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FMB launches TV advert

Dylan Garton
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FMB launches TV advert

The Federation of Master Builders has launched a TV advert using its members to promote Master Builders as the ‘go to’ professionals in the industry.

The FMB advert is being aired on a variety of channels, including Sky News, ITVBe, Home, & More 4 and is being accompanied by radio and online advertising to encourage homeowners to ask for a Master Builder.

The advertising campaign comes in the face of growing competition from online recommendation sites which are now a popular reference point for homeowners looking for tradespeople for building projects.

While concerns have been raised over the practices used by some online review sites in the past, including suggestions that fake reviews were being published while negative reviews weren’t being published at all Checkatrade and Trustatrader committed to improve their practices earlier this year to give people a more complete picture when making buying decisions.

The Trust Mark remains the only Government-backed scheme for vetting tradespeople. Trust Mark is a not-for-profit organisation, where tradespeople sign up to a strict code of conduct before they are allowed to use the TrustMark logo. All FMB members are eligible to become part of Trust Mark.

Skill Builder is still waiting for news of a scheme that vets customers : )

 

 

Concrete Block Shortage Causing Construction Delays

Dylan Garton
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Concrete Block Shortage Causing Construction Delays

Construction sites across the UK are being hit by a concrete block shortage as pressure on raw materials means manufacturers are struggling to keep up with demand.

PFA – a by-product of coal-fired power generation is a key material in the manufacture of most concrete blocks but a move towards alternative forms of energy generation such as gas, nuclear or renewable technologies has resulted in a gradual reduction in the number of coal fired power stations and a consequent reduction in the production of PFA.

Calum Forsyth, managing director of aircrete building solutions manufacturer explains: “PFA – a by-product of coal-fired power generation – is used as a raw material by most concrete manufacturers in the UK, with aircrete being no exception.  The fact that our own aircrete blocks are largely comprised of this material has always provided a positive differentiation in the market place.

“As supplies of fresh PFA have become less readily available, we are developing our manufacturing processes to enable the use of stockpiled PFA.  There is a considerable quantity of such material, built up over the previous century when the UK relied primarily on coal to generate power and was unable to re-use the quantity of PFA produced in the process.

“Stockpiled PFA does not have the same performance characteristics as the fresh material and has required us to initiate changes to our production processes to enable us to utilise it.  While we have been implementing these changes we have simultaneously negotiated purchasing contracts to ensure we have a secured supply of the product for the foreseeable future.

“However, this winter an unprecedented set of circumstances has led to a sudden reduction in the availability of fresh PFA.  A warm winter, combined with exceptionally low gas prices reduced the operation of our remaining coal-fired power stations to unusually low levels.  This coincided with the most buoyant construction sector since the economic collapse of 2008, while the mild winter allowed contractors to keep on site throughout a period traditionally marked by a weather-induced slowdown.

“The inevitable result is a short-term pressure on supply.  While H+H is able to utilise stockpiled PFA we have had to accelerate the development of our production process to accommodate the different characteristics of this raw material.  As with any significant change to manufacturing, this has required considerable adjustments to ensure the quality of the finished product is acceptable.

“The net result is a reduction in yield.  While our plants are still producing around 30% more volume than was the case four years ago, we are facing pressure to supply the growing demand.

“For H+H this is a short-term difficulty.  As we refine our processes to speed production using stockpiled PFA our output is increasing; to ease the immediate situation we are working with our plants in Europe to establish an ongoing supply of imported product.  Throughout the winter, a more normal gas supply market and more typical seasonal temperatures should increase the volume of PFA production once more, which should ease the situation for all manufacturers.

“In the immediate future, we are focusing on directing all of our output to the customers with whom we have long-term supply contracts in place.  This will mean increased pressure on the spot-market for blocks for those who do not have agreements with H+H.”

Essex school fined after refurbishment disturbs asbestos

Dylan Garton
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Essex school fined after refurbishment disturbs asbestos

An Essex school has been fined after poorly-planned and managed refurbishment and maintenance activities exposed school staff and others to asbestos.

Chelmsford Crown Court heard that managers at The Boswells School, Chelmsford, decided to convert an old boiler room at the school into a cleaning store. During the course of this work, asbestos residue on the walls was disturbed and caretakers swept contaminated debris from floors. Their exposure to risk only came to light after a later asbestos survey was completed in the area.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) investigated this incident and learned that asbestos containing materials (ACM’s) were also present in other areas. School caretaking staff and contractors disturbed the fabric of school buildings over many years without being alerted to the presence of ACM’s. Persons who entered potentially contaminated areas were placed at risk of developing serious ill health conditions arising from exposure to airborne respirable asbestos fibres. The school also failed to ensure that spread of asbestos was prevented or reduced.

