Construction Plant Hire Association – Information Pack
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Everything you need to know about the Construction Plant-hire Association
- Construction Plant-hire Association
The UK plant hire industry is the best established and most professional in the world, and the Construction Plant-hire Association (CPA) is the leading trade association in the UK. Established for 70 years, the Association has1,500members throughout the United Kingdom. Members range from owner-operators with a single machine, right through to the largest companies in the industry, with hire fleets of thousands of machines. Together,CPA Members supply over 85% of hired plantto the construction industry.
CPA is a trade association, run by its Members, for the benefit of the industry. CPA has its own premises in the City of London, with a permanent staff of experienced employees. The Association is governed by a Council of Members, who are elected from within the membership and are representative of plant-hire companies of all types and sizes throughout the country.
CPA have member companies from UK, ROI, Belgium and France.
- What CPA does for Members
CPA is committed to providing Members with first class support services to help them run their business.
The CPAModel Conditionsare widely regarded for plant hire agreements - fair to both hire company and customer, they clarify what each party’s responsibilities are.
CPABest Practice Guidescover the essential health, safety and legal requirements for operating plant, andhave had endorsement from the HSE and industry. Over25 Best Practice Guidesand more than30 Technical Information Notesare available free of charge, covering the safe use and maintenance of plant including mobile cranes, tower cranes, construction hoists and shoring technology.
Members also have access to comprehensive advice on business problems through CPA, as well as links to insurance, financial and other support services. All Members are kept up to date with email alerts, through the CPA website, and through the quarterly CPA Bulletin.
- Working in the Industry
To help provide focus points within its diverse membership, CPA has formedSpecial Interest Groupsto tackle issues within specialist sectors, for example, mobile cranes, or construction hoists. As well as networking and information-sharing, these groups frame the standards and practices relevant to that sector. The groups are also very successful contact points for external organisations - for example government regulators - who need access to a concentrated pool of industry expertise.
Special Interest Groups have been instrumental in providing CPA’s contribution toBritishandEuropean Standardswork, and have provided the core expertise behind published standards including:
- BS7121 - Safe Use of Cranes series
- BS7212 - Safe Use of Construction Hoists
- BS EN 13000 – Mobile Cranes
- BS EN 14439 – Tower Cranes
- BS EN 280 – Mobile Elevating Work Platforms
- BS EN 12158 – Construction Hoists
TheRail Plant Associationis part of CPA, focusing on the special needs of companies hiring equipment for railway maintenance.
Government and Regulators
CPA has an important role to perform as a link between Government bodies and the plant-hire industry. It has worked closely with theHealth and Safety Executive(HSE) on a range of issues, and HSE specialists are an integral part of the work of CPA’s Special Interest Groups.
Since 2009, CPA has led the Strategic Forum for ConstructionPlant Safety Group, drawing together expertise from all parts of the supply chain in construction. Publications and projects for this group include
- Tower crane safety
- Use of quick-hitches on excavators
- Overhead crushing in MEWPs
- Safe use of Telehandlers
- Fitness for task
- Competence of plant operators
Training and competence of operators is a crucial element in safe use of plant, and CPA works closely withCITB, the Construction Industry Training Board. CPA has been instrumental in the development of training schemes and competence testing through theConstruction Plant Competence Scheme(CPCS), for example Crane / Lifting Operations Supervisor.
Working in Construction
CPA maintains close links with other bodies in the construction industry, and more widely with utilities and public services organisations. Issues and solutions are shared throughtrade bodiesandemployees’ organisationsin construction.
Europe
TheEuropean Rental Associationacts as a confederation of national bodies throughout the EU. CPA has direct representation on theERA Board, and also chairs theNational Rental Associations Committee, which has an important role in lobbying the European institutions in Brussels, as well as representing rental to other parts of the construction industry. CPA is also involved in other ERA activities, including rental conditions and plant theft.
Benefits of Membership
1. The CPA Model Conditions: The Best Rental Conditions In The Business
Only CPA Members can use the CPA Model Conditions (standard hire conditions within plant-hire industry, which outline obligations of both the Owner and Customer). A Hire Contract drawn under the CPA Model Conditions is sound - they have been tested in Court. They have been constructed to look after the rental company, yet be fair on the contractor.
Terms include:-
- Customer is responsible for unloading and loading the plant/equipment
- Hire company is protected against direct and consequential losses
- Hire income continues while stolen machinery is replaced.
Using the printed Conditions is only part of the benefit - all Members have free access to CPA's support, including direct telephone calls to experienced advisors who can talk you through any particular contract dispute that may arise.
2. Cheaper Insurance
Reliable insurance is essential for all businesses, and even more so in the area of construction plant and equipment hire, but it is also a major expense. Many insurance companies recognise the strength of the CPA Model Conditions, and reflect that in lower premiums for companies hiring under these terms. Ask us at the CPA for details of brokers who offer these policies.
3. Unique safety support
Here at the CPA, we have an unrivalled understanding of safety issues with operated and non-operated plant. Best Practice Guides and other technical publications from the CPA will help you with all aspects of plant safety and operator competence issues. And all this is backed up by direct telephone access to some of the most experienced advisors in the industry. One 'phone call may be all you need to solve that problem. Guidance produced by CPA is used by HSE Inspectors - it is the industry standard.
4. Someone on my side
When that unexpected problem happens, and you need some support and specialist knowledge, you need someone on your side. It may be an issue with the safety enforcement authorities, or a government department? Perhaps your sector is under pressure from some other industry body? CPA can advise on what to do, and can turn to their extensive range of contacts to find the right person to speak to. This means your problem gets solved quickly and painlessly wherever possible - allowing you to get back to your business. If the issue is big enough, CPA will campaign and fight for the industry - helping to preserve and develop the right environment for your business to flourish.
5. Staying up to date
It's important to keep up to date with industry developments, with best practice, and with legislative requirements and standards. You need to stay informed on all changes, including regulations and laws that affect how you run your business. The CPA's Bulletin and email alerts make sure that you won't be caught out, and let you concentrate on running your business, safe in the knowledge that you have the latest information.
6. Fighting for our Industry
With so many laws, regulations and requirements coming from Westminster and Brussels, the industry needs a powerful organisation sitting at the table with legislators to ensure that new laws and regulations are both workable and fair. The CPA is your voice, but it needs the strength of a large membership to give it the authority to speak for the industry. If you join, you make the industry voice stronger.
7. Concentrate on what you do best
CPA has developed an extensive range of support services in response to Members' needs.
- Insurance policies have been created especially for the plant hire industry. This gives you what you need, at the right price, without you having to explain to your broker just what “plant hire” is.
- Advice on legal, training and Health & Safety issues is available on the phone.
- More detailed support is provided through the Legal Support Telephone helpline. Personnel law, PAYE, VAT and a range of other business problems can be resolved straight away by a call to CPA's free helpline service.
8. Special Interest Groups
Within the CPA, there are Special Interest Groups, focussed on the specific challenges and issues relevant to the sectors in which they operate, for example, mobile cranes. Members can join these groups for networking and information-sharing, as well as helping to frame the standards and practises relevant to the group. You could learn more useful facts in one morning than in a whole year of working in isolation.
9. Website
Problems arise at the most inconvenient times. CPA Members have unlimited access to the comprehensive information resources held in the members only area of the website. CPA help is there 24/7.
10. Experienced team
The CPA team is experienced in the industry and the areas that matter.
Membership Process
The membership process depends on how quickly you can provide CPA with the necessary references/information that they require.
Depending on the above, the membership process can take from up to 2 days to a couple of weeks.
Subscription Costs