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Snickers LITEWork Working Clothes for the Summer

The innovative new quick-drying fabrics in this lightweight workwear make them a must for the summer months.

A change of season means a change of focus on what you wear on site. That’s why Snickers NEW LITEWork clothing can help you keep your cool when you’re working in sunny, warm and humid environments.

The ergonomic, body-mapping Trousers, Shirts, Shorts, mid-layer Jackets and Windproofers have all the comfort and functionality of other Snickers Workwear stretch garments but give extra freedom of movement on site.

Just like high-performance sportswear, they are super-light, quick-drying garments – with ventilation and moisture transport features – that keep you looking smart and feeling cool wherever you are on-site in warm weather.

After all, keeping a balanced work temperature is not just about staying cool it’s a matter of your wellbeing and job safety. So, to make sure you get the right protection, flexibility, durability and ventilation, check out the Snickers Workwear product families for precisely the right garments to fit your workday.

Break-in News! Ford TRANSIT Owners Watch This

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More tool theft frustration for van owners and once again the problem is so much worse for Ford Transit owners who don’t enjoy strong security features.

Ford Custom and Ford Transit (MK8) are falling prey to a weakness where a hole can be made in the side load door and loads of new attacks are happening.

Our friends at Sussex Installations have a product that can massively reduce the likelihood of you being the next victim of crime.

The Ford Custom and the Ford Transit (MK8) vans do have a metal shield on the latch inside the side load doors as standard, but unfortunately, the design of the factory security shields does not protect the latch mechanism from the hole through the side load door attacks that we are now seeing all over the UK.

https://www.sussexinstallations.co.uk

#VanSecurity #FordTransit #ToolTheft

Riveting Made Easy With Makita DRV150Z & DRV250Z

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Leading power tool manufacturer Makita has added two new rivet guns to its power tool range. The DRV150Z and DRV250Z include Makita’s innovative LXT battery technology and brushless motor for maximum efficiency.

The DRV150Z and DRV250Z are both powered by Makita’s 18V LXT batteries, which offer industry-leading run times and charge times, improving on-site efficiency. LXT means that the DRV150Z and DRV250Z benefit from anytime charge (without the need to drain down) and minimal self-discharge and the battery indicator lights makes it simple for operators to monitor how much charge their tools have, improving operator productivity. The machines are compatible with Makita’s 5Ah and 6Ah LXT batteries.

Both machines are designed for heavy-duty, industrial applications. The DRV150Z and DRV250Z can pull both steel and stainless-steel rivets – the DRV150Z can pull rivets up to 4.8mm in diameter and the DRV250Z can pull rivets with diameters up to 6.4mm.

The DRV150Z and DRV250Z can be adjusted to install 2.4mm rivets up to their maximum capacity, simply by changing the nose cone and push rod assembly.

With a 5Ah battery, the DRV150Z can dispense 2,800 4.8mm mild steel rivets per charge – approximately 560 rivets per amp. Due to a shorter pulling length, the DRV150Z is also 1.8 times faster.

The DRV150Z and DRV250Z have a rivet holding mechanism in the nose cone. This ensures that once a rivet is inserted, it is held in place if the tool is being used in any position. This significantly improves efficiency and operator safety. Once the rivet has been installed, operators can tip the tool backwards to ensure that the spent mandrels are collected in the transparent container, instead of littering the worksite.

The inclusion of a brushless motor makes the DRV150Z and DRV250Z incredibly efficient machines. Due to their design, brushless motors do not create friction which limits wear and tear and reduces wasted energy through heat production (which subsequently prevents the tool from overheating). This improves on-site efficiency, as operators can continue to use the DRV150Z and DRV250Z for extended periods of time.

Kevin Brannigan, Marketing Manager at Makita, said: “The combination of cordless and brushless technologies makes Makita’s new models up to 50% more efficient than alternative machines. The DRV150Z and DRV250Z have been designed to ensure that operators can keep working for longer. There are no concerns about the tool overheating due to friction in the motor or the batteries losing charge too quickly or taking a long time to recharge.”

To find out more about Makita and its wide range of products please visit: www.makitauk.com

Scaffold Configuration: Does My Project Need a Bespoke Design?

Scaffold design is a complex and often painstaking business, involving a fairly weighty set of calculations intended to demonstrate the strength and stability (or otherwise) of the proposed structure.

