Our Blog

Weekly news 19/05

Member News, News
Start the conversation  Talking about mental health can help us – and those around us – feel happier and healthier, both in and out of work.  We know it can…

Lawsons maintains FORS Silver Accreditation

Member News, News
AFI Members Lawsons maintains FORS Silver Accreditation UK-based Lawsons Group has successfully maintained its Fleet Operator Recognition Scheme (FORS) Silver Accreditation.  After initially becoming FORS operators in 2008 as one…

Weekly news 12/05

Member News, News
You are invited to join the TrustMark upcoming webinar, ‘Skilled to Build in Construction & RMI: What Next?’ You are invited to join the TrustMark upcoming webinar, ‘Skilled to Build…

Weekly news 06/05

Member News, News
AFI & AFA Best Practice Day Thank You – A Brilliant Best Practice Day at Harper Adams! We’d like to say a big thank you to everyone who joined us…

Weekly news 28/04

Member News, News
🏆 Get Your Entries In – UK Fencing Industry Awards 2025! The countdown is on for the biggest celebration in the fencing calendar – the UK Fencing Industry Awards 2025,…

Weekly news 22/04

Member News, News
🔒 TRADEMARK SCAM ALERT One of our members, Knight Fencing, recently flagged an important warning we feel all members should be aware of. A concerning new scam is targeting businesses…

Weekly news 14/04

Member News, News
Driver Roadworthiness – what’s your role? Physical and mental health & wellbeing in at-work drivers Managing physical and mental health & wellbeing in at-work drivers – this is our free…

Weekly news 07/04

Member News, News
Returning for a second successful year, Littlewood Group once again hosted a Build UK Open Doors careers workshop at their Battle, East Sussex office on Wednesday, 19th March 2025. This…

Weekly news 31/03/25

Member News, News
Reminder: Get TrustMark Registered – A Free Benefit for AFI Members! Did you know that as an AFI member, you can become a TrustMark Registered Business at no extra cost?…

New Member Focus – Postsaver

Member News, News
New member focus: Postsaver We are delighted to welcome Postsaver as the latest member of the AFI – here they tell us why AFI membership is relevant and important to…

Weekly news 24/03

Member News, News
UK Fencing Industry Awards 2025 – Entries Now Open & Sponsors Announced! The UK Fencing Industry Awards 2025 is set to be bigger and better than ever, taking place on…

Weekly news 17/03

Member News, News
 AFI Gains TrustMark Scheme Provider Approval We are delighted to announce that the Association of Fencing Industries (AFI) is now an approved TrustMark Scheme Provider. This exciting development means that as…

Weekly news 10/03

Member News, News
🚜 Sharpen Your Skills at the AFI & AFA Best Practice Day! 🔥 Join us on 30th April at Harper Adams University for a full day of hands-on training, expert…

Weekly news 03/03

Member News, News
Introducing DuraPost VISTA – A New Era in Composite Fencing DuraPost VISTA – the latest innovation in composite fencing. Designed to offer a sleek, stylish, and low-maintenance alternative to traditional…

Weekly news 24/02

Member News, News
FISS-CSCS Update The Implementation of CSCS’s own Smart Checker system on site and its integration into all the approved API checking systems that are partners with both CSCS and FISS,…

Weekly news 17/02

Member News, News
🚧 FenceX 2025 – Book Your Free Tickets Now! 🚧 FenceX 2025 is shaping up to be the biggest and most exciting fencing industry event yet! With top exhibitors including…

Weekly news 10/02

Member News, News
🚧 FenceX 2025 – Book Your Free Tickets Now! 🚧 FenceX 2025 is shaping up to be the biggest and most exciting fencing industry event yet! With some top exhibitors…

Weekly news 03/02

Member News, News
The Department for Education has finally published the government’s response to consultant Mark Farmer’s 2023 review of the role of the Industry Training Boards. Among its 17 key recommendations, the…

Weekly News 27/01

Member News, News
Driving for Better Business – new fleet safety focus update Let’s Talk About Speed  When we talk about speed, the conversation often shifts to stopping distances. People tend to boast…

Weekly News 20/01

Member News, News
Celebrating success: Littlewood Group’s team achieves Fencing Installer Level 2 Apprenticeship Well done to Andrew, Charlie, Johnny, Joshua, Louie, Shaun and Tristan, members of our on site team, as they…

Weekly News 13/01

Member News, News
Common Assessment Standard The Government has published the Procurement Specific Questionnaire for use by public sector clients under the Procurement Act from 24 February 2025, which confirms that the Common…

