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THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

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SECTION 1 AN INTRODUCTION TO THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

You are now studying construction and you want to use your skills and experience of construction to find work. Where do you begin? Here are some steps that will help you get started. 1. You need to find out about your construction trade in Spain this includes information about employers, working conditions, and qualifications needed. 2. It will help if you have documents to show your qualifications and work record. They will have to be translated into English or any other language if you plan to work abroad. 3. You need to be able to identify and describe your job skills. 4. You need to find out where you can get help finding a job. 5. You need to develop the language skills you will use when you work in your specific trade (e.g. vocabulary).

1. About you
Ask someone in your class the following questions: 1. What is your name? 2. Where are you from? 3. How long have you lived in Spain? 4. What is your educational background? 5. How long have you been learning English? 6. Why are you coming to this class?

2. What do you hope to learn from the course?

In pairs, talk about what you want to learn from this course. First tell your partner what you know about construction: 1. I already know about 2. I can Next tell your partner what you want to learn: 3. I want to know how to say 4. I want to learn about 5. I need to 6. By the end of the course I want to be able to 7. In the future I want to Now tell your teacher and the rest of the group.

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3. What do you know about the construction industry in Spain?

Discuss the following with a partner or the group: 1. What you know about the construction industry in Spain? 2. What do you think about the construction industry in Spain?

Now write down your thoughts: 1. What I know about the construction industry in Spain. 2. What I think about the construction industry in Spain. When you have finished, work in pairs to interview each other. Think of five or six questions you can ask, for example: 1. What do you know about the construction industry in Spain? 2. Do you think it is different from other countries? 3. Have you ever worked in construction? 4. What did you do? 5. What job do you want to do now?

4. What is construction?
Define construction in your own words. Write between three and five sentences about construction:
______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________ ______________________________________________________________________________

Write about up to five people who work in construction and the jobs they do. For example: 1. A glazier works with glass. 2. ....................................................................................................................................... 3. ...................................................................................................................................... 4. ...................................................................................................................................... 5. ....................................................................................................................................... 6. .......................................................................................................................................

5. Investigating the construction industry in the area where you live

Do you know of any building developments near where you live or study? Find out about at least one building project that you know of. It could be a small project, such as building a garden wall, or a very large one.

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Use the table below to help you. What is the building project? What is the name of the builder or company? What different jobs can you see people doing? What are the different tools you can see people using?

Now write between 100150 words about the project. If it is a large project there may be information about it at your local library or council, or on a website. You can work with a partner and use any books or website information that you can find.

6. What is the construction industry?

Read the text below to help you answer the following questions. Think about the world around you. Imagine it without the construction industry. There would be people, but no houses for them to live in or offices, schools and shops for them to work in. There wouldnt be any factories to build cars or roads for them to drive on. There wouldnt be any water supplies, because there would be no reservoirs or pipes. We would never be able to go abroad, because there would be no harbors, airports or tunnels. It is easy to forget that the construction industry built the places where we all live, work and enjoy ourselves. You will now read information about the people who make all these things possible. The industry A building starts as an idea in someones mind, an idea that architects and engineers turn into designs. The designs are turned into detailed images on a computer screen, while planners, engineers and financial experts work on costs and schedules. Then the surveyors and site engineers prepare the site for construction by measuring and marking out exactly where everything will go. Next it is the turn of hundreds of skilled craftspeople and their managers to transform the site into a finished product. Years after construction is completed, the industry is still involved maintaining, refurbishing and restoring all the structures that make up the world we live in.

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The people who work in it Did you know that the construction industry employs many people working in Spain? That is millions of men and women, who between them have a vast range of interests, abilities and skills. If you are: aiming for a high-level management job or intellectual challenge. looking for work thats more technical than academic, or a supervisory role. after a job with training in a skilled craft, which will enable you to use your hands to build things staying on at school, going to college or leaving education as fast as you can there is a place for you in the construction industry. The training There are three main routes into the industry, each with the right combination of training and vocational qualifications for the job. You can start as a craftsperson, a technician or a graduate. However, one of the best things about the construction industry is that you dont need to follow the paths set out below. You can start at the bottom and work your way to the top. Graduates People with a degree, usually in a relevant subject such as civil and structural engineering or construction management, can go straight into the industry at a high level. Technicians You can enter the industry at this level with secondary school leaving qualifications or vocational qualifications. There are two main options: you can work and go to college parttime or you can get full-time college qualifications before joining the industry. The work is hard, but there is more technical and practical work than learning from books. Craftspeople To enter the industry as a trainee craftsperson, you will need a good basic education in maths. Craftspeople learn skills that involve using their hands, but they will also have a chance to do qualifications that can take them to technical-level jobs. In England most people train and gain vocational qualifications as they work, usually as an apprentice, although there are other kinds of training schemes too.

