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Ford launches new Transit and Transit Custom

Dylan Garton
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Ford launches new Transit and Transit Custom

Ford’s  new Transit van and Transit Custom van, which are being launched at The Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham this week, are said to offer improved cost of ownership and performance thanks to the inclusion of the new 2.0-litre Ford EcoBlue diesel engine.

The Ford EcoBlue engine enhances fuel efficiency by up to 13 per cent compared with the outgoing 2.2-litre TDCi engine, with CO2 emissions from 157 g/km, and delivers significant improvements in low-rpm torque. The new engine – available to order now – will also deliver up to 2-year/37,000 miles variable service intervals for Transit and Transit Custom operators.

The downsized 2.0-litre Ford EcoBlue diesel engine has been engineered to meet Ford’s commercial vehicle durability standards, powering Transit vehicles through the equivalent of 3.4 million miles of trials, including 250,000 miles of testing at the hands of real-world Transit customers.

“The challenge was to take our best-selling Transit and make it cheaper to operate, improve performance, cleaner in terms of emissions, quieter in the cabin, safer and even more durable,” said Pete Reyes, Ford of Europe’s head of commercial vehicles. “That’s exactly what we did with the new Transit van and Transit Custom van with the all-new Ford EcoBlue engine.”

Clean diesel technologies enable ultra-low emissions in line with Euro Stage VI standards that will be introduced in September 2016, requiring a 55 per cent reduction in NOx emissions compared to Euro Stage V standards.

In addition to the all-new engine line-up, Transit and Transit Custom vehicles also are available to order now with advanced driver assistance technologies including Side Wind Stabilisation and Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. From late 2016, customers also will be able to specify a six‑speed automatic transmission in place of a manual gearbox, and a new rear air suspension option on Transit Custom Kombi models.

www.ford.co.uk/CommercialVehicles/Transit

How to: Hide tv cables in the wall

Roger Bisby
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How to: Hide tv cables in the wall

In this video Roger Bisby explains how to hide unsightly HDMI cables behind a wall using a product from Super Rod.

Nobody wants to see AV cables hanging from a wall mounted television which is where the Polymer rods from Super Rod come in.
Super Rod’s Polymer rods are thin and flexible helping them to reach the parts other rods can’t reach. A selection of different hooks and attachments allow you to attach whatever you are trying to pull through directly to the end of the rod.

For more on the rod kit, visit: www.super-rod.co.uk

Fiat Professional looking for next tradesman pro footballer

Dylan Garton
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Fiat Professional looking for next tradesman pro footballer

Fiat Professional, official partner of The Football League, has today launched the Fiat Professional Tradesman Trials, a nation-wide search to find a tradesman who has the talent to make it as a professional footballer.

The move from the trades to professional football is a well-trodden path.  There is a long list of past and present players starting out as tradesmen including current Southampton striker and ex-Burnley and Queens Park Rangers striker, Charlie Austin who was a builder and former Wigan midfielder, Jimmy Bullard who worked for his father’s painting and decorating company before he hit the big time.

Tradesmen who think they’ve got what it takes to win the one month trial at a Football League club have until 12th June to showcase their skills.

The best entries will then be invited to attend a Tradesman Trials day, in association with The Football League that will take place by the end of June, where they will be put through their paces in front of a selection of scouts and Fiat Professional’s football ambassadors. The winner will then select his preferred club from those signed up to the campaign and receive a £2,000 prize.

Former tradesmen turned professional footballers, Stuart Pearce (electrician), Dean Windass (hod carrier) & Geoff Horsfield (builder) kick started the campaign by taking part in a Tradesman Challenge to see if they have still got their tradesman skills.

The series of challenges included plastering, painting and wallpapering, re-wiring a plug and building a brick wall. Ex-referee Dermot Gallagher was on hand to keep everyone in check throughout, while comedian Ian Smith provided commentary on the players’ efforts.

Stuart Pearce started his career as an electrician and continued to trade until the age of 25 alongside his professional football duties while Dean Windass was a hod carrier on a building site in Hull for 18 months.

Geoff Horsfield worked as a builder before he signed professional terms and has since returned to the building trade full time. The Geoff Horsfield Foundation was set up earlier this year to help accommodate vulnerable people with mental health issues in Birmingham. Geoff and the foundation renovate properties and provide ongoing support to help them get back on their feet.