It is a matter of legal compliance that all scaffolds have to be able to demonstrate they conform to minimum standards, which in practice sounds as if there is no option but to carry out all of these design calculations every time you plan to put up a piece of scaffolding.

However, the relevant legislation, the Work at Height Regulations 2005, does make one concession on this. It states that scaffolds may legally be erected without a thorough bespoke design (including calculations) so long as they conform to a ‘generally recognised standard configuration’.

The question then is – what is a generally recognised standard configuration?

The regulations themselves do not provide a clear answer on this, which is problematic for building firms and the scaffolding contractors they hire wondering if they need to draw up a bespoke design from scratch or not. However, the NASC has done a lot of work in this area under the remit of its technical guidance documentation TG20, drawing up evidence-based plans for tube and fitting scaffold configurations which are now considered an authoritative standard compliant with the terms of the 2005 regulations.

In other words, if you base your scaffolding on one of the TG20 plans, you do not need to bother with all of the bespoke design and calculations yourself – the NASC has done it for you. For building contractors, the main benefit of this is reducing costs, because your scaffolding contractor won’t need to spend so much time on the design side.

Compliance

The latest version of the TG20 guidance, TG20:13, outlines more than 10 configurations, including independent tied access scaffolds up to 50m in height, interior birdcage scaffolds, lift shaft scaffolds and chimney stack scaffolds. Compliance sheets are made available with each configuration so contractors can demonstrate their structure meets the standard.

Another situation where bespoke design is not required is if system scaffolds are being used, Ally Towers, Haiki Systems, Pulse Eight Scaffolding and so on. Here, manufacturer’s instructions are interpreted as establishing the ‘generally recognised standard configuration’ – so as with the TG20 compliance sheets, as long as you follow the instructions, you remain compliant.

Despite all of this, it should be pointed out that these ‘pre-compliant’ standard configurations only cover a relatively small proportion of the most common scaffolding use cases. In the vast majority of more specialised cases, and even when it is necessary to amend an otherwise standard design for some reason – for example, by adding a load bay – it will be necessary to literally go back to the drawing board and have a bespoke design drawn up from scratch.

Another requirement of the 2005 regulations is that bespoke designs must be drawn up by a ‘competent person’, so check the credentials of your scaffolding services provider in advance and make sure they are accredited accordingly.

JPS Group provides a wide range of professional services to the buildings and construction trade, including scaffolding design and erection, tool and plant hire, environmental services and training. View more here.

Makita’s Latest Addition to its Radio Range – DMR115 Job Site Radio

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Makita has launched the latest addition to its radio range, with the DMR115 Job Site Radio. With Bluetooth functionality and a light weight of 4.8-5.5kg, it is the perfect companion for construction workers.

The new DMR115 Job Site Radio is a robust and simple to use DAB/DAB+ radio. IP65 rated, it has a highly durable design with elastomer bumpers to protect against tough job site conditions.

The Job Site Radio has a powerful Bluetooth sensor to connect wirelessly for audio streaming from mobile devices up to a range of 10 metres away and includes two stereo speakers and an additional subwoofer to produce high-quality sound. In addition, the Multi-Amplifier provides clear hi-fi sound reproduction without decreasing sound quality even when the volume is high.

Matt Chilton, Product Manager at Makita says, “Workers often spend long hours onsite, from taking on heavy-duty construction work to fixing snagging – so it’s only right they have high quality, reliable entertainment available to help make even the most laborious of tasks more enjoyable.

“We’ve designed our latest DMR115 Job Site Radio to provide not only the best in sound quality but the best in convenience. The radio is equipped with a dual power source for AC or Makita LXT and CXT batteries, providing flexibility regardless of the power sources available onsite.

In addition, the USB slot will allow for mobile charging onsite, so you never need to worry about draining the source phone’s battery.

“This, in combination with a high-quality sound woofer to provide deeper and richer bass sounds, a My Equaliser (MY EQ) mode to adjust treble and bass and six selectable sound modes to suit various music genres, makes the radio the ultimate onsite companion.”

For more information on the site radios available from Makita, please visit www.makitauk.com.

Working with Pipelife Easy-Lay PB Barrier Pipe

In the final part of our sponsored Pipelife series, we look at the Easy-Lay push-fit polybutylene barrier pipe.

