Construction Inventions

• Most of the products are tested within months on Berkeley sites

A tool to stop right back accidents, designed by a former soldier collaborating with a Harley Street spinal center, and an innovative detector of hand supply oscillations that at this time affect 300, 000 employees across the UK, tend to be among the first revolution of innovations granted capital today.

Berkeley unveiled a unique £2m investment in January because of the aim of drastically increasing protection and wellbeing throughout the construction industry.

After over 50 initial submissions, over £1million was awarded on first ten revolutionary some ideas. They go from drawing board to creating web site within months.
Rob Perrins, Managing Director of Berkeley Group, stated: "i have already been actually hit because of the top-notch some ideas and just how a has actually involved utilizing the Fund. The breadth of idea and ingenuity was a proper eye opener. We have had estimates from technicians, academics, people and business figures. Construction is among the biggest employers in Britain. I'm very highly that we all have actually a standard interest in making it a safer and healthier place to work."

The £2m fund is today called "transformational" because of the Chief Executive of Constructing Better Health, Michelle Aldous.

Speaing frankly about their particular prize for an on-line portal, she said: "wellness & Safety is a matter-of life-and-death but old-fashioned avenues for financing new ideas have actually dried out, so help similar to this from Berkeley is totally transformational."

Since launch, the Innovation Fund has received over 60 expressions of interests, that 34 progressed to a higher phase. The opted for ten experienced a rigorous selection procedure concerning face-to-face interviews and providing the idea to a cross-industry panel. When created, many of the items would be tested on Berkeley internet sites.

The ten projects that may obtain grants of between £10k and £250k are:

• a vertebral unit which can be suited to high presence coats to reduce straight back accidents. This has already been created by an old soldier collaborating with a prominent Harley Street spinal hospital.
• An intelligent collision avoidance system that can prevent common incidents happening with big cars and pedestrians.
• an unique way of identify give supply Vibrations (HAVs), known into the construction industry given that 'hidden killer'. HAVs damage 300, 000 workers across the British currently and generated 60, 000 claims for damages in 2013 alone.
• A national 24/7 helpline specifically aimed at SMEs to help them report near misses and share good practice. This is run because of the Lighthouse Charity Club.
• a shared initiative using path Haulage Association (RHA) to cut back the sheer number of on-site traffic situations, through the improvement a Code of Practice and an approved drivers training program.
• A dust extractor, which catches loose particles - a product that could transform the way carpenters work and reduce exposure to harmful wood dust.
• An online portal to provide small building organizations with online access to occupational wellness provision. The hub could be the creation of Constructing Better wellness.
• Research led by Glasgow Caledonian University to look at just how employees and administration communicate on location and develop much better designs for engagement.
• an innovative product that allows cables is supported to a ceiling, avoiding individuals tripping over trailing cables through the subsequent stage building.
• The introduction of a security examination unit for scaffolds and short-term works. It provides a intuitive way of assessments on location, decreasing the documents in addition to range for human being mistake.

Additional applications for appropriate innovations tend to be welcomed until April 2016. To learn more go to or mail army.khaira@berkeleygroup.co.uk.

Notes to Editors:

See also:

• materials at different phases of construction