Words in construction Write down the definition of the words that appear in bold. You can use a dictionary or the Internet to help you. You can write the definitions in English and in your home language. Add any more words that are new to you. DESIGNS ............................................................................................................................ IMAGES .............................................................................................................................. SCHEDULES ........................................................................................................................ SKILLED CRAFTSPEOPLE ................................................................................................. MAINTAINING ...................................................................................................................... REFURBISHING ................................................................................................................... RESTORING .........................................................................................................................
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Now use the information in the text to answer these questions. Try to write your answers in full sentences. 1. What do people in the construction industry do? .................................................................................................................................... 2. Who turns ideas into designs? .................................................................................................................................... 3. Who works on costs and schedules? ................................................................................................................................... 4. Who needs to prepare the site for construction? .................................................................................................................................... 5. How many people work in the construction industry in Spain? .............................................................................................. 6. What are the three main routes into the industry? ...................................................................................... 7. Which one would you fit into?

7. The construction industry in the UK

In the UK, the construction industry is an important part of the economy. It operates in both the public sector and private sector. It is responsible for building and maintaining peoples homes, as well as the provision and upkeep of major infrastructures such as roads, airports and bridges. It also builds the places where we shop and work and is a key partner of the UK government in the long-term operation of schools, hospitals and other public facilities. The construction industry in the UK is made up mostly of small businesses. According to the CITB-Construction Skills there are about 56 firms with over 1,200 employees, whereas there are over 164,000 firms who employ fewer than 24 workers. There are about two million workers working in construction at present. One in 14 of the total working population of Britain is employed by the construction industry. Most of them work for a company but there is a growing number of self-employed builders over 590,000. Over the next five years the construction industry needs to recruit more than 85,000 new workers a year to join the ever-growing trade. We need more than: 12,000 carpenters and joiners 10,000 managers 6,500 plumbers 6,000 bricklayers 2,000 technicians.

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Minority ethnic groups are under-represented in the construction workforce. Only about 3% of construction workers are from minority ethnic communities in England and only 1% in Wales. The percentage of women in the construction industry is rising from 8.8% in 1999 to 10% in 2005. Look up the words in bold and put them in your personal dictionary. True or false? Read the questions below and use the text to decide if they are true or false. 1. The construction industry is not an important part of the economy. 2. The construction industry works in both the private and public sector. 3. The construction industry in Britain is made up of mostly big businesses. 4. There are over 164,000 firms who work with fewer than 24 workers. 5. There are under two million workers working in construction. 6. Most people working in construction work for a company. 7. There are more people from minority ethnic groups working in construction in England than in Wales. 8. The number of women working in construction is rising. 9. The construction industry needs to recruit more plumbers than technicians. Search for information about the construction in Spain. Try to find similarities and differences between these two countries.

8. Why is health and safety important?

Working on construction sites can be very dangerous. What health and safety issues do you think you will face in the construction industry? Discuss this with a partner. Write down some thoughts and then present your ideas to the class. Keep your notes, you will need them later. Find out more about the construction industry. Look around the construction sites in your area; this will help you get used to the different stages of building. Look through the local newspapers for details of new building, restoration, or possible job opportunities. Search the Internet under the names of large building companies. This will help you to get a good understanding of what skills people are looking for. Look at the general websites for the construction industry. These give you lots of information ranging from how to re-skill to how to take the Site Safety Certificate. Join your local library where you can read and borrow books about construction.

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SECTION 2 THE CONSTRUCTION WORKPLACE

1. The main areas of the construction industry

The construction industry covers four main areas. These are: A Building B Mechanical engineering D Electrical engineering

C Civil engineering

Which area is which? Discuss the definitions below with a partner or in a small group, and decide which area it describes.

Definition
This is the building, maintenance and adaptation of all types of buildings ranging from office blocks, industrial sites and shopping centres, to schools, hospitals, recreation centres and homes. Included in these areas are specialist builders who work in one skill area, e.g. glazing, tiling and roofing. This is the construction and maintenance of public works such as roads, railways, bridges, airports and sewers. This is the installation, commissioning and maintenance of lifts, escalators and heating, ventilation, refrigeration, sprinkler and plumbing systems. This is the installation, commissioning and maintenance of various electrical and electronic devices.

a, b, c, d?

2. Different buildings
Buildings are classified according to their height. You have: 8

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Whats the difference between residential, commercial and industrial buildings? In pairs, think about the buildings below and whether they are commercial, industrial or residential. Write your answers in the table. houses flats hospitals schools residential homes hostels bed-sits bed and breakfasts public halls social clubs mosques churches restaurants caf pubs/clubs factories warehouses colleges hotels offices Commercial buildings Industrial buildings Residential buildings

3. What do you know about the construction industry?

1. Name the THREE types of building. ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ 2. Explain the difference between private and public sector building work. ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ 3. Give THREE examples of building work. ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ 4. Give THREE examples of civil engineering work.
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................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................

5. Explain the difference between maintenance, refurbishment and restoration. ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................

4. Types of buildings and premises

There are three main types of buildings and premises: residential, commercial and industrial. Write down a definition in your own words. We have done one for you.

Category

Residential

Types of building and premises 1. private houses: detached, semi-detached, terraced, maisonettes 2. flats 3. hostels 4. hospitals 5. schools 6. public halls

Definition

1.

