Fiat Professional, official partner of The Football League, has today launched the Fiat Professional Tradesman Trials, a nation-wide search to find a tradesman who has the talent to make it as a professional footballer. The move from the trades to professional football is a well-trodden path.  There is a long list of past and present players starting out as tradesmen …

Leading civil engineers, environmental scientists, water experts, water companies and architects have appealed to the Lords to ensure the incoming housing law protects new and existing homes from flooding. Contributing to the Housing and Planning Bill debate currently passing through the Lords, the coalition said that new development will place additional pressure on critical drainage and flood defence infrastructure. The …

The Building and Allied Trades Joint Industrial Council (BATJIC) has agreed a two year deal involving a 5% pay rise over two years. The announcement follows negotiations between the Federation of Master Builders, on behalf of SME construction employers, and Unite the union, on behalf of operatives. Under the terms of the deal, workers will receive a 2.5% pay rise …

Staff from building chemicals manufacturer Bond It have helped to raise money for a worthy cause. A team drawn from across the manufacturer of sealants, adhesives and building chemicals recently took part in a five-a-side football tournament for Bond It’s chosen charity, Overgate Hospice. Located in Elland, West Yorkshire, close to Bond It’s head office and main manufacturing site, Overgate …

With over 10,000 female members to date, trade vetting service Checkatrade.com recognises the need to attract women into the industry. Craig Phillips, TV personality, DIY and construction expert and ambassador for Checkatrade said: “If you’re an aspiring female tradesperson, I really do recommend becoming a member of Checkatrade. Not only will your potential customer be able to find you by …

The inventor of a small and simple water-saving device was the winner of  Ecobuild’s Big Innovation Pitch, organised in association with Marks & Spencer. The Waterblade fitting turns a small trickle of water into a thin sheet of high-pressure water as wide as your hand. It operates at a flow of just 2.5 litres per minute, significantly lower than the …

JSP, the PPE specialist, has added the HardCap AeroLite to its range of bump caps designed for work environments where there is a risk of impact between the head and stationary objects. The new bump cap, designed by JSP’s in-house Research & Development team, features a full high-density polyethylene (HDPE) shell, so the wearer is protected not only from impact …

Four different duty holders have been fined after a worker was injured while replacing a window at Leeds prison. Leeds Magistrates’ Court heard how a window on the third floor at Leeds Prison was in need of replacing. Four parties were involved with the installation and all were charged with safety breaches for their part in the incident. Stuart Tombs …

A construction company in Derbyshire has been fined after a worker fell thirteen metres down a service riser shaft. Leicester Magistrates’ Court heard how a 36-year-old worker, who was from Romania, was dismantling falsework (a form of temporary structure) in a building that was under construction at Fletcher Development, De Montfort University, Leicester. An investigation by the Health and Safety …

A new protective glove, the Showa 381, offers increased comfort as well as protection for workers carrying out a variety of tasks.

Over 45,000 new homebuilding workers will be trained by 2019 to help tackle the nation’s housing shortage through a £2.7 million initiative announced by the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB) and Home Builders Federation (HBF). The first of its kind, the Home Building Skills Partnership – working with research on their needs from some 40 UK home builders – will …

Bathroom designer Twyford has donated ceramic products for a toilet block in the Rainbow Foundation Pre-School, a new school in Faala in The Gambia, for 60 local children. Faala is a new settlement near to Sanyang and the school has been constructed for younger children who can’t safely travel to Sanyang, due to the long and dangerous route on foot. …

Falcon Crane Hire, a national crane hire company has been sentenced for failings that led to the death of two men as a crane collapsed in London. Southwark Crown Court heard crane operator Jonathan Cloke, 37, died after falling from the crane as it collapsed. It fell onto Michael Alexa, 23, a member of the public, and also killed him. …

A gas engineer's asbestos removal during a gas boiler replacement has put himself and others at risk from exposure to lethal asbestos fibres.

Polyco’s innovative use of 21st-century technology has been recognised and rewarded by an institution that has been championing glove development for more than 375 years. Polyco’s dry-grip glove, the Grip It MAX, was named by the Worshipful Company of Glovers in February as the winner of its Worshipful Company of Glovers 2015 Golden Glove Award for Innovation. Granted its royal charter …

Flatform Rainwater Harvesting has added a wall tank rainwater harvesting and stormwater attenuation system to the Halsted Rain Flatform range which the company was exhibiting at Ecobuild 2016. It is an innovative approach to rainwater management on properties where space is severely constrained or a retrofit solution is required. The system collects rainwater run-off for toilet flushing, irrigation and/or to …

Businesses nationwide are gearing up to National Apprenticeship Week, which runs from 14 to 18 March 2016. Recognising the need to attract young people into the industry, trade vetting service Checkatrade encourages young aspiring tradespeople to consider an apprenticeship with their members. With over 95% of Checkatrade’s members anticipating a greater workload in 2016 and 61% of members expecting to …

A man from County Durham has been fined for potentially exposing members of the public to asbestos fibres during the refurbishment of a residential property on South Parade, Croft on Tees, County Durham. Darlington Magistrates’ Court heard how Peter Wade of Staindrop, was converting an integrated garage into a bedroom at the property. While he was visiting the property for …