I'm The Gaffer

About I'm The Gaffer

I'm The Gaffer, hosted by industry expert Gavin Coyle, is the essential podcast for construction people, offering insider insights, expert interviews, and actionable strategies to blueprint unprecedented success in the dynamic world of construction. Whether you are still ‘on the tools’, just getting started, a seasoned site manager focused on large-scale project management, or a fast-growth building industry entrepreneur/developer this podcast is for you. Gavin's guests, ranging from influential thought leaders to boots-on-the-ground practitioners, share their stories, successes and failures, and offer invaluable lessons and tips, allowing you to have a 360-degree view of the construction landscape. This podcast is a must have shared learning space for any person looking to achieve success in the building industry. As a construction person, this podcast is your go-to source for navigating the complexities of the construction industry where success is not just built; it's crafted with precision, passion, and the right knowledge.

Publisher

Gavin Coyle

Category

business · education

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

25 Jan 2024

Latest episode

6 Oct 2026

Latest episodes

128 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   6 Oct 2026

   Work Out On Your Wage - Kevin Bennison (InspHigher)

   Welcome to a new episode of I'm The Gaffer If you have ever watched a lift sit waiting till half ten while the paperwork gets finished, or wondered why so many good crane people freeze at the thought of the appointed person course, this episode is for you. In this episode, Kevin Bennison joins Gavin Coyle. Kevin is the founder of InspHigher, a lifting operations trainer, former soldier and lifelong learner with over 25 years across the lifting industry. He joined the Army in 1995 as a plant operator in the Royal Engineers and earned his wings as an airborne soldier, then spent 10 years on mobile cranes, became an appointed person in 2005, self-funded his way into training in 2010 and started InspHigher in 2020. Today most of his work is non-accredited training built around what organisations and their people actually need: advanced AP, management of lifting operations, and helping supervisors pass knowledge on to their teams. You'll learn: - The maths reassurance: if you can work out your weekly wage with overtime, you can do the AP course - The VARK learning styles, and why site teams keep getting trained the wrong way for how they actually learn - The paperwork problem: lifts starting at 10:30 instead of 8:30 - The 10-year-old and the crane: stopping a load strike is trained behaviour, not a document - Start with supervision, get that right and everything else gets easier - 85-90 hour weeks, no freedom, and "don't let the story stop you" Episode Highlights / Timestamps (54:56 total) · 00:00 Coming up · 00:51 Welcome Kevin · 03:49 Joining the Army · 05:36 Starting InspHigher · 09:37 Is the AP course really that tough · 13:13 "If you can calculate your weekly wage..." · 15:42 The VARK model · 17:58 What an AP earns · 21:10 85-90 hour weeks · 22:18 "The outer voice becomes the inner dialogue" · 24:23 Crane companies questioned on lift plans · 33:39 Lifts starting at 10:30 instead of 8:30 · 35:59 The 10-year-old who could stop the crane · 39:12 Devil's advocate: pay and agency labour · 46:49 Start with supervision · 51:04 Favourite books · 53:11 Where to find Kevin · 54:14 Wrap Connect with Kevin Bennison - LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kevinbennison (http://linkedin.com/in/kevinbennison) - InspHigher: insphigher.co.uk (http://insphigher.co.uk) - InspHigher YouTube: youtube.com/@InspHigher (http://youtube.com/@InspHigher) Mentioned: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (Covey), The Way of the Hermit (Ken Smith), the VARK model, CPCS/NPORS About Coyle Group Coyle Group provides safety outsourcing and managed services for high-impact projects across wind, utilities, power generation, engineering, and construction. With over 25 years of experience, 100+ safety professionals, and more than 1 million safety hours completed, Coyle Group helps organisations deliver projects safely and compliantly. Learn more: https://coyle-group.com/ (https://coyle-group.com/) About the Podcast I'm The Gaffer, hosted by Gavin Coyle, features conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and subject matter experts covering construction, engineering, leadership, business growth, safety, procurement, project delivery, and workplace culture. Listen on: Apple Podcasts https://bit.ly/ImTheGaffer (https://bit.ly/ImTheGaffer) Spotify https://bit.ly/ImTheGafferSpotify (https://bit.ly/ImTheGafferSpotify) YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ImTheGafferPodcast Website https://www.imthegaffer.com (https://www.imthegaffer.com) Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, construction, business growth, workplace culture, employee engagement, engineering, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship.

2. 

   29 Sept 2026

   Falls From Height: The No. 1 Killer on Site, And What Actually Works - Peter Bennett OBE (No Falls Foundation)

