News

Professional body warns of rise in Legionnaires’ cases as outbreak claims grandmother of four

The Chartered Institute of Plumbing & Heating Engineering (CIPHE) has issued a warning on the growing number of cases of Legionnaires’ disease, in the wake of the death of Elaine Brown, a 69 year-old grandmother of four, from Liverpool.

Mrs Brown died in August, following a fatal stroke triggered by Legionnaires’ disease (LD). She had contracted the illness while staying at The Feathers Hotel in Ludlow, Shropshire. It has now come to light that another guest, a woman in her 70’s, had also contracted LD from the same establishment back in April. It is estimated some 10% of those contracting LD die from related complications.

Wolseley ramps up heating stock for winter

Wolseley Plumb Center is supporting the industry by ensuring it has all the essential heating products and support needed to see installers through this heating season.

To cope with the increased demand during the season, Wolseley Plumb Center has increased its range profile with over 500 heating products and over 200 of the most requested spare parts available across all branches. What’s more, when ordered before 5:00pm a further 50,000 products are available for next-day delivery from as early as 7:30am.

Whether installers are located in inner cities or rural areas, there are over 500branches to choose from; as far north as Thurso in Scotland, and as far south as Truro in Cornwall.

Bond It launches new and highly versatile waterproofing system

Bond It is building on its track record of developing innovative, value adding products.

The business, which ranks as one of the UK's leading manufacturers of sealants, adhesives and building chemicals, has launched EasiSeal Pro - a one-part, cold applied liquid waterproofing system which offers impressive ease of use and enormous versatility.

The latest addition to the company's PRO range of sealants and adhesives, which utilise advanced, hybrid polymer technology, EasiSeal PRO is an exciting alternative to traditional waterproofing products like bitumen.

The Tools Awards 2017

Our eagerly anticipated annual ‘On the Tools Awards’ took place last Friday the 20th October and wow, what a night it was. 2017 is the second year the awards have been held - and it was definitely one to remember.

The awards were conceived by On the Tools to recognise the hard working and dedicated tradespeople that make up the construction industry. Alongside the construction community, the awards also honour construction based companies and construction brands.

GRAF UK grows team by a quarter in line with business success

Market-leading European water management specialist GRAF UK has grown its team by more than quarter in response to steadily rising demand for its top-quality stormwater, wastewater, and rainwater harvesting ranges.

The company has made a series of 12 new appointments across its customer service, installations, logistics and finance departments – bolstering its previously 24-strong team to 31. Among the 12 new recruits are four distribution centre operatives, two customer service reps, two accounts specialists, two installations experts, one logistics manager and one technical assistant. The move comes just months after GRAF upsized its UK headquarters to accommodate rapid business growth, relocating to the 10,000 sq ft Regen House premises in Banbury, Oxfordshire.

Construction workers spend 130 hours a year making tea

82% of construction workers say regular ‘tea breaks’ aids productivity
The optimum time for ‘tea break’ is 6 minutes
Builders believe you should have 5 ‘tea breaks’ on average per day

BRITISH BUILDERS rack up 130 hours per year making tea and other hot drinks, according to new research.

A survey of UK workers in the construction industry carried out by leading household appliances retailer, AppliancesDirect.co.uk, revealed builders spend on average 130 hours annually taking tea breaks, 20.34 hours more than the average British worker who spend 109.66 hours annually making tea.

Primaflow’s Marie braves the shave for Macmillan Cancer Support

Last month, Marie Stonall from F & P, Primaflow and Connections took part in a hair-raising fundraising event, ‘braving the shave’ to raise more than £1,400 for Macmillan Cancer Support. Marie, a Customer Service Team Leader for Primaflow, explained:

“My family has been affected by cancer and I wanted to do something to support the wonderful work that Macmillan does. I have never shaved my head before so I was slightly apprehensive, but my colleagues were so supportive and we ended up turning it into a really enjoyable event.”

Mercedes-Benz vans hit the HomeServe run

HomeServe, the UK’s leading home assistance provider, has taken another step on the road towards an all-Mercedes-Benz van fleet.

HomeServe delivers effortless service to its customers, offering a range of services including plumbing, drainage, electrics, heating, and much more through its nationwide network of approved engineers. Given this, it expects the same, high-quality service from its own suppliers. The Mercedes-Benz Dealer Network’s 24-hour maintenance and repair capability, and free MobiloVan roadside assistance support, were therefore crucial to its decision to switch to the three-pointed star.

APHC highlights practices to reduce risk when working on ladders

Ladders are a fairly common piece of equipment for plumbing and heating contractors and according to the Health and Safety Executive, falls from height remain one of the most common causes of work related fatalities in Great Britain.

Just recently a company was fined £1million after the death of an electrician from a step-ladder fall. In view of this the Association of Plumbing & Heating Contractors is reminding plumbing and heating employers and operatives to take precautions and follow the Health & Safety Executive’s recommended practices when working at height.

Dickies workwear to showcase biggest range ever at A+A

Global workwear brand Dickies will present its most comprehensive exhibition display yet at the international A+A trade show in Düsseldorf (17-20 October 2017), including a rare preview of products due to launch in 2018.

The largest international trade show for safety, security and health at work, the A+A show is a biannual opportunity to experience the latest products and expertise in the workwear field.

As well as focusing on the health and safety aspects of its ranges, Dickies will be showcasing products including items from the new Dickies 1922 selection, which is set to launch next year. This trend-led range will offer tradesmen a look that can be adapted for both work and leisure time, without compromising on functionality.

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