Issue 119 July 2013 FWC continues to maintain and improve an independent professional Trade Body that truly strives for members’ satisfaction. Its elected Council and office staff are committed to being bold, imaginative, caring, understanding, honest, safe and professional in all Association endeavours. We continue onwards and upwards for the future of the Federation of Window Cleaners. Advertising: • Unger UK Ltd • Varitech systems • Contico / Pulex In this issue: • Allied Insurance liability scheme • Lansford Access • IOSH assessment training Featuring: • Rainwater Harvesting • Social Media Marketing • Marketing on a shoestring Formed in 1947 FWC is the Professional Federation for Window Cleaners • Making progress with expansion + training plans • Rain water havesting • Social media marketing • First at Diamond to complete the IOSH CWS course • New from Unger Hi-flo bag • New Fair Fuel petition Window Talk News! If you have any interesting stories or you would like your company featured in this magazine, please contact the team at: [email protected]
Transcript
Issue 119 July 2013
FWC continues to maintain and improve an
independent professional Trade Body that truly
strives for members’ satisfaction. Its elected Council
and office staff are committed to being bold,
imaginative, caring, understanding, honest, safe
and professional in all Association endeavours.
We continue onwards and upwards for the future
of the Federation of Window Cleaners.
Advertising:• Unger UK Ltd• Varitech systems• Contico / Pulex
In this issue:• Allied Insurance liability scheme• Lansford Access• IOSH assessment training
Featuring:• Rainwater Harvesting• Social Media Marketing• Marketing on a shoestring
Formed in 1947 FWC is the Professional Federation for Window Cleaners
• Makingprogresswithexpansion+trainingplans
• Rainwaterhavesting
• Socialmediamarketing
• FirstatDiamondtocompletetheIOSHCWScourse
• NewfromUngerHi-flobag
• NewFairFuelpetition
Window Talk News!
If you have any interesting stories or you would like your company featured in this magazine, please contact the team at: [email protected]
AD
VE
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ISE
RS•
FE
AT
UR
ES FEATURES
2 Member benefits3 Editorial / Hibu4 Making progress with expansion + training plans5 New Fair Fuel Petition6 Why Rainwater harvesting?7 Disciplining for misuse of Social Media 8 An Established & secure Liability scheme for
window & general cleaners9 First at Diamond to complete IOSH training10 Marketing on a shoestring11 Website enquiries / FWC Logo Use12 IOSH CWS Training course dates13 IOSH Risk Assessment Training courses dates14 PayaTrader technology 15 Questions & Answers16 Vernon Holmes Seeks new opportunities / New HiFlo bag17 Criminal Record Services 18 Cleaning Show review19 Examination of a toughened glass panel20 What are the benefits of outsourcing your
Social Media Campaign21 Trailer & System for sale22 Diary dates / List of Officers / Useful Contacts23 Deionised Resin - what is it / what is does & how it performs24 Summer Offers: Scrim / Resin
LIST OF ADVERTISERS5 Varitech - Dragonfly7 Allied Insurance Services Ltd 11 Contico /Pulex 12 Cleaning windows safely training 13 Risk Assessment training15 Lansford Access for ladders 19 Unger UK Ltd21 Diary Dates24 Summer Offers!
The publisher does not necessarily agree with the views and opinions expressed by contributors. Though any material of doubtful content will be referred. The F.W.C. reserve the right to sub edit or condense any article for publication at the editors discretion. Please accept our apologies if your article/letter does not appear in this issue. We do not accept liability for any product advertised in this magazine. All advertisers are respectfully reminded of the requirement of the Trade Description Act 1968. The Advertising Standards Authority have a Pre-publication check for advertisers fax a copy of your advertisement to: 020 7580 4072 or email:[email protected]. Or view their website: cap.org.uk
All rights are reserved – No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form without the written permission of the publisher.
MANAGING EDITOR/ADVERTISEMENTS: MRS BERYL MURRAY-GENERAL SECRETARYREFERRAL EDITOR: CHAIRMAN & VICE CHAIRMAN OF FWCPUBLISHER: FEDERATION OF WINDOW CLEANERSARTWORK: SPURRELL DESIGNPRINTED BY: PASSION FOR PRINTALL CORRESPONDENCE TO: “WINDOW TALK”, SUMMERFIELD HOUSE, HARROGATE ROAD, REDDISH, STOCKPORT SK5 6HQ
The Window Talk Trade Journal
CORPORATE MEMBERCORPORATE MEMBER
LIST OF CORPORATE MEMBERS Contico Manufacturing Ltd
www.contico.co.uk Tel: 01209 312123
Cresta Booksellers Direct www.cresta-books.co.uk
Tel: 0151 722 7400
Unger UK Limited www.ungerglobal.com
Tel: 01902 306633
Purefreedom Pure Water Systems www.purefreedom.co.uk
Tel: 0333 1234 365
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www.f-w-c.co.uk
Free Safety training DVD
Advice on how to tender & PQQ’sFWC Safety Accreditted SchemeBuy & sell rounds onlineFree entry into our members listingDiscounted Thomson Local advertsTell us what you want from us !!!
C L E A N I N G & M A I N T E N A N C E
BENEFITS OF MEMBERSHIP
HOURS OF BUSINESS: MONDAY TO FRIDAY 9.00 am –4.30 pm
Executives are continuing with the preparations for the New Assessment Scheme. (SAM) which is to be designed to help member businesses find advice on managing their general health and safety risks. Earlier this year the FWC applied to the British Cleaning Council (BCC) for funding to help with the cost of getting this project off the ground. Researching all avenues and liaising with facilities managers/councils etc is paramount to help gain an insight of the required content to ensure acceptance of such a scheme. Please be assured that we will be in contact with members via email and window talk again just as soon as we have more possitive feedback on this.
The FWC maintain its interest in Southern Water’s Resources Management Plan and we are invited to respond to their public consultation which began on 20th May and will finish on 12th August 2013. Their latest plan, which looks ahead over the next 25 years, puts the increased resilience and sustainability of their water resources network at its heart and has been developed following in-depth consulation with customers and stakeholders. Having taken a pioneering new approach to planning. By using enhanced statistical techniques and modelling they are the first company in the industry to plan for droughts that are more serious than those experienced before. They have stepped away from the traditional method of planning, which relies purely on historic rainfall data from the last 120 years, and developed an alternative series of rainfall events, that we have not yet experienced but which we may see in the future. This includes periods of drought more severe than those seen in the historic records.
By basing their plan on these more severe droughts they can develop a deeper understanding of how their existing sources will respsond in situations not experienced before, and help develop new resourses with greater resilience to extreme weather events. Options such as Water Reuse, Aquifer Storage Recovery (ASR), License Trading and Water Transfers are all included within their plan, as are Catchment Management Schemes that promote greater partnership working and help balance the needs of customers with protection of the environment. They will also build on the success of their Universal Metering Programme with a continuing programme of water efficiency to help their customers reduce demand.
This plan has been developed with their customers at its centre. It reflects the views collected from extensive customer research and stakeholder engagement over the last year and aims to meet their customers’ priorities and preferences. This engagement will continue throughout the consultation period and they are holding a series of workshops to take stakeholders and interested parties through the plan.
For more information, or to have your say go to their website at:
http://swhaveyoursay.co.uk/wrmp/
Alternatively, email your views to the FWC before 30th July:
We have also been liaising with a procurment company to look at possible business opportunities for members - the company sources thousands
of new contract opportunities every day providing opportunities to match personal requirements, saving valuable time and effort. Their dedicated in-house research team sources worldwide contracts across the entire public sector, including; Central government, Local authorities and a host of private sector sub-contracting opportunities. The company also hosts workshops on how to win contracts etc. More on this in the next issue.
Powered access IPAF & PASMA training + Hire requirements for members is also on our to-do list. We are currently negotiating with Aerial Platforms Ltd about some possible discounts for FWC members. We will publish more on this in the next issue, or via MailChimp.
In addition to Liability Insurance our nominated insurance brokers, Allied Insurance Services Limited now offer income protection insurance and vehicle cover. See pages 7 & 8 for more information on this or go to their revamped website for an online quote: http://www.polished-insurance.co.uk/window-cleaners
Whilst striving to improve on the member benefits we reflect on the FWC 2011 marketing questionnaire “Helping us to help you” which was an attempt to categorise member benefits in terms of their value.
Examples are: • Freefindalocalwindowcleanersupport• DownloadableSafetydocuments• DiscountedInsurance,and• Advertisingwithyellowpages&ThomsonLocal... the latter of which scored favourably.
But the request to receive Window Talk electronically wasn’t as favourable at that time...because most members preferred the hard copy in the post. Bearing in mind the cost of printing to produce hard copies, and the cost of postage. We would like to ask members to reconsider preference again on this – email your preference for electronic/PDF version of Window Talk to:[email protected] Thank you in advance for your help on this matter.
2013 Annual Subscription Renewals
We are now in the month where the majority of membership subscriptions fall due for renewal, and we ask for your continued support in renewing once again for 2013.
Last year we introduced a monthly installment plan by way of Standing Order payment method at no additional cost. This can easily be set-up via your online banking. Alternatively, we are happy to email/post a standing order form for you to complete and hand in to your bank. We also accept Monthly/annual BACS payments, and annual Card transactions at no extra cost, although we regret due to admin and bank charges as from 1st July we must apply an extra 0.50p per transaction for Monthly Credit and Debit card transactions.
Kind regards — Beryl Murray
Summer Editorial
Hibu’s Federation of Window Cleaners Corporate Advertising SchemeHibu’s Corporate Advertising Scheme (CAS) gives Associations and Institutes a prominent advert in Yellow Pages. It’s a powerful way of supporting your members and enhancing the profile of the FWC.
