N E W S - I N D U S T R Y M A T T E R S
Industry-led
quality assurance
scheme raises the
bar – again
Industry-led quality assurance
initiative Steel Fabrication
Certification (SFC) has been
extended to include a site
erection module. This addition
further broadens the scheme
by capturing activities including
on-site bolting, welding and
erection.
Steel Construction New Zealand
(SCNZ) manager Darren O’Riley
says: “This is a natural progression
for the development of SFC.
New Zealand’s structural steel
contractors typically provide
complete project management,
from shop drawings and
fabrication to site erection. This
latest SFC module is formal
recognition of this end-to-end
approach.”
Mr O’Riley says that New Zealand’s
structural steel contractors have
always been about complete
project management – from start
to finish.
“This latest enhancement of SFC
makes us even more accountable
for the final execution and delivery
of a completed, compliant
structure. This approach sets
our local industry apart from
suppliers of imported structural
steel, who don’t erect the steel or
manage the process and, as such,
aren’t accountable for the final
outcome,” says Mr O’Riley.
Importantly, the New Zealandbased
workshop fabrication
module of SFC is a prerequisite to
achieve the erection module.
Recognising experience and
training is central to the SFC
scheme and is based on the
competency requirements of the
personnel involved. SCNZ and
the Heavy Engineering Research
Association (HERA) have
partnered to develop training
modules to support the success
of SFC.
Participating structural steel
contractors are certified
by an independent auditing
authority, HERA Certifications
Ltd. Certification for both the
fabrication and the erection
modules is valid for five years but
is subject to an annual surveillance
audit to ensure the integrity
of the scheme. SFC provides
procurers and specifiers with
certainty of product quality and
significantly reduced compliance
risk.
Current SFC-qualified structural
steel contractors have until July
2019 to prepare for their first
audit to achieve erection module
certification.
6 December 2018
Contractors look to technology to overcome workforce woes
New information released from NZ’s
civil construction industry shows civil
contractors are increasingly looking
to adopt new technologies, with 77%
looking to technology to help them increase
labour productivity.
But workforce issues continue to hinder
the success of the sector, with
63% of contractors saying their needs
for staff will increase and 80% naming
a lack of skilled workers in their top
three challenges for recruiting staff.
Civil Contractors New Zealand chief
executive Peter Silcock and Teletrac
Navman Construction Industry Specialist
Jim French hosted a webinar
to explore newly-released technology
and workforce findings from the 2018
Construction Industry Survey.
Mr Silcock says in addition to digital
engineering and new equipment such
as drones, contractors were introducing
integrated workflow management,
fleet tracking and GPS monitoring systems
to improve productivity and efficiency
for existing staff and equipment.
“Ultimately, technology can reduce
staff numbers required. But it also
drives us towards requiring a higher
skilled workforce. We need to start
recruiting people who are technology
ready into businesses, then training
them from there.”
He says the current construction skills
shortage was a real problem, and the
industry was working to overcome this
by raising the profile of careers in the
industry, retaining skilled workers and
working with government to build skills
development into projects.
“We’re seeing some of the costs increasing
as demand exceeds supply.
That puts into question project outcomes,
delivery dates and profitability.
It creates risk for businesses. In this
environment, people are adopting new
technologies. That is seen as a solution,
but also a challenge because of a
lack of people with skills.”
Mr Silcock says the civil construction
industry was busy, well-resourced, increasingly
technology-focussed, and
in need of more motivated and skilled
workers. He said if the skills couldn’t
be found in New Zealand, more recruitment
from overseas may be necessary.
The 2018 Construction Industry Survey
was conducted by Colmar Brunton,
and composed in partnership between
construction technology company
Teletrac Navman and CCNZ, which represents
more than 400 civil construction
companies across New Zealand.
The 2018 Survey received responses
from 159 senior managers from across
the construction industry.
The air up there
at MOTAT with
Boeing/NASA
Those that visit Auckland’s MOTAT from November
17 until March will be taken on an interactive
journey of discovery and intrigue – ‘Above and
Beyond’.
Experience the past and present of aerospace
innovation and look forward to the possibilities of
the future through this internationally renowned,
immersive exhibition experience.
Above and Beyond is presented by Boeing, in
collaboration with NASA and the Smithsonian's
National Air and Space Museum and will be on
display in New Zealand, exclusively at MOTAT, until
March 2019.