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Middlemen

By
Katrina Jende
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It’s the red dirt everywhere in the heart of Australia that visitors notice straight away. Scientists say the rusty colouring results from high levels of iron-oxidizing (i.e rust) in the soil, said to be millions of years old.

Based in Alice Springs, Andrew Kerr, director of AusCon NT, and his business partner David Walsh, love everything about that red soil, and couldn’t be happier having created a successful commercial construction business right in the middle of it.
Kerr and Walsh are both locals—“born and bred here,” says Kerr, and have a deep connection to the area. “I did do a stint down in Adelaide for four years. But home is Central Australia and so I had to come back here.”
On his return in 2019, Kerr established AusCon NT and he says that Walsh was the obvious choice as his business partner. “David and I actually did our apprenticeship together and we’ve been friends since grade three,” he explains. “We decided that two minds are better than one and that we were better off working together than against each other. We took the leap, and it’s gone from there.”


While the company started off doing residential jobs, AusCon NT now mostly focuses on commercial building projects, including some high-profile jobs for the Federal Government. The work is varied, but constant, says Kerr.
AusCon NT has a team of 12, plus subcontractors for electricals and plumbing.
“We do a lot for the Department of Defence,” he adds. “We were very lucky that we did a couple of good projects, and they were happy with us, so we’ve continually been successful in our tenders on those projects.
We’re currently building a new church for the Church of Latter-day Saints in Alice Springs, which has been our largest project to date. We do work for Australian Defence Housing and a lot for the Northern Territory Government when they come up. We’ve done hospital work, art centers and we’ve also just designed an Aboriginal Cultural Centre for an organisation out at Kings Canyon.”
Their success has extended to Kerr winning the prestigious Toyota National Young Builder of the Year Award at the Master Builders National Excellence in Building and Construction Awards 2022 for “his managerial skills in delivering quality projects on time and within budget”.
He says there are lots of opportunities to be found in the Red Centre.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re local or a new guy,” he says. “The opportunities are endless if you’re willing to take a risk and do the hard work. It is good being a local, because you know contractors such as plumbing companies and electrical companies and, of course, you are used
to the weather.”


As with many other builders throughout the country, AusCon NT struggles to find enough qualified tradies to manage all the work available, so they have been concentrating on training up their own workforce—“growing their own people” as Kerr describes it—to solve the issue.
“About eight years ago, you could get lots of tradies here, because of the money,” he says. “We used to pay a lot higher here than most of Australia because there’s so much work and such a demand for workers. However, people are getting paid that much the whole way around the country now. We pretty much have job applications out 24/7 all year round, and we don’t get much interest.
“The only way we’ve found to deal with the problem is that we put them through an apprenticeship, then we look after them by giving them good projects and hope that they stay and don’t get money thrown at them from other businesses.”
The other challenges are around logistics and getting the right materials onsite and on time. “The logistic parts of construction in Alice is the hardest part,” Kerr adds. “How we process material lists and schedules is probably quite different than the way cities do it.
Almost the first thing we do as soon as we sign a contract is to talk to suppliers because sometimes you can be waiting 17 weeks just for a basketball hoop to come.
“The timber work that we have to order is handmade and it has to get cured. We have such a crazy climate here in Alice—it’s so cold in winter and so hot in summer—we have to kiln-dry our timber before we can touch it.”
And, of course, it’s especially rewarding working in your hometown.
“It’s pretty satisfying,” says Kerr. “We’re doing some projects that have been great for the community. There’s a large college in Alice Springs, and we’ve built some amazing classrooms, and rehabilitation classrooms for disabled kids. The satisfaction of giving back to the community and building those structures for them is rewarding. We’re both born and bred here. My business partner has kids, and they’re probably going to grow up here. So, I think that building a better community for our future is pretty cool.”

The importance of MATES

By
Katrina Jende
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0

There’s a reaction Marc Finnigan admits he’s now used to whenever he visits construction sites and building companies to talk about the importance of mental health and wellbeing in his role as a field officer with suicide prevention program MATES in Construction.

“It will often start with a room full of these big burly construction workers, and there will be a few who will have a laugh and give a bit of attitude as we start talking about taking care of their mental health,” Finnigan says.

“But the laughs quickly stop when we speak about the facts and figures regarding suicide in the construction industry and how it is more likely that the people in the room could die from taking their own lives than from a workplace accident. That is when we see people nodding their heads in recognition of the fact we have a problem in this game.”

In 2019, 210 construction workers died by suicide, a figure based on coronial data using ANZSCO codes to identify workers, which is more than one person every two days, a figure higher than the Australian average for men. Among younger industry workers, it’s almost 2.4 times higher.

Other MATES research claims one of the reasons behind the high rate of suicide is workers often find it difficult to discuss their feelings and emotions with their work colleagues. The highly transient nature of work, along with the increased pressure of project timelines, have made social support more difficult.