Why CAS? – CAS advertisements are an excellent way of bringing new members to your Institute, as well as supporting existing members. That’s because their customers trust CAS advertisements. Research demonstrates - advertising under the banner of a respected Trade Association or Institute is a major advantage when it comes to reassuring potential customers.
Yellow Pages CAS – The CAS advert will be a high impact display advert with a header section containing the logo and details of the FWC. It will contain the line entry listings of participating members who choose to participate. CAS listings have the added advantage of enabling your members to include additional information about their business such as their website, areas of specialism etc.
Reasons why your registered installers need to be in a CAS advert• Around8in10YellowPagesdirectoryusersagreethatCASadvertiserswouldbeprofessional,reputableandqualified*• 8in10YellowPagesdirectoryusersconsiderthatCASadvertshelpthemtolocateancreditedsupplier*• 83%ofYellowPagesdirectoryusersconsiderthatCASadvertshelpthemtolocateasupplierthattheyhavenotusedbefore*
To book your CAS advertising or to enquire about other Hibu products please call 0808 100 7890 today quoting FWC Corporate Advertising Scheme.
Welcome to the 119th Summer issue of Window Talk
in this copy we have new stories from fellow members, a review of the cleaning show and, by popular request, social media marketing information on page 21, and marketing on a shoestring published by Cobweb Information Ltd. Members of the Federation can get a 20% discount on the published price – see page 10 for more on this offer.
Window cleaning company Progress Cleaning are certainly living up their name with their recent expansion and subsequent move into much larger and better-equipped premises, which not only house the new Progress Cleaning headquarters, but provide the Federation of Window Cleaners with a South coast purpose-built IOSH training site.
Progress Cleaning Directors Kevin and Ian Robson, who are committed to stringent standards of health and safety, converted part of their new premises into a training centre for the benefit of their own staff, and have opened the facility to other Federation of Window Cleaners members who wish to take advantage of it.
Kevin Robson explains:
“The minimum training requirement for any Progress Cleaning operative is to undergo our induction course followed by the IOSH Cleaning Windows Safely training. Subsequent on-going training includes IPAF, PASMA and First Aid courses, specialist areas such as working at heights, as well as many other classroom-based and on-site practical training programmes.Working with equipment, often at heights, cannot be undertaken lightly; it is vital to reduce risk for workers and members of the general public, so we are delighted to extend our training facilities to Federation of Window Cleaners.”
Progress Cleaning credit their success and subsequent expansion – they now employ over 100 staff, own a fleet of 20 vans and have national contracts UK wide – to their strong training ethos.
Fellow director, Ian Robson goes on to explain:
“Our clients, who include national utility companies, banks, and insurance and property management companies, expect their contractors to hold accreditations and have sound Health and Safety policies in place. Basically, it has become mandatory to provide proof of safe practice as a company if you want to be taken seriously, secure contracts, and put business expansion into practice.”
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Making Progress with Expansion and Training Plans
Progress Cleaning Ltd was established in 1966 by George Robson and his wife Carol. He ran a fleet of seven Russian Moscovitch vans sign-written with the legend ‘scrub the rest, have the best’. Equipment in 1966 included a long ladder, bucket and sponge. Following George’s death in 1988, sons Kevin and Ian Robson took over as directors of the company. Original photo above of co-founder George Robson’s fleet of cars.
Until the recent expansion in March 2013, Progress Cleaning was housed at the original premises in central Southampton. The new premises in Hedge End, Southampton containing offices, warehouse, storage, training room, and manufacturing facilities for 10,000 litres of pure water provides a base, along with a London office, for the cleaning company, which now services large national contracts UK wide, including Belfast. Equipment is now state of the art and includes cradles, MEWPS, water-fed poles and abseiling apparatus.
There has been a dramatic overnight development.
(15th May 2013) EU competition authorities have ‘raided’ the offices of some Oil companies and the office of at least one company that supplies Oil pricing information to the market on suspicion of market manipulation.
This EU investigation offers the hope that we will finally be able to answer the question — have we been systematically ‘ripped off’ over the years or not? At the moment, it’s an investigation and we don’t know what the authorities will find. However, the fact that they have seen fit to launch the investigation shows the urgent need for greater transparency in how the Oil market works. If wrong doing is uncovered, it promises to be as big a scandal as the Banks fixing the LIBOR interest rate.
You can see some of the coverage of this on our blog at:
Most of our efforts over recent weeks have been focussed on that other big issue relating to how much we pay at the pumps — Fuel Duty. We’ll have more to say on our next moves on that in the next few days — but for now, we thought we should share the breaking news of the EU investigation with you.
You can be sure that we’ll keep you posted as the dramatic news of the EU investigation develops.
Following on from our earlier email to you today and in the light of news that EU competition investigators are probing the Oil market for possible manipulation, we are now calling on the UK bodies that regulate and monitor the markets to open up their investigations into these allegations and the impact of any such manipulation has had on UK families, businesses and the UK economy.
Our lead spokesman Quentin Willson wrote to the Financial Services Authority(FSA*)somemonthsagodrawingtheirattentiontopotential‘whistle blower’ evidence and received a disappointing response. In addition, Quentin and the team held several meetings with the Office of Fair Trading (OFT). The OFT carried out an initial inquiry into whether they should have a full blown inquiry. However, in January, they announced that they were not going ahead with the in depth investigation as they had concluded that the market was working well.
On all counts, we were left feeling disappointed and frustrated. The fact that EU investigators have now acted gives a new momentum to the situation. We are renewing our call for UK regulators to act.
Even if you are already signed up to FairFuelUK, please add your electronic ‘sign up’ to our renewed call for the UK authorities to investigate as well. This is a massively serious issue and must be resolved. Please ask your friends, family, colleagues, employees, suppliers and everyone else you know to add their sign up too, at:
www.fairfueluk.com
PLEASE SIGN UP TO OUR NEW PETITION It says: “I support FairFuelUK’s Call for the UK Financial Regulators to act......”
Kind regards,Quentin Willson, Peter Carroll, Lynne Beaumont and Howard CoxThe FairFuelUK Team
FairFuelUK is supported by over 365,000 members of the public, the RAC with its 7 million members, the 20,000 haulage businesses in the RHA& FTA, the British Bank Aldermore and the Association of Pallet Networks The Campaign’s primary focuses are to see a significant cut inFuelDuty(withVATthetotaltaxapproximatesto60%ofthepumpprice), more pricing transparency and for petrol and diesel to be of equal levels of pricing at the pumps. http://www.fairfueluk.com
Sign up to the new FAIR FUEL PETITION
Saving time, saving money...
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Why Rainwater Harvesting?Rainwater Harvesting and recycling has been embraced on mainland Europe for many years. Climate change and changes in rainfall patterns are now becoming very apparent in the UK. Recently the lack of water (notably in the South and East of England) has raised interest in Rainwater Harvesting as an Environmentally Sustainable Technology.
Rainwater Harvesting Systems are available for a range of uses:
• Domestic and Social Housing• Supermarkets and Shops• Hospitals, Nursing Homes and Hotels• Factories, Offices and Warehouses
Using collected rainwater that would otherwise be a demand for mains water reduces water bills and is kind to the environment. An additional benefit is that these systems divert some of the UK’s annual rainfall away from the sewerage system, thus helping to reduce the flooding risks which have featured so largely in the news.
With Rainwater Harvesting reducing the demand for mains water it will enable water companies to consider reducing the amount of water they extract from our rivers and aquifers. (Current extraction rates from rivers can have a serious effect on the local ecological system).
Rainwater Harvesting can also be beneficial as part of a wider sustainable urban drainage system incorporating attenuation and infiltration systems
How Does Rainwater Harvesting workRainwater is collected from the roof via guttering and down-spouts. It gravity-feeds through underground drainage pipe and is then passed through a filter before entering the tank.
Filters can be remote from the rainwater storage tank or can be fitted inside the turret of the tank. The filter removes any leaves or larger particles from the rainwater before it is delivered into the tank. This improves the quality of the water being stored in the tank. The rainwater enters the tank through a calmed inlet device which prevents any sediment which may build up over long periods from being disturbed and discolouring the main body of rainwater.
A submersible pump is installed inside the below ground Rainwater tank… when the pump or controller senses a drop in pressure due to someone turning on a tap or flushing a toilet it starts to pump Rainwater water. This Rainwater is then automatically delivered by the Rainwater Harvesting unit to the point of use.
Typical use for non potable water is:-
• Toilet Flushing• Washing Machines• Stand-pipe or garden irrigation systems• Jet washing and car cleaning
Neptune Aqua Rainwater Harvesting systems efficiently manage and ensure a continued supply of Harvested Rainwater, supplementing this with potable mains water top-up during dry spells where required.
Sensors constantly monitor water levels within the tank… If water levels are low (perhaps during periods of low rainfall, drought or heavy use) sensors signal the Rainwater Harvesting controller to operate a solenoid valve allowing mains water to top the tank up. The Rainwater Harvesting controller sends just enough mains water into the tank to allow the system to operate, and then signals the solenoid valve to close.
Rainwater Storage tanks are usually installed underground (e.g. under a drive or garden), although ground level and wall-mounted tanks are available for some applications.
Storage tanks come in many different shapes, sizes and materials:
• HDPE – High Density Polyethylene• GRP – Glass reinforced plastic for below ground• GRP – Insulated for above ground• Steel – welded or sectional bolt together• Box crate and liner (Geocellular tanks)• Concrete fabricated sections
Neptune Aqua is one of the few companies that Designs and Manufactures its own Rainwater Harvesting controllers and tanks in the UK. This gives us the ability to develop bespoke systems very quickly for any size of project. If you have a special project of any size and cannot find a system to meet your technical demands, let us design and build one for you!