The Boswells Academy Trust, of Burnham Road, Chelmsford, Essex, pleaded guilty to breaching the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 – Sections 2(1) & 3(1).  The trust was fined £26,000 and ordered to pay costs of £20,000.

HSE Inspector Glyn Davies said after the hearing: “The Boswells Academy Trust should have controlled this potentially lethal risk by identifying the type, location and condition of any asbestos-containing-materials within the fabric of the school, and by implementing suitable precautions to prevent its disturbance. It should then have ensured that such information was shared with anyone liable to disturb this fabric. It may also have arranged for a licensed asbestos contractor to remove any dangerous asbestos safely before commencement of any work.

“This prosecution should act as a reminder, not just to schools but to all persons in control of the repair and maintenance of non-domestic premises, of the need to ensure that a suitable and sufficient assessment of risk from asbestos is carried out, and that correct control measures are put in place to ensure that exposure to asbestos is prevented, so far as is reasonably practicable.”

For further information on asbestos visit: www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/

Irwin Mitchell planning team to advise on £180 million mixed use scheme in Lewes

Roger Bisby
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Irwin Mitchell planning team to advise on £180 million mixed use scheme in Lewes

Work to develop a 15- acre brownfield site in Lewes, East Sussex is to begin following the completion of final legal requirements. Planning for the North Street Quarter development was approved in December 2015 by the South Downs National Park’s planning committee. Permission was granted in May 2016 and the judicial review period has just concluded. The way is now clear for work to start on the site.

The first phase of the North Street Quarter development is scheduled to be completed in 2019 and  will bring considerable assets to the town, including:

  • 243 of the 416 houses, including 165 affordable homes
  • A new health centre serving 26,000 patients
  • An underground public car park with 330 spaces
  • A business/retail district for creative industries

The scheme will also carry out extensive works on the River Ouse, completing the town’s flood defences and creating  new public access to the river with a footbridge and a riverside promenade on two levels. This will provide Lewes with a new riverside leisure area.

Clive Wilding, Director of Santon North Street, said: “North Street Quarter represents a £180m investment in Lewes and is providing the town with much needed affordable housing and public services, including a state of the art health hub accommodating GPs, dentists and a pharmacy.  We are also creating work space and retail outlets, which will provide flexible and affordable premises for creative businesses. We are delighted that, following the three year successful consultative planning stage, we are now starting work on the North Street Quarter development.”

Carl Dyer, National Head of Planning at Irwin Mitchell said; “This has been a three year process and although planning was finally granted in December 2015, we have been waiting to see if the Judicial Review would  delay things further. We are delighted to have now received the go-ahead on this development which will provide homes to help alleviate the housing shortage in this area and provide Lewes with much needed flood defences. We are delighted to have been able to help Santon make this valuable contribution to the Governments over- optimistic target of building 200,00 homes a year in the UK.”

Construction company fined after service riser shaft fall

Roger Bisby
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Construction company fined after service riser shaft fall

A construction company in Gateshead has been fined after a worker suffered injury when he fell down a service riser shaft.

Newcastle upon Tyne Magistrates’ Court heard how Meldrum Construction Services Limited (MCS) was the principal contractor for refurbishment work at premises in Percy Street, Newcastle Upon Tyne.

MCS failed to plan for the requirement for temporary platforms to be installed in the service riser to provide a safe work area. Subsequently, temporary floors were installed to specifications they had not been designed for. A worker stepped onto the temporary wooden floor on the first floor riser which collapsed and he fell 4.5 metres to the floor below, spraining both ankles.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on 6 July 2015 found that MCS failed to plan and manage the construction phase of the project in that they failed to plan and manage the temporary works within the service riser.

Meldrum Construction Services Limited of Panteon Building, Lancaster Road, Dunston, Gateshead, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 13(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, and was fined £120,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1969.

Developer chooses Mumford & Wood for personal development in Poole

Roger Bisby
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Developer chooses Mumford & Wood for personal development in Poole

Timber Conservation windows and doors by Mumford & Wood have been specified by a building developer for his own residential property in Poole, Dorset.  This large coastal town, once a maritime trade hub, has attracted tourists and visitors to its beaches and landscapes for many decades and is an established area of beauty.

The 1950s cottage-style property was purchased by the couple in the knowledge that only minor remedial work would be required but some months later it has been completely remodelled and is an example of experienced and sympathetic design and workmanship.  The original footprint, now 2,500 sq ft, has been extended, floors have been taken up and re-laid, walls repositioned and rooms refigured. Under floor heating has been installed throughout and wall insulation removed and replaced.

