Blog Articles
Asbestos and the obligations
Back in April we wrote a blog about the introduction of new health and safety regulations concerning asbestos. (https://www.upperhutthire.co.nz/asbestos-and-the-4th-of-april/). Based on the court appearance of a builder last week, it seems Worksafe been actively policing this new legislation.
According to the Worksafe press release, Richard John Knight appeared in the Christchurch District Court for sentencing and was fined $3000 for failure to possess a licence for asbestos removal, and failure to obtain certification for the work completed. WorkSafe’s inquiries found...
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Ebert Construction: The implications
Like many people, the placement of Ebert Construction Ltd into receivership last week certainly caught our attention. You could almost hear the collective tightening of sphincters throughout the building fraternity.
The NZ Herald reported last Thursday that 95 staff face an uncertain future. That’s extremely sad and disruptive for the employees and their families but you’d probably bet on them finding gainful employment fairly quickly. What’s probably more concerning is the estimated $40 million of debts that Ebert reportedly carry on...
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DIY Electrical
Living in a Kiwi DIY Wonderland would suggest you can do just about anything around the house, including electrical wiring. Dealing with 240 volts of hydro-converted heaven is always fraught with danger, so it’s not surprising there are some strict laws in place to protect you and the members of your family.
The Electricity Act 1992 sections 79 & 80 defines who exactly can legally carry out limited electrical work, as listed in regulation 6A of the Electricity Safety Regulations...
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The physics of digging a post hole
It seems there are quite a few fencing projects around Upper Hutt. Our one-man Tanaka post hole borer has been popular since we opened for business but perhaps a little lightweight for some jobs. A couple of years back we bought a digger attachment for our 1.7MT excavator, but the excavator + attachment was probably a bit too much for other projects (great for a long line of post holes but). We had an equipment gap somewhere in the...
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Five steps to Health & Safety
It’s funny how conversations often collide. The Hire Industry held its annual conference in Rotorua at the start of July, bringing the owners and managers of many hire companies together (along with a host of equipment and service suppliers) to catch up and get updated on the latest trends.
As well as getting together for a general chin-wag, these conferences are always a great opportunity to learn about the new or brush up on the old.
One of the technical sessions...
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The brave wear yellow
Even though it’s winter, there are still a few brave souls out there cycling the road of the hutt valley for either fun or fitness. While most of them seem to regulate their speed and control (you get the impression they also own a car), there are a few hardened souls who are less cautious and expect drivers to have some form of traffic ESP to avoid a catastrophic collision.
A near-miss a few days ago with a cyclist got...
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Keeping it water tight
Unwanted moisture in a home can be a problem at any time. Add in a bit of cold weather and short days, and any moisture problems can become much worse. New Zealand’s experience with water tight properties isn’t that great. The combination of the Building Act 1991, shoddy work practices, unsuitable cladding materials and untreated timber all contributed to a multi-billion dollar quandary we’re still working through.
It’s no wonder the weather in New Zealand is such a common subject...
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Fieldays 2018
It’s June, activity in the rural sector has slowed with the colder temperatures and mother nature keeps on threatening to dump more rain. It must be time for National Agricultural Fieldays at Mystery Creek.
This year we thought we’d strike early. We were parked up by 8.30am and quickly through the gates. The last 12 months at Upper Hutt Hire have been pretty solid and we had a few pieces of equipment on the shopping list. Actually there were two...
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Is this a V8 renaissance?
We’re not sure if you have noticed it too, but there seems to be a V8 renaissance happening around the Hutt. Ever since the oil shock days of the 1970’s the V8 engine said everything the economists and environmentalists didn’t.
With crude oil prices predicted to remain above US50 per barrel and the kill-joys in the beehive unlikely to favour lower fuel taxes in the foreseeable future one might think the V8’s days may be numbered. The demise of the...
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Winter maintenance in 5 steps
As the shortest day looms closer and winter stamps its icy grip on the weather, we thought this week we might suggest a few small projects to help ward off the effects of the damp cold conditions.
1. Clear those gutters
It’s surprising how quickly gutters fill with debris, even if your house isn’t surrounded by deciduous trees. There are plenty of hose attachments you can buy to help clean the gutters, but some areas may require special access equipment. Our...
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