Members news 16/12

News
AFI Christmas opening Our office is closed from 5pm on Friday 20th December, and will reopen on Thursday 2nd January 2025 Mental Health Focus CIOB mental health survey Following a…

Weekly News 09/12

News
Accelerating Building Safety Remediation Speaking in the House of Commons earlier this week, Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner promised to ‘hold the industry to account’ as she set out the…

Members news 02/12

News
Crusader Vans Our lowest prices and the unbeatable Peugeot Expert Deal! Black Friday is here, and we can’t wait to share our incredible offers! Our Peugeot Expert deals are already turning heads…

Weekly news 25/11

News
FenceX 2025: The Ultimate Fencing Industry Event Join us on Wednesday, October 15th, 2025, at NAEC Stoneleigh, for the largest and most interactive FenceX yet! Discover: Destruction Test Zone: Real-time durability testing.…

Weekly news 18/11

News
StowAg launches search for best photos of the rural and farming communities StowAg, a leading agricultural and fencing supplier, has launched a photo competition for its popular 2025 calendar. The…

Weekly News 11/11

News
Increase in Infrastructure Investment As part of last week’s Autumn Budget, the Government has amended its fiscal rules to enable £100 billion to be spent on capital projects over the next…

Weekly News 04/11

News
Full summary of the budget can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/autumn-budget-2024-overview-of-tax-legislation-and-rates-ootlar Main impact are: Company NI contributions and the impact on companies Landfill Tax rates for tax year 2025 to 2026…

Weekly news 28/10

News
Government Launches Industrial Strategy                The Government has published a green paper to kickstart delivery of its modern Industrial Strategy, a 10‐year plan designed…

2024 UK Fencing Awards

News
A Day of Excellence: The 2024 UK Fencing Awards On the 17th of October, St James’ Park, Newcastle Upon Tyne, played host to the prestigious 2024 UK Fencing Awards—a day…

Weekly news 21/10

News
Employment Rights Bill Unveiled The Government has introduced the Employment Rights Bill to Parliament, describing it as the “biggest upgrade to rights at work for a generation“. It contains 28…

AFI joins IfATE

News, Uncategorized
The Association of Fencing Industries has joined the Institute for Apprenticeships and Technical Education’s Directory of Professional and Employer-led Bodies (The ‘Employer Directory’). Inclusion on the Employer Directory emphasises AFI’s…

Weekly news 14/10

News
Open Doors ‐ Register Now!                The Countdown to #OpenDoors25 is well and truly underway and Build UK members across the supply chain can…

Weekly news 07/10

News
Are you aware of the Direct Vision Standard? The Direct Vision Standard (DVS) and HGV Safety Permit Scheme for heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) require operators of lorries over 12 tonnes…

Weekly news 30/09

News
APF Show The AFI had a fabulous 3 days at the APF show last week – some fiercely contested competition at The British Open Fencing Competition, sponsored by McVeigh Parker.…

Member News, 23/09

News
ISG has filed for administration Some of you may have seen reports in the media that ISG has filed for administration here in the UK. We can confirm that this…

AFI Member News 16/09

News
It’s Time to Take Responsibility Following publication of the final report of the Grenfell Tower Inquiry last week, there has been acknowledgement across the industry that more needs to be…

Revised version of BS 8417:2024

News
The revised version of BS 8417:2024, Preservation of wood. Code of practice,  has been released with the main revisions and  copies available for purchased from the following link: https://knowledge.bsigroup.com/products/preservation-of-wood-code-of-practice-1?version=standard The continued inclusion…

AFI Industry News Bulletin 19/08

News
Countdown to CITB Consensus CITB has confirmed it will begin engaging with the industry in September on the Levy arrangements for 2026 – 2029, ahead of the formal Consensus process…

AFI News 12/08

News
Contract Terms Guidance Updated Following the release of the first JCT 2024 contracts, which include a number of changes in response to our recommendation on contract terms, Build UK has…

AFI News 05/08

News
Construction’s Gender Pay Gap As part of our work on Recruiting, Training and Retaining Talent, Build UK collates information each year on the Gender Pay Gap (GPG) of its Contractor…

AFI News 29/07

News
Skills England to Tackle Skills Shortage Following last week’s King’s Speech, which included the Skills England Bill to transform the skills system, the Government has announced the launch of the…

AFI News 22/07

News
Demonstrating Organisational Capability The latest version of the Common Assessment Standard, which has been streamlined following the withdrawal of PAS 91 and updated to include a new Building Safety section, is…

AFI News 15/07

News
Industry Priorities for New Labour Government After being confirmed as the country’s new Prime Minister last week, Sir Keir Starmer has now appointed his cabinet to start delivering the pledges…