“We hadn’t intended taking on such an involved and intricate project but once we moved in we enjoyed the cottage so much that we decided to do a thorough job, remodel and upgrade the space completely,” says Roger Ward, Roger Ward Building & Design.  “We’ve practically rebuilt the cottage and it has been a pleasure to watch its transformation; we just love the house and its grounds.  As a working model there are things we’ve done here that I will propose to my clients in their projects such as the staircase, kitchen and bathroom designs which are my own.”

“We’ve practically rebuilt the cottage and it has been a pleasure to watch its transformation; we just love the house and its grounds.  As a working model there are things we’ve done here that I will propose to my clients in their projects such as the staircase, kitchen and bathroom designs which are my own.”

Roger Ward comments that the original property was cold and draughty and they were pleased to replace ill-fitting, single glazed Crittall windows with timber windows and doors from Mumford & Wood’s established Conservation range.  “We love the windows and especially the French doorsets with fixed glazed side panels that are a major feature of the rear elevation and allow maximum light and visual access to the beautiful terraced gardens.  A first floor bedroom has an attractive Juliet balcony feature from where we can stand and admire.  As soon as the windows and doors were replaced we could immediately feel the benefit in comfort and when we’ve had our first winter here I’m sure our energy bills will be greatly reduced.”  The sloping feature of the plot and its substantial gradients is home to over 80 protected trees and Roger and Jan Ward worked closely with local planners to ensure limited impact.

The flush faced Conservation casement window is available in a range of styles with a choice of frame profiles and glazing bars to coordinate with other products in the range.  These double glazed windows and doors are made to the standards of the British Woodworking Federation’s Wood Window Alliance (WWA) scheme and are BRE A+ rated. They are manufactured from premium grade Siberian Larch which is engineered for maximum strength and stability to help ensure long lasting aesthetics and performance, while achieving a perfect factory-finished, paint-ready surface typical of fine joinery.

Independent research carried out by the WWA on behalf of its members identifies that timber as a frame material offers the most sustainable and cost effective material with a life cycle of up to 65 years and more.

www.mumfordwood.com

Electricians pay rise agreed

Roger Bisby
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Electricians pay rise agreed

The electrical contracting industry has agreed a wage deal which will amount to a 10.25% pay rise over four years to take effect from January 2017.

This is the first time that an agreement spanning four years has been determined between trade union Unite and the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA).

Some of the key changes to be implemented include:

  • Wage increases of 2% in 2017, 2.5% in 2018, 2.75% in 2019 and 3% in 2020.
  • Introduction of a new mileage allowance and mileage rate to replace travel allowance and travelling time (subject to HMRC acceptance)
  • Periodic return fares on jobs over 100 and up to 200 miles to be paid every two weeks, to bring them in line with the other return fares
  • Annual holidays to increase to 23 days in 2019 and 24 days in 2020, with these additional days being paid at normal earnings level
  • Employers to pay for CompEx courses where it is a specific requirement of the operative’s role
  • Encouragement of the recruitment of apprentices.

ECA chief negotiator, Paul McNaughton, said: “I’m pleased with the outcome of the negotiations – it’s all the more welcome as it provides certainty at a time of considerable uncertainty in the wider economy. Having a four-year settlement gives the ECA, together with Unite, the opportunity to achieve agreement on wider long-term changes which are necessary to modernise the industry.”

Unite National Officer, Bernard McAulay, said: “Our members have voted to accept a four-year wages and conditions settlement that will deliver industrial relations stability in a very difficult economic climate. The electrical contracting industry is changing at a pace and now is the time for the parties to address the challenges of tomorrow, ensuring our members are at the forefront of installing the latest hi-tech equipment which is central to delivering the next generation of low carbon buildings in the UK.”

The Joint Industry Board facilitated discussions between the two parties and has published full details of the agreement. To download the document visit www.jib.org.uk

D-MAX Arctic Trucks AT35 to go on sale

Dylan Garton
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D-MAX Arctic Trucks AT35 to go on sale

From the 25th July the all-new Isuzu D-Max Arctic Trucks AT35 will be available to order in the UK.

The pick-up truck which is based on the D-Max model, is the result of close technical collaboration between Isuzu and Arctic Trucks, a company with a 25 year history in Iceland and Scandinavia as a developer of 4×4 vehicles.

Isuzu describes the AT35 as the most robust and capable pick-up it has ever created. The original 2.5-litre D-Max engine is retained, while a number of significant chassis changes have been carried out by Arctic Trucks.

