Nida Rules

The name shall be ‘Northern Ireland Demolition Association’, (NIDA), hereafter known as ‘the Association’

The objectives of the Association are as follows:-

(a) To increase the standard of professionalism throughout the demolition and dismantling industry in Northern Ireland.

(b) To ensure the establishment and maintenance of sound technical and professional standards of practice.

(c) To encourage stable and successful operations in the industry by providing all members with information and advice relating to relevant aspects of their business.

(d) To represent members’ interests within the industry in negotiations with other industries and associations and with government and international bodies.

(e) To ensure good industrial relations within the Association.

(f) To ensure good relations between members, contractors and clients.

(g) To strengthen the Association by bringing into membership persons and companies sharing the common areas of interest and complying with Association membership criteria.

(h) To take all appropriate steps to further and protect the legitimate interests of the industry as represented by the membership of the Association.

(i) To do all such lawful things as are ancillary or conducive to the attainment of these objectives.

(a) Membership of the Association shall be limited to those Companies involved in the demolition and dismantling industry.

(b) A ‘member’ is deemed to be an authorised representative of a member Company.

(a) Companies wishing to apply and maintain membership of the Association must meet certain criteria. Member Companies must:-

(b) Hold registration for Value Added Tax.

(c) Hold a current CIS Card.

(d) Be a Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) levy payer unless exempt from doing so by CITB.

(e) Have operated in the relevant fields for at least two years with demonstrable evidence of experience.

(f) Hold Employers and Public Liability Insurances which are specific to demolition contracting. Insurances held must provide for an indemnity of at least £5m in both instances and be continuous (i.e. not on a ‘per contract’ basis). A duly authorised letter from the applicants Insurance Broker shall serve as adequate proof that this insurance is valid. This letter must also state the renewal dates for such policies. The Association will have permission to validate the applicants insurance details at each subsequent renewal date if membership is granted.

(g) Operate a Health and Safety Policy.

(h) Be committed to principles of equality in recruitment and employment practices.

Members of the Association shall be entitled to all services provided for members and to the support of the Association in any activity that is in the interest of the industry as a whole.

Members shall not be entitled to require the Association to engage for their particular benefit in activities that favour one group of members to the detriment of any other group, including the promotion of services in competition with other members.

The main obligations of membership are as follows:-

a) To observe the obligations of the Association and the decisions of the Association.

b) To pay on demand the subscriptions, levies and other contributions to the funds of the Association or to any body controlled by the Association.

c) To report any accident or incident deemed notifiable under RIDDOR Regulations to the Association within three months of its occurrence.

d) To refrain from divulging to a third party any transaction or communication between the Association and its members, save as authorised by the Association.

e) To use the Association’s corporate logo on all advertisements, promotional material, leaflets and brochures that are wholly relevant to the activities of the Association.

a) Membership shall cease forthwith in the event of the annual subscription remaining unpaid 14 days after notice of same is given. The amount of the annual subscription shall be reviewed and determined periodically.

b) Membership can be suspended for failure to attend three consecutive scheduled meetings. Individual decisions regarding suspension shall be taken by the Association.

c) A complaint alleging that a member is not complying or has not complied with the obligations of membership may be reported to the Secretary, who shall inform the Association, giving sufficient facts to enable a decision to be made regarding the need for an investigation. Any allegation, information or subsequent investigation will be treated in strictest confidence.

d) If the Association decides that an investigation should take place the Secretary shall write to the member concerned, informing him that obligation is alleged to have been broken and also the nature of the breach. The member concerned shall be given not less than 14 days to submit his written comments regarding the complaint.

e) Upon receipt of the members comments or if no comments are received within the set time frame the Association will decide upon the necessity to investigate the matter further. Any further or final actions will be decided by the Association at the next scheduled meeting.

f) If after investigation the Association considers that the member has breached the objectives of membership it shall follow one of the following courses of action:-
• In the case of a trivial breach no further action will be deemed necessary.

• Reprimand the member.

• Suspend membership for not more than one year, or until the member is no longer in breach of the obligations.

• Expel the member from the Association.

• Take any other action considered necessary, at the absolute discretion of the Association.

The Association shall elect bi-annually a Chairman, a Secretary and a Treasurer. The Chairman and Secretary shall hold office for not more than three consecutive years.

At least 5 meetings per year shall be scheduled, including an Annual General Meeting, scheduled to take place in October / November.

a) Unless extenuating circumstances prevail, written notice of all meetings shall be forwarded to each member Company.

b) The Chairman or in his / her absence the Secretary will chair the meeting.

c) Any member wishing to propose a resolution at a meeting shall give not less than seven days notice in writing to the Secretary stating the terms of such resolution.

d) The necessary quorum for a meeting to proceed will be the attendance of representatives of at least half the member companies.

e) In the case of emergency, the Chairman or Secretary shall in his absolute discretion have power to convene a meeting upon shorter notice than stipulated above. A meeting so convened shall not be invalidated.

f) The Chairman holds a casting vote as well as his individual membership vote.

None of the obligations of the Association shall be altered or rescinded except by a resolution passed by a majority consisting of two thirds of the votes cast by those present and entitled to vote at a meeting of that not less than twenty one days notice has been given. The proposed alteration / addition / recession must be notified to members at this time.

The investigation of any alleged breach shall be conducted by members. They may call for attendance of any member or employee of a member.

Members shall be responsible for any breach of obligations on the part of any agent, manager, servant or any other person directly or indirectly employed by them or acting on their behalf.

The Association may be dissolved on a resolution of the Association at an Extraordinary General Meeting. Such meeting shall be convened by notice in writing of not less than 21 days, setting out the resolution that it has proposed making consideration and if thought fit passed. The resolution shall in addition to the proposal contain full proposals for procedure on disposal of surplus assets, books, papers and other properties. The majority requisite for passing such a resolution shall consist of not less than three quarters of those members present voting.

The Association shall subject to any resolution of a General Meeting imposing any limitation on the powers of the Association have full power to do everything necessary for the liquidation of the affairs of the Association.