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Two companies fined after disturbing asbestos at flat conversion

Roger Bisby
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Two companies fined after disturbing asbestos at flat conversion

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how two employees of 24-Hour Maintenance Services Limited disturbed asbestos insulating board (AIB) whilst they were doing refurbishment work at a former commercial premises undergoing conversion into flats, in Romford, London.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred between mid-July 2014 and 11 August 2014 found that the client had not passed on the details of the presence of asbestos to the contractor, despite prior knowledge.

No refurbishment and demolition survey was conducted to determine the presence of asbestos on the site. The two workers stripped out the AIB without any effective precautions and therefore received significant exposure to asbestos fibres.

Asbestos can be found in any building built before the year 2000. A refurbishment / demolition asbestos survey is required where the premises, or part of it, need upgrading, refurbishment or demolition.

Firestone Estates Limited, of Tolpits Lane, Watford, Hertfordshire pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 10(1)(b) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2007 and were fined £10,000 and were ordered to pay £1020.64 in costs with a £1,000 victim surcharge.

24-Hour Maintenance Services Limited, of Linton Avenue, Borehamwood, Hertfordshire pleaded guilty to breaching Section 2(1) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and were fined £5,000 with £974.44 in costs and a victim surcharge of £500.

www.hse.gov.uk/asbestos/

Bad Weather Tops the List of Builders’ Woes

Roger Bisby
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Bad Weather Tops the List of Builders’ Woes

Travis Perkins has revealed the industry’s biggest headaches as part of its pledge to support customers by promoting and encouraging innovation.

After speaking to contractors, housebuilders, manufacturers and staff, a number of common industry-wide problems became clear. The UK weather was a shared frustration, with high levels of rain blamed for construction delays, muddy working environments and the reduced effectiveness of certain building products. Unsurprisingly, health and safety was also a primary concern, from using heavy materials and equipment at height to manual handling injuries. Plus, it was universally agreed that solutions were needed to reduce waste levels and address the looming skills gap.

To tackle these collective problems, Travis Perkins plc has launched the first ever Travis Perkins Innovation Awards (TPIA). The search is now on for ground-breaking product solutions with entries open to anyone in the construction industry, as well as inventors, universities, students and colleagues from across Travis Perkins plc. Entries from simple sketches to detailed proposals are being accepted.

Norman Bell, Group Strategy Director at Travis Perkins plc, said: “This is a golden opportunity for those in construction who face daily problems that are a barrier to progress and profit, as well as for creative minds that want to make a difference to a vital industry sector. As well as a general product innovation category, we’re looking for solutions to the issues our survey identified; namely safety, skills, sustainability, and productivity.

“The Awards are not just important for recognising ideas that could solve some of the industry’s headaches, but also to move the industry forward and future-proof an important economic stream. As a major UK employer with 21 businesses, it’s vital that we encourage innovation and skills, build the best and most innovative service possible for customers, and tackle major issues such as sustainability.”

The closing date for entries is 30th June 2016 with winners announced at the end of September 2016. Prizes may include financial investment and business support for product and idea development, an opportunity to trial products in selected Travis Perkins plc locations around the UK, or business mentoring and support from Travis Perkins plc’s senior team.

Organised by the Innovate team at Travis Perkins plc, the main sponsor is Marshalls, the UK’s leading innovator of hard landscaping, water management and street furniture products.

[pdf-embedder url=”https://skill-builder.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/The-Construction-Industrys-Greatest-Headaches.pdf”]

NASC updates free scaffold specification template

Roger Bisby
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NASC updates free scaffold specification template

The National Access & Scaffolding Confederation (NASC) has launched an updated version of its user-friendly, free Scaffold Specification Template (Guide to Managing and Appointing Scaffolding Contractors).

The popular scaffolding guide  is designed “to improve the quality of scaffold structures erected on construction sites and other works of engineering maintenance in accordance with current legislation, guidance and protocol and to minimise the risk of accident or injury to operatives working on or near the scaffold and the general public.”

This 20-page document (free to download from the NASC Website or to be distributed by email to those who need it) is intended for use by anybody with responsibility for the management, use, monitoring and provision of scaffolding.

The Scaffold Specification Template features a wealth of information about tube and fitting and system scaffolding as well as lightweight mobile access towers. And there are sections on current scaffolding regulation, competence, training and proficiency of CISRS Part 1, Part 2 and Advanced scaffolding operatives, scaffold design, handover certificates, scaffold inspections, risk and method statements and client information.

In addition, there is a large section on the minimum requirements for scaffold tube, boards, fittings, loading bays, brick guards, sheeting and debris netting, access and egress, edge protection, ties and hop up and stage brackets.

The document is easy to read and navigate and also contains TG20:13 Compliance Sheet examples, Scaffold Inspection Report Sheets, examples of current CISRS cards and more useful documentation.