   Welcome to a new episode of I'm The Gaffer If you have ever sent a man 200 miles in a van with two ladders on the roof rack and wondered why he didn't "work safely," this episode is about why falls from height are still the number one killer on site, and what 45 years at the sharp end of the access industry says actually fixes it. Peter Bennett OBE joins Gavin Coyle. Peter is managing director of PASMA, executive director of the Ladder Association, chair of the No Falls Foundation and a past president of IPAF, 45 years in access, from a Glasgow scaffolding yard with Stevens & Carter to writing the standards the industry works to today. Fresh HSE fatality statistics had been released the very morning of the recording, and Peter walks through what they really mean. You'll learn: • The numbers: 35 killed in falls last year, 361 in a decade, 44,000 non-fatal falls a year in GB • Why non-fatal falls are just as serious, life-changing injuries, not just fatalities • The fatality Peter's carried for decades, and why nobody got counselling • The two most dangerous people on site: the novice, and the over-55 who's "forgotten" the danger • Why banning ladders backfires, train risk assessment instead of prescribing everything • The two-ladders-on-a-roof-rack test for pricing work at height into a job Episode Highlights / Timestamps 01:09 Welcome: Peter Bennett OBE 09:56 Fresh HSE stats: 35 deaths, 361 in a decade 14:13 The ripple effect 16:40 The fatality Peter can't forget 19:50 Over-55s: "you don't bounce as well" 27:41 Advance guardrails 32:04 "Ladders are banned" 37:44 Two ladders on a roof rack 44:49 Fatal accident inquiry: six deaths 49:29 Retirement, succession 53:00 Favourite books Connect with Peter Bennett OBE • LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/peter-bennett-obe-b3884a13 (http://linkedin.com/in/peter-bennett-obe-b3884a13) • No Falls Foundation: nofallsfoundation.org (http://nofallsfoundation.org) • PASMA: pasma.co.uk (http://pasma.co.uk) • Ladder Association: ladderassociation.org.uk (http://ladderassociation.org.uk) • Email: peter.bennettobe@nofallsfoundation.org (mailto:peter.bennettobe@nofallsfoundation.org) • Sign up for No Falls Week: https://nofallsweek.org/ About Coyle Group Coyle Group provides safety outsourcing and managed services for high-impact projects across wind, utilities, power generation, engineering, and construction. With over 25 years of experience, 100+ safety professionals, and more than 1 million safety hours completed, Coyle Group helps organisations deliver projects safely and compliantly. Learn more: https://coyle-group.com/ (https://coyle-group.com/) About the Podcast I'm The Gaffer, hosted by Gavin Coyle, features conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and subject matter experts covering construction, engineering, leadership, business growth, safety, procurement, project delivery, and workplace culture. Listen on: Apple Podcasts https://bit.ly/ImTheGaffer (https://bit.ly/ImTheGaffer) Spotify https://bit.ly/ImTheGafferSpotify (https://bit.ly/ImTheGafferSpotify) YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ImTheGafferPodcast Website https://www.imthegaffer.com (https://www.imthegaffer.com) Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, construction, business growth, workplace culture, employee engagement, engineering, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship.

3. 

   15 Sept 2026

   PPE Wasn't Designed For Women? | Jane Middleton (AtkinsRéalis)

   If you have ever hopped into a site truck because your trousers were too tight to climb, tucked your glasses under your hard hat to keep them on, or been asked "is that your dad's coat?" this episode is about why that was never good enough, and the new British Standard that says so. Jane Middleton joins Gavin Coyle. She's a senior asset management consultant at AtkinsRéalis and a chartered geologist, shortlisted for an Inspiring Women in Construction and Engineering award in 2023. She started out supervising drilling rigs on the Heathrow expansion project, in PPE that didn't fit, and ended up helping write the new British Standard for inclusive PPE and workwear, launched October 2025 with a parliamentary launch behind it, legislation and European adoption now in progress. You'll Learn: What AtkinsRéalis does and how Jane's career led from geology to asset management How a simple struggle with PPE sparked a mission for change Why the "average man" became the default design standard for workwear and PPE How Jane helped transform her company's PPE catalogue with more inclusive options The impact of properly fitting PPE on safety, confidence, and belonging Menopause, modesty wear, disability access, and other overlooked workplace needs The story behind the British Standard for inclusive PPE Why 82% of female firefighters reported that their gloves don't fit The business case for inclusive PPE and attracting future talent How one wheelchair-using project manager challenged manufacturers to think differently What's next for PPE standards in the UK and Europe Jane's personal passions, lessons learned, and advice to her younger self Episode Highlights / Timestamps 00:00 82% of female firefighters said their gloves don't fit 01:02 Meet Jane Middleton 06:41 From geology to asset management 13:40 The PPE problem begins 14:40 The Hilux moment 16:51 The "average man" template 17:37 Transforming the PPE catalogue 24:41 Bold as Brass 26:23 Writing the British Standard 28:09 The firefighter glove survey 33:28 Accessibility and PPE 37:26 The first women's safety Wellington 39:08 Taking the standard to Parliament and Europe 44:45 What would Jane do differently? 50:06 How to connect with Jane Connect with Jane Middleton LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/janekelsey/ (https://www.linkedin.com/in/janekelsey/) AtkinsRéalis: https://www.atkinsrealis.com (https://www.atkinsrealis.com) The British Standard (launched October 2025) is free to download, send it to your boss About Coyle Group Coyle Group provides safety outsourcing and managed services for high-impact projects across wind, utilities, power generation, engineering, and construction. With over 25 years of experience, 100+ safety professionals, and more than 1 million safety hours completed, Coyle Group helps organisations deliver projects safely and compliantly. Learn more: https://coyle-group.com/ (https://coyle-group.com/) About the Podcast I'm The Gaffer, hosted by Gavin Coyle, features conversations with industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and subject matter experts covering construction, engineering, leadership, business growth, safety, procurement, project delivery, and workplace culture. Listen on: Apple Podcasts https://bit.ly/ImTheGaffer (https://bit.ly/ImTheGaffer) Spotify https://bit.ly/ImTheGafferSpotify (https://bit.ly/ImTheGafferSpotify) YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@ImTheGafferPodcast Website https://www.imthegaffer.com (https://www.imthegaffer.com) Subscribe for more conversations on leadership, construction, business growth, workplace culture, employee engagement, engineering, manufacturing, and entrepreneurship.

Who has been a guest on I'm The Gaffer

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Anne Okafor
• Mary Grady
• Alan Worrall
• Daniel Bamper
• Bryan Guess

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

YouTube views

139,342

Score snapshot 15 Sept 2025

Apple Podcasts (US)

5.0 / 5

4 ratings

Spotify

5.0 / 5

22 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 72 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

84

Social presence

0

YouTube

82

Engagement

71

Contact I'm The Gaffer

Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

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