Possible SavingsWithNeptuneAquaitispossibletosaveinexcessof50%ofyourdaily mains water consumption, but what about the electricity cost of running a Neptune Rainwater Harvesting system? Naturally, this depends on what type of system you have: – Domestic, Commercial, Education, Industrial… each system can be set up to use different pumps to match individual flow rates etc. However, take a look at the domestic example below:
Five-bedroom, 2-story detached house with 3 WC’s in North Manchester
Occupancy: 2 adults and 4 children
Average daily use of potable mains water prior to fitting a RWH system: between 780 – 900 litres per day (284700 – 328500 litres per year)
Average daily use of potable mains water with a Neptune Aqua RWH system: around 390 – 450 litres per day
A saving of between 142000 – 164000 litres per year!
Pumping costs are low… our standard domestic submersible pump will pump 60 litres per minute at 18mtrs head which means it only takes 7 minutes to pump 450 litres per day.
United Utilities (the local electricity supplier) charges £0.18554 per kW/hour at the higher rate (February 2011).
Our 1.1kW domestic pump’s total daily cost based on the above scenario is therefore less than 2 pence per day (£9.12 per year)!!
Water Usage in the UKDid you know that the UK has less available water per person than most other European countries? It may also surprise you that London is drier than Istanbul, and that the South East of England has less water available per person than Syria or the Sudan!
Water is becoming scarce in England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and with this large scale drought we’re seeing the lowest rainfall, groundwater and reservoir levels for decades.
Average use per person in the UK uses around 130 – 150 litres of water per day (includes drinking, bathing, cooking, cleaning, washing and W.C. flushing etc…) This usage has been rising by around1%ayearsince1930,andlong-termconsumptionatthislevel is simply not sustainable…
If we do not take action now, climate change, population shifts and behaviour mean the UK will face increased water stress in the future.
The Code for Sustainable Homes is one piece of legislation devloped to encourage House Builders to construct NEW homes with more environmentalyy sustainable credentials.
British Built!Neptune Aqua Limited are one of the UK’s leading Rainwater Harvesting companies and one of the few who do not import control systems from other countries. Our Rainwater Harvesting systems (including tanks) are designed & manufactured here in the UK, utilising local skills and providing employment for local people.
Backed by the REM Services Group, many of Neptune Aqua’s engineers have over 30 years’ worth of experience.If you need guidance on which system would suit you best… or you know what you need… call us now: our design & sales teams are at your disposal. In the unlikely event that one of our standard Rainwater Harvesting systems does not suit your application, we simply design and build one for you based on your specific requirements. Supply-only or supplied & installed; you decide… More information available at http://www.neptuneaqua.com/Located just north of Manchester, our installation & maintenance teams cover the whole of the UK and Ireland. Article by Rem Services.
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Disciplining for misuse of social media
INSURANCE SCHEME for Window, General Cleaners and Solar Panel Cleaners
As the appointed brokers to the FWC we can offer you a policy with the following covers automatically included:-
Employers Liability, Public & Products Liability Damage to property being worked upon (eg.scratched or damaged glass)
Treatment Risks (damage caused by cleaning materials used)
Loss of Customers Keys
Plus other none standard Market Benefits
You can also choose to add the following to the same policy
Own or Hired in Plant, Tools and Equipment, Business Premises and Contents
Our established scheme with Hiscox Insurance, also offers;
Interest free direct debit payments
Continuous policy which means your premiums will not increase
(Unless your annual turnover increases by more than 50%)
For a quote please visit www.fwc-insurance.co.uk ***** QUOTES NOW AVAILABLE FOR MEMBERS*****
Personal Accident & Commercial Vehicle Covers or phone 0844 815 6211
We are seeing a sharp rise in calls about social media issues, so we have put together a quick guide of things to think about if you are considering disciplining employees for misuse of social media.
What next?At the moment the law is treading a careful line between protecting employee freedoms and the right of an employer to protect the business. Currently there are no hard and fast rules as to when it is appropriate to discipline an employee for misuse of social media and you will need to look at each case very carefully, taking all the relevant factors into consideration. We will be looking in more detail at how to do this in a future issue.
In the meantime if you have any questions about social media or any other legal problems, no matter how small it may seem to you. Members can call the team of legal advisors at Law Express on 0800 092 1980 free of charge and they will work towards giving you the best solution available.
All calls that are made to Law Express are strictly confidential, and there is no time limit to the call. This means you can get the answers to all of your questions without feeling pressured by the clock ticking. Because Law Express only provides telephone legal advice and does not act on behalf of its clients, they have no vested interest when providing advice. So be assured the advice you receive is reliable, impartial and confidential.
Do you have a social media policy in place?Social media policies are the employer’s first line of defence when it comes to disciplining employees for using social media inappropriately. If you do not currently have a social media policy, consider introducing one. We will be looking at social media policies in more depth in our next ezine.
Was the comment about your organisation, or looks like it was made on behalf of your organisation?If an employee is bringing your organisation into disrepute, you may be able to discipline them. But you need to be able to show that any comment is serious enough to cause harm to the business.
Does the comment bring into question the employee’s ability to do their job?If the comment raises concerns about the employee’s capability then you may be able to deal with it under a capability procedure, or as part of their ongoing supervision.
Did the employee make the tweet, post or comment in work time or using work equipment?If so, you may be able to discipline him or her for misuse of work equipment or for acting inappropriately in the workplace. Exactly what you can do will depend on your policies and what is normal in your workplace, as well as how other similar cases have been handled.
Was the comment about another employee or has it caused problems in the workplace?You have a duty of care towards all your employees. If social media is being used to bully or harass you may be able to discipline the employee. If the comment or tweet is causing issues in the workplace you may need to address it and may be able to discipline.
Does the comment show that the employee has behaved inappropriately at work?Comments (or more often, pictures) which show employees behaving inappropriately at work should be investigated. If there has been professional misconduct it is usually possible to discipline employees.
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As a Member of the Federation you will hopefully be aware that Allied Insurance Services Ltd have been providing the cleaning industry and particularly the Federation of Window Cleaners with a facility for Specialist Liability Insurance for over 9 years offering the widest possible cover in the market at very competitive premiums.
You will also be aware that only a few specialist “scheme” brokers will offer you quotes for a policy including cover for the items you are cleaning – Allied Insurance are one of these specialist providers. You may also recognise the name www.Polished-Insurance.co.uk which is the brand name on the internet used by Allied to promote their covers and services. The site has a wealth of information and you can also apply on line for a quotation which you will receive back within 24 hours, or more commonly the same working day.
An established and secure liability scheme for window and general cleaners including solar panel cleaners
If you would like to discuss your insurance policy covers, or if you would like to receive a quotation from Allied Insurance/Polished-Insurance then visit our website at: www.polished-insurance.co.uk
Or if you would like to speak with one of our experienced and knowledgeable members of staff and provide all your details to them, then please telephone 0844 815 6211 and we will then provide a full and detailed quotation for you in writing.
So if you are a Professional Cleaning Contractor when it comes to selecting your insurance, speak to the specialists — Allied Insurance Services Ltd and discuss any of our insurance facilities exclusively for the cleaning industry.
• Employers and Public Liability Insurance
• Office buildings and contents
• Own and Hired in Plant and Equipment
• Commercial vehicles
• Motor Fleets
• Personal Accident
You will no doubt have public liability insurance cover in place which compensates others for damage to their property or injury to them.
But what happens if you are injured?How would you cope financially if you suffered an accident and were unable to work? Or worse still, left permanently and totally disabled? Could you afford to pay your household bills? Would your business survive?
We can now offer a Personal Accident insurance policy which will provide financial reassurance for you and your family in the event of such an injury.
Example — A self-employed window cleaner fractures his ankle following a fall from a ladder. He is unable to work for 8 weeks. His Personal Accident policy pays him £300 a week, less his 2 week excess period. He is paid £300 per week for the final 6 weeks of disablement, a total of £1,800.
Accidents — Statistics from the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents show that last year there were 1.6 million accidents at work and 5.9 million accidents outside of work. Our cover protects your income regardless of where the accident occurred.
SOLAR PANEL CLEANERS
Cover Platinum Gold Silver
Accidental Death £20,000 £15,000 £10,000
Permanent Total Disablement £20,000 £15,000 £10,000
Temporary Total Disablement £400 per week 2 week excess Up to 104 weeks
£300 per week2 week excessUp to 104 weeks
£200 per week2 week excessUp to 104 weeks
• 24 Hour Worldwide Cover• Age Limit without prior referral 16-60. Full Schedule of Benefits provided at quote stage• Please provide full details of any accident in the last three years resulting in time off work • Personal Accident Premiums start at £100 per annum plus IPT
Cover options and key benefits
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Tameside Diamond Window Cleaning Services was established in November 2011 by Lee Bayley (pictured opposite) who initially set out to deliver a regular professional cleaning service to homes in his area.
Coming from a background Lee said:
“I knew nothing about the window cleaning industry so I decided to join the Federation of Window Cleaners to gain more insight and so far this has proved invaluable. When we started out I had no equipment and a customer actually gave us our first set of ladders...(laughable really). Now we offer a bespoke window cleaning service coupled with diverse payment options ….as we endeavor to please.”
Whilst in the midst of the longest depression — with the economy failing to recover to its peak. Lee said: “what do we do about it? Well, with a desire to own a successful award winning, profitable business, I went to speak to my bank to find out about all the payment options available to me…. Then I got proactive by putting the word out, delivering leaflets, developing a web site and putting an entry into business directories. But most importanly I always aim do a good, honest job! …. Not only do we deliver a higher level of professionalism, we also open doors... and that’s what life’s about”
“Tameside Diamond Window Cleaning Services strives to achieve the pinnacle of excellence for all the services we provide, with raw dedication and the will to attack problems with gusto our reputation has grown massively”.
In 2012 the company was acknowledged as Tameside’s start up business of the year. The award was presented to them at their prestigious Pride of Tameside business awards.
