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When it comes to workwear, your demands are simple. You need clothes which won’t tear and fail at the first sign of hard work. Clothes that are designed to complement your work, and clothes that keep you looking and feeling good. Finding all those qualities in workwear isn’t always easy, especially when you’re shopping online. But which is the brand you can trust to deliver all of the above? The answer is Scruffs Workwear. This UK company might have only launched in 2003, but their relentless eye for quality and striving to improve their products have won them a place in the lives of countless tradesmen, contractors and hobbyists around the world. We’re extremely proud to supply a wide range of Scruffs workwear to our customers, but why do we believe in Scruffs so much? Here’s five huge reasons: Clothing Designed for Work Too often, workwear is designed to look and feel good, but they aren’t designed for the rigours of a hard day’s work. Not so with Scruffs, which are designed to keep going, even in the toughest circumstances. From their boots which are weatherproof, shockproof and extremely comfortable to their Worker Plus trousers which feature a multitude of multi-function pockets, reinforced knee and crotch areas and knee pad inserts, for extended periods of kneeling. It’s a trend of careful design that you’ll find is common across their entire range, and why we believe Scruffs clothing is amongst the finest designed workwear today. Designed with Safety in Mind Scruffs range of personal protection products such as their safety boots, safety gloves and safety spectacles are all made to EN standard, ensuring you are safe while working. At MAD4TOOLS we make it easy for you to identify the key Scruffs safety features with a breakdown of each feature in our detailed product listings. Attention to Detail All Scruffs workwear is made from durable, high-performance materials, and loaded with clever functional features. Some items contain features that are so subtly innovative that you probably won’t even notice they’re there, to begin with. Did you know, for example, that the cuffs on some of their jackets have been designed to stop rubble, dust and debris from going up your arm? When it comes to workwear, it really is the little things that make all the difference. Workwear to Show Off Of course, whilst workwear should first and foremost serve our practical needs, it needs to look good too. Whether we like to admit it or not, we want to look good. Scruffs designers know that, making it easy for tradespeople to look good when working hard. Whether grafting in cold, wet or dry conditions, the vital factors remain the same – the highest levels of comfort, protection and styling that turns heads on and off the job. Whether you’re looking at their Trade Air-Layer Hoodie or their Vintage Fleece Joggers, you’ll find that their clothes marry function with form to create workwear that you’ll be keen to be seen in. Affordability for Everyone Workwear takes serious battering, and so from time to time, you need to replace items. With some brands, you’ll find that a painful experience for your bank balance – but not with Scruffs. Whether you’re buying safety specs, gloves, trousers, socks, shirts, coats, overclothes or any other Scruffs product, you’ll find their prices to be more than fair. Even better though? Our fantastic discounts on the full range of Scruffs clothing means you’ll never pay over the odds for the everyday essentials which make your job that much easier. Discover our full range of workwear, including our range of Scruffs clothing and accessories. Read Full Story -
Products
Now that we’re in the full swing of Spring, you might find the need to purchase some new gardening tools. Our advice…always buy the best you can afford. But, regardless of the quality, regularly maintaining your garden tools is a must if you want them to have a long life span. Whether it’s hand tools or power tools, each tool requires maintenance to assure that they’ll be ready for that next garden task. So, here at Mad4Tools, we’ve created some basic care and guidance tips you can use to make sure your tools are always up for the job at hand! Clean garden tools Make a habit of cleaning your tools after each use. More often than not, it’s as simple as hosing down your trowels, spades and rakes or any other apparatus that comes into contact with soil. Doing so will keep weeds, seeds, fungi, and diseases from spreading around the garden. It’ll also remove rust enhancing soil from the steel surfaces which will help extend the life of your garden equipment. Power tools, like a lawnmower, require a little more maintenance. Cleaning these tools is easiest when done straight after use. Once you have finished cutting the grass, remove any excess grass, dirt, and debris from the underside of the tool. Make sure any power equipment is fully off before doing this! Never put tools away wet We’ve all been guilty of leaving garden tools outside on the ground at least once, even in rainy conditions, but we’ll pay the price when rust takes over. To keep your garden tools from rusting, make sure you allow them to completely dry before storing them away. Steel tool heads are most susceptible to rust, even after washing and drying. Our top tip here is to spray the steel with either motor oil or WD40 to prevent it from oxidizing. Maintain wooden handles At the end of each garden season, inspect any wooden handles which are usually found on garden tools such as spades and forks. If there is any sign of splintering, you might need to sand them smooth. The final thing to do is to rub a finishing oil (linseed or tung oil) into your wooden handles to help preserve them. Remember our tip about not putting away wet tools? The same applies here! Be sure to wipe away any excess oil before storage. Sharpen your tools Sharp tools are safer and more efficient to use than blunt ones. Some local garden centres and tool shops provide this service, but it is just as easy to do it at home. The simplest way to sharpen cultivation tools such as spades and shovels is to use a fine metal file. If you want to take good care of your garden tools, proper maintenance includes keeping the edges of certain tools, such as shovels and spades nice and sharp. According to RHS, the simplest way is to use a fine metal file. Set the file on the edge of the tool and move away from your body using smooth even strokes. Do not drag the file back. Lift it from the edge and place it back at the starting position, resulting in a much faster cut. Generally, it is only necessary to sharpen these tools once or twice a year, depending on how frequently you use your garden tools. Sharpening of lawnmower blades is also necessary as the blades get clogged with wood sticks and stones from the ground. This can be a bit more complicated and is usually a lot easier to just replace the blades, otherwise seek a professional lawnmowers supplier to sharpen the blades accordingly. Lawnmower checks Check out the fuel quality and standard before purchasing. A low standard fuel may require replacement due to containment of debris and can affect the performance of your machine engine. Cleaning the air filter carbon is vital as it is the most important part for a better performance of the lawnmower. This can be a common problem so if cleaning the filter doesn’t improve the performance it may be necessary to replace it. Storing your tools As most tools are generally made from wood and metal, they are susceptible to rotting, cracking and rust if exposed to humid areas for prolonged periods. For those that have stainless steel tools, this applies to you too! Although stainless steel is less prone to stains than other metals, it doesn’t guarantee corrosion won’t happen over time if left out. Storing your garden tools in either a shed or garage will ensure years of safe and productive use. Garden tool maintenance doesn’t have to be hard…the key is to look after your tools and your tools will look after you. If you’re in need of some great quality garden equipment and are quite partial to a discount, head to Mad4Tools.com. We are a leading provider of gardening and landscaping equipment at lower online prices! Read Full Story -
Products
Eye protection is often overlooked as a vital piece of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) in the UK. Did you know that over 65,000 people in 2019/2020 sustained an injury whilst at work? Some of these could have been prevented if PPE was worn. One of the main body parts which should be protected when working in the construction industry is the eyes. It is the liability of the employers to carry out risk assessments and inform their employees of the types of protection needed for the job at hand. To help you determine when and what types of eye protection you should be wearing, and some of the laws and regulations that govern it, we’ve written you a simple guide below: What Eye Injuries Can Be Sustained from Not Wearing Eye Protection? There is an array of eye injuries that can happen in the workplace that cause different types of damage. Injuries to the eye can be very painful as the eye is so sensitive and could potentially lead to permanent damage. Some of the injuries include burns, scratches, cuts and radiation exposure. What Are the Types of Eye Protection? Depending on the tasks at hand, there are different types of eye protection available to you. Each type is specifically designed to protect your eyes from various hazards that may occur in that environment. Safety Goggles The most common form of eye protection – safety goggles are designed with a protective seal around the eyes to prevent particles from entering under or around the goggles. They should be worn to protect your eyes against chemicals, gas, molten metal and impact. For this reason, you’ll typically see safety goggles being worn in laboratories and workshops. These are readily available and can be purchased at a low cost. In some instances, eye goggles may not provide the required level of protection, which is why it’s always best to check with your employer or a supplier before you purchase. Safety Spectacles Safety spectacles, also referred to as safety glasses, can be purchased in a range of styles all of which conform to the very latest safety standards. These include various colours and lens’, some of which have an added layer of protection against UV rays. Here at Mad4Tools, all of our safety glasses conform to the latest safety standards to shield your eyes against hazards such as sharp objects. Face Shields Face shields, also known as safety masks, offer a great two in one solution by defending your whole face alongside your eyes. In addition to the full face, this piece of PPE can offer protection against chemicals, flying objects and road debris. What Are the Laws and Legislation? The main eye protection regulation is EN166, a European standard covering the requirements for protective eyewear. EN 166 specifies the minimum requirements for a range of performance tests. This standard contains a set of requirements referred to as ‘basic requirements’, which may be regarded as mandatory. Details of these requirements can be found at Wise Worksafe. Related eyewear safety standards include: EN ISO 4007:2018 (Replaced EN 165:2005): Personal