Suitable for all hot and cold plumbing and central heating systems. It can be used in both sealed and open vented systems and has been designed to withstand constant pressure at high temperatures. The combination of low thermal conductivity and high corrosion resistance makes it ideal for use in central heating systems.

5 Reasons to use Pipelife Easy-Lay Pipe

1. Ultra-Flexible – Our Easy-Lay Pipe is more flexible than other pipes allowing you to manoeuvre the pipe into awkward spaces with complete ease. It’s quick and easy to uncoil and the flexible material makes cabling through joists a simple task.

2. Easy to Handle – Easy-Lay Polybutylene Barrier Pipe is made from a soft material with little memory ensuring a flexible and easy to handle pipe.

3. Lays Flat, Stays Flat – When uncoiled the pipe will keep straight and lay flat meaning there are no issues trying to coil the pipe back into place.

4. Barrier Layer – Our Easy-Lay pipe is made up of 5 layer EVOH Barrier. Available in 10mm, 15mm, 22mm & 28mm sizes in both white and grey colours.

5. Full BS7291-Class S and WRAS approvals and comes with our market-leading 50-year guarantee. Specifiers & installers can have full confidence in the quality and reliability of this range

A good alternative to JG Speedfit or Polypipe.

Find out more: https://www.pipelife.co.uk

Milwaukee Rear Handle Circular Saw for Wood

Robin checks out the Milwaukee Rear Handle Circular Saw that he’s been waiting a long time for!

This Milwaukee M18 FCSRH66 Rear Handle Circular Saw is something we’ve enjoyed using and in this video you’ll see why.

This video is proudly sponsored by Milwaukee.

FEATURES
Delivers the power to rip cut at the same feed rate of an equivalent AC circular saw, with the ability to crosscut up to 570 pieces of 90 mm x 45 mm pine stud on one 12.0 Ah battery charge

Next-generation POWERSTATE™ brushless motor, REDLINK PLUS™ electronics and REDLITHIUM™-ION HIGH OUTPUT™ 12.0 Ah battery pack deliver superior performance, durability and run time in high demand applications

Rear handle design circular saw with blade left allows the user excellent cut line visibility

190 mm blade which gives a 66 mm depth of cut, enabling the saw to cut 3 stacked OSB boards

Durable metal rafter hang hook for workspace management and safety

Vacuum adaptor supplied fits directly to all MILWAUKEE® dust extractors

Magnesium shoe reduces weight and maximises durability

Integrated LED light for workspace illumination

53° bevel capacity

Everything Milwaukee flavoured on Skill Builder.

Find out more on the Milwaukee website.

Growing Evidence Linking Indoor Air Pollution and Respiratory Problems in Children

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There is growing evidence that respiratory problems among children may be exacerbated by indoor air pollution in homes, schools and nurseries, according to a joint report by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the Royal College of Physicians.

The report, informed by a RCPCH commissioned a systematic review of 221 studies, presents evidence linking indoor air pollution to a range of childhood health problems including asthma, wheezing, conjunctivitis, dermatitis, and eczema. Sources of indoor air pollution include smoking, damp, the burning of fossil fuels and wood, dust, chemicals from building materials and furnishings, aerosol sprays, and cleaning products.

The authors warn that indoor air quality tends to be poorer in low-quality housing where ventilation may be inadequate or insufficient.

The report recommends that local authorities should have the power to require improvements where air quality fails to meet minimum standards in local authority schools and houses. This should be extended, according to the authors, beyond damp and mould (where powers already exist) to include other pollutants. The report recommends:

  • Legally binding performance standards for indoor air quality to include ventilation rates, maximum concentration levels for specific pollutants, labelling of materials, and testing of appliances
  • Air quality tests when local authority construction is complete and before the building is signed off
  • Compliance tests after construction stages and assessment of buildings once occupied – this may require ring-fenced resources for local authorities to take enforcement action

The report recommends local authorities should follow the NICE guidelines for ‘Indoor air quality at home’. It warns “exposure to indoor air pollution from cookers, damp, cleaning products and fires can irritate the lungs and exacerbate asthma symptoms.” It encourages people to ensure rooms are well ventilated by opening windows or using extractor fans, especially when cooking, drying clothes inside, or using sprays, solvents, and paints.