NASC President, Alan Lilley said: “For many Principal Contractors/Clients specifying the criteria for a scaffolding contract at tender/pre contract stage can be as onerous and uncertain a task as trying to manage the operations of an appointed Scaffolding Contractor.

“The information contained within this guidance published by the NASC will be of great assistance to those procuring, appointing and managing scaffolding contracts. It should help to ensure that correct and up to date scaffolding standards are incorporated into relevant contract documentation and will require that appointed scaffolding contractors adopt recognised scaffolding industry good practice upon their site(s).”

www.nasc.org.uk

 

Security upgrade for Mumford & Wood range

Roger Bisby
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Security upgrade for Mumford & Wood range

Mumford & Wood Conservation sliding sash windows are now SBD certified to meet Approved Document Q – Security.

“To the untrained eye the Conservation sash window looks no different to its predecessor, so much so that even burglars won’t see this until they have struggled with the security features and, of course, timber offers better strength to weight ratios than any other frame material,” says Frank Buckley, managing director, Mumford & Wood. “High levels of thermal, acoustic and air tightness come as standard and our products surpass the requirements of Part L Building Regulations.”

The technicians at Mumford & Wood have innovated improvements to the existing and coordinated products in the Conservation range enabling a new higher level of security without any visible difference.  These windows and doors join a certified line up in the Conservation collection which includes SBD certified casement windows, French doorsets, bi-folding and entrance doors.

The security standard demanded by Building Regulations, to which products are tested, is known as PAS24 but prior to this all products must be tested and rated for weather and air tightness to meet BS6375 (Parts 1 & 2).  “It is pointless having safe and secure windows and doors if you cannot keep the weather at bay,” continues Buckley.

“While the requirement to meet Part Q applies to new buildings only, existing home owners will want these security benefits applied to replacement products for the upkeep and maintenance of their properties as well as for major refurbishments and extensions.”

www.mumfordwood.com

Construction Company Sentenced

Roger Bisby
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Construction Company Sentenced

A London based construction company has been fined for safety failings.

Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard how RS Construction UK (London) Limited was working at a site on St Dionis Road, London which was inspected by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

The inspector found there was an excavation directly behind the front door, which was the only entrance and exit for the site.

Excavated entrance and exit to and from site

The excavation was approximately 3.5 meters deep with no means of shoring to support the sides of the excavation and no edge protection around the top to stop persons, materials or objects falling into it.

Of immediate concern was a worker in the bottom of the excavation who was instructed to exit the excavation.

An investigation by the HSE found that the RS Construction had received previous enforcement action on similar risks on other sites and still failed to ensure suitable and sufficient safe access and egress to and from the construction site and also failed to ensure all practicable steps were taken to prevent danger to any person from working in the excavation.

RS Construction UK (London) Limited, of International House, Regents Street, London, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulations 17(1)(a) and 22(1) of the Construction (Design and Management) Regulations 2015, and was fined £40,000. £20,000 for each offence and ordered to pay full costs of £1,486.

For further information working in basements and excavation visit: www.hse.gov.uk.

Are you breathing safely?

Roger Bisby
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Are you breathing safely?

UKATA explains the importance of following HSG247 guidance – particularly concerning respirators

The UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) has highlighted the importance of government guidelines surrounding Asbestos: The licensed contractors’ guide (HSG247) to ensure proper removal of asbestos. One area of particular concern is people often not being aware of rules on wearing respirators, and thus significantly increasing the risks of breathing in deadly asbestos dust.

“UKATA still hears a worrying number of cases where individuals tasked with the removal of asbestos have failed to take all the necessary steps to protect themselves in their line of work,” said Craig Evans, General Manager of UKATA. “Respiratory Protective Equipment (RPE) is a particular area of concern as all too often we are still seeing a laissez-faire attitude towards personal safety and poor awareness of where, when and how such life-saving equipment must be deployed.”

Part of the reason for this may be that asbestos can take between fifteen to sixty years from first exposure for the serious harm it causes to become apparent. This can still lull people into a false sense of security when it comes to the dangers of asbestos. Indeed, this delayed response time is the reason it took so long for diseases like Mesothelioma to be traced back to asbestos exposure in the first place.

Although it is still relatively rare to hear of no protective equipment being worn, one real problem in the industry is equipment being used which is inappropriate to the situation. Often, instead of using correct respirators, dust-masks are ‘doubled-up’. These masks are arguably more dangerous than no mask at all when it comes to working with asbestos, as they provide a false sense of security for the user.

Chapter five of the licenced contractors guide covers the use of PPE and RPE and makes clear that RPE “plays a crucial part in the control regime”. The guide also makes clear that RPE is a last resort and not a substitute for the prevention of fibres being released in the first place. Powered respirators are much more effective, but situations where these would be deployed would usually involve licenced work undertaken by licenced contractors.