NSA Sheep Event, Contractors BBQ

News
Tornado Wire Contractors Social Event, 30th July All welcome to attend Tornado Wire Contractors Social BBQ at Three Counties Showground campsite  after the fencing competition on 30th July – details…

News 01/07

News
Common Assessment Standard ‐ Version 4  Build UK will be publishing an updated version of the Common Assessment Standard on Monday 1 July. This will be Version 4, which has been…

AFI News 10/06

News
The clock is counting down for entries for the 2024 UK Fencing Awards Could YOU be a Contractor of the Year? Trophies available for all sectors of fencing: Agricultural and…

AFI News 28/05

News
Infrastructure Progress Review 2024 The National Infrastructure Commission has released its Infrastructure Progress Review 2024, which shows that the Government’s record on infrastructure delivery over the last 12 months has…

AFI News 20/05

News
Demonstrating Competence Under the Building Safety Act, anyone appointing an individual or organisation to undertake design and construction work has a duty to ensure that they are competent. For individuals…

Mental Health Awareness Week (13 to 19 May)

News
Mental Health Awareness Week (13 to 19 May) Over half of all work-related ill health is due to stress, depression or anxiety. The HSE’s Working Minds campaign aims to raise awareness of…

AFI News 13/05

News
Tackling Modern Slavery Construction has been identified by the Home Office as a high‐risk sector for modern slavery due to its complex supply chains, multiple levels of sub‐contracting and high…

AFI News 07/05

News
End of Industry Accreditation In line with the latest version of the CLC recommendation on Industry Card Schemes, which confirms that all cards carrying the CSCS logo for skilled occupations…

AFI News 29/04

News
2024 UK Fencing Awards  – entries are open! Categories are Apprentice of the Year Agricultural and Equine Contractor of the Year Domestic Contractor of the Year Gates & Barriers Contractor…

AFI News 22/04

News
April is Stress Awareness Month Use Stress Awareness Month to make it routine to prevent stress and support mental health at work, and encourage others in the construction industry too.…

AFI News 15/04

News
Common Assessment Standard Latest The Cabinet Office has published Procurement Policy Note 03/24 which removes reference to PAS 91 meaning the Common Assessment Standard should now be used across the…

AFI News 08/04

News
CLC Industry Card Schemes Recommendation The CLC has updated its recommendation on Industry Card Schemes following the introduction of the Building Safety Act and the increased focus on competence. The…

AFI Member Littlewood Group Open Doors report

News
An Introduction to the Fencing Industry with Littlewood Group Littlewood Group want to show the next generation that there is a career in construction for everyone. On Tuesday 19th March,…

AFI News 02/04/24

News
CLC Card Schemes Recommendation At its annual conference earlier this week, the CLC published an updated version of its recommendation on Industry Card Schemes following the introduction of the Building…

AFI News 25/03/24

News
AFI News Government Support for SMEs Build UK Chair Julie White joined members from the Midlands at the Government’s Business Connect conference earlier this week, where the Prime Minister announced…

AFI & AFA Best Practice Day, Plumpton College

News
The AFI’s Best Practice Day held at Plumpton College in East Sussex was a resounding success, bringing together professionals and students from the fencing industry for a day of learning…

ScanPole Oy

News
    Scanpole Oy has bought the entire share capital of the Irish PDM Timber Treatment Ltd and agreed to buy the entire share capital of the English Calders & Grandidge Ltd both owned by…

International Women’s Day

News
The fencing industry has lots of women working across all roles and we’re championing the work they do! The AFI supports equality and the industry needs more women so we…

AFI News 04/03/24

News
Companies House Fees The Government has now published the increases in Companies House fees that will apply from 1 May 2024 following the introduction of the Economic Crime and Corporate Transparency Act. The…

AFI News 26/02/24

News
Countdown to Open Doors 2024 Open Doors 2024 will kick off in less than a month with more than 210 events across Great Britain set to take people behind the scenes…

Stress at Work

News
HSE Stress at Work The HSE are inviting you to tell them about your experiences of HSE tools and resources you have (or haven’t) heard about when it comes to…

AFI News Week commencing 19/02/24

News
End of Industry Accreditation From 30 June 2024, cards carrying the CSCS logo obtained via Industry Accreditation will no longer be renewed and all such cards will expire on 31…

AFI News 12/02/24

News
The Infrastructure and Projects Authority (IPA) has published the National Infrastructure and Construction Pipeline setting out 660 projects and programmes to be delivered over the next 10 years with an estimated…