Arctic Trucks brings experience of creating vehicles for all conditions, from severe off-road to the sub-zero, an area in which Isuzu has its own proven success as its D-Max is the best-selling pick-up in the undulating and snow-covered Scandinavian country. In Iceland, Arctic Trucks has enhanced the D-Max for rescue and highland utility work. This experience is said to have heavily influenced the creation of the AT35.

The AT35 retains the one-tonne payload and 3.5-tonne towing (braked) capacities that have helped make the Isuzu D-Max one of the most popular pick-ups for those seeking an exceptional workhorse with low running costs.

It will be the first Arctic Trucks pick-up in the UK that can be ordered directly from a vehicle manufacturer’s authorised dealer network. Available in either double-cab or extended-cab configurations, the AT35 is priced from £30,999 for the extended-cab and from £33,499 for the double-cab configuration.

isuzu.co.uk

Senco compressed air range review

Roger Bisby
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Senco compressed air range review

Roger Bisby looks at some products from the Senco compressed air tool range including the Senco SLP 20XP 18 gauge brad nailer.

Every time I review an air tool I start by making the case for using compressed air. In the U.K it is an under valued resource but elsewhere it is a major player. I have been on American sites where they run a ring main air hose around the whole site so you can use grab a spur and plug your hose in.

On a smaller scale you will be looking at a single tool por table compressor. So in this case the only down side of an air tool is the need to have a compressor and hose but once you make that modest investment you are looking at ultra reliable, low cost, lightweight tools with outstanding power.

They are used in factories throughout the world because there is really very little to wear out so they go on working day in day out for a very long time. Pallet manufacturers for example often have tools that are twenty years old.

I will be looking at a number of Senco air tools over the coming months but here I want to start by looking at a small portable compressor and a brad nailer. You can consider it to be a starter kit for air heads. The PC 0968 compressor has sufficient capacity for running finish nailers and even with the two stacked cylinders adding up to 9 litres it is lightweight and easy to carry weighing 17 kilos.

As compressors go it is fairly quiet and as it draws just 8 amps on start up you won’t be tripping circuit breakers. This Senco SLP 20XP 18 gauge brad nailer, has just two ‘O’ rings and can be serviced in minutes with one Allen key and the 2 ring service pack from Senco. Compared to a gas nailer or even an electric nailer you are talking about simplicity itself. This is borne out by the fact that it comes with a 4 year warranty. This is fundamentally a brad nailer for small moulding etc. but it takes brads between 16 and 41 mm so it is more than capable of fixing architraves and kitchen trims particularly if you are simply holding them while the adhesive sets. You can use a slight-head brad or a lost head pin and you can adjust driving depth by turning the compressor outlet pressure up or down. Once you have set it with a couple of test drives it is very consistent. The side loading magazine is very easy to use and allows you to line up another size brad before the the first clip is exhausted.

The nailer is oiless so you don’t have to worry about tiny oil droplets staining hardwoods.

www.senco.com

Thousands to be made from sharing homes, parking spaces and power tools

Roger Bisby
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Thousands to be made from sharing homes, parking spaces and power tools

Households could be generating an extra £3,000 per year by sharing their homes, cars, parking spaces and even power tools according to online parking marketplace  YourParkingSpace and Rent my Items.

YourParkingSpace, which enables homeowners to rent out their spare parking spaces and driveways has reported that 1 in 3 adults are already using digital sharing economy platforms to make money from their underused assets and that figure is set to grow.

“The introduction of digital apps has made it far easier for individuals to connect and share items that they don’t make full use of and we’ve seen a surge in the numbers of people using our service over the past couple of years, explained Harrison Woods, managing director at Your Parking Space.

The digital start-up, which has been scaling its listings quickly, now advertises over 250,000 parking spaces across the UK, up 40 per cent from the same time a year ago.  Demand for parking spaces through the site is also on the rise with an additional 70,000 new motorists registering to book parking spaces in the past 6 months.

The UK is ranked as having the third largest sharing economy in the world, currently worth £500 million it is projected that it could jump to £9 billion by 2025. Platforms such as Store Mates allow people to rent out their rooms or cupboard to people who need storage space, with a large cupboard renting for around £10.00 a week. Whereas Rent my Items enables people to rent out their bikes, BBQ’s and power tools for between £20.00 – £50.00 a time.

As from April 2017 those renting out their underused assets such as driveways and parking spaces will find it even easier to do so with the Government announcing a tax break for those using sharing economy platforms.

“We’re going to help the new world of micro-entrepreneurs who sell services online or rent out their homes through the internet,” said Chancellor George Osborne in his annual Budget speech earlier this year.

“Our tax system should be helping these people so I’m introducing two new tax-free allowances each worth £1,000 a year, for both trading and property income. There will be no forms to fill in, no tax to pay – it’s a tax break for the digital age and at least half a million people will benefit.”