Professor Jonathan Grigg, Paediatric Respiratory Consultant from the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) said: “We’re finally paying attention to the quality of our outdoor air and this is long overdue. It’s harder to get population-level data on the quality of indoor air but the evidence in this report paints a worrying picture. Children in the UK spend most of their time indoors, with just 68 minutes spent outside on an average day. Too many of our homes and schools are damp and poorly ventilated – this is adversely affecting the health of children.”

The report says local authorities should provide free indoor air testing for residents. It recommends a national fund to support improvements for low-income residents who report issues with ventilation and air quality.

Professor Stephen Holgate, Special Advisor for the Royal College of Physicians said: “Poorer households have fewer choices about where to live and where to go to school. More than three million families live in poor quality housing in the UK. Most will not have enough money to make improvements and have no option but to make do with damp, under-ventilated environments. We need to offer support at local authority level – likewise with schools. If we ask our children to spend their childhood days in unhealthy spaces, then we’re storing up problems for future health”.

The report ‘The Inside Story: Health effects of indoor air quality on children and young people’ makes further recommendations:

  • A cross-governmental committee to co-ordinate working in health, environment, education and homes for indoor air quality
  • Advice for the public about the risks of, and how to prevent, poor indoor air quality
  • Investment in high-quality research and evidence to support decision making

The Inside Story: Health effects of indoor air quality on children and young people is jointly published by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (RCPCH) and the Royal College of Physicians (RCP). It is funded by Allergy UK, Airtopia, Asthma UK, British Heart Foundation, British Society for Allergy and Clinical Immunology, Dyson, and the Greater London Authority.

Why Am I Making My Door Linings? – Capel #17

Robin shows us how he likes to tackle door linings on the Capel Build and he’s got his hands one of his favourite tools, the Festool Domino XL.

We hope you enjoy this episode on how to build door frames. We’ll have more with Robin Clevett soon.

‘Happy with your hard hat?’ with MSA Safety

Please take a minute to complete MSA’s hard hat survey to help improve safety in the workplace: https://skill-builder.uk/msa-survey

In this video, sponsored by MSA Safety, Roger visits a few worksites to see what various trades think about wearing hard hats.

#MSASafety #HeadForSafety #HeadProtection

Head for Safety ~ Unlock the Associated Benefits of great Head Protection

By Mackenzie Peters, Global Product Group Manager, HEFH at MSA Safety

About MSA Safety

MSA Safety is a global designer, manufacturer and supplier of industry-leading safety products, including its iconic V-Gard® head protection range used by millions of workers in the toughest environments the world over.

Our head and the brilliantly complex brain it protects are integral to everything we do – at home and at work. 100,000 miles of blood vessels and 100 billion neurons enable our brains to breathe, think, dream, retain memories, and make 35,000 decisions each and every day. That’s 2,000 decisions per hour. One every two seconds. It’s therefore only right that our heads are given the very best possible protection, especially when working in potentially hazardous environments.

 

Safety above all else

It’s hard to think of workers without hard hats, but they haven’t always been as ubiquitous as they are today. Before Joseph Strauss insisted on them being worn during the construction of the Golden Gate Bridge, they were largely optional, and workers died at a rate of one per every million dollars spent on construction in the US (according to goldengatebridge.org). Thankfully, due to improved technologies and the introduction of extensive standards, like Directive 89/686/EEC introduced in 1989, and later Regulation (EU) 2016/425, hard hats are much more sophisticated and largely mandatory across the UK.

The fact remains, however, that even on a well-run, modern-day site, head injuries can still happen. In the UK, according to RIDDOR statistics (published on 30 October by the Health and Safety Executive), being struck on the head by moving, flying or falling objects accounted for 13 per cent of worker deaths from 2014-19, and 10 per cent of all non-fatal injuries in 2019.

In 2017 Eurostat (Directorate-General of the European Commission, providing statistical information to institutions of the European Union) reported that head injuries accounted for over 22% of all fatal accidents and 6.5% of non-fatal injuries at work across the EU’s 28 member states.

The statistics are sobering, which is why helping to protect heads and save lives is, and always will be, the most important purpose of a hard hat. That goes without saying. But we at MSA believe that a hard hat is much more than its hard-outer shell. Its job shouldn’t stop at safety. There are a whole host of other associated benefits great head protection can offer: comfort, confidence, happiness, productivity and efficiency. All contribute to safety in their own way, but collectively they also help to unlock your workforces’ potential and improve business results.