AFI News Update 09/02/24

News
Recruiting the Next Generation To coincide with National Apprenticeship Week, Build UK has published the results of its latest survey of members to understand current employment trends in the industry,…

AFI News Week commencing 05/02/24

News
Drugs & Alcohol in the Workplace Build UK hosts roundtable meetings to bring members together to develop solutions to issues impacting the supply chain. A recent meeting, hosted by Eurofins…

AFI News 29/01/24

News
Celebrate Your Apprentices! National Apprenticeship Week 2024 will run from Monday 5 ‐ Sunday 11 February to showcase the positive impact that apprentices make to communities, businesses and the wider economy. The theme…

AFI News 23 January 2024.

News
Well done to the Association of Fencing Industries (AFI) and Dominique Stevenson for their unwavering dedication to establishing a robust Fencing Apprenticeship Scheme following a skills shortage. The updated apprenticeship…

UK Fencing Industry Insights Report

News
Siddall & Hilton, presents its third UK Fencing Industry Insights Report. This report offers comprehensive analysis of the fencing industry’s market trends, economic indicators, and their impacts. Key findings include:…

Meet the sponsor – DHF

News
The UK Fencing Awards 2023 is gaining momentum and with so many excellent entries coming in we’ll be taking you through who our sponsors are this year. We’ve got nine…

Meet the sponsor – Saferoad

News
The UK Fencing Awards 2023 is gaining momentum and with so many excellent entries coming in we’ll be taking you through who our sponsors are this year. We’ve got nine…

Meet the sponsor – Blok ‘ Mesh

News
The UK Fencing Awards 2023 is gaining momentum and with so many excellent entries coming in we’ll be taking you through who our sponsors are this year. We’ve got nine…

Meet the sponsor – IAE

News
The UK Fencing Awards 2023 is gaining momentum and with so many excellent entries coming in we’ll be taking you through who our sponsors are this year. We’ve got nine…

Meet the sponsor – Zaun

News
The UK Fencing Awards 2023 is gaining momentum and with so many excellent entries coming in we’ll be taking you through who our sponsors are this year. We’ve got nine…

Meet the sponsor – McVeigh Parker

News
The UK Fencing Awards 2023 is gaining momentum and with so many excellent entries coming in we’ll be taking you through who our sponsors are this year. We’ve got nine…

Meet the sponsor – Durapost

News
The UK Fencing Awards 2023 is gaining momentum and with so many excellent entries coming in we’ll be taking you through who our sponsors are this year. We’ve got nine…

Best Practice Day 2023

News
Our first best practice day of the year sold out in record time and we’re looking forward to welcoming everyone on the 24th May. Held in conjunction with Tornado Wire…

UK Fencing Awards – tips for your entry!

News
Are you thinking of entering the UK Fencing Awards but not sure what you need? We’ve detailed everything below and an example from one of winners last year, Littlewood Fencing,…

Meet the sponsor – AJS Training

News
The UK Fencing Awards 2023 is gaining momentum and with so many excellent entries coming in we’ll be taking you through who our sponsors are this year. We’ve got nine…

Public Sector Using Common Assessment Standard

News
The Government has published Procurement Policy Note (PPN) 03/23 in response to calls from Build UK and its members which enables central Government departments and wider public sector bodies to…

AFI Best Practice Day 2023

News
After the success of the 2022 best practice day, the AFI is once again bringing this popular event for summer 2023. In conjunction with Tornado Wire, the free best practice…

A new standard in electric fencing

News
The AFI is pleased to announce the approval for the creation of a new standard under the B201 committee. This will be the introduction of BS 1722-19: Specification, design, installation,…

The AFI continuing to help members save

News
The AFI is pleased to announce that we have secured a membership only deal with UK Fuels to get 4ppl discount on diesel to help the recent increased costs of…

The UK Fencing Awards 2023

News
After the resounding success of the inaugural 2022 awards, the AFI has gone one step further for 2023, enhancing the categories to reflect the wide ranging excellence within our fencing…

Wendy Anne Baker

News
The Association is sad to announce the death of Wendy Baker who has been a leading light in the fencing industry for over 40 years and we send our condolences…

Changing driver behaviours

News
National Highways have just released the attached guide. It is supported by a short video and the aim is to help organisations understand the barriers to developing and sustaining desired…
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The Fencing Apprenticeship

News
The AFI are pleased to announce that AJS Training are now registered to provide the apprenticeship for all in the fencing industry. This means that any employees or young people…

What Is ESG and Why Is It Important?