While work on any type of asbestos can be dangerous, work with asbestos cement products (for example) is usually classed as non-licensed work and can be carried out by non-licenced workers, so long as they have received the appropriate training and the material is sound, and can be handled without the asbestos breaking up. If the material is so badly damaged that there is a real risk of exposure to asbestos fibres, then a risk assessment would determine if a licenced contractor is required.

In any event, licenced and non-licenced employees alike must have been fit tested and training in this area is also vital, as without good contact between the wearer’s skin and the face seal of the RPE, any protection it offers is seriously compromised. As it would be unlikely that one type of mask would fit all faces, fit testing is essential. In all of this training, regular refresher courses can make all the difference.

“PPE and RPE are just a few of the training areas covered by UKATA members” added Craig. “While HSG247 is aimed at licenced workers, many would benefit from familiarity with the guide if their work is likely to bring them into contact with asbestos. No matter if employees are undertaking licenced or non-licensed work; regular refresher training on RPE should be an annual event at least. Without adequate training there is no guarantee (nor can an employer assume) they know how to use it safely.”

 

UKATA members provide training on asbestos safety, delivering the highest standard of asbestos training in the UK. For further information on UKATA, or to check out the very latest news and updates, visit www.ukata.org.uk

 

How to: Level a floor with self levelling compound

Roger Bisby
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How to: Level a floor with self levelling compound

In this video Roger Bisby demonstrates how to level a floor with self levelling compound for the best results as well as talking through how to get the best out of latex modified self-levelling sub-floor compounds.

In this example Roger uses Bostik’s Cempolatex to level a floor with self levelling compound, but the theory applies to most self levelling screeds and you’ll see that it’s not just a simple case of throwing the mixture on the floor and retiring while it spreads itself out.

Product Overview:
– Protein-free suitable for use in hygiene and food preparation areas
– Flexible, rapid setting formula
– Self levelling
– Levels and fills
– Interior use

Uses: Concrete, sand/cement screeds, quarry tiles, rigid timber floors, stone, brick and terrazzo floors, asphalt floors, floor topping and concrete re-surfacer, patching.

Sizes: 25kg

Coverage: 5m2 per 3mm per 25kg

Find out more about Cempolatex at: www.bostik.co.uk

Bond it shoots for charity goal

Dylan Garton
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Bond it shoots for charity goal

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 Hospice provides specialist palliative care to adults suffering from progressive, life-limiting illnesses.

To ensure its care is as widely accessible as possible, the hospice – which celebrates its 35th anniversary in 2016 – delivers its service free of charge.

It is funded largely by the local community with some additional support from the NHS.

In total, 15 teams from locally based businesses took part in the three hour tournament.

The Bond It team finished second overall.  They lost in the final to RSA Insurance who took away the Overgate Hospice Trophy.

Speaking of the company’s support, Graham Helm, operations director at Bond It, said: “Bond It has been an on-going supporter of Overgate Hospice for a number of years and our participation in the charity football tournament continues that relationship. This reflects a strong belief in corporate social responsibility which is all part and parcel of Bond It’s wider quality focused approach.”

Claire Bradley, community fundraiser at Overgate Hospice, added: “We’re delighted this year’s five-a-side football tournament was so well supported, attracting the highest number of teams to date.

“Collectively, the players, their supporters and their sponsors helped to raise over £1,000 for Overgate Hospice. This will be used towards our running costs, ultimately helping to keep the hospice open.

“On behalf of the Overgate team, our clients and their families, I’d like to thank everyone involved.”

www.bond-it.co.uk

Checkatrade urges women to join the construction industry

Dylan Garton
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Checkatrade urges women to join the construction industry

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 name, but you will also be found via a general Checkatrade search. You will also have your own profile page and with our branding on your vehicle and letterhead, your future customers will know that you work to a high standard.”

Whether you are embarking on a career change or have just left school, with over 150 professions in the construction industry, there is something to suit everyone.

Checkatrade is a free, online service that is dedicated to helping peopl  find the right trade or service.

Tradespeople are fully vetted before they become a member of Checkatrade and once they join, members agree to have feedback from their customers put online for all to say. Checkatrade has gained over 2 million reviews of tradespeople to date.

www.checkatrade.com.

Fein AFMT 12 Cordless MultiTalent

Roger Bisby
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Fein AFMT 12 Cordless MultiTalent

Powertool manufacturer Fein has released its latest “Feeling FEIN’ Cordless MultiTalent video tool review.

The ‘Feeling FEIN’ reviews focus on getting FEIN’s products into the hands of professional tradesmen. Each tradesman has been using a specific FEIN power tool and has given their honest feedback on camera.

In this review, Ian Ellis from IBE Joinery (Kitchen Fitters) tests the FEIN AFMT 12 Cordless MultiTalent.