First at Diamond to complete the IOSH Cleaning Windows Safety Course
Lee said:
“After being greeted by a champagne reception, I mingled with the boroughs elite, met some invaluable business contacts and shook hands with the Mayoress! I am really happy how the last couple of years have gone and without window cleaning none of this would have been possible! No matter how big your operation is, it can always get bigger!”
Labour of loveIn 2012 Lee delivered his baby daughter – on the living room floor! He kept a clear head after partner Marie went into labour at their home.
And despite being more than a week overdue, Ava-Marie wasted no time in making her entrance. Lee, who is now a father of five, was dropping his other children off at school when Marie called to say their little girl was on her way.
The 30-year-old, of Dukinfield, said:
“I rushed back as fast as I could and tried to get Marie in the car but noticed the baby’s head. Ava-Marie is our fifth so I kind of knew what I was doing. Other deliveries weren’t exactly slow but they’ve never been this quick.”Paramedics checked mum and baby over and were gone within the hour, leaving Ava-Marie to surprise her siblings — Jordan, 13, Kimberlee, nine, and seven-year-old twins Bobby and Nicole — when they got home from school.
Lee said:
“When she arrived it was just amazing. The first thing was to check if she was okay but she’s absolutely perfect. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver your own baby. We’ve both got experience so I guess it was easier for us, but Marie’s done so well. She’s over the moon.” Ava-Marie, weighed in at 8lbs 7oz.
Marie, 30, added:
“It all happened so quickly and it was such a shock. Lee was my rock. He was there for all the other births so I knew he knew what he was doing.”
This prompted a week of good news for Lee as his business won start up business of the year in the Pride of Tameside Business Awards.
Lee says: “When you are responsible for staff working at heights and even at ground level, it is imperative we protect their well-being, and why I am proud to be the first at Diamond to complete the IOSH accredted Cleaning Windows Safely course... but I definitely wont be the last.
The course was a really informative day that covered everything you need to know in order to to do your job safely and the IOSH certificate will look fantastic on our website, We covered ladders,Water fed poles and risk assessment just like it states; but there is so much more on offer….How often do you get to sit down and share tactics with others in our field of work over a cup of tea during one of the breaks?
Whilst chatting to the tutor Bryan Dolby and John from P&P Cleaning Services…. I learned of funding for a level 2 certification and secured five spaces worth thousands of pounds to my company. We were also shown some very innovative bits of kit that are now on our wish list. Overall this is a brilliant course designed by window cleaners - for window cleaners. All my staff will be attending the course and I can’t wait to undertake the next available IOSH risk assessment training course.
Thanks to everyone involved in delivering these IOSH courses. Not only do you help keep us alive, you are also guiding our industry forward which can only lead to a better service and... more to the point, higher wages!”
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Why postcards workSmart business owners and marketing professionals all agree – sending postcards works. Why? Because they have the perfect combination of the ‘right stuff’, which results in marketing that gets you the biggest bang for your money at the lowest cost. The following are six specific reasons why you should be considering postcard marketing: 1. Sending postcards gives you the ability to target your best
potential customers and clients precisely. Instead of blasting your message to a wide group of people who may or may not be likely candidates for your product or service, postcards allow you to deliver your message to a very specific and narrow group of people who have a high propensity to buy from you.
2. Your advertisement gets seen 100% of the time. When you receive a postcard in the mail, you look at it and, since it’s not stuffed in an envelope, your message is in plain view. A large percentage of letters get thrown away without ever being opened. Not the postcard… it gets seen.
3. Postcards give you the ability to hide your offer from competitors. When you advertise in magazines, in trade publications or on the Internet, your offer can be seen by the competition. Postcards allow you to send your message in private to only those people whom you want to view it.
4. Postcard marketing is inexpensive. For only a few pence per card, you can send your marketing message to your best prospects and get it read. You can almost send two postcards to every one letter that you send. That’s a great deal.
5. You can get your message out to your prospects or customers quickly. In fact, with today’s technology, you can have an entire postcard campaign developed and sent in less than one hour! That’s fast.
6. Postcards allow you to track your results easily. There are several methods of ‘coding’ your postcards to track how many people respond to your offer, allowing you to know the exact return on your marketing investment.
When to use postcardsBusiness owners sometimes get confused about when to use a postcard and when not to do so. Postcards do have some obvious limitations – for example, the normal 4 x 6” card leaves you with only a small amount of space to deliver your message. So here are four instances when it’s a good idea to use a postcard. 1. When mailing to your customers – your customers know you
and so you don’t need a lot of space to introduce who you are and why the recipient should believe you.
2. As part of an ongoing marketing programme – because postcards are so inexpensive to post, you can send them over and over again cost effectively.
3. When your message is short – sometimes you just want to tell your customers or clients something, such as announcing a new product or asking them to visit a website. Postcards are perfect for these marketing jobs.
4. When you have a lot of potential prospects – postcards are great when you want to send your message to a lot of people, such as large neighbourhoods. They allow you to deliver your message to the most people at the lowest possible cost.
5. When it’s hard to find the right audience – sometimes you may be wanting to market to people you can’t target very easily. For example, if you’re trying to sell services to people who are frustrated with their marriages, there are no lists of those individuals so you need to resort to mass marketing with postcards.
Designing a killer postcardThe key to getting a great response from your postcard marketing efforts is to deliver a compelling and relevant message to the right person. There are six steps that I take each time I sit down to design a winning postcard. Step 1: Determine your campaign objectives. Ask yourself what
you want your postcard to accomplish. Is it to generate a telephone call? Is it to get a prospect to visit your website?
Is it to drive customers back to your shop? Always start with the end in mind, and your postcard design will be much simpler.
Step 2: Understand what really motivates your market. In order to get anyone to do anything, you need to know their ‘hot buttons’. Once you know what motivates them, it’s easy to create a message and an offer that will move them to action.
Step 3: Create a compelling offer and a reason why they should take advantage of it. The heart of your postcard message should be your offer. Once you know what you’re offering, you can create the copy that supports that offer. You’ll also want to create a reason for your prospect to take action right now, rather than waiting.
Step 4: Decide on the size of the postcard. Today, savvy busi-nesses use many different shapes and sizes of card. The larger the postcard, the more it will stand out and get noticed. Sometimes it’s better to spend the extra money to send an oversized postcard, depending on what you’re sell-ing and how important it is to get your message noticed.
Step 5: Design your postcard layout. There are myriad ways to structure your postcard. I usually start by taking a white sheet of paper the size of the postcard and drawing squares and rectangles to define the blocks of space where the design elements will be placed.
Step 6: Write your postcard copy. I’m not a big believer in using postcards that are purely photos.Yes, a picture does tell a thousands words, but often only a small percentage of people will understand the idea you’re trying to get across in the photo. So I use a good amount of copy in my postcard designs (especially big bold headlines and strong calls to action).
The mailing listIf you’re using postcards to get leads for your product or service, you need to send them to a list of prospects that have a high propensity to become customers. In other words, when it comes to lead generation using postcards, you can have a killer postcard with an irresistible offer, but if you don’t send it to the right people it will be a certain flop. You can acquire mailing lists through a number of methods, but I would strongly suggest that you use the help of a qualified list broker. A list broker will help you find the right mailing list for your business. That’s what they do for a living. The best part about using a list broker is that they won’t cost you a penny. Listbrokersgetatraditional15%‘advertisingagency’discount,whichis how they get paid. In other words, they are paid by the list owner, not you. It’s in their best interest to find you a mailing list that works with your offer so that you’ll come back to use them again. There’s really no reason not to use a list broker.
ConclusionAs you can see, postcard marketing can be a simple way to keep in touch with your customers and create compelling, yet cost-effective marketing campaigns to sell your products and services. If you’re generating leads, make sure you use the services of a qualified list broker to help you select the right mailing list for your needs. If you’re just sending cards to your customers or known prospects, don’t feel shy about jumping on the web and using an online postcard mailing service. The humble postcard can be a powerful tool that can put your marketing efforts into overdrive and produce big results on a small budget.
The UK Small Business Marketing Bible is published by Cobweb Information Ltd. Members of the Federation can get a 20% discount on the published price by calling Cobweb on 0191 461 8000 and quoting reference FWC-OFFER and your membership number.
MARKETING ON A SHOESTRINGPostcards can be, pound for pound, the most powerful and effective marketing tool that you have in your marketing arsenal for attracting new customers, reactivating old customers and building deeper relationships with your current customers.
Postcards… small but powerful The humble post-card is the stealth bomber of the small business marketing world, says DAVID FREY, author of The Small Business Marketing Bible.
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FWC LOGOThe FWC continue to pursue non-member companies who mislead the general public by unfairly displaying the FWC membership logo on websites, vehicles and stationery.
This is a breach of Trading Standards under “misleading marketing” regulations, and we receive their full support on such matters. Since the last issue we have reported eight companies to Trading Standards for misuse of the FWC logo, and the Trading Standards have been very supportive on this.
Please contact the federation office on 0161 432 8754 if you would like the MEMBER Logo which is available in jpeg or EPS ...or you can download from the members only page of our website http://www.f-w-c.co.uk/login.htm Contact the FWC for a user name and password first.
Please help to eliminate misuse of the FWC logo by notifying the FWC of anyone you think we should check out. The correct Registered Membership logo is displayed ABOVE LEFT with the word MEMBER beneath it.
WEBSITE FACILITIESThe FWC website facility; “find a window cleaner” receives many customer enquiries for registered member services. See example comments below:
“FWC standard procedure for giving out member’s company details is to select 3-4 members closest to the enquirer for domestic — who in turn select their choice. For commercial tenders etc. we provide all paid-up and insured members in the area requested.”
Members-only area of the website offers Safety guidance documents in PDF format for downloading. Tender opportunities are updated periodically so you will need to check this out regularly on: http://www.f-w-c.co.uk/checklogin.htm
If you haven’t already been supplied with your user name and password.
The links page of the website has many useful contacts.
See the For Sale page of our website for any rounds, vehicles and equipment for sale.
