Izzy Baliga

With health and safety at the heart of everything we do, our Construction Director, Barry Maile, recently set out to deepen his expertise by completing the NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction (UK) qualification — building on years of hands-on experience in the industry.

To achieve this qualification, candidates complete in-depth training covering key areas such as risk management, construction legislation, and site safety. The assessment combines a scenario-based, open-book exam — where learners apply their knowledge to real-world situations — with a practical risk assessment carried out on a live or simulated construction site. This ensures participants not only understand health and safety principles but can confidently apply them in practice to improve standards on site.

We spoke to Barry to find out how he found the learning and what it means for him…

What motivated you to take the NEBOSH Health and Safety Management for Construction qualification at this stage in your career?

I’ve spent much of my career working on site as an Engineer and Project Manager, so I’ve always been close to construction operations. Now that I’m in the role of Construction Director and responsible for leading the Health & Safety function, I felt it was important to strengthen my understanding in this area. I hadn’t previously completed any formal health and safety training, so undertaking the NEBOSH qualification felt like the right step to ensure I’m fully equipped to lead by example and support the business in maintaining the highest safety standards.

What was the most challenging part of completing the course?

The most challenging part was knowing exactly what to write and how to structure the answers in a clear and articulate way. It’s not just about understanding the content but being able to apply it and present your thinking in the right way for the assessment – that was the tricky part for me.

How will this qualification influence the way you approach health and safety on our projects?

I’ve always had a huge respect for health and safety. Over the years, I’ve witnessed accidents and seen first-hand the impact when things go wrong and people get hurt, so it’s something I take very seriously. This qualification has strengthened that mindset even further and will help me take a more structured and proactive approach to managing health and safety across our projects.

How did you balance studying alongside your role?

I took a week away from work to concentrate fully on my studies and had lessons every day.  The assessment itself was quite intensive – a 48-hour open-book, essay-based exam that required you to apply what you’d learned in a practical way. This was then followed by an interview to talk through my answers and demonstrate my understanding.

What achievement are you most proud of from completing the course?

I think the main achievement is the personal growth that comes with it. I’m a big believer in always looking to learn and improve, so it was a good opportunity to do that.

What’s next for you in terms of professional development?

At the moment, I’m focused on my current role as it’s a busy time, so I’ll see what comes next. Previously, I’ve taken part in training with Vistage, which was really valuable in helping me navigate difficult situations in business. A lot of the challenges we face come down to people – we’re all different, and it’s about understanding those differences and knowing how to manage and work with a variety of personalities effectively.

We are very proud to announce that we are 2026 RoSPA Award Winners for the 17th consecutive year 🎉

Tamdown have been awarded our 17th consecutive gold RoSPA Award! Earning the reputable order of distinction.

Our Director of HSQE, Jon Ireland, accepted this award on behalf of the team. This is a great achievement to reflect our ongoing commitment to maintaining and continuously improving the highest standards in Health and Safety.

Thank you, and congratulations to everyone who has contributed- your hard work and commitment make all the difference 💙

This month officially marks an incredible milestone as Tamdown officially turns 50 years old.

Reaching half a century in business is an incredible achievement and a true testament to the dedication and commitment of everyone who has joined us in being an integral part of Tamdown’s journey – past and present 💙

We would like to thank everyone who has worked for or on behalf of Tamdown throughout the past 50 years, without your valued contribution to the business we wouldn’t be where we are today!

And a huge thank you to our customers, suppliers and local communities, thank you for your continued trust and support throughout our journey!

Over the last 50 years, we have successfully delivered thousands of projects, built strong relationships and remained committed to our values, and we look forward to continuing that for the next 50 years ahead 🥳

Happy 50th Birthday, Tamdown! 🎂🎉

It has been great to see works now progressing on our new Bloor Homes Eastern site in Haverhill.

This initial phase comprises 95 new homes, together with over 1,000m of adoptable infrastructure designed to service subsequent phases. Our scope of works includes infrastructure delivery, cut‑and‑fill operations, and all associated plot groundwork and external works.

Thank you to Bloor Homes for your continued business; we value our ongoing partnership and look forward to delivering this scheme together.

We are proud to share that we have successfully completed Infrastructure and Groundworks on our Alconbury Weald project in Cambridgeshire in partnership with Hopkins Homes.

A huge thanks to Hopkins Homes and to all of our teams, suppliers and subcontractors involved in bringing this project to life.

We look forward to continuing our working relationships on future projects💙

We are proud to share that we are now over halfway through Phase 3 of our Behavioural Safety programme, in partnership with Titanium Talks at Colchester United Football Stadium So far 52 of our Directors, Site Managers, Supervisors and Office Staff have been through the programme, with a couple more sessions to go.

Phase 3 has primarily focused on Human Factors and takes a closer look at the mechanics of the mind, allowing us to better understand why people make certain decisions and how accidents or incidents may therefore arise.