You can keep up to date with the ‘Feeling FEIN’ reviews on twitter using #FeelingFein

The best drill test on Youtube or a waste of time? You decide

Dylan Garton
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The best drill test on Youtube or a waste of time? You decide

Roger Bisby takes us behind the scenes of the latest Skill-builder 18-volt drill test which puts drills from Makita, Bosch, Dewalt, Milwaukee, Metabo, Festool, Hitachi and Panasonic through their paces.

The Skill-builder 18-volt drill test has proved to be our single most successful YouTube video ever with over 3/4 of a million views and rising. It has also prompted more comments and debate among viewers than any other video on our channel.

Who knew there was so much passion coursing through the veins of drill users and abusers?  Well, we did and Skill-builder actively encourages debate because we believe the comments below the video are as important as anything on-screen.

In those comments we were asked over and over why we had left out certain brands and we were also asked why we picked particular models.

We took this all on board and we knew that we should brace ourselves for the inevitable; a new updated test.  It was also necessary because, since our first test, there have been some significant changes.

Naturally, manufacturers have all tried to take the best bits of technology from their competitors and incorporate them into their models and battery technology has taken another leap forward.  So this time we stipulated 5AmpHr.

In our new 18-volt test we included more brands and this time we asked the manufacturers to submit the drill of their choice. We assumed that everyone would send us their most powerful and expensive machine but this was not the case.

Bosch and Hitachi sent us their 4 pole brushed motors because they sell well as entry-level models. We knew they wouldn’t win but the question was by how much they would lose?

Is it worth spending the extra on a brushless motor in terms of performance and runtime? The results were slightly skewed by two  5.2 Ah batteries form Metabo and Festool.

Did the extra 0.2 Ah make a difference? We also had a 3-speed gearbox from DeWalt and a 4-speed box from Festool.

The individual results are there for all to see but in order to make some kind of sense of the results we had to devise a measure of performance against price.

Again this was something our viewers wanted. This is not easy, which aspect of performance should we measure?

We decided that taking the torque and dividing that number by the average (not list) price gave us a figure that we called  ‘bang for buck’. It shows how much each Newton Metre of torque costs and it is revealing.

We then arranged each drill in order of its performance in each test so the drill that gave us the best runtime gained the top mark of 8 (because there were eight drills in the contest) and the one that gave the least runtime got one point.

Working through the various categories we awarded points for each drill and added them up at the end to find the best all-rounder.  For the second time running the drill that came out best in test was the Milwaukee 18 FPD fuel motor. Not only does this machine have the highest torque it is also shorter in length than many and has a very good runtime and though not the cheapest, proved to be good value for money.

So the test is up on YouTube and again the comments are pouring in. They make entertaining reading. Many viewers are telling us that ours is the best drill review on Youtube and it has been generally well received.

We are happy about that but the comment I like best is the guy who says “I don’t care what your tests say the drill I own will beat them all”.

That is what they call a brand loyal customer, or could it just be blinkered?  Far be it from us to drag him out of his comfort zone but it makes you wonder why he subjects himself to so much pain and doubt by looking at comparative tests in the first place.

He reminds me of a football supporter doggedly sticking to the choice he made years ago in his naive youth. Even though his team has been losing for years, there is still hope that one day they will rise up and win the league. He is a dreamer but we all need our dreams.

 

Man Sentenced After Worker is Fatally Crushed in a Trench

Roger Bisby
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Man Sentenced After Worker is Fatally Crushed in a Trench

A self-employed contractor has been fined after an employee was fatally crushed when the trench he was working in collapsed on him.

Swansea Magistrates’ Court heard how William Ryan Evans was contracted to construct a drainage field comprising of infiltration pipes laid at the bottom of deep trenches. He employed two workers and a subcontractor excavator to undertake the work at Longstone Farm, in Pembrokeshire.

Hywel Glyndwr Richards, aged 54, entered the trench to remove a clump of soil that had fallen into the trench when it collapsed, burying him. He died at the scene.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on 26 June 2012 found that the work was not planned appropriately and the risk assessment was not suitable or sufficient. The workers were not appropriately trained and suitable equipment to prevent a collapse were not provided.

At Swansea Crown Court on Monday 11 April, William Ryan Evans, of Blaenwaun Twr, Trelech, Carmarthenshire was found guilty of breaching Section 2 of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was given a six-month custodial sentence.

HSE Inspector Phil Nicolle said: “This tragic incident could have been prevented by undertaking a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks, providing the correct equipment or safe working methods to the workers and managing and monitoring the work to ensure it was done safely.

“Work in excavations needs to be properly planned, managed and monitored to ensure no one enters an excavation deeper than 1.2m without adequate controls in place to prevent a collapse.”

Hywel Richards’ family said: “Dad was an integral part of our family, the glue that kept us all together. Our family was devastated by his sudden death. We have wondered so many times why this has happened to us, we were meant to grow up with Dad as our guide; the man we looked up to and loved so much.