 

MSA Safety Harness

 

Greater comfort

You wouldn’t buy a pair of shoes that didn’t quite fit. Why? Because they would pinch your feet and hurt, perhaps hamper the way you walk, and likely make you a little miserable. The hard hat a worker wears on-site for upwards of seven or eight hours a day is no different.

Work in potentially hazardous environments can be demanding enough for without having to worry about head protection. But if the hard hat workers are wearing is ill-fitting, bulky, heavy, or poorly balanced, then they’ll probably do just that – worry. Or worse, they won’t wear it. A worker wearing a comfortable hard hat – one that’s balanced, fits properly, and works well with accessories – is free to concentrate on the job at hand and crucially, more likely to keep it on all day. This can be the difference between life and death.

From a business perspective, comfortable heads also contribute to a workforce’s general happiness and wellbeing, thus unlocking all sorts of benefits for workers and importantly, the business. Not least improved safety and minimised risk – both of which can help to mitigate financial liability.

Increased confidence, improved happiness, boosted productivity

When it comes to the head, there’s no tool more important or valuable. It’s only right that it gets the best treatment: a compliant and comfortable hard hat that helps workers concentrate on the job at hand and work efficiently.

Work on-site – whether it be a building site or oil rig – comes with associated hazards and requires both physical exertion and mental aptitude, which is why hard hats need to be adapted to the workers’ task, his or her working environment, fit comfortably, work seamlessly, and provide the highest level of safety. If it doesn’t, it can impact workers’ confidence. Having confidence in your safety instils confidence in your work and a more confident worker typically makes for a happier, more productive worker. Forbes even suggests that a happier worker can be up to 20 per cent more productive.

Lots of things can contribute to a worker’s happiness on-site, of course. But just like those shoes that don’t quite fit, an uncomfortable hard hat can bring the mood of your workforce down. Demonstrate investment in the wellbeing of your workforce with quality, comfortable hard hats that allow workers to focus on completing the job at hand as safely and efficiently as possible.

 

MSA OGP Plant Inspection

 

Maximise efficiency

Delivering projects on time and in budget is a constant challenge and dependent on many different factors. It’s why, understandably, safety and project managers (and the like) are constantly on the lookout for anything that can make their business and/or project run more efficiently.

Well, what if the hard hats your workers wear could help? Wouldn’t you grab it with both hands? If efficiency is a direct consequence of improved productivity and happier workers make for more productive workforces, why wouldn’t you look after workers’ most valuable asset – their heads?

What’s more, add your logo to the hard hats and you’ll foster a greater sense of teamwork and pride. Your team will be proud to wear their hard hats and more likely to take better care of them, which means you won’t have to replace them as frequently. On top of that, putting your company logo on your hard hat will increase your company visibility and brand awareness.

Protect your greatest asset

“What can I say, I’m here. I’m eternally grateful that my V-Gard® hard hat has saved my life.”

Those are the words from a worker to Gary Bendoris, MSA UK Industry Sales Manager, after a hammer fell from 25m on top of his head while performing maintenance works during an OGP site shutdown. Fortunately, he was protected by his hard hat.

This example illustrates the case in point. There’s much more to a great hard hat than its hard-outer shell. It’s much more than just a hard hat. It’s a lifesaver. It’s a crucial cog in your operation. It’s an enabler of greater wellbeing, increased productivity and improved efficiency. It helps to instil greater confidence and improve your workers’ contentedness. And all-importantly, it’s what helps to protect their greatest asset and most valuable tool – the head. Make sure it’s looked after.

 

Head for safety today at www.msasafety.com/head-protection

BiKBBI Welcomes Victoria Plum Trade as Corporate Sponsor

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The British Institute of Kitchen, Bedroom & Bathroom Installation (BiKBBI) announced that VictoriaPlum.com (Trade) have become that latest blue-chip brand to become a Corporate Sponsor of the organisation.

Founded in 2001, VictoriaPlum.com have been at the forefront of online bathroom buying for nearly 20 years, pioneering new and innovative ways to help make life easier for their customers. As a major bathroom retailer, VictoriaPlum.com have helped almost 2 million customers across the UK, with work extensively across the ‘Trade’ sector, having attracted 20,000 trade customers.

