22 | MAY 2018
News
Read online at www.proinstaller.co.uk
KITCHEN FITTER FINED FOR ILLEGAL
USE OF LEAD SOLDER ON WATER PIPES
WaterSafe is warning about the dangers of employing unqualified plumbers after a
kitchen fitter illegally used lead solder on plumbing carrying drinking water.
Using lead solder on
any plumbing carrying
drinking water can lead to
unsafe levels of lead, which
poses a health risk.
Kitchen fitter Geoff
Chudley, from Torquay,
was fined £2,250 after
pleading guilty to seven
counts of the illegal use of
lead solder in the fitting of
kitchens.
He was prosecuted by
water company South West
Water during a hearing at
Newton Abbot Magistrates
Court in March under the
Water Supply (Water Fit-
tings) Regulations 1999.
The water company’s
routine monitoring showed
drinking water in several
homes exceeded the legal
limit for lead.
WaterSafe, which ap-
proves plumbers who
are qualified in the water
supply regulations, is urging
homeowners and businesses
to check if their plumber is
registered with WaterSafe,
before letting them start
work on any plumbing con-
nected to the mains water
supply.
Lead is a dangerous metal
which can cause serious
poisoning if it builds up in
the body. Babies and young
children are most at risk as
their development can be
affected.
If the water supply to a
home or business passes
through lead pipes, or some-
one has used illegal lead
solder to join pipes, the lead
can dissolve into the drink-
ing water. Lead-free solder
should always be used for
drinking water connections.
www.watersafe.org.uk
SME BUILDERS AND UNITE
THE UNION AGREE 3.1% PAY
RISE OVER THE NEXT YEAR
The Building and Allied
Trades Joint Industri-
al Council (BATJIC) has
agreed a one-year deal
involving a 3.1% pay rise
to come into effect in June
2018.
This follows from the
successful conclusion of pay
negotiations between the
Federation of Master Build-
ers (FMB), on behalf of SME
construction employers, and
Unite the union, on behalf
of operatives, the FMB has
said.
• BATJIC has agreed a
one-year deal involving
a 3.1% pay rise over
the next year;
• All apprentices and
trainees will also ben-
efit from a 3.1% pay
increase;
• The adult general op-
eratives’ rate increases
by 29p per hour to
£9.52;
• The NVQ3 advanced
craft rate increases
by 37p per hour to
£12.45;
• The changes will come
into effect as of Mon-
day 25th June 2018.
The severity of the skills crisis
‘ means
that it is imperative
that we attract more people
into the industry
’
Brian Berry, Chief Execu-
tive of the FMB, said: “I am
pleased that we were able
to reach this agreement. A
3.1% pay increase is a signif-
icant rise, but it is designed
to take into account higher
inflation last year and make
sure that employees con-
tinue to see the benefits of
ongoing growth in construc-
tion through rises in real
wages. The severity of the
skills crisis means that it is
imperative that we attract
more people into the indus-
try. It’s also more important
than ever that we retain ex-
isting workers. At the same
time, the economic outlook
for employers remains un-
certain, especially given key
unknowns like the impact
of Brexit. As such, I believe
the agreement announced
today strikes a fair balance
which is right for the indus-
try.”
www.fmb.org.uk
JADE WINDOWS TREBLES ITS
MANUFACTURING CAPACITY
Longstanding Spectus fabricator Jade Windows
has just moved into new premises in Batley,
West Yorkshire. The new unit is 14,000sqft , over
three times larger than its previous premises.
The new premises will
enable Jade to provide
customers with quicker lead
times on white frames and
also on coloured frames be-
cause the company will be
able to hold a wide range
of Spectus foiled colours in
stock.
The company has been a
Spectus fabricator for nearly
20 years and manufactures
the Elite 70 system, the
Flush Sash Window and the
Fully Reversible Window,
a range of products that
works well with its home-
owner, commercial and
trade customer base.
When it comes to service,
Jade delivers exceptional
standards. There are dedi-
cated project managers who
liaise with customers from
start to finish as well as an
aftercare team to provide
advice and service.
A trebling of manufac-
turing premises is a signif-
icant achievement for any
business, particularly one in
such a competitive industry
as ours is.
www.spectus.co.uk