“Family gatherings and celebrations, once joyous occasions, are now ruined because dad is not there. Today, and for the rest of our lives, we are mourning the loss of dad, our best friend, our confidant and protector. Quite simply, he has left a space that will never be filled. We hope that lessons will be learned from dad’s death.”

For further information on safety in excavations visit: www.hse.gov.uk/construction/safetytopics/excavations

Demolition Contractor sentenced over multiple safety failings

Roger Bisby
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Demolition Contractor sentenced over multiple safety failings

A Hertfordshire based contractor has been found guilty for a series of safety failings across two separate sites.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) received a complaint in March 2014 from a member of the public living close to the former Chesham Community Hospital site in Buckinghamshire, concerning activities taking place on the premises.

When HSE inspectors arrived they found a catalogue of failings including the presence of asbestos containing materials among building debris, demolition arrangements not recorded in writing, and witness accounts of dangerous practises including unsafe work at height and use of construction machinery, poor site security and a lack of welfare facilities. In HSE’s opinion there was also a serious risk of injury from collapse of partially demolished buildings.

Enforcement action was taken immediately by way of Prohibition and Improvement Notices being served on both the contractor and client to ensure on-going risks were controlled. The client Chesham Care Ltd) was prosecuted for failings under the Construction (Design & Management) Regulations 2007 (CDM) and fined a total amount of £30,000 in October 2015.

Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court heard attempts were made by HSE to contact the contractor without avail. However, in June 2015 an HSE inspector was alerted to unsafe working practices at a site in Stevenage, Hertfordshire.

Upon attending, the HSE inspector found the same contractor in control of workers unsafely dismantling parts of the building to recover recyclables, such as metal. No risk assessment had been done regarding respiratory exposure to asbestos containing materials. The client told HSE the contractor was working without their knowledge on the site and had alerted the police.

As well as immediate enforcement action being taken on site to control risks, a private investigator was subsequently used to track down the contractor who had failed to respond to HSE.

Milton Keynes Magistrates’ Court heard Scot Ian Richardson t/a Aztec Demolition was acting as the contractor in control for both projects. After a trial Scot Ian Richardson was found guilty of two breaches of the CDM Regulations 2007, one breach of The Control of Asbestos Regulations 2012 and one breach of The Health and Safety at Work Act etc,1974 and was sentenced to four months suspended custodial sentence and 200 hours community service order. He was also ordered to pay costs of £1,200.

After the hearing, HSE inspector Rauf Ahmed said: “Sole traders who control workers to demolish and dismantle structures must understand their legal obligations. This is a high risk industry in which poor planning has no place. Family members expect their loved ones to come home in one piece.

“Clients have a key role in safely directing construction projects. Effective arrangements at the start can have an amplified positive impact down the various stages to completion, including making informed and competent appointments”

When asbestos removal goes wrong

Roger Bisby
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When asbestos removal goes wrong

UKATA explains what to do when the best laid plans fail.

In the light of several cases where asbestos has been incorrectly removed, or improperly disposed of, the UK Asbestos Training Association (UKATA) is reminding everyone of best practice on how to handle asbestos and while all steps should be taken to avoid accidents, what needs to be done in situations where they occur.

The best approach is of course to avoid situations where accidents can happen. When it comes to handling asbestos, a plan should be in place and for licenced work; properly trained individuals must be engaged to safely remove the substance. However, even with the best trained staff, accidents can and do occasionally happen. This mostly occurs in cases of accidental exposure of asbestos or when asbestos is not found in a survey. It is imperative in this situation that the staff involved make the necessary assessment and (if they are trained to do so), clean-up correctly to minimise the risk to themselves and others. Another key part of asbestos removal which is somewhat neglected is how to correctly remove and dispose of asbestos waste.

“Removal of asbestos from buildings is arguably only the first stage of the job. Knowing about how to clear up after an accident is nearly as important as knowing how to remove asbestos correctly in the first place” said Craig Evans, General Manager of UKATA. “When something has gone wrong in the removal process, there is the greatest risk of asbestos causing damage. It’s essential for asbestos professionals to be familiar with this. Furthermore, all employees should know the correct procedure for disposal of asbestos waste following successful removal.”

Should the unthinkable happen and asbestos be unwittingly disturbed, the first consideration is for the safety of those present. Those not licenced to work with asbestos should stop work immediately and evacuate the area.

If there is dust or debris on your clothes, if practicable, remove clothing or remove the top layer of clothing and place in a plastic bag. Put on a pair of disposable overalls if available, alternatively wipe down any contaminated clothing with wet wipes or a damp rag. In this instance it is essential to put on a respirator with a protection factor of at least twenty, which will minimise the risk of breathing in fibres. Afterwards, all clothing must be disposed of, and anyone affected should shower as soon as possible. The area where the asbestos found should then be cordoned off to prevent further exposure.