2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 1.Premises used for the sale of goods and

services

Commercial 1. retail outlets: shops, supermarkets 2. pubs 3. cafs 4. hairdressers Industrial 1. factories 2. areas to park vehicles 3. warehouses

2. 3. 4. 1. 2. 3.
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5. Roles and responsibilities of personnel working in Construction

The construction of a building is a complex process, which requires a team of professionals working together to produce the desired results. This team of professionals, which is collectively known as the building team, is a combination of the following parties.

Client Architect

The client is the person who wants the building work done. The architect designs what the client wants and leads the building team. The quantity surveyor works out how much the building is going to cost. They also make sure that the costs dont increase above what was agreed with the client. The specialist engineer helps the architect. They prepare drawings and do calculations to make sure that the building is being built correctly. A clerk of works, or site inspector, makes sure that work carried out and materials being used on a construction project meet quality and safety standards. The local authority makes sure that the building does not break planning and building laws. Checks that the builders follow health or safety rules and regulations. Works on the site and builds the building. Works on parts of the building that the building contractor cant do. For example, putting in windows, baths or tiling. Provide the building materials.

Quantity surveyor

Specialist engineer

Clerk of works

Local authority

Health and safety inspector Building contractor Sub-contractor

Suppliers

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Now you know what they do, can you work out how they all work together using the diagram on the next page? Work in pairs or small groups.

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6. Roles and responsibilities of personnel

In this section you have learnt about the many different people in the building industry who carry out a variety of jobs or roles in the every day running of a project. These include the main contractor, sub-contractor, clerk of works, the client, the architect, quantity surveyor, structural engineer, safety officer, site clerk, general foreman/woman, trades personnel, trades foreman/ woman, general operative, storeman/woman, timekeeper, etc. Assignment Using what you have learned, websites or reference books, write down what each person does (their function). If you can, write down their responsibilities to the client who is paying for the work. Architect ........................................................................................................................................... Quantity surveyor ......................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................ Structural engineer ....................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................ Clerk of works ............................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................ Contracts manager ........................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ Safety officer ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ Site clerk ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ General foreman/woman .............................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................................................ Trades foreman/woman ................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ Trades person ................................................................................................................................................ ................................................................................................................................................ General operative ......................................................................................................................................... ................................................................................................................................................
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How well have you done? Can you name four different trades that may be found working together on a building site? Place your answers in the box provided.

1.

2.

3.

4.

7. What are trade unions?

Read the text below and answer the following questions. Trade unions are organizations that represent people at work. Their purpose is to protect and improve peoples pay and working conditions. They also campaign for laws and policies to be changed or created, which will benefit working people. Trade unions exist because an individual worker has very little power to influence decisions that are made about their job. By joining with other workers, there is more chance of having an influence or being heard. All sorts of jobs and industries are covered by trade unions. Some unions are sector specific, this means they are only for people who work in one area, for example UCATT (Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians) have over 120,000 members employed in the building trades, in both the public and private sector. Other unions include a mixture of different jobs and sectors. The biggest unions in Britain the GMB, UNISON and the TGWU represent people working in a range of different occupations and industries in the public and private sectors. Questions 1. What is a trade union? 2. Are there trade unions in the country you came from/ you are living now? 3. What is the construction union called? 4. Using the Internet, find out the other name for the GMB? 5. Using the Internet, find out what TGWU stands for? 6. Do you think that joining a union is a good idea?
Find out more about unions in Spain and/or the country you come from?

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8. How do people join trade unions?

Different unions cover different jobs and it is important that you know which union covers your job before you join. People can join unions in different ways. Most people find out about them by talking to colleagues at work and then contacting the union directly. A union representative offers information about what the union can do for employees and how they can join. Some employers and HR officers tell employees about the union before they start working for the organisation. Unions are always looking for new members. Some use adverts in newspapers and magazines, leaflets or gifts (free pens, bags, etc.) as part of a recruitment campaign. The target is often to get people to join who work part-time, in temporary jobs or in small organisations where there has not been a high rate of union membership in the past. What is the structure of trade unions? Trade unions are made up of members, shop stewards (union representatives), branches, district and regional offices and the national office. A member is someone who pays to belong to the union. The union representatives are elected by members of the union to represent them to management. Branches support union members in different organisations locally. Full time union officials are usually based in district and/or regional offices. These people are paid to offer advice and support to the local union members. The national office is the unions headquarters. This is where the heads of the organisation work for improvements to the members working rights. How much does it cost to join a union? Each trade union member pays a subscription. The amount varies from union to union and the fee is usually based on the amount each person earns. It can be from as little as 5 a month to over 300. People pay their subscription fee in different ways. It may be collected by direct debit straight out of your bank account, or it could be deducted from your wages or paid in cash or cheque to the local office. In exchange for the fee, members receive the benefits of representation, negotiation, protection and other services from their union. Questions 1. What do you think would be the best way to join a trade union? 2. Have you seen any adverts for trade unions? 3. What is a member? 4. What is the difference between a branch and a district/regional office? In small groups of three or four discuss these questions: 1. Should people pay to be a member of a union? Give two reasons why you think this. 2. Do you think everybody should join a union? Give two reasons why you think this.

