Roger wrestles with his inner rescuer. I was visiting a manufacturer of safety equipment recently and went to use the gents and found the place flooded out. There was one guy with a mop trying to clear it up but he was like the Sorcerer’s apprentice, the loo just kept overflowing. As fast as he cleared it up more appeared. …

During National Apprenticeship Week, Hudson Contract urges more companies to support young talent through apprentice sponsorship schemes.

The Construction Skills Certification Scheme (CSCS) is reminding industry to be prepared for the withdrawal of the Construction Related Occupation (CRO) card. CSCS will stop issuing CRO cards from 31st March 2017 and all CRO cards issued since October 2015 will expire on 30th September 2017*. CSCS Head of Communications Alan O’Neile said: “The Construction Leadership Council (CLC) announced (via …

A building supplies e-commerce start-up is taking on industry heavyweights B&Q, Travis Perkins, Selco, Jewson and Wickes to offer savings of 20-35%. Go Banana is said to be the UK’s first comparison website for building and DIY supplies. With 50,000 searchable products Go Banana provides an online platform for builders, tradespeople and DIY enthusiasts looking to purchase supplies quickly and …

An unregistered gas fitter from Farnborough has been prosecuted for carrying out illegal gas work which was found to be unsafe. Basingstoke Magistrates’ court heard how Mr Fergus Leask, who also trades as Eldan Plumbing, had assured the homeowner that he was Gas Safe Registered. When he was unable to supply the gas safe certificate months after installing the boiler, the …

The Heating and Hotwater Industry Council, HHIC together with the boiler manufacturers has this month launched the ‘Retro Boiler’ Label. The scheme aims to tackle the UK’s 9 million inefficient boilers by raising awareness of boiler efficiency with consumers. Registered gas engineers are now issuing an energy efficiency label, a ‘Retro Boiler’ label, on all non-condensing boilers with a permanent …

Skill Builder’s ‘Day in the life’ feature takes a look at a typical day in the life of different tradespeople. In the first in the series we talk to a plumbing and heating engineer who goes by the name of Gas Man God who is one of the co-founders of  the Gas Safety Super Heros campaign.* Name: GasManGod Trade: Gas …

A builder has been sentenced to 250 hours of community service for putting a home owner at risk following renovations to their house in Cardiff. Cardiff Crown Court heard that Brian James was hired to carry out renovations to a bungalow in Cardiff specifically to install new plumbing and heating, including a boiler. Brian James admitted in court that although …

Jail for plumbers at a firm that targeted elderly and vulnerable victims and charged rates of up to £672 per hour to unblock a toilet.

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 …

A Darlington man has been jailed for carrying out illegal gas work on three occasions. Teeside Magistrates’ Court heard Neil Simon McKimm (trading as Macs Plumbing Services) carried out gas work including servicing boilers. McKimm used the alias of a legitimate gas engineer to deceive his customers. An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) found that Neil McKimm …

A Birmingham maintenance company has been fined after a worker died after falling 14 foot from the roof of a five-storey building. Birmingham Crown Court heard how H20 Plumbing Services Limited were contracted to carry out repairs to two motor rooms situated on the roof of a building on Hagley Road, Birmingham. Two workers set up a station immediately outside …

An unregistered gas fitter has been sentenced for illegally installing a gas boiler and undertaking landlord’s gas safety checks at a tenanted property. The boiler he installed was later classed as dangerous. Christian Winter, 35, trading as CJS Winter Plumbing & Heating Services of Ashburton, Devon installed the gas boiler at a property on Park Road, Kingskerswell. He then undertook …

A plumber in Essex has been sentenced to a community order after installing gas boilers while not being Gas Safe registered. Chelmsford Magistrates’ Court heard how Martin Law, installed three gas boilers and associated pipework at three premises in Faraday Close, Braintree, and at Sycamore Grove Braintree. A Gas-Safe investigation into the work undertaken at the premises found defects in …

Marley Plumbing & Drainage has strengthened its commercial soil product offering by expanding its solvent soil range with new 160mm fittings and pipe. This latest offering strengthens Marley’s existing commercial portfolio which includes its kitemarked HDPE (high-density polyethylene system) and dBlue acoustic soil systems, which have been manufactured to withstand the high daily usage commercial properties entail and for easier …

A lot of building workers, me included, struggle to do a job wearing gloves. My hands bear testament to the fact. These days it is more or less taken out of your hands, if the site rule is that you wear them then you wear them. But if you are going to wear them you might as well wear some …

Roger Bisby visits Gledhill in Blackpool and finds products that are British through and through. Earlier in the year when I fitted an unvented Gledhill horizontal solar cylinder into an eaves cupboard I really had no idea how much design and work went into making that item. In the building industry we fit a lot of products and like it …