But it is pressures outside of work that can be even more problematic, such as financial difficulties as well as relationship problems. This is particularly dangerous for younger workers, Finnigan says. “Of the suicide cases in people aged below 24, in 75 per cent of those cases, some sort of relationship breakdown occurred just before they took their own life.”

MATES was established in 2008 and provides suicide prevention through community development programs on sites, and by supporting workers in need through case management and a 24/7 help line. The goal is to build awareness of the issues and to encourage supportive workplace environments where every person is asked to play a part in looking out for each other.

“We are dedicated to making mental health support as common as wearing a hard hat on the job site,” Chris Lockwood, MATES national CEO, says. “Preventing suicide starts with a conversation. Let’s talk, let’s connect, and let’s save lives together.”

The MATES support program has field officers who visit workplaces to explain program initiatives and offer training to volunteers to create onsite networks to help workers support each other and to create an overall healthier workplace.

The Australian Building and Construction Industry Blueprint for Better Mental Health and Suicide Prevention was launched by MATES in Construction in 2018, with the support of Beyond Blue and a range of other building organisations.

The blueprint outlines an integrated approach to mental health in the workplace, such as promoting mental health practices among workers and early intervention strategies for people at risk. To date, almost 20 companies have signed on.

“MATES has trained more than 300,000 people across the construction, mining and energy sectors,” Lockwood says. “From this, we’ve been able to build a volunteer workforce of over 30,000 people who know how to have the difficult conversations that can save a life.’’

Marc Finnigan worked 30 years as a carpenter before joining MATES in 2021. He says other MATES research reveals that of the people who suicide or contemplate it, 93 per cent want to survive.

“The real barrier that stops those of us in the construction game from reaching out to each other is we still think it is weak to show emotion or to show we have feelings, and that needs to change,” he says.

“It takes real strength and courage to admit you are struggling and need help, as that is the powerful move. We need more people in our field to realise that, and that it is crucial for them to shift their thinking about all of this.”

During his time in construction, Finnigan has had two co-workers who took their own lives. He believes there were warning signs that were missed at the time.

“It is a matter of noticing those little changes in a person’s behaviour, which might be subtle, but they could be masking a whole lot of things going on for that person,” he says. “It might be the guy who you work with and normally joins in with everyone for a break, but then he starts sitting

quietly on his own or having his lunch alone in the car. That’s the time when you need to quietly ask the question, ‘I’ve noticed you’ve been spending a lot of time alone—is everything okay?’

“Just initiating that kind of conversation could be the start of helping out and letting your co-worker know you have his back, you’ve noticed a change and are there to help out with support if he wants it. It comes down to being a good mate, and just looking out for each other.”

On the level

By
Katrina Jende
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0

It’s been a busy two years in the Melbourne suburb of Glen Huntly where one of the biggest projects the area has seen in decades has been underway, removing two level rail crossings Glen Huntly and Neerim roads.

The new Glen Huntly crossings opened in August, achieved by lowering the railway track into a trench, with new road bridges now allowing cars to cross the line unimpeded. An expanded new Glen Huntly station was also built.
Along the busy Frankston railway line, the Level Crossing Removal upgrade project will ultimately remove 18 level crossings and create 12 new stations.
One man who knows all the data, details and designs of the new project is Independent Fastening Systems (IFS) store owner and director, Matthew Corstorphin. IFS is a Melbourne based manufacturer and wholesaler supplier, and Corstorphin’s Broadmeadows store acted as one of the main suppliers to Acciona, the building company working on the Glen Huntley project.
Corstorphin took over the IFS store just over a year ago and estimates the major development was their biggest client in their first year in business; there were some weeks when the project consumed 75 per cent of their time.
“As they are such a big client, and as this project is such an important one to our community … we have done our best to service them,” Corstorphin says.
“Anything you can think of that a building project needs to keep running, we supplied it. Some days it was epoxies and screws and fasteners, other days it was toilet paper, TV screens for engineering planning meetings and mattresses for the sick bay.”