James Garrison, Head of Trade, said “We’re very proud to become a Corporate Sponsor of BiKBBI and be part of the great work they do through Education, Standards and Support. At VictoriaPlum.com, we strive to give Best in Sector customer service through our dedicated Trade Account Management Team, supporting our industry through providing over 6,000 products and advice while making sure that the installers we work with, feel supported and valued, which is reflected in our Trust Pilot score. I am really looking forward to working closely with BiKBBI and its members in the coming months and years.”

BiKBBI CEO, Damian Walters added: “What a great start to 2020. It’s great that the team at Victoria Plum Trade have supported installations via their corporate sponsorship of BiKBBI. It’s another great brand that shares our vision and we’re looking for more to ‘get on the bus’ and join our journey!”

Perovskites – Ideal for Optoelectronic Applications

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Huntingdon, UK … 8 January 2020 … Goodfellow is pleased to announce the availability of their new range of Perovskites, a group of materials that demonstrate great potential for optoelectronic applications.
 
Perovskites have a unique and versatile crystal structure that consists of a variation in the chemical formula ABX3. Many Perovskites occur as oxides (ABO3), where A and B are typically metal cations. Due to their lattice, these materials are characterised by special properties like superconductivity, magnetoresistance, piezoelectricity and dielectric and pyroelectric behaviour. Therefore, Perovskites are excellent candidates for multilayer capacitors like fuel cells, solar cells, sensors and electric batteries, or even next-generation display screens, LEDs, memory devices (RAM) and high-temperature superconductors.
 
Goodfellow’s range of Perovskites includes powder and solid forms of:

  • Barium Titanate
  • Bismuth Aluminate
  • Bismuth Titanium Oxide
  • Calcium Titanate
  • Copper Tungsten Oxide
  • Lithium Titanate
  • Lead Titanium Oxide
  • Lanthanum Titanate
  • Samarium Ferrite

For more information, email technical@goodfellow.com, contact a Goodfellow technical expert on 0800 731 4653 (UK) or +44 1480 424 800, or click here for a technical data sheet.

About Goodfellow
For more than 50 years, Goodfellow has been a leading supplier of metals, polymers, ceramics and other materials to meet the needs of science and industry worldwide. The company specialises in supplying small quantities (a few grams to a few kilos) of metals and materials for research, prototype development and specialised manufacturing applications. Standard products can be found online at the comprehensive Goodfellow Catalogue. Custom products and materials in larger quantities are available upon request at info@goodfellow.com.
 
Goodfellow Cambridge Limited
Ermine Business Park, Huntingdon, PE29 6WR, UK
Telephone: +44 1480 424800      Fax: +44 1480 424900
E-mail: info@goodfellow.com   Web: www.goodfellow.com

Taping and Jointing Plasterboard – Capel #16

Time for taping and jointing plasterboard at the Capel Build and the various tools that allow you to produce quick and neat work.

Tools used in this video:

✓ Dewalt DCD240X2-GB 54V XR Flexvolt Paddle Mixer
✓ Columbia Tools 8″ Drywall Corner Applicator Angle Box
✓ Columbia Tools Automatic Taper
✓ Columbia Tools Mud Pump with Gooseneck
✓ Columbia Tools Corner Roller & Flusher

#CapelBuild #TapingandJointing #ColumbiaTools

The Ultimate Bathroom Installation Video

Tools and materials used in this video series:

Abacus 1800mm Wenge Shelf
Abacus 3-way Water Distribution Manifold
Abacus Easi-Plan Universal Shower Valve Plate
Abacus Easi-Plan 1180mm Wall Mounted WC Frame
Abacus Edition Chrome Basin Mixer
Abacus Elements Ultimate Construction Board
Abacus Emotion Round Shower Head
Abacus Emotion Square Thermo Shower Mixer
Abacus Emotion Square Fixed Head Shower
Abacus Fix-MD Sealing & Mounting Adhesive
Abacus Infinity Single Fall Tray
Abacus Manifold Bracket
Abacus M Series Walk-In 700mm Shower Screen
Abacus No More Leaks Bath & Shower Sealing Kits
Abacus Pro-Seal Tape Sealing Compound
Abacus Profile Stainless Steel Towel Warmer 1250mm x 600mm
Abacus Pure LED Mirror with Ambient Light Around
Abacus Mini LED Spotlight Kit
Abacus Simple 130cm Double Basin Vanity Unit
Abacus Simple Wall Hung WC
Abacus Temptation Chrome Wall Arm
Abacus Temptation Thermostatic Shower Mixer
Abacus Trio Cabinet Wenge
Abacus Trio Recessed Cabinet Installation Frame
Abacus Universal Basin Waste
Abacus X Series Designer Glass to Wall Support Arm
Ben De Lisi Series 1 Oval Inset Bath
DEVImat DTIR-100 350W Underfloor Heating
DEVIreg Touch Programmable Thermostat
Elements FIX KST Board Fixing Adhesive
Hansgrohe iBox Universal
Lastra Grey Matt Porcelain Tiles
ROCATEX CG2 WA Ultimate Grout

