QUADSAW, the tool that drills square holes, will be demonstrated in public for the first time, at the Toolfair tradeshow in Harrogate, UK on 24-25 May. Almost every construction project requires square holes for electrical sockets and other boxes but for years electricians have struggled to create them with rulers, pencils and handsaws. QUADSAW solves this problem thanks to its …

The Labour Party’s proposal to link up housing and skills policy would be the right approach for a post-Brexit UK, the Federation of Master Builders (FMB) has said in response to the publication of the Labour Party’s manifesto. Brian Berry, Chief Executive of the FMB, said: “Labour’s pledge to integrate housing and skills policy is the right approach to tackling …

Companies across the UK have been forced to pay out over £61m in health and safety fines throughout 2016 with the construction sector seeing fines double according to law firm BLM’s health and safety tracker. Research conducted by the insurance and risk law firm found that fines for the construction industry jumped from £6,644,807 in 2015 to £13,636,346 in 2016 …

Colin Yates, chief operating officer at WorkMobile, the mobile data capture solution, discusses some of the benefits construction companies can reap from ‘going digital’. The construction sector has been slow to join the tech race. Recent research has found that construction companies are struggling to harness the power of mobile and automation technology, data and analytics and robotics – just 8% of …

The next Government must ensure the construction sector has enough skilled workers post-Brexit or its housing and infrastructure manifesto pledges will be redundant, says the Federation of Master Builders (FMB). The FMB has called on all major political parties to recognise the importance of migrant labour to the construction sector as part of its ‘Programme for Government’. Brian Berry, Chief …

Roger Bisby knows the tune and is singing the praises of Setcrete Rapid Set Repair Mortar. Sing along to this if you know the tune; I certainly do. You are all ready to lay the floor or apply the self smoothing compound and you find a bit of loose that, upon further investigation gives way altogether. Why did you have …

Ford is rolling out its Ford Mobile Service programme nationwide following a successful trial around Greater London. Over 100 Ford Mobile Service vans with Ford qualified technicians, will operate from more than 90 Ford Transit Centres across the country, including Northern Ireland and Scotland. Ford mobile servicing has been conceived to minimise disruption to fleet operators by reducing vehicle down …

Boiler manufacturer Baxi is giving installers the inside track on how to fit the latest intelligent heating controls. Starting this month, the manufacturer will offer dedicated half-day Nest training courses across the UK. These will give electricians and heating engineers the opportunity to get under the skin of the Nest Learning Thermostat and learn how to install it in their …

When it comes to sealants there are very few on the market that can match CT1, says Roger Bisby. Not only is it strong and flexible it can also seal damp surfaces. I have tried many products that claim to do this but not all of them work. I first started using it when I was working on swimming pools …

Roger Bisby looks at the latest Green Beam laser from Bosch. It seems that manufacturers spent years getting people to buy red beam laser levels and no sooner had everyone got one than they introduced green beam lasers, brighter clearer, four times the visibility and ten times the price. The price has started to drop  to the point where jobbing …

Mira Showers is supporting the nation’s young installer talent by sponsoring this year’s HIP UK Heating Apprentice of the Year competition. The annual event, launched in 2009, represents an opportunity to recognise the hard work, ability and dedication of the next generation of installers. The regional heats offered apprentices across the country the chance to participate in a series of …

Skill Builder’s ‘Day in the life’ feature takes a look at a typical day in the life of different tradespeople. In this installment, we talk to the inspirational Kevin Skeith who, against all the odds, recovered from a serious motorcycle accident which threatened to leave him as a quadriplegic. He now runs a thriving flooring business and became Dickie’s UK …

Construction firm, Structural Metal Decks Limited, (SMDL) has been fined after a worker was left paralysed following an accident at a building site in Kilsyth. The worker suffered injuries to his spinal cord and is now paralysed from the neck down following the incident. Airdrie Sheriff Court heard how Structural Metal Decks Ltd had been sub-contracted to lay metal deck …

Isuzu has announced the range line up and pricing for its new generation D-Max which arrives in the UK this Spring. The range line up from the much-loved D-Max is retained; Utility, Eiger, Yukon, Utah and Blade with a range of single, extended and double cab variants available. Prices start from £15,749 The entry-level Utility D-Max, priced from £15,749 (CVOTR) …

Leyland SDM (LSDM) Limited has been fined after four workers fell more than three and a half metres whilst carrying a ventilation unit. Westminster Magistrates Court heard how LSDM had been in the process of redeveloping a warehouse in Wembley. However, when four workers tried to move a ventilation unit into position, the working platform became overloaded and gave way. …

Snickers Workwear has always been well-known for its modern designs, innovative functionality and market-leading fabric technology. Now its WorkTrousers are getting even ‘smarter’ with the integration of technology to improve performance and wellbeing at work. Wearable Technology is already woven into our daily lives through smartphones, fitness devices, sports clothing and accessories – to help monitor and improve performance. A …

Following the publication of the Construction Skills Network (CSN) report, Professor Linda Clarke, Professor of European Industrial Relations at Westminster Business School, believes the future for construction, and particularly for construction labour, looks bleak, especially in light of Brexit: “The Construction Skills Network (CSN) forecasts a worrying outlook for construction activity over the next five years, hugely dependent on infrastructure …

External Wall Insulation by Saint-Gobain Weber has been specified for the thermal upgrade of social housing properties in Bangor and Y Bala, North Wales.  They have been transformed with the application of the webertherm XP External Wall Insulation (EWI) with u-values that have been dramatically reduced while the aesthetics of the properties have been changed completely.  Residents are praising these …