When it is confirmed that asbestos fibres have been released and workers exposed in an uncontrolled manner, the incident should be reported to the HSE under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences (RIDDOR) Regulations, as a dangerous occurrence. This would be classed as ‘accidental release of any substance that may damage health’. If you are concerned that you may have been exposed to asbestos in an incident you should consult your GP, and ask for a note to be made on your health record detailing the incident.

Disposal is relatively simple. There are clear industry guidelines which anyone working with and involved in the disposal of asbestos must be familiar with. Waste must be packed in UN­approved packaging with a Carriage of Dangerous Goods (CDG) hazard sign and asbestos code information visible. It should always be double wrapped. Any waste with more than 0.1% asbestos is classified as being ‘hazardous’. Most importantly, asbestos should always be disposed of at a licensed disposal site.

Of course, the best way to minimise the damage caused by accidents is by wearing protective equipment at all times – even when an asbestos survey has shown no asbestos present. Taking these steps, and correctly disposing of asbestos will minimise the damage that asbestos causes.

“If in doubt when it comes to asbestos, the best thing to do is leave it to the professionals,” said Craig. “By this, we mean someone who has received the correct and necessary training. Asbestos is much more dangerous than people give it credit for. It is no coincidence that Asbestos is known as the hidden killer and it is vital that it is treated with the seriousness it deserves.”

www.ukata.org.uk

 

Safe as houses (or schools?)

Roger Bisby
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Safe as houses (or schools?)

The partial collapse of a school wall in Scotland has led to the closure of 17 other schools in Scotland while urgent checks are carried out.  Thankfully nobody was killed or injured in this incident but it does raise some interesting points; first about the design of these 10 year old buildings and also about the inspection during the build.

A point worth noting about the school where the brick wall collapse took place is that it is not really a brick building. It is a steel framed building that has been clad with bricks for cosmetic purposes.  This might seem like an academic point but I think it has a lot to do with the problem.  The bricks do nothing more than providing a rain screen and this could have been made out of any number of  sheet materials or even tiles but brick is often chosen as a nod towards tradition and a feeling of permanence.  Remember the Three Little Pigs?  The pig that survived was the one who built his house out of brick. People trust brick and rightly so; it is a fantastic building material. It pre-dates the Romans; it  is versatile and, in the right hands, impressively structural. However in modern buildings it is all too often under-employed and relegated to a cosmetic cladding with no structural function at all. If you look at the school in question you will see great unnatural spans across the windows that would never have been possible if brick had been a  structural element.

For me the thing that has made brick exciting down through the ages is was the way it is used structurally. Look at St Pancras station, or Hampton Court Palace. Look at the countless cellars with brick vaulted ceilings and the railway arches that still carry the load of trains without the slightest sign of deflection. They are a feast for the eye combining complex geometry and skill. Modern brickwork is often lazy and has none of these possibilities.  If you look at a modern cavity wall construction the inner skin is often timber frame or an aircrete thermal block. That block wall, though quite soft and fragile, takes the load from the roof and the floors and that weight in turn gives the wall stability. The outer brick skin performs no real structural function. It is tied to the inner skin with stainless steel wall-ties, which provide a small amount of extra stability to the inner wall  by creating a kind of diaphragm,  but the real function of the ties is to stop the outer skin from falling down in a high wind. Before the invention of cavity walls (circa 1900) all brick walls were solid and the bricks were laid in stretchers and alternate headers to tie the whole structure in.  The wall worked as one load-bearing element with the weight of the roof and walls spread across the whole wall. It would take a tank to knock it down. Structurally it is far superior to a cavity wall. The only drawback is that it a solid wall allows the passage of cold and damp so, understandably, it had to go.

We have backed ourselves further into a corner by the need to detach the inner skin from the outer skin to prevent cold bridging. Again this is a desirable thing in terms of energy efficiency but  it means there is no opportunity whatsoever of the outer skin being loaded.  So we depend completely upon those metal ties and metal ties can and do fail.  On older properties is was a problem of corrosion. The ties always rusted and snapped at the point where they entered the brickwork. So now we use high grade stainless steel, or possibly something from China, but the tie can only ever be as good as the material that is holding it into the brick, which is the mortar.  Even if the mortar is good at the beginning it will inevitably be softened and eroded over time, though hopefully it will last more than ten years.

They are fixing the immediate problem in Scotland, by putting in large ugly ties with plates on the outside to capture the bricks,  but Scotland is not alone in having wall-tie failure and wall tie failure is not easily predicted. Once again I come back to my over-arching principle, which is that if something is so critical in building industry that it needs a whole raft of measures to make it work then  it needs to be redesigned. In this case the redesign may be  as simple as bending the ties so they hook down into the pierced brick holes, rather than simply being bedded in the mortar, or it may be that we need to think about overcoming the cold bridging problem and letting the outer brick skin share the load they way it always used to. Bricks are more than up to the task we just need to give them a chance to do what they do best.