FWC ONLINE SHOPDid you know the FWC has a secure Internet shopping site?
http://www.f-w-c.co.uk/acatalog/
CERTIFICATE OF MEMBERSHIPNew membership certificates are not normally issued on renewal of membership; but we are happy to email PDF or post hard copies on request .
MEMBERSHIP IDENTITY CARDSUnless otherwise requested; Membership cards are usually issued with a photograph previously held on file. Please note: Good quality jpeg images are essential for presentation. Passport size photo’s are also acceptable.
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•A one-day IOSH (Institution of Occupational Safety and Health) Accredited Health and Safety Course•Covering both the use of water fed poles and portable ladders.•Written by window cleaners for window cleaners•No nonsense - hands on practical and theory course with an IOSH certificate at the end. •Giving you an industry recognised lifetime qualification •Which will help you or your organisation comply with legislative training requirements
Window Cleaners Training CourseLifetime Accreditation
“CLEANING WINDOWS SAFELY”
Spaces are limited so early booking is recommended.
TO BOOK ON ONE OF THE ABOVE COURSES CONTACT:Federation of Window Cleaners on: Telephone: 0161 432 8754
If the above dates don’t suit your busy schedule — weekend dates may be available. Call the federation for availability in your area.
CoURSE CoSTS & WHAT’S InCLUDED £135.00 + vat for members £185.00 + vat for non membersFREE CAUTION STICKER FOR EVERY CANDIDATE Discount on a number of employees booked on a course!
2013 CoURSE DATES AnD VEnUES
NEW Southampton Training VenueCourse dates available on request
Birmingham venue available soon — call us for more information
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RISK ASSESSMENT TRAINING COURSE
This one day course was designed and IOSH accredited Risk Assessment for cleaning windows, guttering and external facades. The course is delivered by experienced window cleaners who also manage their own businesses but have suitable health and safety knowledge. This one-day training course for Cleaning windows, gutters and external facades will:• Identify any applicable legislation;• Discuss what to look for;• Show you how to put controls in place;• Show you how to draft out the risk assessments.• Can be used as proof of prior learning for
City and Guilds Level 2 In addition to some examples in the paperwork of generic risk assessments, method statements are also looked at.This course is aimed at everyone within the window and specialist cleaning industry, specifically self-employed, employees, supervisors, managers and safety officers.
2013 risk assessment course
JULY Wednesday 24th PerthThursday 25th London
AUGUST Wednesday 28th StockportThursday 8th PerthThursday 22nd London
SEPTEMBER Thursday 12th Perth Thursday 19th London Wednesday 25th Stockport
OCTOBER Wednesday 23rd Stockport Thursday 24th Perth Thursday 24th London
If the above dates don’t suit your busy schedule, weekend dates may be available. Call the Federation for availability in your area.
Course fees and what’s includedA lifetime certificate and lunch on the dayFREE safety guide and caution sticker£135.00 + vat for members£185.00 + vat for non-membersDiscount for a number of employees on a course! To reserve a place on this course CONTACT:Federation of Window Cleaners on: 0161 432 8754 Email: [email protected] more about this and other courses on the FWC website: http://www.f-w-c.co.uk/training.htm
IOSH ACCREDITATION — WHAT DOES IT MEAN & WHO ARE THEY?
What is IOSH?IOSH stands for Institution of Occupational Safety and Health — Europe’s leading body for health and safety professionals.
It is an independent and not-for-profit organisation founded in 1945, and it regulates and steers the profession. IOSH maintains standards and provides impartial, authoritative guidance on health and safety issues.
They are the first European safety body to be awarded non-governmental organisation status by the International Labour Organisation
By encouraging, facilitating and leading communication of good practices and expertise, IOSH aims to promote awareness of health and safety matters in the workplace and ensure that high standards are achieved, and maintained.
The Risk Assessment & Cleaning Windows Safely Courses are accredited by IOSH, Europe’s leading body for health and safety professionals and delivered by approved trainers.
The IOSH logo, the IOSH acronym and other elements of their corporate identity are trademarked and protected under copy-right law. Taking part in one of their Professional Development or employee training courses doesn’t automatically allow the use of the IOSH logo. Always seek permission to use the logo,
Visit the IOSH website here: http://www.iosh.co.uk/
COURSE COMMENTSEverything I needed to know, venue lovely, I enjoyed the course which will definitely help with work in the future. Thank you! Lorraine Colleran, Clear Environmental Contracting London Ltd, Essex (London venue).
Absolutely lots to put into practice and good advice on how to implement Risk Assessments in a number of ways….perfect tempo and style of delivery, time just flew by! Cerri Wooton, TJ Cleaning Services, Bucks (London venue).
Very good day and we will return to this venue again for another course. The course met all objectives. Michael Colleran, Clear Environmental Contracting London Ltd, Essex (London venue).
Very thorough, explained things very well and I found it very helpful Mick Clemence, Nightingale Cleaning Ltd, Camb’s (London venue).
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Did you know? 89% of adults in the UK have at least
one debit or credit card 1
On average businesses receive 17 cheques per month 2
Only 33% of businesses accept payment by card, falling to 25% for sole traders 2
By 2018 personal cheques will account for only 1.3% of all non-cash
1Nilson Report 2011 2Payments Council 2011 3 UK Payments Administration 2010
PAY DAY
Want to accept card payments? Payatrader.com has launched an affordable mobile Chip & Pin terminal for small businesses …
Payatrader.com has launched the UK’s first, low cost, pocket sized standalone card processing terminal with electronic receipting - specifically designed for small businesses.
Not much bigger than a pocket calculator, the new terminal is a fully accredited, secure chip & pin device with immediate authorisation and cardholder authentication.
Bill Thomson, MD at Payatrader.com, commented “Adding a PayMate Chip & Pin terminal into the ‘trader tool kit’ makes strong commercial sense; not only does it mean payment can be taken straightaway, which is good for cash flow, it means traders have a dedicated payment device which closely matches the existing cardholder experience, avoids bluetooth pairing with other mobile devices, and avoids cardholder concern about entering their details into someone else’s mobile phone.
The design, development and introduction of the new PayMate pocket mobile (GPRS) Chip & Pin terminal is a natural extension to Payatrader’s successful low cost “terminal free” proposition, where small businesses can take card payments on a “Pay As You Go” basis without the worry of monthly and minimum usage charges or lengthy contracts.
PayMate is ideal for window cleaning businesses that prefer to be paid as soon as the job is done!
It has a full roaming SIM and sends customer receipts by SMS – saving you the cost of consumables!
Available to rent at just £3*per week, inclusive of SIM data charges and terminal support, or it can be purchased outright for £99 plus £1.50* per week for the SIM and support.
For more information visit: www.payatrader.com
* Excludes VAT
Reader Offer Save £25 when you join Payatrader – use referral code FWC01 when you apply online.
15
)
Window Cleaners “A” Ladders
Standard & Heavy Duty
Alloy or Timber
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Next-Day delivery
Ladder Safety
Accessories for Window Cleaners
Stoppers & LadderMats
Ladder Base Levellers
Top Stabilisers & Stays
Next-Day delivery
Trade Duty Alloy Ladders
BS EN131 kitemarked Strong for daily use Full range of Doubles
and Triples
Next-Day delivery
See our excellent new website
www.ladders999.co.uk order online or just browse for information
Tel: 01452 520144 Unit 2 Chancel Close Eastern Ave Gloucester GL4 3SN
Probably the widest choice of ladders, and safety accessories from any UK supplier
Write in support of your associationShare any tips you may have with Window Talk... [email protected] We always welcome interesting articles for publication, including the sale of equipment and businesses — which is free of charge for members. We have had a great response with some exceptional articles so far and we hope this continues. If you would like your business featured in the magazine, free of charge, or sell your equipment or businesses in the magazine and on our website — For Sale page. Just send us an email to: [email protected] Or, post your article etc with good quality photo’s & and an original size jpeg to: Summerfield House, Harrogate Road, Reddish, Stockport SK5 6HQTo advertise your products and services in this magazine and to find out more information on the advertising rates go to our website at http://www.f-w-c.co.uk/window_talk_magazine.htm or, call 0161 432 8754
Questions Answers&Can the FWC take any action
on companies deliberately targeting and taking business
from fellow members and other window cleaners, making false
promises to the costomers about saving them 40% and even
offerring some window cleaning FOC to gain additional
cleaning from them?
?Despite the economic difficulties; the FWC would hope that members respect their fellow window cleaners and act in a professional, honorable manner and in accordance with Rule 13 (f) – Offences and Penalties. The committee of Management may expel any member who:- (b) is in breach of the federations good practice guide (c) is deliberately acting against the interest of the federation’s Code of Conduct or, fellow members? However the federation understands that a member would naturaly quote or tender if invited to by a potential client, regardless of the fact that another member has the current contract. However, the FWC would also hope that members in this situation would not undercut deliberately, and that they would quote a Fair Market Price.
We have a situation where a new customer wants our
window cleaning service and I know he has had issues
with another window cleaner whereby he has accused him
of scratching his new window glass. Is there such thing as
a disclaimer for this and if so is there a generic form
or letter you may have? Clive
?You may find the attached Waver Standard document useful for this situation. Quite often scratches are not down to the cleaner, but as a result of the builders actions. This waiver constitutes a legal agreement between any cleaning company and any builders that they will not hold the Cleaning Contractor or Company responsible in any shape or form for any damage caused to glass or frames that may be discovered during or after their cleaning duties have been performed. Specifically any company will not be held responsible for damage caused through the removal of impacted soilage such as cement, mastic, paint, putty, plaster etc. Also attached is guidance on what to include in an agreement contract. See article on page 19. The Law Express legal helpline should also be contacted regarding any legal implications on this. Allied insurance services provide Liability insurance cover which includes property worked upon.
