Concrete Pumping Interest Group

BCPG was formerly a small independent trade association called the British Concrete Pumping Association. It amalgamated with the CPA in 1993 and thereafter became a Special Interest Group. It also has had to grapple with problems in the past with road tax and the use of red diesel.

BCPG have written the "Concrete Pump Operator's Safety Guide" which was published in 1997. This is one in a series of plant operator safety guides. BCPG have also written a Code of Practice for the Safe Use of Concrete Pumps.

In the past the Group has made a request to the Construction Plant Competence Scheme (CPCS) Management Committee that "Placing Booms" be included as a category within the CPCS scheme. The CPCS Management Committee agreed that "Placing Booms" should be a category within the scheme; however the category would not be included until the review of the CPCS scheme has been completed. With the revision complete and the scheme in it's early stages the CPCS Management Committee has requested that the "Placing Boom" category be placed on hold until later in the year. An Ad Hoc Working Group will be formed to compile the syllabus and work will commence as soon as the go ahead is given from CPCS.

The Group has concerns that the Greater London Authority (GLA) wants most diesel engined construction plant, operating on designated high profile sites, to be fitted with diesel particulate filters. On behalf of all the Groups the CPA has been lobbying the GLA and has so far managed to delay the date of implementation. The GLA are pressing for the fitment of these filters to all plant with a diesel engine above 37kW (50bhp) well in advance of the EU requirements. These filters are generally ineffective on red diesel and the GLA are lobbying the Treasury for on site plant to move to low sulphur diesel. The European directive itself requires engine manufacturers to design and produce engines (Stage IIIb) with further reduced emissions by 2011.