Plymouth Plumber Puts Lives at Risk with False Gas Safety Checks

Roger Bisby
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Plymouth Plumber Puts Lives at Risk with False Gas Safety Checks

A plumber arranged for fraudulent gas safety checks at landlords’ tenanted properties leaving a gas boiler in a dangerous state and putting the lives of the tenants at risk.

Gary Lynch, aged 36, arranged for Neil Walker to undertake the landlords’ gas safety checks at tenanted properties on 14 separate occasions between February 2013 and May 2015 despite Neil Walker not being a registered gas engineer.

Gas safety records produced used a false Gas Safe Register registration number and a fictitious address for Neil Walker.

Gary Lynch claimed to have met Neil Walker in a pub and instructed him to undertake the landlords’ gas safety checks for him, as the agent for the landlords, but Gary Lynch did not undertake any checks on whether Neil Walker was registered to legally undertake such work.

One gas boiler that Neil Walker passed as safe was subsequently found to be ‘Immediately Dangerous’ and was potentially leaking poisonous carbon monoxide into the tenants’ property.

Gas safety checks
Bogus gas safety checks totally unacceptable

The tenants had been suffering from headaches and dizziness and contacted Wales and West Utilities who isolated the gas supply to the boiler and contacted the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) who investigated Gary Lynch’s activities.

During that investigation, Gary Lynch was not able to provide any information or contact details for Neil Walker. Gary Lynch was sentenced at Plymouth Crown Court.

Bogus Gas Safety Checks

He had previously been warned by HSE in 2014 about undertaking gas work whilst not registered following previous concerns.

Gary Lynch of Fletemoor Road, Plymouth, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 4 of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations 1998 and Section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 and was sentenced to 12 months imprisonment for each offence suspended for 18 months and was ordered to pay £2,000 in costs.

HSE Inspector Simon Jones, speaking after the hearing, said: “Gary Lynch’s negligence could have cost lives.

All landlord’s gas safety checks must be done by registered Gas Safe engineers to ensure the highest standards are met to prevent injury and loss of life.

Mr Lynch knew this but carried on instructing an unregistered man and put the lives of tenants at serious risk from deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

Further information about gas safety can be found at www.hse.gov.uk/gas/.

See more on gas safety checks with Skill Builder.

DEWALT introduces 18V brushless, cordless planer

Roger Bisby
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DEWALT introduces 18V brushless, cordless planer

New from DEWALT is the DCP580 Planer which the power tool manufacturer says is the world’s first 18V brushless, cordless planer.

The new technology pairs an efficient brushless motor with a high capacity XR battery, working in tandem to provide maximum output and excellent runtime. DEWALT says the DCP580 has enough runtime for a typical day’s work from just one charge of a DEWALT 18V 5Ah XR Li-ion battery.

Ergonomically designed, guaranteed tough

The DCP580 is designed to withstand the harshest of jobsite conditions and excel during the toughest applications. This durability is harnessed within a lightweight, compact body; well-balanced for both horizontal and vertical planing. The DCP580 weighs in at just 3.1KG with battery, weighted towards the front of the trigger to reduce any physical strain during use. Its soft grip handle offers end-users optimum comfort and manoeuvrability during a wide range of applications, ensuring the DCP580 remains practical and user-friendly for all DEWALT trade professionals.

The DEWALT DCP580 combines power with performance, allowing it to plane up to 2.0mm in soft wood or hard wood, giving end-users the planing capacity to meet most demands. The twin 82mm TCT reversible blades ensure a smooth, clean and accurate cut, the 295mm total shoe length in turn offers further improved stability and precision. Additional user-friendly features: including on-board blade storage and an in-built Torx key for rapid, easy blade changes, reducing downtime spent in changeover.

The fine indexed, accurate depth adjustment knob allows for maximum precision, with the 9.0mm rebate capacity of the DCP580 making it ideal for minor on-site alterations and fixes. DEWALT has also integrated an AirLock port for compatibility with the DWV9390 dust bag or with DEWALT AirLock extraction systems.

www.dewalt.co.uk

Local Firms Vital to Building More Homes, Says Labour Shadow Minister

Roger Bisby
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Local Firms Vital to Building More Homes, Says Labour Shadow Minister

Labour’s Shadow Minister for Housing and Planning John Healey MP visited a housing development in Aston, Sheffield last month to highlight the importance of local house building companies being able to deliver more new homes.

Mr Healey was visiting the Parklands View development in Aston, built by Sheffield-based firm W. Redmile & Sons. The visit was organised by the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) and followed a roundtable discussion between the Shadow Minister and a number of locally-based house builders.

John Healey MP said: “The share of new homes built by small and medium-sized builders has fallen to little more than 25% in recent years, compared to two thirds in the late 1980s. This is one reason why we are currently failing to build the number of new homes we need. We need more of these smaller, locally-based house builders and we need them to be able to grow and increase their output.”

