Spec Finish

Steven Boon, GroupMDat EPD InsulationGroup is ‘Highly Commended’ Hydro CIRCAL a brand of recycled aluminium which greatly reduces embodied carbon The Safety & Health Practitioner (SHP) Trailblazers are health & safety professionals who are going above and beyond to make a positive difference. The Trailblazer in Workplace Wellbeing Award recognises individuals who did the most to contribute to people thriving at work, prioritising employees’ wellbeing and mental health. In a close-run final race Fiona O’Donnell, Global HSE Strategy Lead at Jacobs took the flag but Steven Boon, Managing Director at EPD Insulation Group was surging for the line to achieve a ‘Highly Commended’ award. EPD Insulation Group is a supplier of insulation in East Anglia, and many of Steve’s employees are on construction sites delivering their products. Three years ago, Steve noticed the need for mental health support, and although he trained selected staff in mental health first aid, he felt it wasn’t enough, and decided to offer free mental health support to his employees through a qualified outside practitioner to aid anyone who may be able to benefit from it. The practitioner is available to meet with every male and female employee to find out how they feel about their employment and how they feel about themselves. Steve has put forward an innovative program that will produce better mental health support and understanding in the workplace. Any follow up support requested through the employee via the practitioner will be provided for the individual. This has been paid for by the company, and time given off from work to attend. The results when complete, as a percentage, will be shared with the employees overall. The model used – as it’s already being seen as successful – can be shared with any company on request, on how EPD Insulation Group, managed to achieve all 130 employees going through this innovative program. Steve has also placed every manager on an IOSH managing safety course, invests in the employee’s training with in-house FLT, Moffett training, and a new training manager, room, and location to provide a safer workforce, sponsors individuals and teams financially to participate in sport, and the wider community by sponsoring local events. www.epdinsulationgroup.co.uk EPD Insulation Group MD, Steven Boon achieves ‘Highly Commended’ at Safety & Health Practitioner Awards Optima Systems introduces Hydro CIRCAL recycled aluminium across entire portfolio Euroform obtains BDA agrément for Easyboard® Optima Systems announced its glass and aluminium partitions and doors will be made using Hydro CIRCAL. Hydro are pioneers in manufacturing recycled aluminium, with Hydro CIRCAL being the only product of this calibre available in the UK market. Optima is the first UK company to adopt Hydro CIRCAL, leading the circular revolution. Hydro CIRCAL is a brand of recycled aluminium, made with a minimum of 75% recycled post-consumer scrap, this minimises the embodied carbon of the products in which it’s used. Recycling aluminium requires just 5% of the energy needed to produce primary aluminium, drastically reducing the amount of energy required. This benefit is then passed onto Optima’s glass partitions and doors, greatly reducing their embodied carbon, reflecting the company’s ongoing aim to become a low-emission partitions manufacturer. Furthermore, Hydro CIRCAL’s arrival also demonstrates its commitment to circular economic principles, which also sits at the heart of Optima’s business model. Another key milestone in Optima’s journey towards their Net Zero commitments of 2030/35. www.optimasystems.com Construction materials supplier Euroform confirms that its ‘Easyboard®’ exterior grade fibre cement board now has BDA Agrément certification. Easyboard®, whichmakes an ideal exterior sheathing board for steel frame system (SFS) walling, is one of thefirst boards of its kind to combine the benefits of Ordinary PortlandCement (OPC) into a lightweight ‘score&snap’ building board, making it quick and easy to install. The BDA Agrément certification confirms the performance as a building board for non-structural use in indoor and outdoor non-loadbearing applications, such as for use in the planking and lining of walls, for sheathing timber frame or steel frame supporting walls, and for ceilings and roof truss structures. John Taylor, Technical Director at Euroform said: “Easyboard® is a highly durable OPC based board that has the same workability as a gypsum-based board. “Traditional cement-based boards require cutting with power tools, creating dust and taking time, Easyboard® however, is manufactured with a process that combines the cement with a reinforcing matrix that enhances its workability, so that it can be scored and snapped with a traditional utility knife. The edges do not require sealing as would be the case with an external plasterboard installation. “The BDA Agrément certificate confirms the product’s fire performance as being A1 non-combustible in accordance with BS EN 13501-1”. John concluded: “In all cases, we should be consulted to discuss specifier/project requirements to advise on the suitability of Easyboard® in respect of fire resistance”. A video demonstrating the ease with which the product can be cut via the ‘score & snap’ method can be seen at: www.euroform.co.uk/easyboard 30 www.thefis.org