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Present your groups opinion to the class. If the class disagrees, vote to decide if the answer to each question should be yes or no. Extension activity Role play Hamid has just joined a new company. Sam has worked for the company for some time and is telling Hamid about the job. Sam suggests that Hamid should join the union. Hamid is not sure. Sara joins them. She is the union representative. She tells Hamid the benefits of joining the union and answers his questions. Roles play their discussion. If you were Hamid would you join the union? Being self-employed A very large number of people in the construction industry work for themselves, not for an employer or company. They are self-employed. Can you think of three good reasons for being self-employed? 1. ............................................................................................................................................ 2. ............................................................................................................................................ 3 ............................................................................................................................................

On the other hand, you do not have the security of a regular salary, paid holidays and statutory sick leave. Before you consider starting your own business you may want to get some knowledge and experience of the construction industry in Spain. You will meet many self-employed people who will be able to give you useful advice. If you are thinking about becoming self-employed make sure that you get the best advice you can. There are many organizations, websites and books that can advise you on making your business a success. If you are thinking of becoming self-employed you need to ask yourself the following questions. Why do I want to be self-employed? What kind of business will I run? Have I got the right qualifications for that trade or job? How will I start to find work? How will I look after my finances? Do I need someone to help me with my accounts? How do I pay income tax? Do I have to pay national insurance contributions? What health and safety issues do I have to think about? Do I need insurance? What do I do about a pension? Can I employ other people? Do I get any benefits or tax credits for being self-employed? Where can I get further advice?
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Discuss these questions in pairs or small groups. You may have the answers to some or all of them, or you may find you have more questions. Think about different people you can invite to talk to your class and answer your questions. For example: Self-employed people working in construction A business link adviser A construction manager who uses self-employed construction workers. Who else can you think of? After the session dont forget to write to thank your visitor.

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9. Discuss your answers with your classmates. Are there any skills you need to improve/ to learn?

PERSONAL QUALITIES Do you like to work outside, regardless of the weather? Do you know how to dress to keep yourself warm or cool while working outside during winter or summer? Are you able to stay calm in an emergency? Are you concerned about cleanliness and order? Do you have a friendly personality?

YES

NO

PHYSICAL ATTRIBUTES

Are you strong? Are you flexible? Do you have stamina?

DO YOU HAVE THE SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE NEEDED TO WORK IN CONSTRUCTION?

Can you describe different types of construction in Spain? Do you know how to communicate with your employer, your coworkers and your clients? Are you familiar with health and safety for construction in Spain? Do you know how to avoid accidents? Do you know about the equipment used by construction workers in your trade in Spain? Are you familiar with the tools that are used in Spain? Can you name the tools and their parts in Spanish? Can you name the tools and their parts in English? Can you troubleshoot or fix tools on the job if necessary? Do you have experience working in residential construction? Do you have experience working on large construction projects?
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SECTION 3 BUILDING TRADES

1. Definitions of different building trades
In this section we find out what different personnel in construction do. The term for the different jobs in construction is building trades. Building trades people are the skilled workers who work with specific materials when building, maintaining or refurbishing a building. Can you match the following tradespeople to their description? Look for the clues in the definition. Painter and decorator Roof slater and tiler Bricklayer Plasterer Plumber Carpenter/joiner Electrician

Definition
Works with bricks and mortar to construct or repair all types of walling. Works with timber, other allied materials, metals and plastic items and ironmongery. Works with wires, cables, metal and plastic fittings, and installs and maintains electric systems. Works with paint, paper, fabrics and fillers to decorate or redecorate new or existing works; they sometimes glaze windows or carry out sign-writing. Works with plaster, cement mixers, plasterboard and expanded metal, to finish walls, ceilings and floors; also makes and fixes plaster. Works with metals, plastics and ceramics; installs tanks, baths, sinks, toilets, basins, rainwater goods, boilers, radiators and gas appliances; also cuts and fixes sheet metal roof covering and flashing and sometimes glazing. Works with felt, timber, metals, mortar and a wide variety of slates and tiles; covers new or existing pitched roofs and slates or tiles; also maintains existing works.

Trades person

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2. Different trades
Using a dictionary, website or reference book, find out what these trades people do. Carpet fitter/floor layer Building or construction operative Construction plant operator Demolition operative Form worker Glazier Quarry worker Scaffolder Shop fitter Stonemason Welder Wood machinist

Can you think of more different trades?

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3. Different jobs in construction

Here are more details on a number of different jobs in construction. The task sheets that follow can be used in different ways, on your own or with another student or small group, to improve your English language skills and knowledge about working in construction in Spain.

BUILDERS LABOURER
What do builders labourers do? What tools and equipment do they use? What skills do you need to become a labourer? A builders labourer is a construction worker who helps builders and other craftspeople to do their jobs on a building site. This can be by moving bricks and heavy machinery into place for example. They also do general tasks around the building site. Here are some of the materials, tools and equipment a builders labourer may use. Can you match the names of the tools and equipment with the pictures?

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Can you think of anything else? What kind of clothes do builders laborers wear for their job? .. What kinds of jobs would a builders laborer do every day? ..