Find out more on Abacus Bathrooms – www.abacus-bathrooms.co.uk

Thanks to Dollar Shave Club for sponsoring. Go to http://uk.DollarShaveClub.com/skillbuilder to get your starter set for £5. After that, the restock box comes with regular-sized products at regular price.

Subscribe to Skill Builder for more bathroom renovation remodel tutorials.

Look After Your Hearing – With Proper Protection

Many simply do not realise the dangers when it comes to permanent damage regular noise can cause. However, with adequate protection to look after your hearing, damage can easily be avoided.

Peter Dumigan, managing director of the Hultafors Group UK, owners of Snickers Workwear, Solid Gear Safety Footwear and Hellberg Safety PPE writes:

Long term damage to your hearing can be caused by the noise from regular daily use of even the most basic hand tools – drills, angle grinders, disc cutters, circular saws, even hammers – if you don’t wear proper ear protection.

The Control of Noise at Work Regulations 2005 are designed for workers on-site, from the risks caused by noise.

Noise-induced hearing loss is the most commonly reported occupational disease with over 800 million people around the world are affected by the condition.

Over 30% of all workers are exposed to hazardous noise levels and one in four manufacturing workers who are exposed to loud noise does not use hearing protectors.

Hearing damage caused by exposure to noise at work is permanent and incurable, with research estimating that over 2 million people can be exposed to noise levels that are potentially harmful.

More often than not, hearing loss is gradual as a result of prolonged exposure to noise, but when combined with the normal loss of hearing as you age it becomes a rapidly deteriorating condition.

As an added hazard, exposure to unsafe noise levels can also result in tinnitus, a permanent sensation of background ringing or buzzing your ears. But in the most serious of cases, immediate damage to your hearing can also be caused by sudden loud noises.

Regulatory Protection

As far as the health and safety regulations are concerned, the noise threshold for providing hearing protection is now a daily exposure of 85 decibels. More importantly, the level at which employers must assess the risk to workers’ health and provide them with risk information and training, is now 80 decibels.

So, making the right, well-informed decision is as important for the self-employed as it is for employers.

As an employer, you have to provide your employees with properly maintained hearing protectors if they ask for them, and if their noise exposure is between the lower and upper exposure thresholds. You also have to make sure they use them properly and establish hearing protection zones where the use of hearing protection is compulsory.

Look after your hearing – Don’t Take it For Granted

Too often we take our health and wellbeing for granted and probably never stop to consider what fantastic sensory organs our ears actually are. As well as helping us communicate, our hearing helps to keep us safe. It is the link to our surroundings and is vital for how we communicate with others.

Aside from issues with your mobile phone, think how you’d cope in hazardous situations if you couldn’t hear an alarm bell, a car horn or someone calling to you. We rely on our hearing in so many ways, which is why we should protect it.

Unfortunately, for a significant part of the population, this ability is partially or entirely lost, because of exposure to loud noise. Hearing loss can never be restored but avoiding damage to your hearing is in most cases a matter of selecting and wearing the proper protection.

Our hearing isn’t designed for many of the sounds we are exposed to today especially the unwanted sounds – those that can potentially damage your hearing. So remember, if you need to raise your voice or scream to be heard when standing about a metre from someone on-site – then it’s more than likely that the noise around you is dangerous!

What is Noise and How Does It Relate To Working On-Site?

Sites are noisy places. Not just your mates banter and the radio in the background, but the working environment. Machine tools and plant all make noise, so does the process of using tools and applying fixings. It’s constant, almost incessant.