Please could you email any information for window
cleaners — a standard induction and training document. David ?
Please find attached guidance/example documents that we hope will help. The FWC safety guide has a disclaimer slip at the back where your employee can sign to say he has been given a copy to read. Plus a standard training record that you can complete and adapt with your own training and induction procedures.
How can we improve our domestic customer relations in
terms of payments and services? ?Top Tips from a fellow member: We send same day texts to advise when we are ariving should the customere wish to leave their side gate open, or leave the padlock hooked over the latch so we can replace it after the clean. We also offer quotes in writing and should they sign up to pay online we give a free clean. i.e. 12 monthly cleans per year with the 13th clean free of charge. For customers who agree to send a cheque we provide the stamped addressed envelope. Steven — Tops windows in Cheshire.
VERNON HOLMES TO SEEK NEW INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIESFollowing the acquisition in March 2012 of Contico Manufacturing Ltd by Robert Scott & Sons Ltd it is with sadness that the company now announces the departure of Contico’s Commercial Director, Vernon Holmes.
Vernon, who has been with Contico for the past 38 years, has decided that, following the successful transition of ownership, the time is now right to move on and to look at new challenges for himself within the industry.
“I leave Contico on 30th June 2013 after 38 fantastic years with the company. Over the past 15 months I have done my best to professionally pass over the Contico business to the directors of Robert Scott’s and the time is now right for me to move on to new and hopefully exciting new opportunities within the industry. The Contico brand is now in very safe hands and the future of the company secured”.Alastair Scott, Marketing and Sales Director, Robert Scott,
“It has been a great pleasure to work alongside Vernon over the past 15 months; he has been invaluable in managing the transition of ownership and has worked tirelessly to contribute to the turn round of the Contico brand. We are very sorry to see Vernon go but understand his wish to look for new challenges and we wish him the very best in any new venture he pursues”.A major player in the Professional Janitorial Sector for the past 40 years, Contico, from their premises in Redruth, Cornwall, continues to operate as a separate and distinct business from Robert Scott & Sons Ltd, providing one of the largest ranges of professional janitorial products in Europe. Picture shows from left to right: Alastair Scott & Vernon Holmes.
The FWC would like to wish Vernon all our very best for the future.
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NEW FROM UNGER - HIFLO™ POLE BAGKeep your tools in top condition with this strong, durable Bag for storage, protection and transportation of water fed pole system.
Made of solid, 420 denier water repellent nylon, with full internal lining and a layer of protective 5mm PE foam padding, this Bag is designed to minimise the risk of accidental damage to your tools. Reinforced zip fastening along the entire length of the Bag allows you to access your tools quickly and comfortably anywhere - lean the Bag against the wall, or keep it on the ground whist working. The Bag can be carried by hand or over the shoulder, using two strong carry handles with removable padding for easy grip and comfort.With stylish black and bright yellow design, the Bag features Unger and nLite logos on both sides as hallmark of professional quality.AswithallUngerproducts,thenewHiFlo™PoleBagiscoveredbyUnger’s100%CustomerSatisfactionGuarantee.
Main compartment
The large main compartment fits 5 or more Poles, 2 Brushes, 1 Gooseneck and 1 Hose, or a complete set of the nLite Poles and Accessories for cleaning at height of 20m and above. Robust 4cm wide Velcro straps in the main compartment keep the tools in place, whilst internal zipped pocket can be used for storage of spare jets and other items. The Bag features a reinforced with welt, 1000 denier nylon base, with small metal trimmed aperture at the base for ventilation and draining of the residue water from the equipment. The storage capacity also allows for more items to be added loosely into the Bag, without using the straps.
Dimensions when filled with a complete set of Poles and Accessories:
Length: 202cm / 79.5”Width: 30cm / 12”Depth: 30cm / 12” at the highest point
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Criminal Records Services Ltd is the appointed CRB Umbrella Body of the Federation of Window Cleaners providing specialist support to over 2000 organisations across the UK for all types of industries. We provide CRB checks for companies who wish to check their staff to make recruitment decisions to place their employee’s and those around them into safe environments. We can also provide checks for individuals who need them to help gain new work and contracts.
One Certificate Issued Directly to the ApplicantFrom 17th June 2013 the Government are introducing a new procedure that only one completed DBS certificate will be issued and will go directly to the applicant’s home address. The Government wish to introduce this new procedure to allow the applicant to dispute the content recorded on the certificate if the applicant believes the information is incorrect.
Due to many individual’s applying for employment roles in sectors where a DBS check is required, there has been many opportunities of employment missed as the content can be damaging to the individual if the information stated on the certificate is not accurate, therefore employers dismissing the applicant for the job role applied for. This can be seen as discrimination and can blight people’s opportunities.
The applicant will receive the certificate before producing it to the potential employer and this will provide an opportunity to challenge the DBS without the employer seeing the incorrect content and making a recruitment decision based on inaccurate information.
If you conduct the checks online you will still be notified of the completion and this will allow you to keep track of any applications you are submitting to us. You will be notified by email as normal and this will prompt you to speak to the applicant about the arrival of the certificate.
You may wish to look at your recruitment policies with regards to the DBS checking as this could have an impact on your business. As there will be only one certificate issued it will be in your organisation’s benefit to request the applicant to provide you with the completed certificate.
For further guidance please go to www.dbschecks.co.uk
Drawing on our specialist knowledge of the Criminal Records Bureau, the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act (1974) and the recruitment process, Criminal Records Services also provides a range of tailored training and consultancy packages to ensure your organisation is fully versed on the relevant legislation and best practice of how criminal records affect the recruitment process and the human resource component of your operations. Combined with first-class administrative procedures from an experienced team, which has achieved the coveted UKAS ISO 9001-2008 Quality Management Standard, the knowledge and dedication of Criminal Records Services staff gives us the confidence to say that we are the value added CRB and criminal records organisation. We are the company that your organisation can depend on. We are also accredited to UKAS ISO 27001 Information Security Standard, giving you the added confidence that all your information will remain confidential.
Criminal Records Services provides a complete support package for an organisation including; providing the CRB application forms or access to our On-Line application process through our website with guidance ensuring they are completed correctly, forward to and liaise with the CRB Agency throughout the process. If the certificate is returned with convictions on it, Criminal Records Services can, through our specialist support service provide information and advice on whether the convictions are spent or unspent under The Rehabilitation of Offenders Act and if they are relevant to the job description and position offered, assisting you to make safer recruitment choices.
We can also provide an individual employability risk assessment to any information recorded on the certificate that you may be concerned about.
Consult your employeesYou have to consult all your employees on health and safety. This does not need to be complicated. You can do this by listening and talking to them about:➔ health and safety and the work they do;
➔ how risks are controlled;
➔ the best ways of providing information and training.
Consultation is a two-way process, allowing staff to raise concerns and influence decisions on the management of health and safety. Your employees are often the best people to understand risks in the workplace and involving them in making decisions shows them that you take their health and safety seriously.
In a very small business, you might choose to consult your employees directly. Alternatively, you might consult through a health and safety representative, chosen by your employees or selected by a trade union. As an employer, you cannot decide who will be the representative.
See our ‘do your bit’ pages for more information on consulting with your employees. These pages include:
Advice on what you should be doing➔ We know from experience that workplaces where
employees play an active part in health and safety often have lower accident rates.
➔ Talking, listening and co-operating helps to get the best from your workforce, encouraging closer working relationships, as well as a safer workplace.
What should I be doing?➔ HSE places great importance on worker involvement
and consultation. Your employees influence health and safety through their own actions. They are often the best people to understand the risks in their work-place.
➔ Talking, listening and co-operating can help to achieve benefits. Health and safety representatives can help you with workforce consultation arrangements.
Benefit from better worker involvementWe know that workplaces where employees play an active part in health and safety have lower accident rates. Collaboration with your employees helps you to manage health and safety in a practical way by:
➔ helping you spot workplace risks;
➔ making sure health and safety controls are practical; and
➔ increasing the level of commitment to working in a safe and healthy way.
In many cases this also leads to increased productivity, efficiency and quality.
What the law saysThere are two principal sets of regulations concerning your duty to consult your workforce on health and safety:
➔ The Health and Safety (Consultation with Employees) Regulations 1996; and
➔ The Safety Representatives and Safety Committees Regulations 1977.
These regulations will apply to most workplaces. They contain a flow chart that shows the relationship between the two sets of regulations and how they affect yourself and your workforce.
You may only have to consult under one set of regulations, or it may be both depending on circumstances.
A workplace employee who can represent the views of their colleagues is a great way of involving your entire workforce in matters concerning their health and safety.
John Newins (left) with FWC Executive Scott Smith (right) presenting a 24 carat gold mounted squeegee, a framed
certificate and £100 to the Window Cleaner of the Year 2013: John Newins – Employee of OCS Group Ltd.
Christopher Oakes (left) with FWC Executive Scott Smith (right) presenting the £100 gift and framed certificate to the
Window Cleaning Company of the Year 2013:Christopher Oakes – Archer Window Cleaning Services
Dave Morris - Cornwall Stephen Fox - Wales Glen Bailey - Cleveland.
The fastest winners on each day of the Cleaning Show are pictured below with FWC Executive Scott Smith and Terry Burrows
Terry Turbo encouraging everyone to have a go at the competition.
19
EVOLUTIONARY WATER FED POLE TECHNOLOGY FOR PROFESSIONALS
PATENT PENDING
www.ungerglobal.com
BRUSHESCreate hundreds of spray patterns using Fan or Pencil Jets in any combination, in up to 10 locations.
CLAMPSIntelligent design for easy one handed operation, quick tension adjustment and hose management.
GOOSENECKSSuperlight and super- strong carbon fibre Goosenecks are quickly attached and adjusted using Clamps.
