Roofing firm fined after worker fractures skull

Construction deaths rise

A roofing firm from Malton has been fined for safety breaches after a worker fractured his skull following a fall from height. Mitchell Roofing Ltd, was contracted to replace existing rooflights at Monk Bridge Construction Co Ltd, Elvington, York. The injured worker slipped and fell some seven metres through the inner roof sheet sustaining severe injuries. During its investigation, the …

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Iveco debuts new daily 4×4

Iveco flat bed

Iveco used the CV Show to premiere its New Daily 4×4 – the latest generation off-roader, built with special features to tackle tough terrain including quarries, building sites and remote locations often inaccessible to regular commercial vehicles. The updated 4×4 is said to pair a reinforced body with the driving comfort of an on-road vehicle including excellent forward visibility and …

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Toyota Proace van makes world debut

Toyota Proace van

The new Toyota Proace Van range of light commercial vehicles is making its world debut at the Commercial Vehicle Show at the NEC in Birmingham this week with UK order books now open ahead of the official start of sales in September. Five-year warranty New Proace Van will be sold in the UK with  five-year/100,000-mile warranty, with unlimited mileage for …

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Ford Transit the most stolen vehicle in the UK

Ford Transit vans

According to latest figures from NaVCIS (National Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service), the Ford Transit was the most frequently stolen vehicle in the UK in 2015. In further bad news for Transit owners, only one third of stolen Ford Transits are ever recovered and returned to their owners, compared to a national average of 55% of cars and 38% of light …

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Hitachi Power Tools Launches New 6Ah Lithium-Ion Battery

hitachi power tools

Hitachi Power Tools (UK) has launched a new high capacity 6.0Ah Lithium-ion battery, which is compatible with the entire range of 18V cordless tools. The BSL1860 Li-Ion battery is the same size and weight as previous batteries but with greater capacity and working time. A multiplex protection circuit protects the cells from overload, overcharging and over discharge, ensuring a long …

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Widespread van overloading undermining tech advances, says SMMT

van overloading

Advances in van safety technology could be undermined by dangerous van overloading, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) has warned today. Almost nine in 10 (88.5%) of the 2,381 vans weighed last year by the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) were found to be overloaded, a worse record than the previous year in which 84% of the …

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Timber windows and doors installation

timber windows

Made-to-order timber windows and doors from the Kensington & Chelsea range by Lomax + Wood have been designed, manufactured and installed in a private home remodel in Hampstead Garden Suburb (HGS), a designated conservation area. A double storey extension has been added to the rear of the property where there is now a contemporary, open plan kitchen-cum-dining area.  A smart, …

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Prices released for new Peugeot Expert van

Peugeot Expert van

The UK range and prices for the all-new PEUGEOT Expert van have been released today (Tuesday 26 April), ahead of its worldwide launch at the 2016 Commercial Vehicle Show at Birmingham’s NEC. The all-new PEUGEOT Expert will be available to order from June 2016 ahead of going on sale in September. In the UK, the all-new PEUGEOT Expert will be …

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Citroën Dispatch pricing released

Citroën Dispatch pricing

The UK range and prices of the New Citroën Dispatch have been released today – Tuesday 26 April. The full UK technical specification of the advanced New Dispatch range will be released closer to the ‘on sale’ date of 1 September 2016. Orders can be placed from June. In the UK, the New Dispatch will be offered with a choice …

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Ford launches new Transit and Transit Custom

new transit van

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 …

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How to: Hide tv cables in the wall

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 …

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Fiat Professional looking for next tradesman pro footballer

tradesman trials

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 …

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Suspended prison sentence for fraudulent gaswork

Construction deaths rise

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 …

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

fein power tools

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 …

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Industry urges Lords to protect homes from flooding

flood defence

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 …

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SME Builders and Unite agree 5% pay rise

ITC Concepts

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 …

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Barman sentenced for illegally installing gas pipework

Construction deaths rise

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 …

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Company fined after worker falls five metres from flat roof

Construction deaths rise

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. …

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

Construction deaths rise

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 …

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DeWalt launches smartphone

DEWALT 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 …

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