Some of the jobs they do include: unloading and storing building materials making sure the security fencing and barricades are safe helping the different crafts people mixing concrete and plaster digging and maintaining trenches using and cleaning hand tools tidying up the site making sure all the rubbish is in the skip at the end of the day. Some qualities that builders labourers need are to: be fit and strong as they need to lift and carry a lot of weight be able to work outdoors in all kinds of weather be able to follow instructions and health and safety procedures be able to work with other people in a team enjoy practical work.

Can you think of anymore? Do you think this is the job for you?

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CARPENTER AND JOINER

What do carpenters and joiners do? .. What tools and equipment do they use? What skills do you need to become a carpenter or joiner? Carpenters and joiners make and repair things mainly using wood, but also using materials such as metals and plastic. Here are some of the materials, tools and equipment a carpenter or joiner may use. Can you match the names of the tools and equipment with the pictures?

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Can you think of anything else? What kind of clothes do carpenters wear for their job? What kinds of jobs would carpenters and joiners do every day? Carpenters and joiners may be self-employed or work for a firm. They do many different jobs including: talking to clients and co-workers about each job they are doing following plans and drawings for whatever they are making cutting wood using electric or hand saws and smoothing and shaping wood laying and replacing floorboards, building staircases, partition walls and door frames replacing and repairing woodwork formwork or making temporary wooden structures to support and shape concrete until set.

Some qualities that carpenters and joiners need are to: be careful, methodical and able to plan accurately be able to follow technical drawings and plans have good number skills for measuring and making calculations be fit and strong as they need to carry a lot of weight be able to work as part of a team and alone enjoy practical work be able to follow health and safety instructions.

Can you think of anymore? Do you think this is the job for you?

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CONSTRUCTION PLANT OPERATOR

What does a construction plant operator do? What tools and equipment do they use? What skills do you need to become a construction plant operator? A construction plant operator drives controls and operates machinery used on building sites and road works. Here are some of the tools and equipment construction plant operators use. Can you match the names of the tools and equipment with the pictures?

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Can you think of anything else? Which of these are tools? Which of these are vehicles? What kind of clothes do construction plant operators wear for this job?

Some of the many jobs they do include: clearing the ground for a new building site digging away soil using soil excavators digging trenches with diggers moving soil and rubble around maintaining the machinery they use moving heavy items like oil drums around a site in the scoop of a digger move palettes using a forklift truck operate hydraulic platforms use a pile drive to drive steel into the ground.

Skills and qualities construction plant operators need are to: be good at driving large, heavy machines have a basic knowledge of vehicle mechanics have good eyesight, hearing and concentration be able to follow detailed instructions be physically fit and agile for changing attachments and climbing in and out of cabs be good at communicating and working with others as part of a team be able to follow safe working practices to have a good knowledge of health and safety procedures be comfortable working at heights for some jobs. Can you think of anymore? Do you think this is the job for you?

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ELECTRICIAN
What does an electrician do? What tools and equipment do they use? What skills do you need to become an electrician? Electricians wire up buildings so that they have electrical services such as heating and lighting. They also repair electrical faults and do re-wiring. They can work indoors and outdoors. Here are some of the tools and equipment electricians use. Can you match the names of the tools and equipment with the pictures?

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Can you think of anything else? What kind of jobs would an electrician do? Electricians are often self-employed. Some of the many jobs electricians do include: working out the best way to fit new electrics following diagrams accurately so they know where wires or cables go using hand tools such as saws, drills, pliers fitting metal channels for cabling fixing sockets and switches testing wiring for faults.

Can you think of anything else? What do they use saws, drills and pliers for?

Some skills and qualities electricians need are: a good knowledge about how electricity works to know about building and safety regulations and to follow them to be able to work in cramped conditions and be comfortable working at heights to be able to work on their own or in a team to be good at following detailed instructions. Can you think of anymore? Do you think this is the job for you?

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PAINTER AND DECORATOR

What do painters and decorators do? What tools and equipment do they use? What skills do you need to become a painter and decorator? Painters and decorators prepare, paint and wallpaper walls and other parts of buildings. They can work indoors or outdoors. Here are some of the materials, tools and equipment they use. Can you match the names of the tools and equipment with the pictures?

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Can you think of anything else? Write a sentence explaining what each of them is used for, e.g. a dust sheet is used to protect the floor or furniture from paint splashes. What kind of jobs would painters and decorators do?

Painters and decorators are often self-employed. Some of the many jobs they do include: helping a customer decide on the best kind of decoration for the job stripping off old wallpaper and scraping off paint using filler to fill cracks and gaps cleaning, sanding and smoothing down surfaces ready for decorating putting up coving and decorative plaster mouldings painting walls, woodwork and ceilings cleaning brushes and equipment.

Skills and qualities painters and decorators need are to: be fit and take care as they lift, carry, kneel, bend and stretch a lot when they are working be practical and creative have good colour vision for mixing and matching paints be able to work accurately and have an appreciation for detail have good number skills for counting, measuring and weighing be able to work alone and as part of a team be comfortable working at heights be good at following instructions and health and safety procedures.

Can you think of anymore? Do you think this is the job for you?

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PLASTERER
What do plasterers do? What tools and equipment do they use? What skills do you need to become a plasterer? A plasterer mixes plaster and then applies it to walls and ceilings to make them smooth and flat. Here are some of the materials, tools and equipment they use. Can you match the names of the tools and equipment with the pictures?