A key part of developing a positive safety culture is learning through real-life experiences. Revisiting Justin’s powerful story of his near-fatal accident provided a clear and lasting reminder of why behavioural safety matters. It reinforces the importance of looking out for one another, challenging unsafe behaviours, and making conscious, safer choices.

A huge thank you to Justin and Pete for the insightful days and equipping our teams with a lot of important tools that we can apply to our day-to-day roles. Along with a huge thanks to Colchester United Football Stadium for hosting us throughout the course.

🎉Ongoing success on our Rivenhall Project!

It is coming up to 18 months since we began our Rivenhall project, in Witham, and it has been great to see the continued progress that has been delivered in partnership with Bellway Homes.

So far Tamdown have constructed 78 plots to oversite and 16 plots to completion, along with…

👷‍♂️Over 1,500m of the 2,000m of infrastructure: Roads, sewers, and utilities installed
👷‍♂️Surface and foul water outfalls connected.
👷‍♂️The permanent golf course access road diversion works completed.

Thank you to Bellway Essex for their continued support and collaboration.
We look forward to continuing to work together throughout the rest of this project. 💙

Leading with a people first approach 💆‍♂️🍕

As part of our culture of being a People First Business, we have celebrated Mental Health Awareness Week by giving back to our employees in various ways, focusing on looking after our wellbeing.

Throughout the week we hosted various events both in the office, and across our sites, including time to talk moments, creating a space for open and honest conversations, giving people the opportunity to check in with one another, ask for support, or give a listening ear during an extended lunch break.

In the office, we offered chair massage sessions, giving staff the chance to take a short break to relax and recharge. The sessions were open to everyone and were well received across the business.

We’re also proud to have Wellbeing Champions across the business who help promote available support, share useful resources such as our Employee Assistance Programme, and keep wellbeing a regular focus throughout the year.

Mental health matters every day, and by continuing to create supportive environments where people feel comfortable talking and reaching out, we can all play a part in looking after one another 💙

We were delighted to spend the morning with our supply chain partners at our annual Supply Chain Seminar.

It was a fantastic opportunity to connect and reflect on our 2025 performance and share our vision for 2026 and beyond. The morning was packed with key topics, great discussions, and valuable conversations throughout.

A big thank you to all of our supply chain partners who attended, to Colchester United Football Club for hosting us, and to our speakers and organisers for making the event such a success.

Congratulations to our award winners: Civils & Lintels, Synergy Hire Ltd, Nelson Anderson & Sons and G&S Brown Brickwork Limited- well deserved 👏

We look forward to continuing our strong partnerships in the year ahead.

Today marks World Day for Safety and Health at Work, observed annually on 28 April—a timely reminder of why safety must stay at the heart of everything we do.

Step into the day‑to‑day role of Marcus Jones, Contracts Manager, as he works behind the scenes and on site to champion safe working practices. From identifying and reducing risk to ensuring sites meet all legal and contractual safety requirements, Marcus plays a key role in protecting people, maintaining standards and making sure every project is delivered safely and responsibly.

Morning Routine: Planning the day ahead

Most days would be a walk around site with the site manager discussing the works going forward that day. We would identify any issues regarding programme, obstructions, permits required and any additional risk assessments required. Most of these actions are covered generally by the site teams, however there are many bespoke works that will need my attention in order to help the site team, this could be things like organising S278 works.

Site Visits:

I would usually try and visit 2 sites or phases per day, to check in and see how things are going that day and would assist where needed. I also spend some time ensuring that testing and recording is being carried out, as well as checking on the quality side of things. I also like to make sure that all customer care issues are discussed with the site teams, as well as discussing labour, plant and programme.

Throughout the whole day I will be taking various phone calls from our site teams, and helping them with whatever required, this could be technical, or often just a simple close out for an issue, or action rooting from one of our Health and Safety Inspections.

I make sure that I keep regular contact with the clients and will meet with them to ensure that they are happy with progress, Health and Safety matters, and any future works. I believe that it is vital that our site teams have a good relationship with the client teams, so create a good level of understanding between both, and achieve our project goals.

Afternoon: Contract Manager meetings

In the afternoon I attend various meetings at our Head Office, with the Managing Director, Construction Director, members of HSQE and the other Contracts Managers.

In these meetings we discuss all topical issues from the month, including any accidents or incidents, so we can ensure that we are putting measures in place to prevent these going forward.

These are very productive meetings, where all Contracts Managers feedback anything to directors, and members of the HSQE team, so we can work together to make improvements going forward. We all like to share what is and isn’t working across our sites, such as things like different tools, and machinery.

Reflections on his important role

In my role, I want to make sure that everyone can carry out these works in a safe and efficient manner.

I want to see everyone go home safely at the end of the day and for everyone to be working in a happy environment.