News
Environmental, social and governance have become common reporting standards for all businesses. Alex Minett, Head of Product, CHAS explores what they are and why they’re important to your business. ESG…

Wood conference agenda released

News
The agenda for the wood conference has been released with less than 1 week to go! Book your tickets here Want to see the agenda for the day? Have a…

The UK Fencing Awards 2022 winners

News
The UK Fencing Awards 2022 winners were announced on 13th October 2022 at the presentation day at Twickenham. All finalists were welcomed to enjoy a day together were we celebrated…

AFI at the Landscape Show

News
The AFI will be at the Landscape Show at Birmingham NEC on 28th and 29th September 2022. Come and visit us on stand A5 if you are attending. Fencing is…

Automatic gates guidance

News
Gate Safe have released a new edition to their portfolio of practical and easy to follow guides to assist anyone involved in the installation of gates in a commercial setting.…

The importance of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect

News
As businesses look to drive progress on workplace diversity, buyers and suppliers should be prepared to evidence their competence around Fairness, Inclusion and Respect (FIR). Alex Minett, Head of Products…

National Safe Digging week

News
The Association of Fencing Industries is supporting Safe digging week www.safe-digging.co.uk to help minimise accidents within fencing. A couple of weeks ago saw a fencing accident that cause a gas…

Accessing mental health support

News
As part of Mental Health Awareness Week we’re reminding all AFI members of the access they have to help and support from Perennial. The AFI has partnered with Perennial, a…

Delivering the fencing apprenticeship

News
Delivering the AFI apprenticeship so that we can continue to bring in talent to the industry remains a priority for us and we understand the frustrations for members who continue…

Finding out about the Common Assessment Standard

News
Common Assessment Standard – An Industry-Wide Pre-Qualification System Pre-qualification costs the construction industry up to £1 billion each year and we know AFI members have had duplication of standards in…
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Announcing the AFI Wood Conference

News
With the continued apprehension over the longevity of timber in ground contact and the confusion over other offerings that are available and how they can help with the various sectors…

Net zero champions – are you one?

News
Build UK is encouraging companies across the supply chain to sign up as Business Champions as part of the CLC’s CO2nstruct Zero programme to drive carbon out of the sector.…

Enter the UK Fencing Awards 2022

News
The sun has been shining and lots of projects are being completed! Entries are coming in for all levels of the UK Fencing Awards, with some interesting submissions for Project…

Updated PPE Regulations: What you need to know

News
From 6 April 2022, the Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations are being updated. CHAS explains what you need to know. The Personal Protective Equipment at Work Regulations 2022 come…

The UK Fencing Awards location announced

News
Following our announcement of the fantastic sponsors of Heras, McVeigh Parker, Birkdale, Zaun and CLD Fencing Systems for the UK Fencing Awards we’re excited to reveal that the awards presentation…

Managing your van insurance

News
This should not be just the cost of doing business Running vans can be an expensive business. While poor driving can obviously put your drivers and other road users at…

Common Assessment Standard Updated

News
The latest version of the Common Assessment Standard has been published following extensive consultation with members and the wider industry. Version 3 includes new questions on sustainability, diversity and cyber security,…

End of Red Diesel Rebate

News
AFI members are reminded that from from tomorrow (1 April), the entitlement to use rebated red diesel will be removed from most sectors, including construction, which means it will be…

Announcing the UK Fencing Awards sponsors!

News
The AFI are pleased to announce that the sponsors for the 2022 UK Fencing Awards include several of the major players that supply the fencing industry across its various disciplines…

Cost of living advice

News
1 in 4 respondents to the @PerennialGRBS Health & Wellbeing survey reported that their income does not cover their daily living costs. For female respondents the percentage increases to 33%,…

Living cost advice

News
1 in 4 respondents to the @PerennialGRBS Health & Wellbeing survey reported that their income does not cover their daily living costs. For female respondents the percentage increases to 33%,…

Chancellor’s Spring Statement

News
The Chancellor has used his Spring Statement to ‘help people and businesses deal with rising costs’ and strengthen the UK economy in the face of global uncertainty following COVID‐19 and…

The Landscape Show 2022

News
The AFI will again be attending The LANDSCAPE Show this year. We’re also able to offer AFI members  10% discount on a stand! Welcoming over 250 exhibitors with a vast…
Careers

Physical wellbeing

News
Over three quarters of people are experiencing aches and pains, with back and joint pain being prevalent. 78% of respondents to the @PerennialGRBS Health & Wellbeing survey had experienced back…

CSCS Card checking

News
CSCS Smart Check app The CSCS Smart Check app will be rolled out from April 2022, allowing all 2.1 million cards in the construction industry displaying the CSCS logo to…