Harrison Woods, Managing Director of YourParkingSpace, commented, “It’s great to see the UK Government acknowledging the significance of the sharing economy.  It’s big business that will expand significantly over the coming years and support the UK economy, which is good news for everybody.”

May wrong to “cut green crap”

Roger Bisby
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May wrong to “cut green crap”

The Federation of Master Builders (FMB) had said Theresa May’s decision to scrap the Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) is alarming as it signals that improving the energy efficiency of our existing buildings has been pushed ever-further down the list of Government priorities.

Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Three years ago Cameron told his officials to “cut the green crap” and May has taken this further still by dissolving DECC. This means that there will be no Cabinet-level Minister championing climate change issues at the highest level of Government, which is bound to result in less emphasis and less action. Andrea Leadsom’s appointment as Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs provides little solace when you consider that she has regularly voted against measures to tackle climate change in the past. This matters because for May’s newly-formed Government to side-line its green policies, would be to sacrifice their numerous economic benefits.”

Berry continued: “May should make improving our existing buildings an infrastructure investment priority as the knock-on benefits for jobs and growth are enormous. A programme to make British buildings more energy efficient would generate £8.7 billion of net benefits. This is comparable to the benefits delivered by the first phase of HS2, Crossrail, smart meter roll out, or investment in new roads. And unlike these large infrastructure projects, work to improve our existing buildings is not at the mercy of the lengthy and protracted planning process – work could start tomorrow.”

Berry concluded: “We welcome the appointment of Justine Greening as Secretary of State for Education with responsibility for skills and apprentices, which previously came under the Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. We hope that she continues the good work of Nick Boles in improving the quality of apprenticeships, which will in turn help elevate their status so that they are recognised by society as of equal worth to university degrees. Greening has a solid background in transport and treasury briefs which will no doubt help her understand the importance of having a properly skilled construction workforce. As we face the prospect of Brexit, combating the construction skills crisis has never been more important.”

For efficient and fast insulation

Roger Bisby
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For efficient and fast insulation

To make it easier for builders to design and construct complex HVAC systems, Paroc has developed PAROC Hvac Bend AluCoat T – high-quality, factory produced bends for efficient and fast insulation.

PAROC Hvac Bend AluCoat T is a non-combustible stone wool pipe section bend for thermal and condensation insulation of pipework in buildings and ships. Coming with a prefabricated layer of reinforced aluminium foil facing and tape in the longitudinal seam, the product is designed to prevent condensation and make it easier for installers to fit the insulation to the existing HVAC pipes.

Factory produced bends are ready-to-use to ensure fast and easy fitting. Instead of cutting out individual pieces of pipe sections manually and fitting them back together to every pipe elbow in the installation, installers may use dimensionally accurate, prefabricated insulation components which improve the quality of the pipe insulation.

PAROC Hvac Bend AluCoat T is said to perform just as effectively as straight pipe insulation made with PAROC pipe sections, thus being a fully complementary solution.

Unnecessary heat loss is minimised due to the stone wool’s low thermal conductivity and the fact that no metal support is needed, which leads to further reduction of operational costs.

www.paroc.co.uk

Tiling Tips: Making a hole for your soil pipe

Roger Bisby
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Tiling Tips: Making a hole for your soil pipe

In this latest video, Roger Bisby shows how to make a hole for a soil pipe using a DEWALT cordless angle grinder.

Snickers Next Generation work trousers

Roger Bisby
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Snickers Next Generation work trousers

Roger Bisby takes a closer look at the Next Generation Trousers from Snickers.

When you look at the huge range of styles and sizes that Snickers currently offers you might reasonably ask why they need to produce a whole new Next Generation Trouser range. Fashion undoubtedly plays a part, even for a builder who declares himself to be totally uninterested in fashion, but underneath the good looks lies a solid bed of functionality that has helped Snickers stay ahead of the competition throughout its history. This is no mean feat because they are copied relentlessly and they certainly aren’t the cheapest.

So how do they manage to stay ahead of the competition?

It is a question I first started asking a few years ago when I was doing some independent research into the workwear market. Whenever I was out on site testing tools and materials I took the opportunity to quiz people on their choice of workwear. Most of the building trades I spoke to declared a preference for Snickers even if they didn’t actually buy them. With few exceptions they acknowledged that it is a superior product and one that everyone has heard of. The only resistance is the price. People told me that they would like to have Snickers but didn’t want to pay that kind of money for a pair of work trousers. The implication is that they would then have something nice that they didn’t want to trash and it would worry them. That said they rarely went to the other end of the scale so they would end up in the middle.

