A new special interest group that will work alongside English Heritage, Historic Scotland and the National Trust has been established by AIS FPDC to oversee standards and training in the heritage plaster work sector.

The AIS FPDC Heritage group will meet quarterly and one of its first tasks will be to produce a best practice guide and technical standard for both existing and new installations. The group will also engage with CITB and other stakeholders in specific training and up-skilling of both craft and management in heritage works.

Jonathan Riley, from Locker and Riley, has been appointed chairman of the Heritage group.

The collapse of the Apollo Theatre ceiling in 2013 has stimulated an increase in inspections of plaster ceilings, bulkheads and decorative features in historic buildings and new buildings using traditional craft skills. The Heritage group will be working with other interested parties, such as consulting engineers, surveyors and building owners and users, to ascertain if there is a need to set up an independent professional advisory service that can determine the projected life and safety of plastering installations.