13 June 2016

Bill Hewlett, Costain’s Technical Director, has been appointed Chairman of SCOSS, the Standing Committee on Structural Safety, which reviews and reports on issues that affect the safety of structures.

SCOSS is an independent body supported by the Institution of Structural Engineers (IStructE), the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) and the Health and Safety Executive. Being appointed Chairman of SCOSS is at the invitation of the Presidents of both ICE and IStructE.

Bill joined the SCOSS Committee in 2011 and, from 2009 to 2013, served as a Vice President of the ICE, where he is a Chartered Engineer and Fellow.

Bill’s particular area of focus has been hazard awareness and engineering risk management. Bill takes a close interest in the education of engineers, from apprentices and graduates, right through their careers, as part of a lifetime of learning. Bill sees his new appointment as an opportunity to serve the industry in a technical leadership role which will also extend his own learning.

Bill said: “I am delighted to accept the role as Chairman of SCOSS, working with a group of eminent engineers, to examine and alert all sectors to the reasons for any potential lapses in structural safety, as well as providing advice on how these lapses can be avoided in the future.”

As part of his role as Chairman, Bill will also be involved with CROSS, the Confidential Reporting on Structural Safety (CROSS) scheme. Both SCOSS and CROSS work across all industry sectors where structures are deployed.

“SCOSS and CROSS offer a unique and invaluable service. It is important to see SCOSS and CROSS in the full breadth of structural engineering, from petro-chem, nuclear and infrastructure as well as buildings of every type,” said Bill.

As Chairman, Bill intends to build on the work of his predecessors to improve and expand the organisation so that the safety and reliability of structures and infrastructure is further enhanced.

A key part of this will be to expand its scope so there is greater participation at all levels of industry through education and engagement.

“In particular I shall be seeking greater engagement with the contracting side of the industry, particularly SMEs. We are also looking at our global outreach,” said Bill.

Bill added: “I would encourage everyone, across all our sectors, to participate in the scheme by signing up for our newsletters, and most importantly by reporting their own experiences of structural safety. Understanding hazards and risks is vital for structural safety, and this is a great way to learn. Reporting via CROSS is confidential and serves to bring about beneficial changes. Please visit the Structural-Safety website to find out more."

For more information about SCOSS and CROSS, please click on the link below:

http://www.structural-safety.org/

Ends

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