Monthly Archive for June, 2009

Confirm and the “Inspire Directive” from the EU

Published on June 22, 2009 in Central Government, Grounds, Highways, Local Government, Pavement Management, Refuse & Waste, Street Cleansing, Street Lighting, Street Works and Trees. 1 Comment Tags: .

Have you even heard of the “Inspire Directive”?  How, if at all, is it relevant to you?

I have been hearing about it for some while now and asked a colleague to explain what it is and why it might be of interest to Confirm users.

The Inspire Directive will help organisations share data about public assets

The Inspire Directive will help organisations share data about public assets

It is a European Directive that mandates how people share data, especially data about the Environment that will help where an emergency event happens that requires data to be pulled together at short notice to mount a co-ordinated public response – events like flooding, terrorist attacks, hurricanes and so on.

Confirm users are often the Custodians of such data and the Inspire Directive will either ask them to add fields to their data or ask their colleagues to create “standard data” about their data (aka meta-data).  Additionally, should the need arise, they will need to make their data shareable at short notice via one of the standard methods being mandated within the Directive.

So, this article is here to ask Confirm users: “what has happened within your organisation so far?”  Have you, for example, been asked to enhance your data by a certain date?  Have you been asked to attend meetings about Inspire?  Is there a need for us to discuss Inspire with our Customers now, in the immediate future or at a date set out on the Inspire website: http://inspire.jrc.ec.europa.eu/ 

Would you like to share your thoughts on the matter with me, so that we can align Confirm with your organisation’s Inspire compliance activities?  dominic.mcneillis@pb.com

Self Monitoring Assets

Published on June 18, 2009 in Highways, Local Government, Street Lighting and Utility Organisation. 0 Comments Tags: .
Self monitoring assets may be the way to go. Will they be a good investment? How long before they provide a return on your investment?

Self monitoring assets may be the way to go. Will they be a good investment? How long before they provide a return on your investment?

I was at the Lighting Conference in The Hotel Russell, London on Wednesday 17 June 2009.  One of the most talked about topics was self monitoring Lighting Assets.  There are several companies around that provide Street Lighting Assets with self monitoring equipment – one types uses WIMAC868 and another sends signals via the existing cable network.

Either way, Confirm (in its present form) can interact with these “alerts” in order to create an “inspection”, “defect” or “job”.  The system can also send email alerts to staff to ensure that they are aware of the existence of the “signals”.  Imagine, a Street Light that tells you that it is about to fail – replace expensive parts at the optimum time to maximise their life rather than bulk change (which is the prevalent “least worst” method).

If you feel that you might be interested in discussing Confirm’s little known and little talked about capabilities in the Self Monitoring Asset arena, then please post a comment, contact your Account Manager/Account Director or send me an email (dominic.mcneills@pb.com).  Should Confirm be providing user configurable interfaces?  Will you be spending to save?  Is your focus more on reduction of crime and social engineering (e.g. turning the lights to 50% power at 10pm to signal to the younger “kids” to go home) than cost savings?

Pitney Bowes Business Insight is now the Sole Provider of SQA Award for Road Works Administration

Published on June 15, 2009 in Highways, Local Government, Street Works and Utility Organisation. 0 Comments Tags: .

Pitney Bowes Business Insight is now an approved Scottish Qualifications Authority Training Centre.  In association with Scottish Qualifications Authority we are now able to offer a fully accredited customised course in RoadWorks Administration (SQA Award No. G8LG 04), which is a Scottish Government Owned Award.

 

The following 6 units will make up the award (NB:  all six units are required to receive the full SQA Record of Achievement).

·         SQA Unit F20J 04  - Legislation

·         SQA Unit F20E 04 – Training

·         SQA Unit F20F 04 – Safety and Inspections

·         SQA Unit F20G 04 – Co-ordination

·         SQA Unit F20H 04 – Finance

·         SQA Unit F20K 04 – Notice and Registrations

Who should attend?
This course is open to managers, planners, designers, operatives and anyone who is involved with Road and Street Works process within Roads Authorities, Statutory Undertakers, Utility Companies and Sub-Contractors.

Where will these courses take place?
We will Endeavour to hold these training courses on customer site

What are the costs?
The course has a daily rate of £995 charged per organisation – places available from min 1 to max of 6.
NB: (If travel is required then expenses will be charged in addition to the daily rate).

To sign up and receive further details please contact Daryn Magee, Scottish Account Director
Tel: 01753 848200 or email: daryn.magee@pb.com

 

I was asked: “…so, what exactly is Confirm?”

Published on June 5, 2009 in Bridges & Structures, Central Government, Grounds, Highways, Local Government, Pavement Management, Property Maintenance, Refuse & Waste, Street Cleansing, Street Lighting, Street Works, Trees and Utility Organisation. 0 Comments Tags: .

Recognise the question?  Ever wanted a little help explaining it?  This is one of the most frequent questions we are asked and I thought, as I am in the middle of preparing to meet our copywriters to get the next generation of Confirm flyers produced, I might share my source document with you.  Download, file it, even read it!  It may help you not have to re-invent the wheel next time there is a re-shuffle (timely today, politics fans) and the new boss taps the door and asks, ever so politely: “So, what exactly is Confirm – no more than  400 words, please?”  What is Confirm?

NB: you will see a professional verion of this appearing by the end of June in the Downloads section.

Bag It Bin It

Published on June 3, 2009 in Highways, Local Government, Refuse & Waste and Street Cleansing. 0 Comments

 

Litter, and the problems it causes on motorways and major A roads, is in the spotlight as the Highways Agency’s spring “Bag it! and Bin it!” campaign against roadside litter gets underway.

http://www.highways.gov.uk/news/pressrelease.aspx?pressreleaseid=164204

How is your council keeping on top it?