REACHING OVER 20M/65’ HIGH,THE NEW HiFlotm nlite
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EXAmInATIon oF A ToUGHEnED GLASS PAnEL FoR LAWREnCE & CoINTRODUCTION:A toughened glass panel, which was reported to have a scratched surface, was received on 9th February 2000. Also received were a Stanley Scraper and an Ettore brass window squeegee. It was requested that the scratched surface of the glass be examined and tests carried out using the cleaning equipment in the manner normally used to determine whether the scratches could have originated from the equipment.
EXAMINATION:Visual examination showed that there was significant scratching of the glass surface. The attached sketch shows the main areas and direction of scratching. The glass surface was then examined in more detail with the aid of a stereo zoom microscope. Under these conditions it could be seen that there were a range of scratch sizes (i.e. depth) with some very fine scratches up to much coarser scratches with associated cracking. Examples of each of these extremes are shown in figures I - 3.The relatively straight grooves in the glass surface with sharp sub surface cracks is typical of cleavage damage.Cleavage damage is mechanical damage brought about by sharp, hard objects being pressed in to and dragged across the glass surface. Much of the damage appeared to stop at a point where the glass would have been enclosed with a frame/sealant but there were areas where it appeared that the scratches continued towards the edge of the glass. Figures 4 and 5 show relatively coarses cratches on either side of the filler/sealant which would indicate that the scratch was present before the application of the filler/sealant. Figures 6 and 7 are further examples of scratches which appear to have been present before the application of filler/sealant. Also noted in some cases associated with the scratches were impact type marks which appeared to have some metal debris present. The source of this damage is not known but an example is showni n frgure 8 .
3 TESTS USING CLEANING EQUIPMENTA sheet of unused toughened glass was obtained for test purposes. All toughened glass for building purposes will be of a similar soda-lime-silica glass composition and so will have similar properties such as impact, strength and surface hardness. The cleaning method as supplied by Lawrence and Co was then used on the unused toughened glass using the equipment supplied.
Stanley ScraperThe glass was wetted and a Stanley Scraper was scraped across the surface of the glass with light to rnoderate then to high hand pressure. After each stage the glass was examined visually and then with the aid of a microscope. No scratching was visible with the naked eye. Under a microscope it could be seen that there was some very fine surface scratching after high hand pressure had been applied but none of the scratching was associatedwith any sub surface cracking. An example of a scratch of this type is shown in figure 9.
Ettore Brass SqueegeeWhen used in a normal manner there is no metal contact with the glass and so no scratching due to rubber will occur. It was decided however, to apply the brass handle part of the squeegee to the glass under varying pressures. Under low to medium hard pressure no darnage to the glass was seen. Under high pressure it was possible to damage the glass but the damage was more of an abrasion to the surface and not a scratch. This damage which shows no resemblance to the scratching on the panel is shown in figure 10.
CONCLUSIONThe glass had severe scratch damage typical of having been caused by a hard sharp objects being dragged across its surface. There was evidence that at least some of this damage had beencaused before application of filler/sealant.Laboratory tests showed that if used in the manner prescribed some minor scratches (not visible to the naked eye) m ay result when a high hand pressure is made when using the Stanley S craper. The deep scratches as seen on the panel were not reproduced. Harsh contact to the glass with the brass handle squeegee did not cause scratches. It is my opinion that the scratches on the glass were not the result of the proper use of the cleaning equipment supplied. Further work would be required to determine possible causes/sources of the impact type damage associated with metallic like debris. This would require breaking the sample and examining the damage with the aid of a Scanning Electron Microscope.
Re-printed article from 2001 issue, minus the images. Article courtessy of member Frank Lawrence - Lancashire.
FaceBook is still the largest of all the social networks. Having a busy presence on FaceBook is a great idea to gain interest in your business from the enormous amount of FaceBook users. Lots of people are now searching FaceBook and your keyword rich FaceBook page will be topical and of relevant interest to users that find it. Remember that people are very familiar with FaceBook and are more likely to have used it personally than Twitter. We highly recommend the embed-
ded Twitter feed for maximum SEO benefit, but to really cover the full benefits of a Social Media Marketing campaign, it’s a great
idea to be posting content and images on to both Twitter and FaceBook. Google is also known to take notice
of your FaceBook page (which links back to your website) and use this social signal as part of its ranking algorithm.
Assuming you have the Twitter feed embedded into
your website in the correct way then you should receive the following benefits:
• People landing on the site will immediately be presented with content that is recent, interesting, relevant
and engaging so they are likely to stay on the site longer and give it higher value as it is using up-to-date technology, this
makes a site look very professional particularly if your competition do not have twitter on their site.
• Ifyouarespendinganymoneyadvertisingyourservicesanywherethen having a more engaging/professional site will also give you a better return on the investment.
• Googlewillcomebacktoyourwebsitemorefrequentlyasitcanseethat your website is regularly updated with keyword rich content therefore helping with Google rankings.
Social networks are a fast paced technology and you have to invest a lot of time on the details to maximise your social media success. That’s before working out the effect each account has on Google, and what difference keyword density makes to your social media campaigns. Some-where in all that learning – you also have to post 4 or five times per business day to be seen as “socially active” by Google and benefit appropriately. Since Google loves unique images, tagged and posted, you also need to ensure you create and upload at least a few of those per week, per account.
The very best way for your business to benefit from a social media campaign is if you outsource the “heavy lifting” to us. We know the exact recipe of a social media campaign that gets Google’s heart racing as well as providing an interesting and authoritative set of posts that your customers will love. We have teams of people that can post on your behalf all day, every day. Plenty of keyword rich content, nicely spaced out during the day.
You can then post as much or as little as you like. If you only have time to post once per week – that would be fine – because we are topping up. Equally if you don’t have time to post at all… that’s no problem either. Do remember however – that nobody knows your business as well as you – and the more you get involved the better and more “social” your social media marketing will be.
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• SEO (Search Engine Optimisation) Google has placed more and more promi-
nence in what are commonly referred to as “social signals”. Your social media marketing campaign will tick a lot of boxes for Google and thus propel your website up the rankings, resulting in more visitors and more sales.
• Website traffic This goes hand in hand with SEO – because
Google will be giving you more traffic – but as your social media campaign grows and matures you will also see more and more direct traffic from the social networks.
• Brand recognition and repeat exposure Your social media followers or browsers are
in an environment they are comfortable in. It is the very best place for you to place your brand and have them take notice. It is said of traditional advertising that a potential customer has to see your advert seven times before taking any action. This is your opportunity to get your brand under their noses without being pushy.
• Improve your website’s conversion rate You will see an increase in your website
conversion rates. The amount of website traffic (or visitors) compared to the number of sales (or leads) you get is called the sales conversion ratio, if you monitor this ratio before and after installing an embedded Twitter feed you will see it improve. People are re-assured by the presence of a regularly updated Twitter feed on a website (hours, not days). It shows professionalism and clearly displays that your site is “open for business”.
• Grow your marketing power As your followers increase your marketing
power increases. Initially the SEO benefits of social media are all that you are interested in, but over time you’ll gain a loyal following, who you can market to at any time – at zero additional cost! The more following you have – the more people want to join in and get involved. It’s the “crowd effect” people always want to see what the crowd is interested in, and they join the crowd!
• Getting ahead of your competitors Do your competitors use social media?
Most of your competitors will probably not be doing a good job of embracing social media, so this is your chance to race ahead. If they are engaging well in the social networks then you must get involved or you risk being left behind and losing your audience to your competition. Your potential customers or clients are engaging in social media personally, whether you like it or not. When they visit a website they expect to find a social media presence and will judge you if there isn’t one – or worse still if they find one that hasn’t been updated for weeks or months.
• Improve your authority When people see you have a busy social
network they will automatically associate authority with it. Your business will be seen as having increased credibility and specialist knowledge.
Like the fax machine of the 1980’s and email of the 2000’s, Social media marketing has gone from being a business option to being essential, and yet you still have time to get ahead of your competitors.
The main benefits to running a social media campaign are:
Getting ahead of your competitors!
What are the benefits of
outsourcing your social media campaign?
What are the specific benefits of using twitter?
If a website is already showing a Twitter feed then the easiest way to ensure it is embedded correctly is to RIGHT CLICK and VIEW SOURCE (these phrases change slightly between
browsers). Search the SOURCE HTML of the website for any one of the Tweets. If the feed is deep embedded, then you’ll find the Tweets inside the HTML itself. If you can’t find the Tweets –
neither can Google! You’ll need to change the way it is embedded to ensure you get the maximum Google benefits.
What are the specific benefitsof using FaceBook?
How do I know if my existing Twitter
feed is correct? continued on page 21
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TRAILER & SYSTEm in excellent condition• Trailer and Brodex £1000 Pure Water System • Used approximately 4 times!• 1 x IFOR WILLIAMS TG403005T • Twin Axle Trailer • Twin rear doors and front access door • Fully installed with £1000 Pure Water Machine includes battery pack and internal pole rack
This would make a great addition to an existing cleaning business or a business start-up opportunity.
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Should I link my Facebook account to my Twitter account and save time only posting on one?Both Twitter and FaceBook accounts are used by Google as “social signals”. The frequency of the updates, the content of the posted material and many other things are all considered by Google when they calculate the value of the social media account. What we have found is that if we replicate Twitter posts on FaceBook by linking the accounts, Google gives much less value to the FaceBook account.
Remind me again — What are the benefits of having a Twitter feed embedded into my website correctly?1. Google loves regularly updated content — which this gives you
(your page is different each time it is spidered — against identical with the JavaScript feed)
2. Google is showing signs of preferential treatment of sites with social media content.
Our analysis has also shown that that if you put the embedded feed on multiple pages of your site then the Google benefit is lost (presum-ably because Google hates duplicated content).
What are the benefits of Tweeting or posting images onto FaceBook?They have two effects: 1. Google LOVES unique images and sees you posting these images
as a very positive thing. 2. It makes your feed look prettier! We are visual creatures and a text
only Facebook page (or Twitter account) is a much more boring place to be than somewhere with some visual stimulus. Our research has found the perfect balance – and we can apply it for you to make your social media marketing a success.