So what I was hearing was that it wasn’t the whole price it was just the extra bit between a pair of trousers that they knew weren’t as good and the ones they really wanted. After tax the difference might be as little as £20.00 I even spoke to one young man who had bought three pairs of cheaper (but not cheap ) trousers and the zips went on all three. He actually had his flies done up with a safety pin which is a hazardous item if you are in a hurry.

By contrast I also met many people, from various trades, who wouldn’t even consider buying anything other than Snickers. If there is a typical Snickers customer it is probably those people who are instinctively in tune with the idea that you simply have to pay for quality. It costs money to make something that is going to last. It is something they are telling their customers ever day. They won’t be the cheapest quote out there but the job will be right. As an aside I also noticed that those kind of people generally had tidier vans but I don’t know what to do with that information other than try to tie up a deal between van racking and workwear.

Snickers Next Generation work trousers range
AllRoundWork: A great all rounder – Ready for everything

All round 28 -1

For every day wear, suitable for most trades as they are made in hard wearing yet comfortable durable Dobby Pro fabric with Cordura reinforcements which is a comfortable weight of 250 g/m

RuffWork: Suitable for rough construction environments or where durability is a key requirement

Snickers Next Generation work trousers

Made from heavy duty Dobby Pro+ fabric which is also extremely comfortable with cordura 1000D reinforcements 310 g/m

LiteWork: Cool Dry and Ventilated
Lite Work Snickers

Made from a durable Rip Stop fabric containing millions of high-tech patented 37.5 particles –which help regulate the body’s optimum temperature of 37.5 degrees. Although the fabric is lightweight and will keep you cool in summer the particles also help you to stay warm in winter. Now (without going all scientific on us) how the hell do they do that?

Suitable for craftsmen who work in varying different temperature climates and also for craftsmen who want a strong durable trouser without the heavy weight fabrics. Made from Rip Stop fabric with Cordura reinforcements 230 g/m

Flexi Work: Extreme Freedom of Movement

Snickers Flexi work

High-tech stretchy work trousers which are ideal for craftsmen wanting their work clothes to be flexible in all situations. Made in an engineered body mapped design the trousers are extremely comfortable.

Made in a rip stop fabric with Cordura Stretch panels and Cordura reinforcements. 270 g/m.

Construction worker crushed by excavator on school demolition site

Roger Bisby
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Construction worker crushed by excavator on school demolition site

A construction company has been sentenced after a worker suffered crush injuries when he was hit and then run over by an excavator.

Complete Demolition Ltd had been contracted to demolish a school on the site at Stanney Lane, Ellesmere Port to make way for a new leisure centre when the incident occurred.

The firm was prosecuted by The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) after an investigation found arrangements ensuring pedestrians and vehicles were separated were inadequate. There was insufficient control of workers on the site.

The incident occurred on the 27 November 2013 while the site was being cleared. The driver of a Complete Demolition Ltd skip wagon was attempting to reverse the skip into an area that was already occupied by a 40 tonne excavator but was manoeuvring out of the way. A worker was standing in the same area as the skip wagon and excavator and as the excavator moved it hit the worker knocking him to the ground where its tracks ran over his left foot.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the 45-year-old, father of four has been severely affected by his injuries. He has undergone several operations to rebuild his foot. He is still in constant pain and is unable to work.

Complete Demolition Ltd of Stafford House, Westbury Industrial Estate, Hyde pleaded guilty to breaches of Section 2 (1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974 and Regulation 13(2) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007, and was fined £40,000 with £7,246.95 costs.

Speaking after the hearing HSE Inspector Deborah Walker said: “This was an entirely foreseeable incident which could have been avoided. The company failed to properly plan for the duration of the works putting pedestrians at risk.”

British Gyspsum Habito review: Roger Bisby gets the Habito

Roger Bisby
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British Gyspsum Habito review: Roger Bisby gets the Habito
Everyone in the building industry knows that fixing things to plasterboard can be a bit hit and miss. If the plasterboard is on a stud wall you might strike lucky. Or you may not. Sometimes you may be able to position the item, i.e. kitchen wall cupboard to fix across two studs but nothing is guaranteed.

There is of course a whole range of special fixings to help you overcome these problems but it is a given that those fixings can never be stronger than the board itself. Add to this the fact that many people perceive plasterboard to be a second rate product;- when they go to look at a new home they tap the walls in search of something more solid than the hollow walls that plasterboard covers. A great deal of this is prejudice because plasterboard is a perfectly adequate material for many applications but if you are looking for something that can be fixed to without those special fixings or you want something that will take hard knocks then plasterboard comes second to masonry.