Contract advice discount for AFI members

News
Protect your business today BEB are passionate about protecting businesses with robust contracts – typically terms & conditions, sub-contractor agreements, shareholder agreements, GDPR policies, supplier agreements, and much more. We…

Mental wellbeing

News
If you’re feeling stressed, you’re not alone. Results from the @PerennialGRBS Health & Wellbeing Survey showed that mental health was seen to be the biggest challenge facing our industry. At…

Light commercial vehicle safety

News
The challenge Commercial vehicles travel billions of miles on our roads every year, transporting goods, trade professionals and service engineers around the country. They, and the roads they operate on,…

Build UK – Materials Update

News
The CLC Product Availability Group has issued its latest statement, confirming that ‘price inflation, largely caused by a shortage of raw materials, rising energy, freight, and labour costs, is of…

APF Exhibition 2022

News
The APF Exhibition is the UK’s largest forestry, woodland, arboriculture, fencing and biomass show and this year the AFI are exhibiting! The show caters not just for the forestry, woodland…

New AFI members

News
The AFI has welcome more excellent members who all share the same commitment to standards and support of the fencing industry. Our new members are: Ground Screw Centre (Fence-Lok Systems)…

Living with COVID-19

News
Living with COVID‐19 Update Following the lifting of the remaining coronavirus restrictions in England, Build UK has updated its COVID‐19 flowchart to reflect the latest Government guidance. Individuals who test…

Energy and support advice

News
AFI partner Perennial, the charity for people working in, or retired from, the industry, is providing support for people who are worried about paying for their energy bills – for…

Six steps to happier feet in the workplace

News
To coincide with National Feet Week, Alex Minett, Head of Products & Markets at CHAS looks at what employers and employees need to consider to protect feet at work. You…
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The repair after the storms

News
With the recent storms and continued high winds The Association of Fencing Industries know that contractors, manufacturers and suppliers are under more pressure than normal. We know that many professionals…

CHAS renewal

News
Looking to renew your CHAS membership? Don’t forget all AFI members get discount across all CHAS levels. Contact us for your unique discount code. CHAS products and packages

Right to work check and CAS

News
Changes to Right to Work Checks Temporary changes to right to work checks introduced in response to COVID‐19 will end on 5 April. Employers can currently undertake checks via video…

New member benefit – Protect your business today

News
The AFI have joined with BEB to offer members access to discounted assistance with contracts. BEB are passionate about protecting businesses with robust contracts – typically terms & conditions, sub-contractor…

UK Fencing Awards 2022

Member News, News
The UK Fencing Awards 2022 have proved popular already as we look to recognise the brilliant work of the full fencing sector. The exclusive AFI member contractor category gives contractors…

GDPR: Why you should consider certification

Blog, News
The introduction of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) in 2018 was a challenge for many businesses and remains a key consideration for many organisations. CHAS, the supply chain risk…

Sometimes it’s good to go round in circles

News
By Simon Turner, Campaign Manager for the Driving for Better Business programme It’s not always obvious where to start with managing driver risk. After all, there are so many different…

Levelling up and Construction recovers

News
Levelling Up White Paper Published The Government has released its Levelling Up White Paper setting out how it intends to give everyone the chance to flourish by ‘ending the geographical…

Benefiting from Perennial

Blog, News
AFI members can benefit from the help and support of Perennial at all times thanks to their app. Every member now has access to a free Health & Wellbeing App…

Build UK update on payment terms and COVID-19

News
COVID‐19 Latest With face coverings no longer mandatory in any setting in England, Build UK has updated the CLC Use of Face Coverings in Construction to reflect the latest Government…
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Changes to COVID‐19 Restrictions

Covid-19, News
The Prime Minister has confirmed that the COVID‐19 ‘Plan B’ restrictions in England will end next Wednesday 26 January, with the guidance to work from home withdrawn with immediate effect.…

New AFI member benefit

Member News, News
The AFI is pleased to announce the formation of a partnership with Perennial enhancing the benefits for its members. Perennial are a charity that offers professional, free and confidential advice…

COVID Updates

Covid-19, News
New guidance on COVID-19 Vaccination and self isolation has been released to help employers: COVID‐19 ‘Plan B’ Restrictions to Continue The Prime Minister has confirmed that the current COVID‐19 restrictions…

England Moves to COVID‐19 Plan B

Covid-19, News
England Moves to COVID‐19 Plan B The Prime Minister called a press conference last night to announce that England is moving to Plan B following the rapid spread of the…

