Construction ( BTEC Advance Level 3 Certificate)

Course Structure

The Edexcel BTEC in Construction course is divided into three comprehensive modules:

This course is suitable for anyone wishing to enter the building trade or already employed and would like to gain a recognised qualification.

Health, Safety and Welfare in Construction and the Built Environment

Health, safety and welfare are of paramount importance to any organisation operating within the construction industry. The Health and Safety Executive’s annual league table of fatal injuries shows the construction sector consistently tops the table.

The UK and European Union have created a legal framework for prosecuting employers and employees who disregard health, safety and welfare legislation.

To reduce the significant accident record in construction, employers must formulate workplace safety policies. These must address the hazards, risks, policies, the organisational and control arrangements required to promote health, safety and welfare, and be communicated to all parties.

The unit will provide learners with knowledge and understanding of the legal framework relating to employer and employee responsibilities.

An understanding of the principal causes of typical accidents and the associated costs of these will be developed, and learners will explore the methods used to identify workplace hazards in construction, together with the strategies used to control them including the use of risk assessments and monitoring and review procedures. Learners will become familiar with the roles and responsibilities of personnel and with the procedures required following the occurrence of accidents.

Science and Materials in Construction and the Built Environment

Two important functions of a building are the provision of shelter and the creation of a comfortable space in which to live or work. To achieve this, it is necessary to know and understand the materials used to construct the building, the basic concepts that underpin the structural integrity of the building, and the design of the internal spaces that comprise the building.

The occupants of a building require a comfortable internal environment, and there are several key factors that contribute to this. There are generally accepted ranges for these factors, and an understanding of what is acceptable to a variety of different end-users, undertaking a variety of tasks and activities is an essential requirement of good design.

The forces that act on buildings, the stresses generated by these forces, and the effects of these stresses on the materials used to construct the building are also explored.

Materials may be used for their structural properties, or for their insulating properties; others conduct heat and/or electricity.

Learners will have the opportunity to investigate some of the typical materials used in their specific vocational pathway, including the identification of the most important materials, a basic understanding of how these are extracted, harvested or manufactured, their key properties and uses, the mechanisms that cause them to deteriorate and the techniques used to prevent such deterioration.

Construction Technology and Design in Construction and Civil Engineering

Modern developments in construction technology and materials have enabled us to create more efficient and complex structures. The ability to design, plan and communicate these ideas effectively is essential if a project is to be translated from an idea into reality.

This unit will encourage learners to develop their understanding of the design process, and to recognise the contribution of other members of the design team. Planning and organisation of design activities is related to the decision making process and the likely outcomes of decisions taken by the team within a legal framework should be considered in the wider social context, rather than simple subjective preferences.

This unit will enable learners to cope with the requirements of construction related projects as they pass through various stages from design to construction including the implications of changes and variations in the design. Learners will develop their ability to produce clear drawings of construction components, coupled with succinct and accurate explanations that specify to builders the exact characteristics of relevant construction details. Use of scale, proportion and appropriate description is expected of all successful learners.

Learners will be able to use appropriate design and planning procedures to specify and communicate requirements for the technical components of buildings to other team members involved in a construction project.

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