NOVEMBER 2018 | 25
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
FIRECO COLUMN
Colmore Tang Construction
launches mental health initiative
Colmore Tang Construction is committing to the
mental health and wellbeing of its staff by launching
an initiative that aims to support people in need.
The Birmingham-based
contractor has acted in re-
sponse to startling statistics
that show male construction
staff are three times more
likely to take their own lives
than men not working in
the sector.
Findings by the Office of
National Statistics revealed
that between 2011 and
2015, 13.2% of the 13,232
recorded in-work suicides
involved those working
in the skilled construction
and building trades, even
though the sector makes
up just over 7% of the UK
workforce.
CTC has now signed up
to the Construction Industry
Helpline, a 24/7 confidential
support number for anyone
working within the sector
and their families. By buy-
ing helpline packs, which
includes cards for every
member of staff, CTC is also
helping The Lighthouse
Club, a charity that supports
construction workers.
Steve Underwood, COO,
said the issue of mental
health and wellbeing is an
important focus area for the
business and understands
more needs to be done
within construction to en-
sure all its workers can find
help and support if they are
struggling with any issues.
www.gentlemansride.com
BUILDER SENTENCED AFTER YOUNG
WORKER SERIOUSLY-INJURED
A builder from Cornwall
has been sentenced after
one of his employees sus-
tained serious, life-changing
hand injuries whilst oper-
ating a handheld circular
saw.
Bodmin Magistrates’ Court
heard how David Avent,
trading as David Avent
Building Services, under-
took a barn refurbishment
in Callington during Febru-
ary 2017. On 7 February, a
worker, who had recently
turned 17, was using a
circular saw to cut wooden
flooring sheets when the
blade made contact with
his hand causing serious,
life-changing injuries. The
saw blade cut fully through
his index finger, three
quarters through his middle
finger and half way through
his ring finger.
An investigation by the
Health and Safety Exec-
utive (HSE) found David
Avent had no record of any
information, instruction and
training that he had provid-
ed to his employee in the
safe use of the circular saw
nor had he ensured that
safe working practices were
followed when cutting the
flooring sheet. The investi-
gation also found that circu-
lar saw blade had not been
properly adjusted for the
size of material being cut
at the time of the incident
and the flooring sheet was
not appropriately supported
whilst being cut.
David Avent of Callington,
Cornwall pleaded guilty to
breaching Section 2(1) of
the Health and Safety at
Work etc Act 1974 and Reg-
ulation 3(4) of the Manage-
ment of Health and Safety
at Work Regulations 1999.
He has been fined £1,120
and ordered to pay costs of
£8489.48.
www.hse.gov.uk
OBITUARY
Heinrich Laumann
The founding father of
VEKA AG, Heinrich Laumann,
has passed away aged 89.
With his death, VEKA
MD Dave Jones believes
the window industry has
lost one of its most distin-
guished entrepreneurs of
the last 50 years.
Dave explains: “I was
moved to hear of the pass-
ing of our founder Heinrich
Laumann; a real gentleman,
a family man and a true
pioneer of our industry. His
business vision shaped the
industry on an international
level, and his core values -
putting people first - will be
his lasting legacy at VEKA
subsidiaries across the
globe.”
Heinrich was 40 years
old in 1969 when he took
the reins at VEKAPLAST in
the German city of Senden-
horst. He started out with
a team of just eight people,
and over the next 49 years
– with his guidance - the
company became a global
leader in PVC-U. From
humble beginnings evolved
an internationally renowned
business that now employs
around 5600 people in 35
countries across the globe.
Heinrich was described
as a person whose vision,
courage and passion grew
VEKA AG to where it is
today. Together with his
employees, he led the
company to extraordinary
domestic and international
success. His peers say he in-
fluenced an entire industry
with his farsighted deci-
sions and innovations.
www.vekauk.com
WHY DO
PEOPLE
WEDGE FIRE
DOORS
Fire doors are a vital part of
a building’s fire strategy, and
can only do their job if they
are closed. They are specially
designed to prevent the spread
of fire and smoke through a
building so people can evacuate
safely and the building is
protected from damage.
A wedge prevents a
door from closing, which
means fire can spread,
putting all occupants in
danger. Fire doors are
clearly marked with a
sign stating ‘Fire door,
keep shut’.
In the event of a
fire, it is quite possible
that an insurer would
be unwilling to pay
for damages when a
door has been wedged
or propped open. The
majority of fire doors
will hold a fire in a room
for 30 minutes by which
time the Fire & Rescue
service will be on site.
64% of premises vis-
ited by the Fire Service
have fire doors wedged
open.
But it’s not as simple
as saying don’t wedge
that door. We want fire
doors open, as they are
a nuisance in every-
day life. We know they
can be heavy, cause
obstruction and even
injuries.
Despite the dangers
and risk of legal penal-
ties for wedging open
fire doors, people still
do it. Closed doors are
a pain. They get in the
way if you’re trying to
carry a tray of drinks
or your luggage. They
hinder access if you’re
using a wheelchair
or walking stick or
pushing a buggy. They
can cause a room to
be hot and stuffy by
restricting the flow of
air.
However leaving
fire doors wedged or
propped open dis-
regards the safety
of others. It is also
against the law. The
only safe way for fire
doors to be held open
is with special devices
that release them to
close automatically
when the fire alarm is
activated.
When fire doors are
wedged or propped
open, businesses are
at risk of fines, but
more seriously, it puts
people’s lives in dan-
ger. Don’t pay the price
of the door wedge.