'Elf and Safety

Words to strike fear and dread into every tradesmans heart. The awful 'Elf & Safety executive reaches ever further into every aspect of the construction industry.

From safety directives concerning how much you're allowed to lift, to where your customers are allowed to go, to the COSHH data sheets on the materials themselves. In some regards the HSE accepts that it's onto a loser. If a product is kept small enough to be a safe two man lift, we all know that on site workmen are going to try to lift it themselves.

Obviously everyone wants beteter safety on site - but not to the point where it interferes with the effective running of (genuinely safe) working practices.

Earlier in the year the HSE announced a new tool for SME's [1] to assess their health and safety.

The actual tool can be found at The Indicator.

The hope is that insurance companies will take note of employers who perform well against the questions on this indicator. Their isn't a great deal of evidence that this has happened, but it does seem like the executive are making real attempts to assist small employers.

Lets hope this is a trend that continues.

[1]	SME stands for Small and Medium Employers. The HSE website doesn't go out of it's way to explain this.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2005-11-23 14:25:49.
Categories: materials, regulations

---

Insulation Changes

Unless you've been in a coma for the last couple of years, you will be aware of the soaring levels of insulation required in domestic dwellings.

Celotex [1] used to be an expensive luxury. Since the 2002 changes to Part L of the building regulations, levels of insulation that would only previously have been required in warm roof situations are now barely sufficient to put in the floor.

And it's all due to change again. The April 2006 revisions to Part L are about to come into force. This means another round of confusion, difficulties,and complaints from customers.

An annoying aspect of the next round of changes, is that innovative solutions like Tri-Iso Super 9 will no longer be sufficient to comply with Part L alone. The Tri-Iso Super 9 family of products are multi-layer fabrics (like a roofing felt) that claim to be the equivalent of up to 90mm of celotex in a sheet around half an inch thick. They aren't accepted by all local councils - but where they are accepted, they can be a real life saver where you don't have much space. They are also easier to use - they can be installed with a staple gun. [2]

Obviously the industry will have to react to the changing situation. It's evolve or die time again.

So are these changes absurd, officious, and unnecessary ? You may or may not know that these changes are part of the government's commitment to meet the targets for carbon emissions, as set out in the Kyoto treaty on climate change. Around thirty percent of UK carbon emissions are due to the heating of domestic dwellings.

Certainly confusion is a bad thing. This government is no stranger to a greatly increased burden of regulation and red-tape. As to the question of whether increased insulation is a bad thing - we at Buildingtrade.org.uk reserve judgement on it, for the moment.

[1]	and the other brands of polyisocyanate boards...

[2]	Not necessarily the recommended technique.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2005-11-17 12:10:04.
Categories: regulations, materials

---

Start of a Good Thing

Well, the summer is over. The grey clouds are once again sweeping over the British building trade - both literally and metaphorically.

Perhaps not the time to launch a new venture? We at Buildingtrade.org.uk think differently. Like the winter months, the current slowdown is only temporary.

The UK construction industry is only gradually waking up to the internet revolution - but we're willing to bet that when you need information, it's the first place you look.

We're going to be here with you through the winter - but also here in the spring, and whatever new trials that may bring.

This is the Buildingtrade.org.uk blog. Here we'll be posting news, opinions, and any short snippets we think you might find interesting.

If you have any news or feedback that you want us to hear, please use the contact page and let us know.

Posted by Buildingtrade.org.uk on 2005-10-10 15:08:54.
Categories: news, website, independents, nationals, opinion, articles, regulations, materials

---