A Fife-based construction company has been fined after a worker had to be dug out of a trench that collapsed onto him. Dundee Sheriff Court heard the 43-year-old employee of Wallace Roofing and Building Limited suffered a broken shoulder and collarbone as well as punctures to both of his lungs and fractures to all but two of his ribs. Emergency …

Screwfix is continuing its search for the nation’s top tradespeople with the return of the annual Britain’s Top Tradesperson 2017 competition.

Barroerock Construction Limited has been fined after repeated asbestos failings. Canterbury Crown Court heard how the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) carried out two investigations of working practices of the site in 2013 and 2014 while Barroerock were converting into flats a former nine-storey office building in Ashford, Kent, which was known to contain asbestos. The first investigation arose from …

Roger Bisby knows the tune and is singing the praises of Setcrete Rapid Set Repair Mortar. Sing along to this if you know the tune; I certainly do. You are all ready to lay the floor or apply the self smoothing compound and you find a bit of loose that, upon further investigation gives way altogether. Why did you have …

Redland – the UK manufacturer and supplier of pitched roof systems – is launching a competition to find the 2017 Redland Apprentice of the Year. The newly launched competition is open to all roofing apprentices who are currently enrolled with one of Redland’s participating colleges or training groups within the company’s Young Redland Roofer student support programme. Entrants will be …

Ford is rolling out its Ford Mobile Service programme nationwide following a successful trial around Greater London. Over 100 Ford Mobile Service vans with Ford qualified technicians, will operate from more than 90 Ford Transit Centres across the country, including Northern Ireland and Scotland. Ford mobile servicing has been conceived to minimise disruption to fleet operators by reducing vehicle down …

Two roofing contractors have been sentenced after putting their workers at risk of harm during roof replacement works in Oldham. MKM Fabrications Ltd had been employed as the principal contractor to carry out a roof replacement on one of the buildings at Valley Mills, Millgate, Delph, Oldham which is currently used for textile production. The company subcontracted part of the …

Small construction firms enjoyed rising workloads in the first quarter of 2017, despite growing concerns over the cost of labour and materials, according to the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). Key results from the FMB’s State of Trade Survey for Q1 2017, which is the largest quarterly assessment of the UK-wide SME construction sector, include: •    UK construction SME workloads …

Having recently teamed up with safety shoe manufacturer Aimont, Supertouch – the PPE and workwear solutions specialist – is now providing its customers in the construction and building industry with an extensive range of boots and shoes. The Aimont range features Light Plus toe cap technology. Being polymer based, this toecap is extremely lightweight, without compromising on protective strength, matching …

Boiler manufacturer Baxi is giving installers the inside track on how to fit the latest intelligent heating controls. Starting this month, the manufacturer will offer dedicated half-day Nest training courses across the UK. These will give electricians and heating engineers the opportunity to get under the skin of the Nest Learning Thermostat and learn how to install it in their …

When it comes to sealants there are very few on the market that can match CT1, says Roger Bisby. Not only is it strong and flexible it can also seal damp surfaces. I have tried many products that claim to do this but not all of them work. I first started using it when I was working on swimming pools …

A group of staff at Covers depots in Chichester, Gosport & Portsmouth have raised a total of £564 for Comic Relief after undertaking a range of activities.

An Essex company who are specialists in gas infrastructure have been fined after an employee suffered serious injury when a pipe fell into the trench he was working in and struck him. Maidstone Crown Court heard how an employee of Forefront Utilities Limited had entered a trench in Rochester, Kent to connect gas pipes. The new pipes were rested on …

A Birmingham electrician has been ordered to carry out unpaid work in the community after his trainee fell three and a half metres through a plasterboard ceiling. Birmingham Magistrates’ Court heard that the apprentice electrician, Soheil Afrapour, spent 23 days in hospital after suffering head injuries. He was installing wiring above the false ceiling for Mr Soheil Alipour. A Health …

Boiler manufacturer Baxi has joined Carbon Connect, an independent, cross-party forum that aims to inform and guide the transition to a low carbon future underpinned by sustainable energy. Together with its members and a variety of sector experts, Carbon Connect analyses the opportunities and challenges presented by moves to a low carbon future, and provides a platform for discussion between …

In this series of videos Skill Builder is taking a look at a selection of products from Real Deals for You, the consumer campaign which provides big brand tools at competitive prices through local independent retailers. Real Deals for You is a year-round campaign run by one of Europe’s leading hand and power tool distributors, Toolbank, and created to support …