Checkatrade has announced a partnership with construction giant, Caterpillar to offer members 30% off at products at www.shopcaterpillar.co.uk  Members already receive a range of benefits including inclusion in the Checkatrde search feature. To become a member of Checkatrade and join over 25,000 UK tradespeople, potential members must undergo a thorough background check and commit to, and uphold, the ‘Checkatrade Standard’. The …

Roger Bisby revs up with the Triton Geared Eccentric Orbital Sander. Ah! life can get very confusing. No sooner do we all get used to a random orbit and then Triton comes out with ‘eccentric’ orbit. When does an orbit cease being random and become eccentric or is it the other way round? Is there a difference? No sooner do …

There’s been lots happening on the Skill Builder YouTube channel in 2016; here’s a few highlights. Power tools In January 2016 we published the first part of the new 18v drill test which was first published in 2014. This time we split it into three parts looking at: Part 1 – batteries; Part 2 – flat bits; Part 3 – …

Every year, construction workers suffer from eye injuries ranging from temporary sight loss to long-term impaired vision and even blindness. Julien Clair, product manager for eyewear at Honeywell Industrial Safety, outlines the key measures required for effective eye protection.   What are the hazards? Construction sites create a significant risk for eye injuries. Every day, workers face a myriad of …

Roger Bisby takes a look at some ideas from Snickers to make your winter working happier. Hi Tech fabrics have undeniable advantages and I am very happy to wear them but there is something reassuring about a natural wool sweater. It is probably the only fabric that stays warm even when it is wet which is very handy for all …

Roger Bisby tries out a few Milwaukee redsticks for size and accuracy. Milwaukee is continuing its journey into the wonderful world of hand tools with the introduction of a range of Redstick spirit levels. On paper they seem to tick all the boxes but it is early days so we will have to see how they stand up to life …

So what’s it like to work in the cold with freezing hands? Well, as you may know, it’s not pleasant. Everything you do is that bit harder and it can be extremely dangerous. With cold hands and fingers, you are more likely to fumble with numb fingers, which is not only dangerous to yourself but also to others. Gloves for cold weather The TraffiGlove range …

UCATT is calling on the construction industry to introduce extreme weather health and safety guidelines because the industry is blighted by the inhumanity of the industry towards workers. UCATT is concerned that workers must struggle through zero temperatures, risk their health on icy ground or scaffold, or endure torrential downpours for up to 12 hours at a time while the …

Roger Bisby takes a pair of  Solid Gear 80005 Polar GTX Safety Boots out on site. If you have ever suffered from cold wet feet out on site in the winter and doubted the wisdom of your career choice then this pair of winter boots will interest you. They say there is no such thing as bad weather just bad …

Roger Bisby tries out O’Keeffes Working Hands Hand Cream. They used to say, back in the day, that when the revolution comes everyone will have to hold out their hands and those with soft hands will be put up against the wall and shot. A tad extreme, I grant you, but I always knew I would be safe from the …

Adseal Colours has launched two new DIY concrete staining kits which include all the products needed to recolour or completely change the colour of both interior and exterior concrete surfaces. They contain a stain from a choice of 12 different solid colours as well as a paving sealer, an applicator brush, protective gloves and easy to follow instructions. Kits are …

A new protective glove, the Showa 381, offers increased comfort as well as protection for workers carrying out a variety of tasks.

Polyco’s innovative use of 21st-century technology has been recognised and rewarded by an institution that has been championing glove development for more than 375 years. Polyco’s dry-grip glove, the Grip It MAX, was named by the Worshipful Company of Glovers in February as the winner of its Worshipful Company of Glovers 2015 Golden Glove Award for Innovation. Granted its royal charter …

Following its introduction of the tough Black Mamba Nitrile Glove into the UK market back in 2012, Fortress Distribution is launching the new Pro Blu heavy duty latex glove. Manufactured from latex and at 14 mils thick it offers users the ability to work in a number of different applications. Some of the key features of the new Pro Blu …

Snickers’ range of work gloves are designed to cope with the harshest of weather conditions. From tough, hard-wearing ‘Weather Essential’ gloves to ‘Weather Cut Protection’ gloves, the Snickers products are designed to keep users’ hands properly protected and warm. There are eight different styles in the range, including the ‘Weather Dry’ glove, which is made from advanced materials in a …

There are two kinds of product tests that I carry out for Skill Builder, explains Roger Bisby. The first is to take a brand new tool out of the box and give my immediate impressions by taking it out on site and hopefully letting a few of my fellow workers give it a go to get their opinions. This has …