Gyproc Habito, from British Gypsum aims to change all that.For the first time we have a plasterboard that will take a direct fixing, and when I say direct I am talking about screwing straight into it without a plug. It also takes a hell of a lot of punishment. We knocked nine bells out of it with a claw hammer and after twenty hard blows just about dented the surface.

Density is key
I can’t give you the exact recipe but Habito is made up of a number of different fibres as well as gypsum but the key is the density. It is highly compressed to a chieve a uniform strength with no voids. This allows you to use an ordinary woodscrew and the load bearing on every screw is 15 kilos. There is of course a safety factor on that loading but let’s deal with recommended load. With four screws into two wall brackets you can fix a kitchen cupboard and stack it to the hilt with canned food and still be within the safe load limit. You can also fix a very large steel radiator to the wall without plugs or worm screws. It is important that you use a conventional single thread screw, fully threaded from tip to head, because twin threaded screws remove the core material for faster fixing and therefore remove an important part of the fixing strength.

That is how you fix to Habito, but how do you fix Habito to the wall? If it is a stud wall you need to use a British Gypsum High Performance fixing that has an undercut on the head. If you use an ordinary drywall screw it tends to have difficulty sinking the head below the surface because Habito is so tough.

Takes huge loads
If you are dotting and dabbing onto masonry there is no difference in the procedure you normally use but the board is capable of taking a huge loading. In fact I would go so far as to say that applying Habito to a block wall could stiffen it considerably and also improve the sound resistance. I don’t imagine there are many people out there (including British Gypsum competitors) who could fail to see the advantages of Habito once they have been pointed out but British Gypsum have their work cut out to communicate these advantages.

If, for example, you are a plumber you would need to be able to identify the board in order to take advantage of enhanced fixing capability. In new build or refurbs where the builder is communicating with the plumber they can pass the information on but down the line there is no way of readily identifying that the board is Gyproc Habito. Somewhere down the line trades may be able to tap the board and hear the difference You can certainly feel the difference when you lift it and when you cut it you need to score it and give it a quick up and down to snap it. If you are cutting narrow strips you might need a saw but if you use sound board or fire board you will already know about this change in approach.

If you are a builder looking to build in a bit of extra quality or you have a customer who is a wall tapper then Gyproc Habito is certainly worth a try. It is a cut above the run of the mill plasterboard and once you use it you may well develop the Habito habit. It could even become a signature of your work, something that sets you apart from the average builder who builds on price alone.

www.british-gypsum.com/products/gyproc-habito

Superglass CEO takes helm of UK insulation body

Dylan Garton
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Superglass CEO takes helm of UK insulation body

Superglass CEO Ken Munro has been appointed chairman of the mineral wool insulation manufacturers’ representative body, MIMA, taking over from David Travill, Managing Director at Isover Saint Gobain.

Ken Munro said: “I would like to thank David for his leadership and contribution, and I am pleased to be assuming the chair at such a critically important time for energy efficiency policy. Investment in the fabric of our homes and in their energy efficiency is good for the economy, increases productivity and attracts investment.

“In Scotland, our government has already committed to making the energy efficiency of our homes an infrastructure priority and is supported by the influential Energy & Climate Change Committee, led by SNP Chair, Angus MacNeil. This is an encouraging position but we would like to see this realised across the United Kingdom.”

Sarah Kostense-Winterton, Executive Director of MIMA, said: “We are looking forward to working with Ken at the helm to realise the potential of making the energy efficiency of our homes a strategic infrastructure need across the UK.

“We need to protect consumers over the long-term from energy price volatility and from fuel poverty, whilst substantially reducing the UK’s carbon emissions. Therefore it has never been more pressing to ensure that energy efficiency delivers for consumers, improves their homes and keeps our communities energy secure across the UK.”

Conference launched to tackle dangers of work at height

Roger Bisby
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Conference launched to tackle dangers of work at height

The Access Industry Forum (AIF), the forum for nine of the leading trade associations and federations involved in work at height, has announced details of its first national, one-day conference. Supported by the Association for Project Safety (APS), Hire Association Europe (HAE) and the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM), Implementing change and innovation in work at height will take place at the Holywell Park Conference Centre in Loughborough on 13 October 2016.

Dedicated exclusively to height safety, the Forum has assembled an impressive line up of expert speakers from industry, academia and the professions. From drones to designing for access, they will address the issues and topics, trends and developments set to shape the work at height agenda over the coming months and years.

Speakers include Philip White, head of operational policy and strategy at the Health and Safety Executive; Steffan Groch, chair of the Health and Safety Lawyers’ Association; Paul Bussey, chairman of the  Designers’ Initiative on Health and Safety; Prof Tim Marsh, chairman of RyderMarshSharman; and Dylan Roberts, director of health, safety and wellbeing at Skanska UK.