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Can you think of anything else? Which of these are tools? Which are equipment?

Write a sentence to say how a plasterer uses each of the tools or equipment, e.g. a plasterer applies plaster with a trowel.

Plasterers are often self-employed. Some of the many jobs they do include: cutting to measure and fixing plasterboards to walls and ceilings mixing powder to make plaster applying or spreading layers of plaster on walls and ceilings using a trowel and a straight edge working out the thickness of plaster for each layer and making sure edges are straight working out how much time they need to get a smooth finish before the plaster dries out. Can you think of anything else? Skills and qualities plasterers need are to: be fit and flexible as they lift, carry, kneel, bend and stretch a lot when they are working be able to work accurately and have an appreciation for detail have good number skills for weighing and measuring be able to work alone and as part of a team be comfortable working at heights be good at following instructions and health and safety procedures.

Can you think of anymore? Can you say why they need each quality or skill? Do you think this is the job for you?

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PLUMBER
What does a plumber do? What tools and equipment do they use? What skills do you need to become a plumber? Plumbers install, maintain and repair hot and cold water supplies. They install bathrooms and toilets, boilers and central heating systems in domestic, industrial and commercial premises. Here are some of the materials, tools and equipment they use. Can you match the names of the tools and equipment with the pictures?

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Can you think of anything else? What kinds of clothing do plumbers wear? What kinds of jobs would plumbers do every day?

Plumbers are often self-employed. Some of the many jobs they do include: talking to customers about what they need done and explaining how things work following plans and drawings installing and fixing tanks, boilers, toilets, showers, sinks, taps, gas appliances and other fittings testing pipe work to see if it is working putting in drainage systems clearing drains and dealing with burst pipes. Can you think of anything else?

Skills and quantities plumbers need are to: be able to follow technical drawings and plans work carefully and methodically be able to work at heights and in confined spaces be fit and flexible be aware of safety issues and legal regulations be able to work as part of a team and alone.

Can you think of anymore? Do you think this is the job for you?

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ROOFER
What does a roofer do? What tools and equipment do they use? What skills do you need to become a roofer?

Roofers build and repair roofs on all types of buildings. The jobs can range from stripping and re-slating a roof on a house to working on a renovation project on an historic building or being involved on a new commercial development. Here are some of the materials, tools and equipment they use. Can you match the names of the tools and equipment with the pictures?

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Can you think of anything else? Can you write a sentence to explain how each of them is used, e.g. roofers use pulleys to haul heavy materials up to where they are working.

What kinds of jobs would roofers do?

Roofers may be employed by a firm or self-employed. Some of the many jobs they do include: removing broken tiles and old roof coverings calculating the number of tiles and other materials they need for a new roof putting up new roof timbers building new roof structures tiling the roof making sure all edges are sealed so that they dont let water in. Skills and qualities roofers need are to: be happy working outdoors in all weather conditions and at heights be able to understand technical drawings and plans have good number skills to work out areas and angles and calculate quantities and prices of materials be able to work alone and as part of a team be able to follow strict health and safety procedures be physically fit and strong because they have to do a lot of lifting and carrying.

Can you think of anymore? Do you think this is the job for you?

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WALL AND FLOOR TILER

What does a tiler do? What tools and equipment do they use? What skills do you need to become a tiler? Wall and floor tilers tile walls, floors and other surfaces in houses, particularly in bathrooms and kitchens,industrial premises, swimming pools, shops, hotels and offices. Here are some of the materials, tools and equipment they use. Can you match the names of the tools and equipment with the pictures?

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Can you think of anything else? What kinds of jobs would tilers do?

Tilers may be employed by a firm or self-employed. Some of the many jobs they do include: discussing and agreeing a job with a customer marking out areas to be tiled making sure there is a smooth, flat surface to attach the tiles removing old and cracked tiles and replacing them using cement and adhesive glue evenly spacing the tiles out using tile spacers using grout to fill in the spaces between the tiles when all the tiles are in place. Can you think of anything else?

Skills and qualities tilers need are to: be fit, strong and flexible for bending, lifting and carrying tools and materials be able to work accurately and methodically have good number skills for measuring and calculating quantities of materials be creative and able to follow or produce designs and patterns using tiles of different shapes and sizes be able to follow technical plans and drawings be able to work alone or as part of a team be willing to keep up with new materials and trends follow health and safety procedures. Can you think of anymore? Do you think this is the job for you?

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4. How much do you know about the different trades?

In pairs or small groups tell each other how much you know about the different trades. Choose one of the following: bricklayers roofers electricians painters and decorators plasterers.

Tell your partner or the rest of your group: 1. What they do? 2. Three different tools they need? 3. How much you think they get paid? 4. Do you have to be strong to be that job? Why? 5. What protective clothing do you need to wear?