Five key updates from COP26

Blog, News
A suite of announcements that will affect how UK businesses address climate change coincided with COP26. CHAS highlights some of the key developments. Net Zero targets introduced for government supply…

COVID‐19 Rules Strengthened

News
  The Government has introduced a number of temporary COVID‐19 measures from 30 November in response to the emergence of the Omicron variant in the UK: Close contacts of suspected…

Change to the CHAS package names

News
The names of the CHAS accreditation packages have changed to simplify the buying experience for customers and make it easier for you to choose the package level that suits your…

HS2 Meet the Contractor

News
Registration for HS2 Meet the Contractor events is now open. Find out more here. Have you registered? Click here to do so

HS2’s Meet the Contractor 2021

News
HS2 Ltd is to begin inviting supplier expressions of interest to attend the 2021 Meet the Contractor events, to take place as follows: HS2 Stations: 15-17 November 2021HS2 Main Works:…

Five tips for managing hot weather hazards

News
Alex Minnet, Health and Safety Compliance Lead at CHAS, looks at the challenges associated with working in hot weather and offers some tips for employers to mitigate the risks.  1.…
Careers

Fencing Installer Apprenticeship Standard

News
The new Fencing Installer Apprenticeship standard is here. After a lot of work from AJS Training, the apprenticeship is ready to welcome sign ups for a September start. Chichester College…

AFI Chief Executive Role

News
After a successful tenure, later this year the AFI chief executive, Ian Ripley, will be retiring. The AFI Board has decided to redefine the role to combine the chief executive…

Supporting women in the fencing industry

News
The construction industry is continuing it’s campaign to support women who work in this field and as fencing links with this we can see opportunities to learn and develop with…

Build UK developed new PQ system goes live

News
The Common Assessment Standard (CAS) was developed by Build UK to reduce the need for companies to have numerous different certifications – and the pre-qualification system is now up and…

Heras gears up for UK growth

Member News, News
Europe’s leading end-to-end supplier of permanent and mobile perimeter protection solutions, Heras, is gearing up for growth in the UK as it looks to roll out a coordinated plan that…

Child safety advice from Heras

Member News, News
Newly rejoined AFI members Heras have produced essential guidance for anyone managing play areas, including sports facilities. To ensure a safe environment the site should be designed from product to…

Fencing apprenticeship funding review delayed

News
At the AFI we’re continuing to work on delivering a fencing apprenticeship and have submitted a funding review. If this is successful the increase funding will make the apprenticeship financially…

Highways England 5 year delivery plan

News
The Highways England 5 year delivery plan explains the investment to be made on the roads and how targets will be met. This affects a lot of our VRS members…
AFI Logo

CSCS cards are now virtual!

News
A new app has been launched by The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) with cards now available virtually. This means you won’t have to carry a physical card and can…

Updated site operating procedures

Covid-19, News
The latest Site Operating Procedures have been released following the national lockdown. Version 7 sees only minor changes including updated guidance on self-isolation and shielding and the removal of the…

Face coverings on site

Covid-19, News
Build UK have released further guidance on using face coverings on sites in England. This guidance can be used across all construction based sites. Read further details here or get…
Agricultural Fencing Association

Newest AFI committee confirmed

News
The AFI is pleased to confirm the formation of a new sub committee after a request from the industry to support a much valued sector; the agricultural group will be…

New AFI Agricultural group

News
The AFI is forming an agricultural subgroup to work on the issues this sector experiences frequently and volunteers are needed. The formation of this group has been led by Pete…

AVS Fencing acquisition

Member News, News
AVS Fencing & Landscaping Supplies Ltd, the leading fencing and landscaping business in the South and East of England, are pleased to announce the acquisition of Bell Davis Ltd. AVS…

England lockdown November 2020

Covid-19, News
With England preparing to go into lockdown again from Thursday 5th November, construction and manufacturing will not be required to close. Sites are encouraged to review social distancing. Please ensure…

AFI in the news!