In total, 10 presenters will cover a wide range of thought provoking topics from duty holders failing to do their duty and the benefits of a behavioural approach to work at height, to the role of technology and eLearning and the impact of the CDM Regulations 2015.

Dr Shaun Lundy of the University of Greenwich – a member of the HSE’s Myth Busters Challenge Panel – will talk about the myths and misconceptions surrounding work at height, and John Dunne, group health, safety, environment and quality director at the Wates Group will discuss his company’s ‘reshaping tomorrow’ initiative.

Comments chair of the AIF Marketing Committee, Chris Kendall: “As the first conference to focus entirely on the future of work at height, this promises to be a landmark event in the evolution of height safety. It will examine the key issues facing professionals today in this critical area of health and safety.”

“The Forum and its member organisations have a strong history of contributing to the development of safety and best practice and this conference will be no exception.”

For more information about the conference programme, speakers and the ‘early bird’ ticket option available until 31 July 2016, please visit  www.accessindustryforum.org.uk/events/

Ticket prices:
If booked on or before 31 July 2016, £134-96 + VAT (£161-95 inc. VAT)
If booked after 31 July, £149-95 + VAT    (179-94 inc. VAT)

Official conference supporters:
• Association for Project Safety (APS)
• Hire Association Europe (HAE)
• International Institute of Risk and Safety Management (IIRSM)

AIF member organisations:
• Association of Technical Lightning and Access Specialists (ATLAS)
• British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF)
• Edge Protection Federation (EPF)
• Fall Arrest Safety Equipment Training (FASET)
• International Powered Access Federation (IPAF)
• Ladder Association (LA)
• Prefabricated Access Suppliers’ & Manufacturers’ Association (PASMA)
• Specialist Access Engineering and Maintenance Association (SAEMA)
• Work at Height Safety Association (WAHSA)

Construction deaths rise

Roger Bisby
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Construction deaths rise

Provisional annual data for work-related fatal accidents in Great Britain’s workplaces has shown a rise in deaths among construction workers.

Forty three construction workers were killed while at work in 2015/2016 – up from 35 in 2014/5.
The construction industry has the highest death rate of all industries. HSE figures show 144 people were killed accross all industries in 2015/2016 with the following break down:

  • Forty three workers died in construction, the same as the average for the previous five years.
  • In agriculture there were 27 deaths (compared to the five-year average of 32).
  • In manufacturing there were 27 deaths (compared to five-year average 22), but this figure includes three incidents that resulted in a total of eight deaths.
  • There were six fatal injuries to workers in waste and recycling, compared to the five-year average of seven, but subject to considerable yearly fluctuation.

There were also 103 members of the public fatally injured in accidents connected to work in 2015/16, of which 36 (35 percent) related to incidents occurring on railways.

The HSE has also released the latest available figures on deaths from asbestos-related cancer. Mesothelioma, one of the few work related diseases where deaths can be counted directly, contracted through past exposure to asbestos killed 2,515 in Great Britain in 2014 compared to 2,556 in 2013.

A more detailed assessment of the data will be provided as part of the annual Health and Safety Statistics release in early November. As this draws on HSE’s full range of sources, including changes in non-fatal injuries and health trends.

www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/fatals.htm

Timber company fine a warning to other construction companies, says HSE

Dylan Garton
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Timber company fine a warning to other construction companies, says HSE

A Somerset based Timber company has been sentenced for safety failings relating to a construction project which an HSE inspector has said should act as a warning to other construction firms.

Oxford Magistrates’ Court heard how The Timber Frame Company (TFC) was contracted to work at Tracey Farm, a country retreat.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) served a Prohibition Notice on the company prohibiting work at height approximately three metres above the ground without adequate precautions.

An investigation by the HSE found that work at height had not been properly planned or carried out safely. The company did not have suitable and sufficient measures to prevent workers from falling and sustaining injury. A Prohibition Notice (PN) was served and found to be breached when further unsafe work at height took place at the same location the following day.

The Timber Frame Company, of Red Cross Hall, High Street, Bruton, Somerset, pleaded guilty to breaching Section 33(1)(g) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974, and was fined £8,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,133.

HSE inspector Peter Snelgrove said after the hearing: “If HSE visits a construction site and has to issue a prohibition notice preventing further work, that shows there is a very real and immediate risk to workers.

“This case should act as a warning to other construction firms. The notices that HSE serve are legally enforceable and companies will find themselves in court if they fail to take action.”

For further information on work at height visit: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/workingatheight.htm

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