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5. Learning more about different construction workers Builders labourers

Builders labourers are construction workers who do general work on a site. Some may specialise by working with particular tradespeople as a trade's assistant, such as a bricklayer's labourer or carpenter's assistant. In pairs, discuss what builders labourers do and use. Next use these words to complete the sentences below. equipment equipment and machinery materials mixers and compressors traffic near construction sites scaffolding or jackhammers to break up rock and concrete concrete Builders labourers . . . 1. move, load and unload ......................................................................................................................................... 2. erect and dismantle .......................................................................................................................................... 3. mix, pour, spread and rake ........................................................................................................................................ 4. install, operate, maintain and repair ........................................................................................................................................... 5. oil and grease ............................................................................................................................................. 6. tend and feed machines such as .......................................................................................................................................... 7. dig trenches using hand tools ........................................................................................................................................... 8. direct ................................................................................................................................................ In pairs or small groups discuss if you have done any of these activities. If you have, how did you find them? Do you think this would be a good job for you?

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CARPENTERS AND JOINERS

Carpenters and joiners make and install wooden structures, fixtures and fittings, which are used in a wide variety of construction projects. This could include fitting floorboards, skirting, window frames and doors in houses or fixing roof trusses and partitions for commercial buildings; preparing shop fronts, storage and shelving for retail outlets; building wooden casements to support setting concrete in structures such as bridges or foundation pillars. The term carpenter is usually used for people who work with wood and allied materials outside on building sites; joiners do similar work but inside buildings. Look up the words in bold and any others you dont know and put them in your personal dictionary. Complete these sentences about carpenters.

Carpenters: 1. build ................................................................................................................................... 2. fit ....................................................................................................................................... 3. cut ...................................................................................................................................... 4. fix ....................................................................................................................................... Answer these questions on your own first and then compare them with the person next to you. 1. Name three types of tools that carpenters use: ..................................................................................................................................... 2. Name four things that carpenters build or make: ....................................................................................................................................... 3. How can you get training to become a carpenter? ........................................................................................................................................ 4. Where do carpenters work? .......................................................................................................................................

Answer the following questions: How much money do you think a carpenter can earn in a year? Who do carpenters work for?

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PLUMBERS
Match the words with their definitions.

install repair maintain waste water disposal mastic factory fixtures leak gauge

a waterproof sealant and filler an instrument for measuring water pressure bath, sinks, toilets, fitted wardrobes etc to keep something in good condition dirty water (from sink or toilet) a place that produces something to put in (a toilet, sink, pump) getting rid of waste to fix something when water comes out of somewhere it shouldnt

Complete the following sentences. Plumbers: 1. cut through ceilings and walls to ............................................................................................................................................. 2. test pipes to ............................................................................................................................................... 3. join pipes using ............................................................................................................................................. 4. install, repair and maintain .............................................................................................................................................. 5. measure, cut, bend and thread pipes using .............................................................................................................................................. 6. wear the following personal protection equipment: .............................................................................................................................................

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SHARING YOUR KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE It is now several years in the future and you are an experienced tradesperson. You have a new apprentice who has just started working with you. Choose a trade and a task from that trade which you want your apprentice to help you with. Work in pairs, with one person taking the role of skilled tradesperson and the other the apprentice. Describe to the apprentice the stages you have to go through to do the job. In this example you are a painter, telling your apprentice the stages they have to go through to paint a room. We have started the sentences for you.

1. First you prepare the walls for painting by ........................................................................ 2. Put on the undercoat using .............................................................................................. 3. Let the first wall dry and start ............................................................................................ 4. While the walls are drying, start preparing the doors ....................................................... 5. Put a top coat on the walls ............................................................................................... 6. You finish by ..................................................................................................................... Other phrases you can use: First ....................................................................................................................................... Next ....................................................................................................................................... Be careful .............................................................................................................................. Make sure ............................................................................................................................. Dont forget to ........................................................................................................................ It doesnt matter if you dont know how to do the job in detail, at this stage it is more important to improve your vocabulary and knowledge of the language you use to give instructions.

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Section 4 Health and safety

1. Why health and safety is important
Do you remember discussing health and safety earlier on in the course? Did you talk about the accidents that can happen on building sites? What is an accident? Write down your definition of an accident. Check it in a dictionary.

As a class, discuss different types of accidents that can happen on a building site. Here are some nouns, adjectives and verbs you can use.

Nouns
danger a fall hole path object notice rail lighting materials machinery fracture

Adjectives
dangerous falling unprotected slippery heavy warning strong secure fragile heavy fatal

Verbs
to cause to fall to protect to slip to drop to warn to fix to secure to break to lift to die

Add any new nouns, verbs or adjectives that you hear in the discussion.
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2. Accidents in the construction industry

Every year over 15000 accidents that happen during building activities are reported to the Health and Safety Executive in Britain. Reported accidents are those which cause: death injury more than three days off work or are caused by a dangerous occurrence. In 1996 the British government introduced new regulations called the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations to collect information to use in preventing the same accidents happening over and over again. All accidents must be reported to the Incident Reporting Centre. This can be done online at www.riddor.gov.uk . 15,000 accidents a year works out at: 300 accidents every week or about 60 accidents every working day or seven accidents during every working hour or one accident every nine minutes. By the time you have read this someone on a building site has probably had an accident. Every year there are at least 78 fatal accidents. This means that at least six people die in the construction industry every month. Following the previous model, write the same information about Spain or even the Canary Islands

Causes of accidents
The Health and Safety Executive has identified the types of accidents that are likely to happen to people in certain occupations. More than 50% of fatal accidents involve people who fall. The occupations where you are likely to suffer injury are as a: carpenter or joiner bricklayer electrician. To find out more about health and safety in the construction industry visit: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/. Is it the same in Spain? Find out

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3. Talking about accidents

In small groups, tell each other about any accidents that you have had when doing building work for yourself or someone else. If you havent had any, just imagine one. What happened? Did you do something wrong? What would you do to make sure it doesnt happen again? Write down what happened to one of the students in your group. Ask them to check if you got it right.