The project is estimated to have involved the excavation of the equivalent of 65 Olympic swimming pools worth of soil, the pouring of more than 30,000 cubic metres of concrete, and the extensive installation of new tracks and signalling.
The old level crossings, consisting of boom gates that would regularly lower across a street to allow the trains to pass through, caused major traffic congestion in the surrounding area. Their removal has improved safety for locals, reduced road congestion and allowed more trains to run along the line.
The new Glen Huntly station with its lowered platforms has also offered better accessibility for passengers, and improved connections between public transport, local shops and community spaces.
In the final weeks before the crossings opened, the project had 500 people working onsite during the day, and another 500 working on night duty.
Due to the complexity of the various stages of the project, it was not uncommon for Corstorphin and the IFS team to deliver materials to the
construction site five times a day.
“When people are working on a big project like this, you need to understand that with so many parts to the job, there are times when they need additional things and need them quickly,” he explains. “We understood there would be unpredictable days, and other days when everything seemed to shift from one end of the project to the other. That was when we would package up another delivery and just get the materials out to site so they could keep going.”
In total, the citywide Level Crossing Removal Project will replace 110 level crossings by 2030. So far, 70 level crossings have been removed and 38 new stations built on the Cranbourne, Pakenham and Lilydale lines. The focus is now on the Frankston, Sunbury, Werribee and Frankston lines. The total cost is around $8.3 billion.
On the Glen Huntly project, Corstorphin worked closely with Acciona storeman Eric Murray. Murray says IFS played a vital role in helping keep the construction on track.

“There were many days I would call Matt about the additional things we needed that day, and he would deliver it to the site within hours,” Murray says.
“When you’re on a project like this, knowing that all it takes is a phone call to get the material you need makes all the difference. It comes down to one word—reliability.”
Murray says with the construction team so busy, there was never time for builders to leave the site to source extra materials.
“There were some days when Matt would get 20 phone calls from me for all the extra parts we needed, and he never lost his cool,” Murray says. “He would then have it delivered a couple of hours later, and we just got on with the job.”
There is still work to do on the Glen Huntly project over the coming months, but the Acciona team has already moved down the Frankston line to Parkdale to start work on the next level crossing removal at Parkers Road.
Murray says the relationship between IFS and Acciona has now entered a new phase on this latest project.
“As long as Matt and IFS keeps kicking the big goals with us, he will continue to be our right-hand man on this one as well. He makes my life easy and when you’re on a project like this, you just need people you know you can trust.”

Diamonds are forever

By
Katrina Jende
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0

A good diamond blade can make easy work of the toughest cutting job. But choosing the right one for the task at hand requires some inside knowledge. That’s because not all diamond blades are created equal.

“Diamond blades pretty much all look the same, but there are some very cheap and nasty blades out there,” says Paul Hoye, managing director Asia Pacific at Klingspor. “At the end of the day, it’s like most things. You get what you pay for.”

ROCKS AND DIAMONDS

Hoye explains that some diamond blades are not actually diamond blades at all.

Rather, they contain silicon carbide that typically doesn’t perform as well or last as long as the real thing.

“A good rule of thumb is to make sure any diamond blade you buy has an oSa (Organization for the Safety of Abrasives) logo printed on it,” Hoye advises.

“This is the world-recognised standard, and means that the blades are made to certain quality standards, are batch tested, and the manufacturer carries global product liability insurance. That means if something goes wrong with the blade, the user is covered.”

LASER WELD VS SINTERED

All Klingspor diamond blades are oSa certified. But that’s really only the first step in choosing a quality blade. Hoye warns that oSa standards don’t distinguish between laser-welded and sintered blades.

For laser-welded blades, a laser is used to melt the diamond cutting segments to the steel core of the wheel. For sintered blades, the diamond segments are chemically bonded to the steel core. This distinction has a big impact on the performance and longevity of the blade.

“Always go for laser-welded blades,” says Hoye. “With laser-welded blades you can typically use the entire width of the diamond cutting segment. However with sintered blades, you can only use up to where the diamond edge meets the steel core.

“So, for example, if you take a 12mm laser-welded blade, you’re going to be able to use the full 12mm width of the diamond segments. But, with a 12mm sintered blade, you might only be able to use 6mm of the diamond width before you hit the steel core.”

Part of the challenge of selecting a quality diamond blade is that it’s not always possible to visually tell the difference between a laser-welded blade and a sintered blade.

“That’s because some manufacturers paint the wheel right up to the edge of the segment so you can’t see whether there’s a laser weld burn or whether it’s just sintered on. You really need to ask the manufacturer, and find a brand you can trust.”

THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB

Hoye says it’s a common misconception that the wrong diamond blade won’t cut.

“Diamond blades will cut anything and everything,” he says. “However, the wrong blade for the job will probably cut slower and not last as long. So it just comes down to choosing the best blade for the application.”

There are three main diamond blade types typically used in Australia—segmented blades, continuous rim blades, and turbo blades.

“The basic rule of thumb is that segmented blades are for heavy construction materials like bricks and pavers. Continuous rim blades are for

smooth cutting like tiles. And turbo blades do both,” Hoye explains.

“So if you’re a general tradie and you want a diamond blade that you can cut everything with, go for a turbo blade. If you’re a bricklayer, go for a segmented blade. And if you’re a tiler don’t touch either of those—go for a continuous rim.”

This old house

By
Katrina Jende
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0

There’s something special about working on old buildings, preserving their beauty while making them practical for modern family living.

