IPWEA Vic Blog

View WHK Market Update for 21 December 2010 here  For more information visit WHK website here.

WHK new address is Level 17, 181 William Street, Melbourne Vic 3000. WHK main telephone contact number has also changed to 03 9258 6700.

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IPWEAvic member, David Madden, has been appointed as the new CEO for Moyne Shire Council.  He will take up this position at end of January 2011.  Congratulations David and all the best in your new role.

Read the article regarding his appointment placed in the Warrnambool Standard on 22 December 2010

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The initial phase of the NATSPEC BIM Scheduling project has been completed. A report which collects a large part of the website’s content into a single Acrobat document has been placed on the project website Downloads page under the Resources menu. It summarises the working principles for allocating properties to objects in Building Information Models (BIM) for scheduling purposes that were developed during the project.

Where to from here? Early next year NATSPEC will be implementing the principles identified during the project in a number of existing NATSPEC schedules as part of the normal update process. Excel files of the amended schedules will also be placed on the BIM website for download.

You can give feedback on the report to NATSPEC through the website http://bim.natspec.org/ or by contacting NATSPEC directly. Details of other BIM-related initiatives will be announced during 2011.

 If you would like to participate in a volntary capacity in reviewing worksections please contact us at mail@natspec.com.au.

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AAPA’s 2011 Training Program is available hereUpcoming training courses in Melbourne commence on 16th Feb 2011 with Fundamentals of Bituminous Surfacing

22,23 and 24 March 2011 will see the Spray Sealing Courses in Melbourne

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The Australian National Engineering Taskforce (ANET) was launched last week in Melbourne. ANET is a collaboration of Engineers Australia, the Association of Professional Engineers Scientists and Managers Australia, the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering, the Australian Council of Engineering Deans and Consult Australia.
Its aim is to work with industry and government to develop a national solution to address the engineering skills shortage in Australia.
Speaking at the launch, Senator Jacinta Collins, parliamentary secretary for school education and workplace relations, said that engineers are vital to the country’s economic wealth.
The launch of the taskforce included the release of its report Scoping our future.
The report estimates that Australia produces less than half of its engineering workforce needs, with only around 6000 graduates annually. It predicts that up to 4000 extra engineers will be needed in the roads sector alone over the next eight years.
ANET has been funded by the federal Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations to map skills development and formation across two key industries – roads and rail – and to identify barriers to articulation between VET and higher education for engineering students.
Its work will form the basis of a national workforce development plan in engineering.
More information about ANET is available at www.anet.org.au.

(Article courtesy of Engineers Australia)

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Safe Work Australia has now opened the public comment period for the draft national model Work Health and Safety (WHS) Regulations and model Codes of Practice.

In regards to high risk work, general induction (construction) training and work health and safety representatives, the following sections of the WHS Regulations apply:
– Definitions, Part 1.1
– Representation (eg. health and safety representatives), Part 2.1
– Issue Resolution Part 2.2
– Cessation of unsafe work Part 2.3
– High Risk Work, Part 4.5, and also Schedules 4 and 5
– Construction Work, Chapter 6
– General Induction Training, Part 6.5

Additionally, the Code of Practice for “How to Consult in the Workplace” is relevant to work health and safety representatives.

These documents are available on the Safe Work Australia website   The comment period closes on Monday 4 April 2011 and all submissions must be sent directly to Safe Work Australia.

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Coastal municipalities will be able to identify future impacts of climate change and sea level rise using new maps have been launched by the Department of Climate Change and Energy Efficiency (DCCEE).

Developed in partnership with the Co-operative Research Centre for Spatial Information, the maps use the highest resolution elevation data currently available.

The new tool highlights low-lying areas in Melbourne, Sydney, Hunter and Central Coast NSW, Perth and South East Queensland.

The inundation maps identify coastal areas that are vulnerable to one of three sea level rise scenarios for the period leading up to the year 2100. The scenarios are low sea-level rise (0.5m), which is likely to be unavoidable; medium sea-level rise (0.8m); and high sea-level rise (1.1m), which is the high-end risk identified in the fourth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

ALGA president Genia McCaffery said the new tools would help local government address its concerns about the threat of inundation and the impact of erosion. “Local government is committed to working in partnership with the Commonwealth to address climate change issues,” Cr McCaffery said. “Our role in land management, planning and community services means councils and shires need tools to help make long-term decisions in the best interests of our communities.”

The maps will be made available at www.ozcoasts.org.au.

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Road pricing: what’s the case?

Road pricing is without doubt a contentious and difficult issue for politicians and the community at large.  But that’s no reason to shy away from an informed and open debate.  On January 31 in Melbourne, Roads Australia is hosting a Road Pricing Forum that will give protagonists for reform the opportunity to state their case.  The Forum will include presentations from Infrastructure Partnerships Australia, Consult Australia and the Bus Industry Confederation – three important stakeholder groups that have recently released comprehensive policy positions on road pricing.  Professor John Daley from the Grattan Institute will discuss the international experience, and Maxine McKew will host a ‘Q&A’ style panel session of expert commentators dissecting the proposed solutions and questioning the way forward.

This event is a ‘must’ for anyone with an interest in how we fund and finance road construction and maintenance at a time when traditional funding sources are under increasing pressure.

View Road Australia website for more information www.roads.org.au

DATE & TIME: January 31, 2011  9am to 2.30pm (including lunch)
VENUE: Leonda by the Yarra, 2 Wallen Road, Hawthorn
HOW TO BOOK: Members $250 (plus GST), Non-members $275 (plus GST)
SAVE with a CORPORATE TABLE BOOKING $1,750 (plus GST) Table of 8.  Pay for 7 seats and received 1 FREE Seat.  An ideal opportunity to invite guests to attend and industry event.

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Here is a quick reference guide to the new Victorian Government Ministers as at December 2010.

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Edge protection – Guard railing failure
This Alert highlights the need to ensure that any alterations to temporary edge protection guardrails are signed off by a competent person.

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