General News

CIOB: The Chartered Institute of Building (CIOB) has launched the Faculty of Building Control and Standards with the intention of raising the professional profile of building control professionals and to assist individuals who are currently working within all sectors of Building Control to gain additional recognised professional qualifications.
Press release ~ Faculty of Building Control and Standards ~ Association of Consultant Approved Inspectors (ACAI)
 
DfT: The Disabled Persons Transport Advisory Committee (DPTAC) has launched its specification for the design of wheelchairs for use on board commercial passenger aircraft. Any manufacturer that keeps to the DPTAC specification will know that they are providing a chair that offers a comfortable, dignified & safe mobility aid for the vast majority of passengers who would otherwise have difficulty moving around on board an aircraft.
 
DPTAC is also about to publish an accessibility specification for toilets on aircraft.  The onboard wheelchair specification will dovetail with this, in order to ensure a safe and comfortable means for mobility impaired passengers to transfer within the aircraft.
 
While DPTAC specifications are not statutory requirements, experience with DPTAC specifications for other modes of transport strongly suggests that there will be progressive introduction of the specifications as a basis for tendering, resulting in vehicles & aircraft offering both improved access and better travelling conditions.
Press release ~ Design Specification for On-Board Wheelchair for Commercial Passenger Aircraft (click on Air Travel option) ~ DfT factsheet on rights of air travellers
 
TNAThe National Archives is celebrating its victory at the Conservation Awards 2007, where it won an award for leadership and practical advancement in the new & challenging field of digital preservation.
 
The prize was given to The National Archives for its work on active preservation through the development of two tools:
* the PRONOM Technical Registry and
* Digital Record Object Identification (DROID) file format identification
Press release ~ Digital preservation ~ PRONOM Technical Registry ~ Digital Record Object Identification (DROID) ~ Digital Preservation Coalition
 
ScotGov: Scottish Government Ministers have given the go ahead for the biggest wave energy project in the world, capable of generating electricity for around 2,000 homes. The project, owned by ScottishPower and operated from the European Marine Energy Centre in Orkney, will consist of four 750 Kilowatt Pelamis wave energy converters.
Press release ~ ScottishPower ~ EMEC: European Marine Energy Centre ~ Pelamis wave energy converters
 
Defra: Defra has confirmed that Bluetongue disease is circulating between the local animal and midge population in East Anglia.
 
Deputy Chief Veterinary Officer, Fred Landeg said: "Bluetongue is spread via midge vectors, rather than animal to animal.  This means animals infected with Bluetongue will not be compulsorily slaughtered from now on.  There is no vaccine currently available, however we will consider vaccination in the event that a suitable authorised inactivated vaccine becomes available."
Press release ~ Defra – Bluetongue ~ Food Standards Agency
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