This is the passion of Doug Laidlaw, of DL Build, who has just completed a spectacular renovation—practically a rebuild—of a beautiful country homestead in Panton Hill, about 30km north-east of Melbourne.

What started off as a three-month renovation became a 14-month project, complete with the preservation of an old brick well inside the property, now a unique wine cellar for the owner. It was a huge undertaking and the biggest project ever done by Laidlaw and his team.

“We do a lot of work like this, but Panton Hill was definitely next level,” Laidlaw explains. “We have renovated or extended and built a lot of rustic/country style buildings but nothing of that size and extent. Projects like this is all we want to do and it’s the path we are heading down.”

The brief from the owners was to retain the home’s charm, while making it practical for modern living.

“It was meant to be basically just a kitchen renovation, extend a couple of walls out and a little deck,” says Laidlaw. “And then it turned into a 14-month renovation. It probably would have been quicker, easier and cheaper just to bulldoze it and start again, but with a home that’s 130 years old, it had a lot of heritage. It was the main homestead for a lot of properties in that area, so it would have been a shame to just knock it down and start again. And you wouldn’t have ended up with the same feeling.

“By the time we were finished, it was basically a new build because we pretty much stripped everything back to the bare bones. There was no insulation in the house, which was one of the main problems for the owners. It was freezing in winter, and it was boiling in summer. We pretty much had to pull all the plaster off the walls and all the cladding off the outside, to insulate everything. And then once we started pulling that off, we realised there was water damage and termites.”

The house had had seven or eight renovations and extensions over the years, he added, which made it even more complex, as they started to peel back the layers.

“We nearly had to rebuild the whole house, part by part,” says Doug. “There was definitely a lot that we left, but there was a lot that was just too far gone.”

The weatherproofing extended to replacing all the single glazed windows with double-glazing, while retaining the original window frames, which were still in good condition. The old roof sheets were replaced and all the old timber weatherboards, which had rotted, were replaced with cement sheet weatherboards, to minimise maintenance moving forward.

However, the project’s big show stopper was the conversion of the old brick well into a customised wine cellar topped with a customised glass ceiling—a complex undertaking, Laidlaw says.

Dating back about 120 years, the well was the entire water source for the property up to about 30 years ago when it was connected to the mains water supply; until the renovation, it was still used to water the garden and for the livestock. Located under the living area of the house, homeowner Noel Gibson was keen to make it a feature.

It was a huge project, which became less straightforward after work commenced, says Laidlaw. “We just thought it was a concrete tank that was dug and dropped in the ground. We planned for it to be steel inserted and concreted like a pool, with a spiral staircase inside. But as we started the demolition, we realised it was a hand-dug hand-bricked well. So, we completely changed our approach.

We went back to the engineer and designed it backwards. We dug out around it, laid block work around it for support and retained all the brickwork on the inside of it, hand-chipping the render away. It was quite a job.”

The restored well was converted to a wine cellar complete with a thick glass ceiling, which also acts as flooring material for the living space, allowing a view into the cellar from above and the chance to admire the 100-year-old handmade—and probably locally sourced—bricks. Laidlaw worked closely with Leigh Jacobs of the Melbourne Glass Company to design and install the glass ceiling/floor, created with two pieces of 33mm thick glass. The glass was craned into position due to its difficult location and weight.

Jacobs says that it was a unique and rare project to work on, and great to be part of.

“It was a beautiful collaboration between builder, client and us as a contractor,” he says. “We do glass floors regularly, but never to that size. I think it’s a credit to the client, who was very willing to trust us, and the builder to come along for the journey.

“The project speaks for itself with an outcome that was so special and an extremely happy client.”

Easy on the eyes

By
Katrina Jende
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0

Eyes are irreplaceable and vulnerable to a range of potential hazards, particularly in workplaces. Correct and compliant eye protection is essential to avoid lasting consequences. It pays to consider all possibilities when choosing eye protection. Sunglasses will protect road workers from UV radiation but are often useless against flying debris.

“Each job requires its own specific type of eye protection,” says Tamara Mika, trade marketing manager at Bollé Safety, a global PPE eyewear company.

“Our products are clearly marked depending on whether you’re protecting from shards or impact. For chemical or dust protection, you need goggles that make a tight seal with your face. It’s all about wearing the correct safety glasses for the appropriate situation.”

GETTING IT RIGHT

The correct eyewear could be spectacles, goggles or products that completely wrap around a user’s face.

There are different classifications for different products and it’s important to get it right.

“It all comes down to the application of the product for the situation in which it’s being used,” says James Dibou, eyewear product manager at Uvex, a company that makes a wide range of protective and safety PPE. “Whether you need it to be splash or dust proof, or if you are working in abrasive environments where there are sparks, debris or shrapnel, the correct level of protection is of vital importance. Where possible, I recommend talking to your environmental health and safety officer about your work environment and the products and solutions that you need.”

