Mackenzie Construction’s Structural Refurbishment Stand Down Day 2025
On Friday 26th September, Mackenzie Construction welcomed around 130 colleagues to its annual Structural Refurbishment Stand Down Day, with structural repair teams travelling from across Scotland and England to take part at the Westerwood Hotel. The event created an important opportunity to share updates, reinforce safety messages and recognise the contribution of everyone across the business.
The day opened with remarks from our Structural Refurbishment General Manager, Mark Brown, who then delivered a session on safer driving, tying in with our quarterly van safety initiative. He also explored why we sometimes make unsafe choices for the perceived right reasons, and the steps we can take to prevent this.
Civils was next on the agenda, with Robbie Maclean providing an update on projects from the past 12 months. He also highlighted the importance of taking a consistent approach to tank repairs across all regions, sharing practical examples to support this.
Colleagues then heard from Scott MacDonald, Jamie Hislop and Bob McKinnie, who outlined the differences between working on Scottish Water and English client assets. Their session provided insight into workloads and expectations south of the border.
Looking ahead, Craig Waton gave an update on Mackenzie Construction’s Net Zero journey and what the future holds in line with PAS2080. This was followed by Rab Dyer, who demonstrated the new Mackenzie App on iPads which will soon be rolled out to all site supervisors as part of our digitalisation programme.
Health and safety remained a key focus throughout the day. Occupational Health Professional Georgina Mills presented on Hand Arm Vibration Syndrome, outlining risks, warning signs and protective measures. Hilti then joined us with a presentation on the good work they are doing with their plant to improve efficiency while providing the highest levels of health & safety and sustainability. Hilti also established a pop-up in the foyer to demonstrate their latest plant and equipment, giving our teams a chance to try the tools through the duration of the day.
An HR update from Shirley McInnes followed, covering improvements to company benefits, an enhanced cycle-to-work scheme, and new features in our Bupa healthcare package which includes GP access for employees working away from home.
The wellbeing theme continued with a session from Tracey Beattie of SAMH, who introduced their ‘Time for You’ service, designed to support mental health in the workplace.
The day closed with a dynamic session from Macnaughton McGregor, whose drama-based behavioural safety training encouraged participation and reflection from the audience.
To round off, colleagues were invited to watch the launch of our Mackenzie Tartan video and in celebration of our 45th anniversary, each attendee left with a Mackenzie scarf as a token of appreciation.
The day was a great success, offering valuable updates and practical learning opportunities. We thank everyone who attended, travelling from across Scotland and England, and extend a thank you to all colleagues and partners who contributed to making our Structural Refurbishment Stand Down Day 2025 so engaging and impactful.