Contractor Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions has been sentenced after exposing workers to a debilitating health condition over a nine-year period. Balfour Beatty Utility Solutions Ltd was fined £500,000 after the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that workers at the company were exposed to hand-arm vibration between 2002 and 2011 which put them at risk of developing Hand-Arm Vibration Syndrome …

Ventilation manufacturer Nuaire, based in Caerphilly, Wales, hopes to prevent thousands of deaths caused by air pollution with what they consider to be a revolutionary technology for existing homes. To coincide with national Clean Air Day on 21st June, the company is launching the Noxmaster whole-house ventilation system for the retrofit market.  The Noxmaster combines a powerful carbon filter with …

In 2017 Makita launched the in-demand DSP600 Twin 18v Brushless Plunge Saw.  Now, the same model, but featuring a 36v motor and the Makita Auto-Start Wireless System (AWS) has landed. AWS technology allows the new DSP601ZJU plunge saw to automatically connect to the compatible Makita dust extractor saving the effort of manually switching it on. A unique chip is supplied …

Snickers’ new versatile and adjustable Tool Vest features a wide range of hard-wearing pockets for a variety of tools fixings and accessories. It’s lightweight, hard-wearing, comfortable and easy to keep clean. The Tool Vest’s ergonomic comfort also looks after your back by providing for comfortable heavy tool carrying through the specially designed wide shoulders, elasticated back and an integral waist …

Snickers Workwear says the new range of cool and functional Snickers Hi-Vis summer clothing is streets ahead of anything else. With an extensive range of Jackets, Trousers, Shorts, Toolvests, Shirts and Fleeces from Snickers’ LITEWork, FLEXIWork and ALLROUNDWORK families, there’s a host of different garments in the range to satisfy the specific requirements of Classes 1, 2 and 3 protection …

Combining a lightweight athletic look with maximum breathability and safety features, the new Solid Gear VENT safety shoe is said to be ideal for workers who are constantly on the move. The Solid Gear VENT’s upper is made from lightweight mesh combined with Cordura and a TPU reinforcement to ensure cool comfort, maximum breathability and enhanced durability. While the shoe’s …

A landscaping services company has been sentenced after a worker was seriously injured when a retaining wall collapsed into a trench.

Almost 80% of builders are calling for more regulation in the construction industry to end the tyranny of cowboy builders, according to the FMB.

A new greener, stronger and more durable concrete that is made using the wonder-material graphene could revolutionise the construction industry. Experts from the University of Exeter have developed a pioneering new technique that uses nanoengineering technology to incorporate graphene into traditional concrete production. The new composite material, which is more than twice as strong and four times more water resistant …

More than half of small building firms say that rising material prices are squeezing their margins and the same percentage have had to pass these price increases onto consumers, according to the latest research by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Small and medium-sized (SME) building firms were asked which materials are in shortest supply and have the longest wait …

Snickers has released a new range of knitted hoodies for professional craftsmen and women. The range includes ‘Full Zip’ and ‘Over-Head’ options and they’re the ideal combination with Snickers’ First and Second Layer Undergarments and can comfortably be worn under a jacket on chilly days. With a contemporary design, four colour options and a double-lined hood for extra warmth, these …

A Romanian man who enslaved up to 15 men, offering demolition work and then using violence to trap them, has been jailed for seven years. David Lupu, 29, promised the men £50 per day as well as accommodation, but instead paid them just a fraction of the wage, housed them in cramped conditions and confiscated their ID papers. Metropolitan Police …

Baxi has officially launched the pioneering Baxi IFOS In Flue Outdoor Sensor, which is designed to help make Boiler Plus compliance simple.

A building contractor has been sentenced following an incident in February 2015 in which a house in Brighton partially collapsed. Hove Crown Court heard how builder Glen Peters (trading as Brow Builders) undermined the structural integrity of the house by digging out the basement. He then failed to act on the advice of a structural engineer on how to remedy …

Some of the UK’s biggest building companies have signed up to take part in the country’s largest construction health & safety stand down. Wates, McLaren and Seddon are among new faces that will take part in Stop. Make a Change in 2018. The initiative was launched in 2017 to bring the industry together to improve health and safety performance. In …

Paul Gormley talks through the process of installing a rainwater harvesting system. A rainwater harvesting system collects water from a house’s roof to be used in the garden or for some domestic appliances. A rainwater harvesting system can be installed to save water, or planners may ask for a system to be installed to help with potential local flooding issues. …

According to recovery figures from TRACKER, 82% of Light Commercial Vehicles (LCVs) were stolen without the owner’s keys in 2017 –  up by nearly 100% compared to 2016 (44%).  The Ford Transit was again the most popular van stolen last year and are said to have accounted for over half of the LCV recoveries made by TRACKER. “Keyless entry technology …