Stuart Pearce comments: “When I first moved to Nottingham Forest from Coventry I advertised in the match day programme to get some extra income. I eventually stopped trading but Brian Clough never stopped bringing in his broken irons, toasters and kettles into the training ground for me to rewire!”

For tradesmen who don’t think they have what it takes to make it in professional football, Fiat Professional is also running a competition to win a Fiat Professional van for two years. The winner will be able to choose from any model in the current Fiat Professional range including the Ducato, Doblo’ and the brand new Talento, Fiorino and Fullback pick-up launching in June. This prize also includes servicing and maintenance.

Suspended prison sentence for fraudulent gaswork

Roger Bisby
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Suspended prison sentence for fraudulent gaswork

A businessman who illegally carried out annual gas safety checks at tenanted properties despite not being a registered gas engineer has received a suspended prison sentence.

Sven Biesterfeldt, who was formally based in Cornwall and uses a number of other names including Tom Williams, potentially put tenant’s lives at risk by carrying out the safety checks and fraudulently filled out a landlord’s gas safety document using another companies Gas Safe Register number in May 2014.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) prosecuted Sven Biesterfeldt at Bodmin Magistrates Court after his work was investigated following a complaint from a landlord.

Mr Biesterfeldt displayed the Gas Safe Register logo on his work vehicle and also told the landlord that he was a member of Gas Safe Register and could carry out the gas safety checks at the landlord’s tenanted property in Troon, near Camborne. The landlord became suspicious when he checked on the Gas Safe Register number on Mr Biesterfeldt’s safety certificate  and discovered that it was for a company in Essex.

Sven Biesterfeldt, who has previously lived in Carnkie, near Redruth and then in Breage, near Helston, pleaded guilty to two breaches of gas safety legislation and was sentenced to eight months in prison, suspended for one year and ordered to undertake 180 hours unpaid community work. He was also disqualified from being a company director for three years and ordered to pay £4,000 in costs.

HSE Inspector Simon Jones, speaking after the hearing, said: “Mr Biesterfeldt should never have carried out gas safety checks and compounded this by fraudulently using the Gas Safe Register logo on his work vehicle and by using a properly Gas Safe registered companies details on safety documents he produced. This was a calculated and deliberate attempt to deceive the public into believing he was competent and registered to undertake gaswork and this could not be further from the truth.

“Mr Biesterfeldt put the lives of tenants at risk as he has no training or skills when it comes to gas safety and essential gas safety checks. Such checks are vital to protect tenants from death or injury caused by potentially dangerous gas appliances.”

www.hse.gov.uk/gas/landlords/

Fein releases latest review: Fein WSG 15-125 PRT ErgoGrip Angle Grinder

Dylan Garton
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Fein releases latest review: Fein WSG 15-125 PRT ErgoGrip Angle Grinder

Powertool manufacturer Fein has released its latest “Feeling FEIN’ 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 David Wren from Wren Industrial & Marine Fabrications Ltd has been testing the FEIN WSG 15-125 PRT ErgoGrip Angle Grinder.

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

Or if you’ve got a question about the Angle Grinder tweet @Fein_UK

Industry urges Lords to protect homes from flooding

Dylan Garton
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Industry urges Lords to protect homes from flooding

Leading civil engineers, environmental scientists, water experts, water companies and architects have appealed to the Lords to ensure the incoming housing law protects new and existing homes from flooding.

Contributing to the Housing and Planning Bill debate currently passing through the Lords, the coalition said that new development will place additional pressure on critical drainage and flood defence infrastructure. The group includes the Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE), the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), Institution of Environmental Sciences (IES), the Royal Institute of British Architects (RIBA) and Water UK.

The group wants the Lords to amend the Bill so that it restricts developers’ automatic right to directly connect new houses to existing drainage systems – many of which are already over-loaded – and compel them to integrate low-cost measures known as sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), which compensate for the additional flow that new developments create. The Flood and Water Management Act 2010 legislated to this effect, but the law was never implemented. Instead, planning guidelines were produced to require SuDS, but the group say the measure has been toothless in promoting greater flood risk mitigation on new developments and has failed to promote the added benefits of sustainable drainage for water quality, biodiversity and amenity. The group says the amendment tabled by Baroness Parminter, which will be debated today (25 April), will be instrumental in mitigating flood risk.

SuDs represent excellent value for money. In many cases, the capital cost of sustainable drainage will be lower than conventional drainage. Moreover, millions of pounds could be saved for communities and businesses by reducing the £1.3-£2.2 billion of flood damage each year in England. Natural features can also add to the value of new developments by making them attractive, safer places to live.