News
New AFI Chairman Cameron Glanvill has been talking to Perimeter Systems about his plans for the association and to continue the growth. Read the full article here

HS2 Meet the Contractor 2020 events

News
HS2 Ltd will be hosting the Meet the Contractor 2020 virtually – in partnership with 6 Joint Venture Contractors. Networking will be possible and you will be able to see…

Site Operating Procedures – Version 6

Covid-19, News
The CLC Site Operating Procedures have been updated to reflect the recent changes in Government guidance, streamlining the details. Changes include: Current requirements such as social distancing are referenced on…

CLC People Survey

News
The deadline for completing the Construction Leadership Council’s second people survey is today, Friday 2nd October, at 4pm. Please complete the survey now to provide valuable feedback. All responses are…

AFI News

News
The AFI is pleased to announce the appointment of a new Chairman – Cameron Glanvill of Pembury Fencing takes over from a successful term by Adam Binns. After being nominated…

Network Rail Glasgow job opportunities

News
Network Rail Scotland are advertising for a number of positions based in the Glasgow area. Anyone involved with the fencing industry with asset management skills and demonstrable experience in forestry,…
Black FISS CSCS Card

Black Manager Card Alternatives

Member News, News
Do you act as an installation manager but don’t hold a FISS/CSCS black card? The AFI is working to develop alternative methods for those looking to gain a black managers…

Construction Talent Retention Scheme

Covid-19, News
The Construction Talent Retention Scheme launch has been announced which aims to secure essential talent in the UK construction sector. The scheme will give displaced workers from other sectors a…
AFI FISS CSCS

Touch Screen Test (TST) links

News
Make sure you are using the correct link supplied by the AFI when booking your Touch Screen Test (TST). We are aware of some sites which charge additional fees. The…
Fencex

Fencex 2020 postponed until 2021

News
With ongoing restrictions due to Covid-19, the organisers of Fencex have wisely decided to postpone the show until 2021. The organisers have made this decision early giving would be exhibitors…

Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS)

Covid-19, News
The Bounce Back Loan Scheme (BBLS) opens for applications today. Businesses can borrow between £2,000 and £50,000, capped at 25% of turnover, with no fee to access the schemeThe Government will…

Updated Site Operating Procedures issued

Covid-19, News
Please note: Since the release of version 2 and significant feedback, the original document should be complied with whilst this is reviewed. The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) has issued a…

BSI release best practice standards

Covid-19, News
BSI has made a number of risk and business continuity standards publicly available to help British businesses will challenges experienced as a result of Covid19. The standards provide best practice…

How the AFI are still working

Covid-19, News
Although we can’t get out to physical meetings, the AFI are continuing to work on existing issues remotely and planned meetings are now via video call. We are still working…

Coronavirus Update – 25 March 2020

Covid-19, News
The message is clear: stay at home, avoid all social interaction, and only travel to work if absolutely necessary. We know the industry is looking for clarity on whether sites…

Coronavirus Update ‐ 24 March 2020

Covid-19, News
The message is clear: stay at home, avoid all social interaction, and only travel to work if absolutely necessary. The dilemma facing our industry is that a significant number of…

COVID-19: support for businesses

Covid-19, News
Under the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme, all UK employers will be able to access support to continue paying part of their employees’ salary for those employees that would otherwise have…

Working from home securely

Covid-19, News
When working from home or remotely it is important that you are aware of the increased cyber threats that can affect yourself and the company, and the actions you can…

Coronavirus (Covid-19) Update

Covid-19, News
With the situation around Coronavirus (Covid-19) changing rapidly each day, we wanted to reassure all members that the AFI office remains open and operating as close to ‘business as usual’…

CSCS Guidance for managers

News
CSCS have issued guidance for managers with academic qualifications – whilst this is aimed at the CSCS core scheme the FISS/CSCS committee are currently developing a route to a AQP…

IR35 (Off-payroll working) Quick Test

News
Don’t forget, from April 2020, IR35 rules will mean employers must issue a Standard Determination Statement for every contractor and for each assignment or project. Use this quick test to…

A successful AFI Workshop!

News
The AFI welcomed members and non members to the AFI Workshop 2020 at Wyoboston Lakes on 26th February. This was a chance to bring different categories of companies together to…

Another new service for AFI members

News
We’ve been working to find ways to help our members get more work when they need it. We’re delighted to announce that we’ve teamed up with Quotatis and their Job…
AFI Workshop Wyboston

AFI Workshop 2020

News, Uncategorized
Network over a drink with other contractors and suppliersMeet the AFI team and find out how we can helpSpeak to member benefit providers Featured speaker: “Cyber Security – how much…
Association of Fencing Industries

FISS/CSCS Industry Accreditation Cards – Closing

News
NOTE: This applies to all CSCS Cards whether CSCS only, FISS/CSCS or any other Partnership Schemes.  The Industry Accreditation (IA) route (formally known as ‘Grandfather Rights’) was closed to new applicants…
Association of Fencing Industries

Installation Advice Near Pipelines

News
Linewatch have released a short animation outlining hazards that can arise when planning and undertaking a simple fencing installation close to a high pressure pipelines. https://youtu.be/Zu-kqf-Hdmo More information on how…
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