The ramifications of incorrect—or no—eye protection are huge. A simple scratch on the eye can heal but is painful for an extended period. A foreign body in the eye may be minor but it can also cause major damage. Chemicals in the eye can cause permanent scarring. Reduction in vision, blindness and even losing eye are all real possibilities.

“Eye protection is to be taken very seriously,” says Tamara Mika. “And it’s such a simple thing to wear. The level of risk versus the ease of using eye protection means there is no excuse.’

James Dibou agrees. “Employers are very proactive about providing eye protection to mitigate risks to their employees. But even though the employer can provide the correct eye protection, the onus and responsibility is on the user to utilise it during work processes.”

BE COMFORTABLE

There is no universal solution for eye protection. Each job has its own requirements and each person’s face has its own shape. The most basic prerequisite is to ensure it meets Australia and New Zealand standards for industrial applications (AS/NZS 1336:2014). The design and shape of your safety glasses should be in alignment with the shape of your face.

The gaps formed between the frame edges and the face should be minimised by selecting a frame that closely follows the individual’s facial contours.

“Eye protection can work with existing PPE, even if that includes head protection, respiration and hearing,” says Dibou. “Uvex offers a variety of styles and shapes of spectacles and goggles to fit different users.”

Another important aspect of eye protection is comfort. Removing safety spectacles or goggles between jobs can often lead to them being misplaced or simply forgotten. Protective eyewear needs to be on the user’s face, not on the top of their heads, in their pocket or left in the car. “Our products are designed to be as comfortable as possible,” says Mika. “Users don’t need to take them off between jobs which means their eyes are protected all day long.”

CLEAR VISION

People who wear prescription glasses can still utilise protective eye wear.

OTG or ‘over the glasses’ styles offer protection without loss of vision quality. It’s also possible to invest in a pair of prescription safety glasses.

“We can fit our products with a high range of prescriptions,” says Mika. “Even people with very poor eyesight can be accommodated.”

Of course, some jobs are more high risk. Construction sites involve hazards such as flying debris, chemicals, dust and sharp objects. It’s just common sense that safety glasses be worn by every worker. “Eye injuries are a danger in many professions,” says Dibou. “High-risk jobs include welders, electricians, landscapers, maintenance workers and those who work in the automotive industry. Firefighters and industrial workers are certainly at risk.

Healthcare workers and those in labs require specialised eye protection.” Virtually all trades need eye protection due to the very nature of the work.

“Anyone using machinery needs to be protected,” says Mika. “Grinders, hammers, sanders and nail guns are a prospective danger to the eyes. If a drill snaps, it can fly back into the face of the user.”

Simply stated, wearing compliant, appropriate eye protection is the best way to defend against the devastating effects of eye damage and vision loss.

Chemical attraction

By
Katrina Jende
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0

In 2003, Okay Technologies head Jean-Raymond de Villecourt made one of the smartest decisions a business owner can make.

Recognising that the 10-year-old company’s long-term viability relied on his ability to future-proof, de Villecourt made the bold but brave decision to diversify.

Starting with the familiar, he began by entering a private label agreement with Heinelec, a company associated with the electronics industry.

While the range was small, consisting mostly of circuit board cleaning products and items such as flux removers, of more importance was that the new partnership highlighted other growth opportunities for the business.

Until that point, Okay Technologies relied upon supplying electrical equipment and accessories to the industrial, mining, automotive, marine, electrical, electronics and metal fabrications industries. It was time for a change.

STARTING FROM THE GROUND UP

Within just a few years, de Villecourt had switched focus completely.

First to go was the company’s name which was reborn under the moniker Chemtools. Next, de Villecourt and his team sought to identify a niche that would help make the company’s Australian-manufactured products some of the most sought-after adhesives, welding chemicals, aerosol and bulk lubricants, cleaning chemicals, and electronics production aids on the planet.

At the time, de Villecourt says most of the chemical-related products used in Australia were either imported or made locally by European and US-owned companies.

“We wanted to establish an Australian-owned and manufactured range of products which were of good quality and competitive in price with the imports,” he says.

“It took several years to research and identify what was required in the market and then to gain the understanding and knowledge of how these chemicals were formulated. However, having started from the ground up, our knowledge base is undoubtedly better than most of our competition.”

A MULTI-NATIONAL BUSINESS

Today, Chemtools boasts an assortment of manufacturing and distribution sites across Western Sydney, New Zealand and Singapore.

It has over 500 individual products with its brands incorporating everything from GalMax and Corrofi x to Rapidstick and Kleanium.

