uncovered serious deficiencies in controlling exposure to hazardous welding fumes.
The man was working within the mouth of an excavator bucket at the company’s Cramlington site, removing worn steel pieces, when its structural integrity failed. The bucket collapsed, trapping him inside. Two colleagues used an overhead crane to lift the heavy attachment, enabling the injured worker to crawl free. He was left with eight fractured ribs, two fractured knees, two fractured vertebrae, and a bruised left lung, highlighting the severity of the incident.
The subsequent investigation by the HSE revealed that Miller UK Ltd had failed to conduct a suitable and sufficient risk assessment for the repair work being undertaken. Crucially, the company had not provided a safe system of work or adequate instruction to its employees regarding such tasks. These oversights directly contributed to the dangerous conditions that led to the bucket’s collapse and the worker’s significant injuries.
Furthermore, during a follow-up inspection, HSE inspectors observed additional safety breaches. Workers were seen using plasma cutters and welding equipment without appropriate control measures to manage the risks associated with exposure to welding fume. Welding fume is a known hazardous substance capable of causing cancer and other serious health issues, underscoring the gravity of this failing.
The investigation identified that Miller UK Ltd had also neglected to carry out a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks linked to welding fume exposure within its repair department. Consequently, the company failed to implement and monitor necessary measures, such as the use of local exhaust ventilation, to reduce exposure to welding fume to a level as low as reasonably practicable. This systemic failure put numerous workers at long-term risk of serious health complications.
Miller UK Ltd, based in Cramlington, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974, which concerns the general duty to ensure the health, safety and welfare at work of all employees. The company also admitted to breaching Regulation 7(1) of the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002, pertaining to the control of substances hazardous to health.
At North Tyneside Magistrates Court on 2 October 2026, the company was ordered to pay a total fine of £173,334, alongside costs of £8,674. HSE inspector Matthew Dundas commented on the case, stating, “Our investigation identified that the repair work taking place was not being done safely and it left the man with serious injuries. Had the company identified the risk and ensured its employees were adequately instructed and trained, this incident would not have happened.”
Inspector Dundas further emphasised the unusual nature of the case, where an initial investigation into a serious injury uncovered additional, significant failings. “As a result of the investigation, it was identified that other workers were not being adequately protected from the risks of welding fume,” he noted. “I hope this case highlights that HSE can and will take action when duty holders fail to discharge their health and safety obligations.” This prosecution serves as a stark reminder to all employers of their legal and moral responsibilities to protect their workforce from both immediate physical hazards and long-term health risks.
This story was originally published by HSE Media Centre
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United Infrastructure has continued its acquisition drive with the purchase of County Durham-based contractor Hodgson Sayers. Founded in 1979, Hodgson Sayers specialises in roofing, building envelope and civils work, metalwork and fabrication, and security products. It has offices in Stanley and Nottingham. The purchase price…
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Tier one contractors Galliford Try and M Group are among 20 firms selected by Anglian Water for its £301m mechanical and electrical (M&E) services framework. The two firms – along with Amentum, Quartzelec and Ross-shire Engineering – were named on all four lots covering project…
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Sir Robert McAlpine has been selected for a £133m contract to refurbish the Bank of England’s Grade I-listed Threadneedle Street headquarters in the City of London. The contractor was named as the successful bidder for the Location Strategy: Main Works project in an award notice…
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