HSE bans dry cutting of engineered stone, Screwfix crowns two trade apprentice winners, and plumbers waste three hours a week sourcing materials
The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has made the dry cutting of engineered stone illegal and is demanding the use of lower silica content materials.
The guidance, designed to reduce the risk of silicosis, comes after two workers died from the illness in recent years.
One of the victims, a 48-year-old father of three, died after working with the material commonly used in kitchen worktops.
HSE has pledged a nationwide inspection programme over the next 12 months to enforce the new regulations.
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For the first time ever, Screwfix has crowned not one, but two winners for its annual Trade Apprentice Competition.
Gracie Donaghy, a third-year electrical apprentice and Petra O’Flaherty, a trainee stonemason, each took home a prize bundle worth £10,000.
They also earned their respective colleges £2 grand’s worth of Screwfix vouchers.
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Plumbers and heating engineers are losing up to £7,000 a year in chargeable hours shopping around for the best deal on materials, claims research from City Plumbing.
The builder’s merchant estimates installers spend around three hours a week sourcing materials.
To save tradespeople time, City Plumbing has since introduced a lowest price guarantee across its core electrical, plastic plumbing, and spares ranges.
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