Daily exposure time

Working on-site all day means that noise is constantly being poured into your hearing. But what many people don’t realise is that every noise source and the length of time you’re exposed to it has an exposure level measurement, and you’ll be surprised how quickly you can reach the maximum daily safety exposure dose without proper protection.

For instance, drilling into wood at 92 decibels would only give you 10 minutes safe exposure against your full day’s allowance!

Drilling into metal creates 96 decibels of noise, a chain saw 99 decibels, a circular saw 101 decibels, drilling into concrete 108 decibels, and an angle grinder 109 decibels.

So take a look at the chart here and you’ll see that if you haven’t got proper hearing protection, you shouldn’t be on-site working and handling tools for very long at all!

Choosing The Right Hearing Protection

Luckily its relatively easy to look after your hearing. Its a simple case of always using hearing protection when exposed to harmful noise and if necessary, choose a protector adapted to your work environment, ie a product with ‘level-dependent hearing protection’.

Hellberg Safety recommends that the calculated level under the hearing protector should be around 75 decibels given that its real-life (attenuation) performance may be affected because of the incorrect fitting, misuse and poor maintenance. Performance protection can even be affected by anything that impairs the hearing protectors seal, such as long hair, facial hair and glasses!

Finally here are some useful tips. Choose hearing protection that fits correctly and is comfortable the entire time you are exposed to noise at work and even if you’re mowing the lawn or strimming.

Make sure you’ve got 100% wear time in noisy environments and remember, the use of eyewear can reduce the hearing protector’s attenuation of between 3-8 decibels, so if possible, select thin eyewear frames.

Finally, your health and wellbeing on site is just as important as getting a job done quickly, efficiently and in comfort. So choose your PPE products carefully and with that in mind check out the Hellberg Safety website www.hellbergsafety.com where you’ll find all the information you need on choosing precisely the right kind of passive or active hearing protection whatever you’re doing or wherever you’re working on site.

Look after your hearing with Hellberg

https://skill-builder.uk/hellberg-safety-hearing-protection-solutions

How Our Hearing Works – It’s Our fastest Sense!

Look after your hearing

Detachable Holster Pockets In Snickers’ New LiteWork Stretch Trousers

Leading where others follow, Snickers Workwear stretch fabrics deliver unrivalled comfort and close quarter mobility on site.

Snickers Workwear’s hi-tech fabrics and body-mapping designs give plenty of scope for every professional craftsman and woman to stretch their performance on site comfortably. Designed for a wide variety of jobs on site, these LiteWork 4-way stretch work trousers are the ideal choice if you’re working hard in warmer weather.

LiteWork Stretch Trousers

For maximum flexibility in getting work done, these new Trousers feature detachable holster pockets while the trousers themselves are made from full-stretch material for maximum mobility wherever you’re working while the Cordura®-reinforced Kneeguard™ pockets offer additional comfort and protection.

For maximum functionality, there’s also ruler, and cargo pockets for easy access to tools and fixings. They’re all Cordura® reinforced for durability. So check out these newest designs – the optimal choice for craftsmen and women who need to get the job done quickly efficiently on site.

New Skill Builder Project Series – King Build #1

We’re excited to bring you our new extension project series featuring James King from The Supreme Finishing Company who has taken on a huge extension building project and intends to carry out much of the work himself.

https://thesupremefinishingcompany.co.uk

In this first part, Roger takes a tour of the house with James to look at all of the work that’ll keep him busy for the foreseeable future.

Many Pros Didn’t Know Tip 3 – Tape Measure Hacks

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Robin shares his 5 favourite tape measure DIY hacks and tricks of the trade.

Tips include:

1. The 3-4-5 rule to help you get perfectly square edges.

2. Perfect guidelines without using a ruler or spirit level.

3. Quick & easy equal division and marking an arc.

4. Measuring distances longer than your tape.

5. Using the end slot of your tape measure.

#ToolHacks #RobinClevett #LifeHacks

Plasterboarding Ceiling & Stud Walls – Capel #15

Robin shows you how he likes to plasterboard his ceilings and stud walls with the help of his assistant Medit.

Tools used in this video:

• Festool DWC 18-4500 18V Cordless Drywall Screwdriver
• Festool 574757 T 18+3 18v Cordless Drill
• HiKOKI Cordless Impact Driver
• Makita DCO180Z 18v Drywall Cutter