From a commercial standpoint, industrial aerosols and paints generate the most revenue. Industrial chemicals and its extensive range of adhesives round out the company’s largest profit generators.

Presently the only company in Australia that manufactures locally made solder paste, Chemtools is also a recognised and approved training provider for Institute for Printed Circuits (IPC) related soldering and rework courses.

“We are a homegrown company that has amassed a comprehensive knowledge of the market and the products required. In addition, we can identify and respond to trends, without waiting for decisions from remote HQs,” he says.

“We have a fl exible ordering policy which allows our distribution to tailor their requirements to meet best pricing levels and our big plus is we are Australian made. Having local support in most geographical locations enables us to get closer to customers and the issues and opportunities they face.”

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

In terms of its labour force, Chemtools remains privately owned, with de Villecourt both a majority shareholder and the company’s managing director.

Michael Gouldsmith is also a majority shareholder and the group chairman while the company’s sales director Mark Smith retains a percentage of the shareholding.

De Villecourt says the company operates a strong and loyal workforce which would be larger were it not for current labour shortages impacting the sector. This has forced the company’s hand when it comes to automation, he says.

“We currently have around 45 employees and would add more if we could fi nd skilled and reliable labour. However, our experience over the past few years has not been good.

“Our focus has always been to look for automated improvements in our production capacity and given the problems with labour, this policy has accelerated in the past 18 months to the extent that even with potentially longer ROIs, we have no other choice.”

As with most of its competitors, the COVID-19 pandemic also left its mark, fundamentally changing the way Chemtools does business. de Villecourt says during the COVID period and for some time after, the company was affected by raw material shortages.

But lessons were also learned with the company showing its agility in getting around the problem by changing some of its chemical formulations. While this extended the company’s delivery period to its customers, it also motivated staff to look for “backup” strategies should these events reoccur, de Villecourt says.

THE WAY FORWARD

Looking ahead, de Villecourt says Chemtools aims to consolidate and improve its market penetration in Australia by expanding its regional support staff and engaging in strategic partnerships with buying groups.

The longer-term plan involves working on accelerating its growth in overseas markets—particularly across the Tasman—where de Villecourt says it sees “significant opportunities. [We’d also like to increase] our foothold in Singapore and Malaysia. Planning will also include reviews of our product lines, consolidating our manufacturing and distribution in one site and embarking on focused marketing campaigns to enhance the value of our brand.”

The race is on

By
Katrina Jende
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0

As the new Gen3 Supercars face up for their first tilt at Mt Panorama, Bruin Beasley is trying to plan for every possible scenario at Australia’s legendary circuit.

Beasley is team manager for the Melbourne-based Supercar outfit owned by Charlie Schwerkolt, in charge of operations for the two Gen3 Chevrolet Camaro ZL1s championed by Mark Winterbottom (DeWalt, #18) and Scott Pye.

As with every other line-up in the field, Team 18 will head to the mountain wondering how the race will pan out, given it is the first time the Camaro and its rival, the Ford Mustang, will be racing 1000km non-stop.

Like every other team manager, Beasley is grateful for the return of the Sandown 500. For the first time since 2019, Sandown (17 September) will precede Bathurst, giving everyone involved a 500km ‘shakedown’ before the big one on 8 October.

“The biggest question mark is the life of the componentry,” Beasley says. “We’re still working through some of that, although hopefully we will be on top of it come Sandown.

“Everything will pretty much be the same as it has always been, except that question mark. Last year you could draw on previous history because we’d run those cars for 10 years. This year it is all new. So last year we knew we only needed two of a particular component whereas this year it might be wise to take more.”

With the change to the regulations has come a change in Team 18’s approach. Previously it ran cars built by Triple Eight Racing, with a parts and support package part of the deal. This year, the chassis alone is from Triple Eight and there are parts from the category’s official suppliers; everything else is done in-house. Beasley believes that will be one of the team’s strengths come race day.

“When you’re doing the assembling, you understand it so much better than when you just buy something off the shelf. Back then, if something was broken or needed replacing, it went back to the supplier. Now we do so much of that ourselves.

“It obviously makes your workload bigger but ultimately the guys working on the car are the guys who built the car.”

Another boost for team confidence was its first ever win, with Mark Winterbottom topping this year’s podium in Darwin. Beasley says it’s impossible to overstate the value of a win, especially for those doing the hard yards.

“There has been a lot of work. When you’re not looking competitive and not winning, it’s easy to think, ‘Maybe we’re not doing it right; maybe we’re never going to win’. “For those who have been around a while, we believe we can do it because we know what’s involved and we have done it before but for some of the guys, that was their first win in any category.

So it’s a validation of everything we are doing. We’re not getting it right every time, but it shows there is light at the end of the tunnel and we can get a result. That is really important.”

