News

Arco, one of the UK’s leading safety companies has recently undertaken tests that reveal some of the safety footwear being used by tradespeople may not be fit for purpose. In order to adhere to EU standard EN ISO 20345 2011, midsoles must be able to resist a penetration test using a nail with a force of 1100N and a corrosion …

Shortlisted for the British Safety Industry Federation (BSIF) Awards 2016, The Harley Scientific Fibrecheck 6 (HS-FC6) from SMH Products provides a real-time warning for tradespeople and others at risk of inadvertent exposure to airborne particulate. Fibrous particles, such as asbestos, produce distinctive scatter patterns when they break a beam of light. The HS-FC6 works by drawing a constant air sample …

Hultafors Tools has extended its range of Knives specifically for craftspeople. With a selection of Heavy Duty Knives, Safety Knives, Chisel Knives and Utility Knives already available from Hultafors in the UK, there’s also specially designed and developed products for Electricians, Plumbers and Painters. The new Knives include those for general-purpose outdoor use as well as ones for precision tasks. …

A gas engineer undertook gas work despite his registration with Gas Safe Register (GSR) lapsing and produced false gas safety checks.

The first sketches of the new Volkswagen Crafter from Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles which is due to be launched this autumn, have been revealed today. Conceived as the ‘big brother’ of the T-series, Volkswagen says the new Crafter promises innovation alongside a high level of functionality and quality. Experts at Volkswagen Commercial vehicles say they have worked closely with current customers, frequently …

Two companies based in Northamptonshire have been fined after a worker died following a fall through a roof. Northampton Crown Court heard how an employee of A-Lift Crane Hire Limited, who had been hired by Premier Roofing Systems Limited to provide them with a crane to lift roofing sheets onto a factory roof at Virani Foods Limited in Wellingborough. Whilst …

St Helens plasterer, River Humphreys, 25, has beaten off stiff competition from across the UK to win the Fiat Professional Tradesman Trials – a search to find a tradesman who has the talent to make it as a professional footballer in the English Football League. River, a plasterer for Rob Ewan construction, was one of 20 tradesman footballers who took …

The Government must prioritise investment in apprenticeship training as well as ensuring that our new system of immigration provides the construction sector with enough skilled workers to build the homes and infrastructure projects we need, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has urged. Responding to the British electorate’s decision to leave the European Union, Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the …

Bosch has launched a new generation of 18 V cordless screwdrivers; the new ‘dynamicseries’ and a ‘robustseries’ which are now available from specialist retailers from £236 to £405. All four models have new functions which Bosch says offer a higher level of comfort for professionals such as carpenters, electricians, plumbers and heating installers. The compact ‘dynamicseries’ range of tools combines …

DeWalt has confirmed that the DeWalt XR Flexvolt battery, a 54 v battery which can power even heavy duty construction power tools which the company unveiled earlier this week, will be available from August. Completely backwards compatible with existing DEWALT XR 18V products, the DeWalt XR Flexvolt battery is said to offer market-leading runtime in 18V products, with the option …

A man who fitted central heating boilers at two houses in Greater Manchester has received a suspended prison sentence, after he admitted he did not have the required safety registration to do the work. Christopher Dignam, trading at Blue Flame Plumbing and Heating Services, has never been on the Gas Safe Register, the body which ensures those who carry out …

Volkswagen Commercial Vehicles has launched two new Truckman hardtops for its Amarok pick-up. Available in a wide range of colours, the RS and Utility hardtops are said to offer customers a practical yet stylish storage area. Volkswagen says they differ from the current ‘luxury’ GLS and Grand hardtops as they have been designed for more commercial use. Features of the …

DEWALT is claiming to have “changed the game” in the power tool market as it unveils a range of 54V power tools that offer new levels of runtime and performance. With the new XR Flexvolt range Dewalt promises tradespeople they will be able to undertake heavy-duty construction applications without the need for mains power. This innovation means that you can …

A young entrepreneur from Glasgow has redesigned the traditional kneepad to launch a product aimed at tradespeople which reduces pressure on the knee by 76%. Vicky Hamilton, 25, a product design engineering graduate from the University of Strathclyde, originally developed Recoil Kneepads as part of her final year project. She was inspired to help her dad, Gordon Hamilton, 48 who …

The Building Engineering Services Association (the BESA), the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA) and the CIBSE Patrons are joining forces with the Samaritans on a campaign to address the growing problem of mental health and workplace stress in the construction industry. This initiative will begin with a jointly hosted seminar to be held in central London. BESA chief executive Paul McLaughlin, …

A gas fitter from Walsall has received a suspended prison sentence after he fitted a hob at a house in Tamworth when not on the Gas Safe Register. Alan Nicholas Price’s work came to the attention of HSE after a registered fitter subsequently carried out repairs on the gas hob. The unregistered gas fitter from Pelsall, was charged with breaching …

Pricing and specification for the hotly anticipated Fiat Fullback pickup truck have been announced today ahead of its UK launch on July 4th. Available as a double cab only and with all-wheel drive standard on all versions you can own one of Fiat’s first pickup’s from £20,995 (excluding VAT, VED, delivery and plates) for the SX version. The FIAT Professional …

A stonemasonry company in Perth has been fined after an apprentice stonemason was seriously injured from contact with an overhead power line. Perth Sheriff Court heard how 20 year old apprentice Rodd McFarlane was working for T& M Stonemasonry, carrying out repairs at Waulkmill Cottage in Perth. During this work, McFarlane erected a tower scaffold to carry out some re-pointing …

British Telecom plc (BT) has been fined £500,000 after an engineer fell seven metres from a loft in London, breaking his back and his ankles. The Old Bailey heard how a BT engineer, David Spurgeon, was fixing a telephone fault in the roof void of a residential block of flats in Tower Hamlets, East London. Mr Spurgeon was working alone …

The average costs for electricity generated by solar and wind technologies could decrease by between 26 and 59 per cent by 2025, according to a report released today by the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA).  The Power to Change: Solar and Wind Cost Reduction Potential to 2025, suggests that with the right regulatory and policy frameworks in place, solar and …