Former ICE President and flooding expert Professor David Balmforth said: “Flooding is one of the major challenges facing society today, yet we continue to add to the problem by building new homes in a way that makes flooding more likely. This does not have to be the case as there is a proven and low cost solution using SuDs. The Pitt Review and the Committee on Climate Change view them as a force for good; so should the law”. We urge the Lords to send the Commons a Bill that will help protect society from flooding.”

Dr Richard Benwell, Head of Government Affairs at the Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) said: “This bill is a test case for whether the Government is serious about a joined up approach to flood defence and environmental protection. Wales, Scotland and especially Northern Ireland have already made progress on sustainable drainage, but England is lagging behind. Building new homes that are naturally resilient from the outset is much more affordable than dealing with the consequences later, and can do wonders for water quality and nature. The Minister should listen to the cross-party alliance of Lords supporting sustainable drainage, in the long-term interests of communities and the environment”.

Terry Fuller, Chief Executive of CIWEM said: “It is absurd that in the current age we still allow developers to build homes and automatically connect to the sewer system without any consideration of the impact of doing so. This amendment would set us on the right path to encourage developers to consider flood risk from the outset”.

SME Builders and Unite agree 5% pay rise

Dylan Garton
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SME Builders and Unite agree 5% pay rise

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

Under the terms of the deal, workers will receive a 2.5% pay rise this year and a further 2.5% increase in 2017. The rise will be across the board, with the exception of hourly rates for lower paid general operatives, which will get a bigger boost of 4% this year, followed by 2.5% next year.

In order to provide employees with a greater degree of security, the Agreement includes a commitment that the 2017 rise will be inflation-proofed – if inflation in early 2017 is higher than 2.5%, then the 2017 pay rise will match this, up to a limit of 3%.

Brian Berry, FMB Chief Executive said: “I am pleased we were able to reach this agreement. This is a good deal which provides certainty and reassurance to employers and employees alike. It strikes the right balance between on the one hand recognising the importance of boosting pay in line with solid growth and positive future expectations, and on the other hand accepting that margins continue to be tight and the economic outlook continues to be clouded by a number of uncertainties.”

John Allott, Unite the union’s National Construction Officer, said: “We welcome this pay increase and the FMB’s commitment to the BATJIC agreement. The higher increase to the lowest paid was needed, as many operatives living standards took a knock during the economic downturn. The inflation-proofing of the second year’s rise provides some further reassurance that living standards will receive protection against a jump in inflation.”

Barman sentenced for illegally installing gas pipework

Roger Bisby
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Barman sentenced for illegally installing gas pipework

A pub worker has been sentenced for illegally installing gas pipework and a gas boiler at a flat in Torquay.

Geoffrey Voss, aged 59, who works as a barman at a pub in Torquay, installed the gas pipework and gas boiler at a flat on Old Torwood Road, Torquay despite him holding no competencies in gas work and despite him having never been registered with Gas Safe Register for any gas work.

He was prosecuted after his illegal activities were investigated by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE).

Newton Abbot Magistrates’ Court heard that Mr Voss’s illegal gas work came to light when the homeowner repeatedly asked him for the commissioning documentation for the new gas boiler that he had installed. Mr Voss never produced the document and the home owner then raised his concerns with Gas Safe Register.

During the HSE investigation Mr Voss admitted that he had not commissioned the gas boiler after he had installed it. Such commissioning should have included tests to ensure that the boiler that he installed wasn’t producing high levels of carbon monoxide, but he left the boiler working without the tests being undertaken, putting the homeowner at risk from deadly carbon monoxide poisoning.

Geoffrey Voss of South Street, Torquay, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 3(3) and 33(1)(c) of the Gas Safety (Installation and Use) Regulations and was sentenced to 36 weeks imprisonment suspended for 2 years and ordered to pay £757 in costs.

HSE Inspector Simon Jones, speaking after the hearing, said: “Only engineers with the correct competencies and who are registered with Gas Safe can legally carry out gas work and it is fortunate no-one was harmed as a result of Mr Voss’s illegal work.

“Once a gas boiler has been installed it should always be properly commissioned to ensure that it is operating safely. In this case Mr Voss did no such safety checks after his illegal work, leaving it to chance that there would not be a risk of fire, explosion or carbon monoxide poisoning.”

