According to an article posted by the ABC in 2018, the construction industry is “Australia’s third largest employer and the most male dominated.” Many women find it hard to meet the demanding nature of the industry while juggling raising and caring for children. The article discusses three main aspects that keep women from entering and progressing in construction. One, being the long and demanding work hours. Two, sexism which is often unnoticed and hardly acted on. And thirdly, the little to no support to return to work - particularly after parental leave. “In 2016, men made up 88 per cent of the construction workforce: 99 per cent of construction tradespeople and 86 per cent of construction managers and professionals.” A study by McKinsley & Company found that companies in the top quartile for gender diversity on executive teams were 21 per cent more likely to outperform on profitability and 27 per cent more likely to have superior value creation. How can we help diversify the industry? There has been more talk of providing evidence of gender equality practices when applying for government tenders. As well as zero tolerance policies for sexism. Unfortunately, the simple outcome of hiring more women do not eradicate the current gender equality issues within the world of construction. More concrete and quantifiable goals and targets are necessary for positive change. For more talk on Women in Construction make sure you attend the event below. EVENT: Sydney Build 2020 Expo Women in Construction – 20th March Topics include:
2 Comments
They say that if a bird poops on you, it’s good luck. But, what if birds poop on you over and over again? For years on end? Surely you’d be the luckiest person in the world. This property in Homebush West has unknowingly been the shelter to a plethora of pigeons who have left a generous pile of poop all throughout the roof. The bird excrements carpet the roof void in a thick layer, even falling down into the building cavity. Unfortunately, what was a small structural defect revealed this much bigger and more expensive problem. It would seem that this place has just about run out of luck. BellMont consulted a Pigeon Hygienist who indicated that this case of pigeon poop is one of the worst he’s ever seen and that the problem is very serious as it poses a major health issue for the residents and workers. According to SA Health Potential health risks and examples of damage include:
The next step is to suck out all the… bits and clean out the cavities and roof void. Then, the building will be treated with much needed disinfectant. The hard part about this procedure is in the nature of pigeons. Pigeons breed all throughout the year and don’t tend to migrate far from their birthplace. So, their home usually stays their home unless monitored correctly.
In hopes to deter pigeons from re-entering this rooftop, some measure that will be taken include the repair of holes in roof and the installation of bird spikes. The next time you see a pigeon hanging about your home, make sure you scare them off. Otherwise, you could be the ones left with an incredibly sh*tty problem… Recent news saw a scaffold at a High School in Sydney collapse, injuring nine students. Luckily, the injuries were not life-threatening. This kind of safety concern has the capacity to take a much more menacing turn. That is why scaffolding safety is incredibly important, regardless of location and context. In BellMont’s case, we enter the world of construction, where scaffolds are trusted to aid the undertaking of construction work. They allow construction workers to reach considerable heights and to walk on a firm, stable platform. Scaffolds can be quite versatile in size and width. Regardless of build, it’s essential that all scaffolds adhere to any WHS regulations. For more info on scaffolding safety, click here. In the off chance that a scaffold won’t fit in a tricky space, rope access is a great and affordable alternative. The benefit of inspecting via rope access is that you avoid the costs associated with council permits and approvals for scaffolds as well as reducing assembly and dismantling time. BellMont offer both and will tailor your investigation to fit your exact needs. January 2020: Pre-ConstructionSt Sophia Greek Orthodox Church sits on the prominent Paddington corner of South Dowling and Napier Streets. The Heritage Building, over a century old, is beginning to show it's age. BellMont are in the early stages of a facade restoration where the issues of concrete spalling, render delamination and extensive corrosion will eventually be rectified. This January 2020 update displays some of these issues as the building is being prepared and cleaned for construction. Early February 2020: Update 2We return to Heritage Building St Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in Paddington to check out the progress that's been made on the facade restoration. Already we see big changes. Some surfaces have been stripped back, repaired, cleaned and the painting process has begun. Including the application of waterproofing membrane. End of February 2020: Update 3There is lots of action at this stage of St Sophia's facade restoration. We see the re-rendering of surfaces, the excavation of the rendered topping to reveal corroded steel reinforcement, a few finished painted surfaces and plenty more to do. Stay tuned and subscribe to our channel for more updates. Click the icon below. |
Archives
December 2021
|