4. Keeping healthy, keeping safe

The Health and Safety Executive and other organizations work hard to make sure workers and their employers know what to do to avoid accidents and injuries. Employers must make sure that people working for them: are trained and competent to do the job safely and without putting their health at risk are properly supervised and given clear instructions have access to washing and toilet facilities have the right tools, equipment, plant and protective clothing understand health and safety issues for the job they are doing. Accidents can cause serious injury or death but there are many jobs that can cause injuries that you dont feel for a long time. Complete the following sentences about injuries to parts of your body that poor working practices can cause, using the following words: eyes, blindness, back, deafness, burn, hands and arms, lungs, skin. 1. Carrying heavy loads, or picking up heavy objects incorrectly, can damage your ................................... . 2. Constant loud noise can lead to ................................... . 3. Using vibrating machines for too long can damage your ................................... . 4. Breathing in dust can damage your ................................... . 5. Some substances can irritate your ................................... and your ................................... . 6. If a corrosive liquid splashes on your face and eyes it will ................................... your skin and may cause ................................... .

Look up any words you dont know.

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In pairs, discuss how you can you avoid these injuries. On the next page are examples of Personal Protective Equipment, called PPE, which you can use to prevent damage to your body.

5. Personal Protective Equipment

Label the pictures and then write a sentence to say what you would use them for.

EAR DEFENDERS PROTECTIVE SPECTACLES HIGH VISIBILITY CLOTHING STEEL TOECAPPED BOOTS EAR PLUGS GOGGLES HARD HAT BOILER SUIT OR OVERALLS .............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................. .............................................................................................................................................. ..............................................................................................................................................
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6. Safety signs
There are different kinds of safety signs. The main ones are:

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Here are some signs you will see on a building site. Write down what they are and if they are mandatory, prohibitive or warning signs.

Shape and colour is important. Can you describe the colour and shape of each of the signs. We have done the first one for you. Warning signs are yellow triangles with a black outline. Mandatory signs are ........................................................................................................ Prohibitive signs are ........................................................................................................ Fire signs are .................................................................................................................... Safe condition signs are ......................................................................................................
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7. Health and safety abbreviations

You will come across many abbreviations in the construction industry. Many are concerned with health and safety. Write these abbreviations in the column next to the definitions they stand for. COSHH RIDDOR HSE SMSTS CSCS HSC Definition The Site Management Safety Training Scheme helps site managers (and anyone wanting to become a site manager) to develop a better understanding of the legal, moral and social responsibilities of their role, and to manage health and safety on site in accordance with regulations. The Construction Skills Certification Scheme card lists the holders qualifications and shows they know about health and safety as all cardholders have to pass the CITBConstructionSkills Health and Safety Test. Cards are valid for either three or five years. Most contractors and clients ask for the card before allowing workers on their sites. The Control of Substances Hazardous to Health has been developed to help firms follow regulations on controlling the use of chemicals for a range of common tasks, e.g. mixing or drying. The Health and Safety Commission and the Health and Safety Executive are responsible for the regulation of almost all the risks to health and safety connected with work activity in Britain. They work to improve health and safety in all workplaces including offices, shops and construction sites. The government enforced the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations on 1 April 1996. The regulations require that accidents, diseases and dangers that happen in workplaces are reported to the Health and Safety Executives Incident Contact Centre. Abbreviation

Find useful abbreviations for the construction industry in Spain.

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8. Visiting speaker
Your teacher has invited a health and safety representative from a union for people working in construction to talk to you about health and safety on a building site. Go back to the first sessions on health and safety and think of questions to ask your visitor on the issues you discussed and write down 10 to 12 questions. To help you improve your knowledge of language used on building sites ask your visitor to tell you some of the words and phrases that workers use to warn each other. Write them down in the box below.

Duck!

Watch out!

After the session dont forget to write to thank your visitor.

9. Safety rules
Group activity Your group has raised money to refurbish your classroom. You have decided to put in new doors and windows, fitted cupboards to store books and equipment, new lighting and a sink. What are the health and safety issues you need to think about? Make up a poster with 10 rules which everyone understands and agrees with. For example, a poster on which the first five rules are what you must do and the next five rules are things you must not do. Tip Start the first five rules with the word:

Always
Start the next five sentences with the word:

Never
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Are there any signs you need? You can download The Essential Health and Safety Toolkit for the Smaller Construction Contractor from www.hse.gov.uk/construction/ for further information and guidelines on some of the issues you need to think about.

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