I am using the Twitter embedding that Twitter provide — Why are you saying that it is wrong? We are not saying it’s “wrong” we are just saying you will not get the maximum SEO or Google benefit from the feed system that Twitter recommend. They recommend the easiest way of installing a feed – and not the most beneficial way. Remember it is in Twitter’s interest to make it easy to promote Twitter – they are not interested in what difference their feed makes to your position in Google.
Special OfferIf you would like to try SiteWizard’s social media services then you will benefit from a fantastic offer available to members of FWC. You willreceivea30%discountontheirsocialmediaservicesreducingthe setup fee from £99 +VAT to £69+VAT (this includes the Twitter Account being created if you do not already have one, the Twitter feed being installed into your website in the correct way AND social profiling to ensure a great level of Tweets and posts on Facebook about your business) and ALSO reduces the monthly fees for the service from £99+VAT down to £69+VAT. SiteWizard also do not have any contracts and each monthly fee pays for the month in advance.
If you have any questions or would like to benefit from this amazing offer please call 01622 200045 or visit www.Site-Wizard.co.uk/fwc.
TestimonialOver the past few years I have been running my window cleaning business I had begun to realise the need for Social Media and its importance of helping with gaining new customers and getting the business noticed more. As I had already been using SiteWizard for hosting my website for a number of years, when they came to me about their new idea for doing my Tweeting for me, I was actually a little sceptical. I had actually been studying Social Media and its uses for some time, I first started by setting up a LinkedIn account and posting my CV on there to see how it went. That seemed to do well so I decided to setup a Twitter account as this seemed to be getting a lot of attention in the news at the time and it went on from there, I carried on, and started working on all the other more popular ones an hour a day including Facebook, Google+, Flickr etc. Once I realised I needed some help with it all, I decided to approach SiteWizard about their idea that had been mentioned to me regarding Twitter. They had developed a service, which allowed them to post Tweets for me based around the business, which would be posted directly onto my website: http://www.mrbungalow.co.uk. Since using it for the few months so far, it has almost doubled my follower traffic, and I can’t say for sure, but I have seen a difference, with more calls this year regarding my products and services. Thanks to SiteWizard.
Darren FitzjohnMr Bungalow - The Window Cleaners
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Federation Executive Council OfficersAndrew Lee Cumbria Chairman 01900 826 306
Diary Dates 2013“CLEAnInG WInDoWS SAFELY“ WFP & PoRTABLE LADDERS
2013 RISK ASSESSmEnT CoURSE FoR CLEANING WINDOWS
If the above dates don’t suit your busy schedule, weekend dates may be available.
Call the FWC on: 0161 432 8754 to check availability.
JULYTuesday 9th StockportTuesday 9th N. IrelandThursday 18th LondonTuesday 23rd Perth
AUGUSTWednesday 21st StockportThursday 15th LondonWednesday 7th PerthThursday 1st N. IrelandFriday 30th Wales
SEPTEMBERTuesday 3rd N. IrelandWednesday 11th StockportThursday 12th LondonWednesday 11th PerthFriday 27th Wales
OCTOBERWennesday 9th StockportWednesday 30th N. IrelandThursday 17th LondonWednesday 23rd PerthFriday 25th Wales
JULYThursday 25th LondonWednesday 24th Perth
AUGUSTWednesday 28th StockportThursday 8th PerthThursday 22nd London
SEPTEMBERWednesday 25th StockportThursday 12th PerthThursday 19th London
OCTOBERThursday 24th PerthWednesday 23rd StockportThursday 24th London
need high res version
NOTICE
Once again we have had a number of Members contact us about an advertising company who claims to be an agent for the Police Federation’s magazine. Please note: The Police Federation have a statement on their website that the Police Federation of England & Wales HQ does not utilise the services of Mode PR as an advertising Agent. Mode PR pro-duce two free magazines; “Street Scene” a Lifestyle magazine, about sports, technology, music and video games. “Overdrive” about news, views and information received from the British Police Motor Clubs whos members receive a copy free of charge. Mode PR also have a few comments on the internet about their advertising tactics.
23
Deionised (DI) mixed bed resin is a polystyrene polymer derived from the petrochemical industry. It is mixture of cation and anion resin produced as small beads and looks like a mass of brown sugar. As water passes over and through the resin ithastheabilityofproducing99.9%purewaterbyadsorbing(rather than absorbing) impurities, such as TDS, onto its surface.
Theresultingwaterisgentlyaggressiveinaslightlyacidicway**. This assists considerably in removing stubborn dirt, inorganic and organic (algae), as well as breaking down surface tension. This enables over 90%ofgeneral,waterfedpole,windowcleaningworktobeundertakenwith-outdetergents and chemical additives. It is interesting to note that, with surface tension reduced, glass remains cleaner for longer.
The slightly acidic state of this cold pure water is due to the deionisation process taking everything out of the water including carbon dioxide (CO2) and alkalinity. Once this water is released into the atmosphere it will start to reabsorb the CO2 without the alkalinity to buffer it. The pH will drop until a maximum level is reached around the 5.5 to 6.0pH (7.0 is neutral). Pure water does not reabsorb the alkalinity, which is processed out. It can be viewed that this level of acidity will corrode and have an adverse effect on metals commonly associated with window frames such as aluminium, copper, brass, gunmetal and bronze. In practice, due to the very short contact times, this does not happen. The water is sufficiently pure enough to clean without doing any damage. One of the advantages of DI water is its ability to remove some metal oxide contamination. For instance, it is known that it will buff up copper beautifully on stained glass windows.
It must be remembered that most metals associated with external building construction are designed to withstand extremes of weather. Rain itself can be aggressive. In recent years, sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxide, together with other suspended matter, has made the subject of acid rain of considerable environmental importance. In some cases, rain can be more acidic than deionised water. Above article is a reprint from a 2010 issue. Article by Alan Matthews - Aquafactors.
DEIONISED RESINWhat it is! What is does! How it Performs!
Since conditions for use of the product are not under the control of the manufacturer, it is the buyers/users duty to determine the conditions necessary for the safe use of this product. Due to the proliferation of sources for information such as manufacturer-specific MSDS’s, we are not and cannot be responsible for MSDS’s obtained from any source other than ourselves. If you have obtained an MSDS (Material Safety Data Sheet) from another source or if you are not sure that the MSDS you have is current, please contact us for the current version.
Recent information from the manufacturers is that the resin is inert and that they have never had any previous safety issues reported.
However, Andrew Lee - FWC Safety Officer would like to draw attention to the following:
‘An employee of mine had chapped hands and after handling used resin beads the skin on his hands became irritated. Following an investigation with the resin manifacturer and further inspection of a New Safety Data Sheet It became apparent that anyone handling resin should take the neccesary precautions and wear gloves, in addition to safety goggles’.We also advise that you should check the chemical data sheet for advice on disposal of used resin. Although, in our industry, it is generally only in contact with drinking quality water and we are therefore informed by the FWC’s supplier that it is acceptable to dispose of at landfill. Nevertheless, as a minimum precaution; the FWC suggests used resin should be placed into a bag and disposed of with ordinary household rubbish.
The Chemical Data Sheet Identification number: 80796/3005/ Issue Date28/08/2012/ Version: 4.0 is available on request from the FWC:0161 432 8754 / [email protected].
Dowex MB-50 Mixed Ion Exchange Resin — HANDLING & STORAGE
GENERAL HANDLING:Do not get in eyes. Avoid contact with skin and clothing. Wash thorough-ly after handling. Keep container closed. Use with adequate ventilation. Static electricity can accumulate on dry beads. Leave room for expansion as dry resin swells upon wetting and/or changing ionic form. Equipment construction material should be compatible with feed, regenerant, ionic form and effluent of the ion exchange process. Avoid generating and breathing dust. Good housekeeping and controlling of dusts are neces-sary for safe handling of product. See Section 8, Exposure Controls and Personal Protection.
STORAGE:Store in a dry place. Keep container tight-ly closed when not in use. Preferred stor-age temperature is the lower half of the range given below. Storage Temperature: 0 – 50 ºC.
DISPOSAL:This product, when being disposed of in its unused and uncontaminated state should be treated as a hazardous waste according to EC Directive 91/689/EEC. Any disposal practices must be in compli-ance with all national and provincial laws and any municipal or local by-laws governing hazardous waste. For used, contaminated and residual materials additional evaluations may be required. Do not dump into any sewers, on the ground, or into any body of water.
SUMMER OFFERSmops: mits & Bits!
Unger micro mittsPerfect for cleaning glass, countertops, wood, metal and paintwork. Thick, soft strands on one side have increased surface area for incred-ible absorbency and dirt pick up. Premium grade low pile microfibre on the other side is good for dusting and polishing
Not sold as a pair — Individually priced.
WAS £3.45 NOW £2.99 + VAT
Swiv PadSYR 10” synthetic swiv pad with pull string tie. Fits Swiv Frame below:
WAS £4.38 NOW £3.00 + VAT
Swiv Frame SYR 10” plastic Swiv Frame only which has pivoting handle to left & right back & forth movement.
Available from the Federation. Tel: 0161 432 8754 Or go to our online shop for more details including the data sheet information
£64.00 + VAT
Hi Vis Jacket
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Hi Visibility Yellow WaistcoatsCertified to EN471 Class 2 with reflective strips.
WAS £4.00 NOW £2.70 + VAT
MM
IRG
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03
Lanyards
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Lanyard with hookLanyard 2m or 1.75m EA Lanyard c/w 1 x Pinnacle SC and 1 x Alu-minium Snap Hook. Shock absorb-ing webbing lanyard with scaffold hook and SC karabiner. Conforms to EN 355/354/362.