Also enjoying the boost from that win is the man who posted it. After a six year win-less ‘drought’, Winterbottom says it proves Team 18 can mix it with the best. If the mindset is right on Bathurst day, he believes they could do it again.

“Fortunately, most of the pressure about the new car is on the team,” he laughs.

“As drivers, we believe everything will work well and survive. You have to go 100 per cent all day. Gone are the days when you could conserve until the last 60 laps and then push. Now, a move on lap two can set up your whole day and it’s a fight for every position on every lap. Avoid the risks but don’t back off.”

For this year’s enduros, Scott Pye has Warren Luff sharing driving duties while Winterbottom will again partner with Michael Caruso. He’s delighted.

Hearing Aid

By
Katrina Jende
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0

If you work in construction, noise-induced hearing loss (NIHL) is an occupational hazard. But unlike the loss of life or limb, damage to your ears usually occurs gradually and painlessly, and in many cases without you even noticing.

Much to the frustration of audiologists the world over, hearing damage in this sector is entirely preventable when properly designed ear personal protection equipment is correctly fitted to keep industrial noise well below harmful levels.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT PROTECTION

To give yourself the best possible chance of protecting your hearing while working on a construction site, it is important to invest in appropriate hearing protection devices for the work you are undertaking.

The most commonly used hearing protection devices include in-the-ear options such as disposable foam earplugs, push-to-fit earplugs and reusable earplugs. Over-the-ear options include earmuffs or banded hearing protectors.

Some workers even choose to use two devices together. However, it’s vital to correctly assess your hearing protection as using non-electronic devices can result in losses in situational awareness as well as broader communication difficulties.

The individual fit of personal hearing protectors is also of critical importance, as is ensuring your personal hearing protection devices are regularly inspected to ensure their integrity has not been compromised.

When looking to purchase hearing protection for job sites, one of the most important considerations is the comfort of your chosen hearing protection. The size and shape of your ear canal will play a big part in determining the size of the earplug you choose as well as the material it is constructed from.

When deciding which type of hearing protector to choose, it is best to try one or more different models for an extended time to ensure the right fit. Those who opt to use earmuffs may find the pressure of the headband to hold the ear cups firmly in place may take a bit of modification to get right. If the pressure is excessive in either case, it can make wearing the hearing protector uncomfortable.

Other things to consider are the softness and weight of your chosen protection and your specific work conditions.

HOW HEARING LOSS OCCURS

Loss of hearing occurs as a result of nerve destruction or damage to hair cells that transfer sound waves within the ear. It can occur suddenly if a person is exposed to a very loud sound, blast or impulse described as acoustic trauma.

Safe Work Australia says the degree of hearing loss that occurs is dependent on how loud the noise is, how long someone is exposed to it and, to some extent, individual susceptibility.

It says the frequency or pitch can also have some effect on hearing loss, since “high-pitched sounds are more damaging than low-pitched ones”.

In almost all cases, hearing damage as a result of excessive noise exposure in industrial settings is irreversible.

EFFECT ON OVERALL HEALTH

NIHL has been linked to many different health conditions including dementia, stress, hypertension, tinnitus (ringing in the ears) and psychiatric disorders. And the news only gets worse.

A study of more than 6300 workers in the US found workers who are persistently exposed to excessive occupational noise may be two to three times more likely to suffer from serious heart disease than those not exposed.

It is estimated more than 1.1 million employees in Australia may be potentially exposed to hazardous levels of noise at work. The evidence for this is the number of workers compensation claims made, with more than 16,000 successful claims for industrial deafness involving hearing approved between 2002 and 2007 (the most recent statistics available), equating to more than 3000 workers annually.

FOLLOW THE RULES

Those who work in construction in Australia are required to adhere to a strict code when it comes to industrial noise exposure to secure the health and safety of both workers and workplaces.

The Australian Standard AS/NZS 1270:2002 rates hearing protection into five classes. Class 1—less than 90 dB(A)—is the lowest level of protection and Class 5—between 105 dB(A)—is the highest level.

To put this into perspective, the typical sound level of a normal conversation is around 60 dB(A), a front-end loader 85, a lawnmower 90, a chainsaw 110 and a rock drill 120. Noise levels greater than 140 dB(C) usually occur with impact or explosive noise such as sledgehammering. Any exposure above this peak can cause almost instant hearing damage.

Whether the exposure standard 85 dB(A) averaged over eight hours is exceeded depends on the level of noise involved and length of exposure.

Without hearing protection at a noise level of 80 dB(A) (equivalent to the level of noise you would hear in heavy traffic), the exposure time before the standard is exceeded is 16 hours.

However, at a noise level of 127 dB(A)—which is equivalent to the level of noise you would hear when using a rivet hammer—the exposure time before the standard is exceeded is just 1.8 seconds.

WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO

Broadly speaking, there are a number of ways to eliminate at source or minimise your exposure to noise and long-term hearing damage.

● Wear adequate protection.

● Choose and use equipment that doesn’t make as much noise.

● Change your engineering controls by fitting exhaust mufflers on internal combustion engines, fitting silencers to compressed air exhausts and blowing nozzles, and installing vibration minimising seats on mobile plants.

● Employ job rotation to limit the time you spend in noisy areas or to ensure that noisy work is done when fewer workers are present.

● Adopt adapting techniques such as bending metal in a vice or a press rather than hammering it into shape, welding two pieces of metal together rather than riveting, and gluing wood together rather than hammering in nails.

Always remember it is never too late to protect your hearing, even if it is already partially damaged. Hearing protection will help conserve any hearing ability that remains.

Crack Up

By
Katrina Jende
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0

Changes to the building code (specifically AS 5216:2021) requires builders to use correctly tested and certified concrete anchor products in a wide range of circumstances that previously were not considered.

While the standard was updated back in 2021, the National Construction Code (NCC) 2022 has endorsed those updates as of May 2023. It’s important that builders and tradespeople are aware of the changes and implement all provisions.

NEW RULES

“There are some new requirements in regard to concrete anchor fixings that are enforced by NCC 2022,” says Martin Kusz, structural engineer and director at KUSCH Consulting Engineers. The company works with architects and builders throughout Australia, providing structural and seismic solutions for residential, commercial and industrial buildings. “These requirements have to do with the capacities of concrete anchors, taking into consideration the cracked condition of the concrete.”

Historically, concrete anchors were tested in un-cracked concrete. Loads were applied, data obtained and the results published. In the real world, however, fine cracks usually appear in most concrete buildings and those cracks can have a big impact on the force that can be applied to those anchors.

WHEN CRACKS APPEAR

The cracking happens for several reasons. When suspended concrete floors are loaded they flex, and fine tension cracks form on the surface. This is where services are connected and those fine cracks impact on the concrete anchors that are connected to it.

“NCC 2022 now states that the design of concrete anchors must consider the presence of cracks up to a certain width,” says Kusz. “Testing within a concrete sample must have that cracking present. The problem is that if testing hasn’t been completed in a cracked medium, the results give much higher capacities.”

While it might be accurate that an anchor can support two tonnes when there are no cracks present, it may only be one tonne in cracked concrete. If you’re going to hang all the services from that concrete ceiling, it’s imperative that the correct anchors with suitable capacity are used.

“It’s the responsibility of the manufacturers to have their products independently tested when determining the capacity of each anchor,” says Kusz. “There is a very specific concrete anchor assessment called the European Technical Assessment (ETA). The ETA certificate lists all the performance characteristics of the anchor.”

POLICING THE CHANGES

A type of anchor widely used by tradespeople is called a knock-in or drop-in anchor. Unfortunately, they don’t perform well in the presence of cracking.

At the same time, it’s rare for them to fail as they’re generally used to hang relatively small and lightweight items from the underside of a slab. There’s also a good degree of redundancy. The big issue is that they can work fine for many common scenarios, but they will no longer be compliant.

“Different states police these requirements to different degrees,” says Kusz. “Generally, if you build something that’s not compliant with the NCC, as in the case of the new concrete anchor code, you will be defected and have to rectify the non-compliance.”

GET ADVICE

Associated with the anchoring changes is a requirement to design for seismic loads. These seismic loads also need a particular classification of anchor.

That classification is based on the crack width of the worst crack. It can be difficult for tradies to determine the prospective size and extent of cracks in a concrete build. While there are some simplified tables available, the best thing you can do is seek advice.

“KUSCH is a structural consulting fi rm and we specialise in the problems tradies face in supporting services within a building,” says Kusz. “We can provide the certification of concrete anchors and how to interpret them. We can give information on the concrete fixing options available and which fixings can be used for certain applications. It can be a five-minute conversation to explain the situation and the solution.”

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Whenever anchoring is being positioned, there are many different aspects to be considered. They may have to be designed to withstand fire or they may have a shallow embedment. Sometimes, a hole can only be drilled to a certain depth because there’s reinforcing or post tensioning in the slab. There’s a reasonable amount of science with every service that is hung. That’s why advice from a structural engineer is wise.

“Another place to get good technical advice is from the major anchor manufacturers,” says Kusz. “Companies such as ICCONS have an experienced team of engineers who will provide tradespeople with good guidance. In some situations, where the anchors haven’t been tested for a specific scenario, a specialist consultant can engineer a performance solution.”

The most important thing is to use the correct anchor, system or solution that meets the requirements of the building code.

“The last thing you want to do is to install something that leaves you exposed from a compliance perspective,” says Kusz. “It’s not worth the hassle, time or cost of rectification.”

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