For further information on domestic gas safety issues visit: www.hse.gov.uk/gas/domestic/

Company fined after worker falls five metres from flat roof

Roger Bisby
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Company fined after worker falls five metres from flat roof

A signage company based in Sheffield, has been fined after a worker fell five metres from a flat roof.

Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court heard how Warburton Signs Limited were contracted to erect a large sign to the gable end of an industrial building. Three fitters accessed a neighbouring flat roof to fit the sign when one worker fell from the roof. He sustained life threatening injuries, including a fractured skull, several broken ribs, a collapsed lung and chipped vertebra.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on 13 April 2015 found Warburton Signs Limited failed to put in place any measures to prevent a fall from height.

Warburton Signs Limited, of Trident House, High Street, Beighton, Sheffield, pleaded guilty to Regulation 4(1) of the Work at Height Regulations 2005, and was fined £20,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1538.

HSE inspector Helen Barley said after the hearing: “Failure to prevent falls when working at height can lead to serious injury or death.”

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

Construction company fined after worker trips on boot and falls through void

Roger Bisby
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Construction company fined after worker trips on boot and falls through void

A Derbyshire based construction company has been fined after a worker was seriously injured when he fell through a void.

Edinburgh Sheriff Court heard how a worker employed by a sub-contractor working for Bowmer and Kirkland Limited, was contracted to pour concrete onto the first floor of a building that was under construction at Fort Kinnaird Retail Park, Edinburgh.

The employee was walking across a floor that was under construction when his boot caught and he tripped. He dislodged an unsecured wooden board which had been placed over the void and exposed an opening of 2 x 1 metres.

He fell approximately 4.5metres through a void in the first floor and sustained serious injuries to his back as well as a broken foot. He was off work for twenty-two weeks and suffers continuing pain. He has reduced mobility, finding it difficult to walk or sit for long periods.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident which occurred on 16 May 2014 found that the company failed to take suitable and sufficient measures by not fixing the wooden panels placed on the void to prevent a fall.

Bowmer and Kirkland Limited, of High Edge Court, Church Street, Heage, Belper, Derbyshire, pleaded guilty to breaching Regulation 6(3) of the Work at Height Regulation 2005 and was fined £6,600.

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

DeWalt launches smartphone

Roger Bisby
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DeWalt launches smartphone

DeWalt has launched an Android-powered smartphone meeting demand among trade professionals for handsets that will withstand the rigours of life on a construction site.

The £379 DeWalt MD501 is waterproof, dustproof and weatherproof and is built to withstand drops from two metres onto concrete, extreme temperatures and barometric pressures as well as being resistant to chemical spillages and vibrations.

The ability to handle two SIMs means that you can keep your personal and business mobile accounts separate; run two different contracts – one for calls and one for data.

The MD501 delivers hi speed 4G data functionality, rapid GPS location services and the versatility of NFC as a business and payment enabler.

The model also comes with built-in wireless charging which offers the  convenience of charging and re-charging your smartphone without the need for connecting and disconnecting cables.

The DeWalt smartphone doesn’t appear to be available to buy just yet but potential customers can register their interest on DeWalt’s website:
dewaltphones.com/#ip68

FIAT pick-up truck makes UK debut

Roger Bisby
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FIAT pick-up truck makes UK debut

FIAT Professional is launching its  all-new Fullback pick-up truck to the UK market at this year’s Commercial Vehicle Show held at Birmingham’s NEC (26-28 April, 2016).

The new medium-duty pick-up will join the award-winning FIAT Professional range in June 2016, along with the new Talento and Fiorino, and will be available with a practical double cab body style configuration in the UK making it suitable for both commercial and leisure time activities.

Measuring 1,780mm in height, 1,815 mm in width and 5,285mm in length, with a wheelbase of 3,000mm, the new FIAT Professional Fullback will offer a competitive payload up to 1,045Kg and will be powered by a 2.4-litre, aluminium, turbo-diesel engine with a power output of either 150hp or 180hp. Two transmissions will be available, a new six-speed manual gearbox or a five-speed automatic transmission with sports mode, and both will be combined with full four-wheel drive systems.

The new FIAT Professional Fullback will be available in the UK in two trim levels with pricing and specifications to be announced closer to the vehicle’s launch in June 2016. The Fullback is FIAT Professional’s first contender in the medium-duty pick-up truck segment. In the UK, 2015 sales in the pick-up segment were up 18% with full year registrations totalling almost 40,000 units.

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

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