Walt Selby, General Manager of W. Redmile & Sons, a family-owned firm and a member of the Federation of Master Builders, said: “As a company, we’ve been building homes for local people since the 1950s. However, the planning system as it currently works can make this inordinately difficult to do. There are lots of ways in which the planning process could be improved to the benefit of everyone, and we want to work in partnership with local councils and local communities to achieve this. That’s why it was so useful to be able to go through with Mr Healey some of the barriers we face. We want to tackle these barriers and build even more homes for local people over the coming years.”

Mr Healey concluded: “I really appreciated the chance to meet with local firms and those from the wider Yorkshire region to discuss the barriers stopping them building more new homes, including difficulties accessing finance and navigating the planning system. Labour is committed to listening to and working with housebuilders of all types to find ways of building the homes we need and increasing home ownership, which has plummeted since 2010. It’s only by doing this that we’ll be able to help address the cost of the housing crisis, which is having such a damaging impact on many young people and families.”

Which 18v Drill is Best?

Roger Bisby
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Which 18v Drill is Best?

If you’re thinking of buying an 18v drill and you’re wondering which 18v drill is best, Skill Builder has some useful resources that might help you to make a decision.

In our series of three YouTube videos, we put drills from Makita, Bosch, Dewalt, Milwaukee, Metabo, Festool, Hitachi and Panasonic through their paces. You can view these videos via the links below.

We have also created this handy chart which summarises some of the key performance features of the drills we tested.

Happy shopping.

18v Drill Test (PDF download)

How to stop roof tiles being blown off

Roger Bisby
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How to stop roof tiles being blown off

Roger Bisby tries out the Innofix clip from Redland, a useful clip that prevents storm damage by stopping roof tiles from being blown off when it’s windy.

Despite the change in the standard BS 5534 Code of Practice for roof slating and tiling there are still a lot of cowboy roofers out there laying interlocking tiles without any fixings.  Nobody can put an exact figure on this but there are more tiles being sold than clips and it is highly likely that the smaller contractor working on domestic jobs are the ones most likely to skip the clip. There are three possible reasons I can think of.

  • One is that they don’t know about the new requirement for single lapped roof tiles to be mechanically fixed to prevent wind lift on tiles
  • Two is that they know about the new standard but figure that doing it the way they have always done it, nailing every fifth course, was OK for years so don’t see why it shouldn’t be in the future
  • Three is that they know about it but find it such a pain to do that they simply don’t bother

None of these arguments will hold water because the fact is that roof tiles do sometimes blow off when it’s very windy and when they do, an insurance company is always going to be looking for roofs that haven’t been fixed to the latest relevant standards. Even more important is that any injury sustained by a falling roof tile that hasn’t been fixed properly could result in the contractor being prosecuted.

the fact is that roof tiles do sometimes blow off in high winds and when they do, an insurance company is always going to be looking for roofs that haven’t been fixed to the latest relevant standards

Having said this it has to be acknowledged that mechanically fixing every tile takes time and costs money so anything that can be done to speed the job is welcome. One such invention is the Innofix Clip from Redland. I went down to their National Training Centre near Gloucester to see how this clip is making roofers’ lives a lot easier.

The first thing I liked is that Innofix Clips are not sold in a tangle. They are neatly laid in rows of 50 in a cassette so you can lay them out on the roof with the tiles and move them along the course as you go. No more fishing in your pouch and shaking them out and losing half of them down the roof.

The clips are colour coded with a paint mark so you can be sure you are using the right clip for the tile.

I quickly found that there is a technique to putting the clip on that makes it incredibly easy. It took me about ten clips to master it and once I did I found I had been making it more difficult than it should be. I was trying to do it with my right hand, because I am right-handed, but it is a lot easier to do if you take the clip off the cassette with your left hand and slide the hook down the edge of the tile and under the batten. You will hear a satisfying click as it engages with the underside of the batten.

If the rafter is close or under the clipping point you simply have to spring the clip to the left slightly to find the free space. It is undoubtedly the easiest tile clip I have ever fixed and just to remind myself of how hard life was before Innofix came on the scene I tried a couple of alternatives that required a hammer.  No doubt I could have improved my speed if I nailed a few hundred clips in but even when Redland tried their clip up against guys who regularly nail hundreds of clips a day they still beat them hands down.

I would also say that it is a more secure clip because it doesn’t split the batten or distort in any way, it simply slides down and clicks and if you try to lift the tile up you will see just how effective it is.

Around the perimeter you will still need to nail the tiles as well as clipping them but you will then have the makings of a very secure roof. There is of course also the ridge to consider but that is a whole subject in itself and one for another time. I plan another trip to the Redland National Training Centre, I liked it there.

www.monier.co.uk/products/product-catalogue/product-range/product/kro-clip-1.html

Redland Innofix Clip

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