protective equipment – Eye and face protection – Vocabulary EN 167:2001: Personal eye protection – Optical test methods EN 168:2001: Personal eye protection – Non-optical test methods EN 169:2002: Personal eye protection – Filters for welding and related techniques – Transmittance requirements and recommended use EN 170:2002: Personal eye protection – Ultraviolet filters – Transmittance requirements and recommended use EN 171:2002: Personal eye protection – Infrared filters – Transmittance requirements and recommended use EN 172:1995: Personal eye protection – Sun glare filters for industrial use EN 175:1997: Personal protective equipment – Eye and face protection during welding and allied processes EN 379:2003+A1:2009: Personal eye protection – Automatic welding filters EN 1731:2006: Personal eye protection – Mesh eye and face protectors It is essential for employers to carry out risk assessments to identify when and where safety eye wear should be worn. Eye injuries can be extremely serious and painful, so it is vital to protect against them. Read Full Story -
Tips and Guides
Living in a small apartment or house can sometimes make it challenging for us to try and fit all of our belongings into one place. It’s actually a national phenomenon – living in a small space that is. A recent study found that over a third of Britons find their homes too small for their needs. Here at Mad4Tools we’re firm believers that no matter what size your home is, with some DIY spirit, good old elbow grease and some great quality tools, you can create a living space that you’ll be proud to call your own. From what colours to make use of down to the types of furniture that’ll help your room look bigger, our small space design ideas and tips will help to maximise space in any small property: To summarise: Choose furniture with reflective surfaces such as glass, mirrors and metal Use areas above cabinets and doors for shelves Paint your ceilings a lighter colour than your walls and use cool or nude colours to expand your room Use sliding doors instead of swinging doors Find yourself some double-duty furniture By incorporating a combination of these tips, you’ll begin to adjust to a tighter living space in no time! For more household tips and tricks, check out our Tips and Guides section on our blog. Have some small space design ideas of your own to share? Leave a comment below! Read Full Story -
Tips and Guides
These spring gardening tips will get your garden Summer ready. Winter might be taking its time to leave, but with its bags packed and Spring threatening to breakthrough in earnest, it’s time to get back to work in our gardens. Although largely neglected over the Winter months for obvious reasons, Spring is the time when our garden care begins anew with special attention paid not only to the maintenance of all-year staples like our lawn and hedges, but also bulbs, seeds and design plans for the seasons to come. That’s why we’ve asked the keen gardeners in our team to round-up the best Spring gardening tips to help get your outdoor haven ready for the warmer months. Let’s get started. Spring clean those flower beds and borders Over winter you’ll find dead leaves, branches and debris build up in your garden. It’s best to remove these from the soil surface where you are planning to plant your annual plants or veggies. Remember to wear gardening gloves, especially when working with plants with prickly leaves, to keep your hands protected from cuts and grazes. Top Tip: Be sure to have a wheelbarrow to hand to make clearing debris or anything else an effortless task. Tidy up lawns and hedges Grass grows very slowly over Winter, but it does grow, and by the time Spring rolls around, you’re going to have to begin your lawn care routine once again. A high-quality lawnmower will let you adjust grass cutting length and keep your garden looking amazing. Begin with the blades lower for a shorter cut to make sure the grass grows out healthy. At the start of Spring, you should also cut your hedges back significantly, ensuring that they’re tapered inwards towards the top. This will enable greater light penetration for the whole bush. Whilst you could call in the professionals, hedge trimmers offer total mobility and freedom for a great finish, plus you’ll save money in the long run! Prune trees and shrubs Overhanging branches or foliage on trees will need to be cut back but this can be a big job. Tools such as the Silverline Chain Blade Wood Saw are worth investing in to make this task fast and fuss-free. Plants that have survived the winter will need to be trimmed too. This will help them bloom again in the summer months. Top Tip: Only prune shrubs before their buds have had time to bloom, otherwise you will stress the shrub or tree and may end up with a tiny crop (or none at all). Invest in summer-flowering bulbs and seeds Now is the perfect time to order flowers like lilies, gladioli and ranunculi for early-spring planting. These will give you a perfect show in the summer. Make sure you have the right tools ahead of time like a classic Dibber. Dibbers such as the Silverline Traditional Garden Dibber make creating holes for planting seeds and bulbs an effortless task and it’s affordable! Whilst you wait for your summer flowers to blossom, you could add plants such as tulips to enjoy a nice burst of colour in your spring garden. A good garden trowel has dozens of uses, not least in planting bedding plants and moving soil so make sure you have one ready. Why not plant some veggies too? Cool-season vegetables like lettuce and peas, sprout best in cool soil, so now is the time to plant them. However, be sure to protect these from pests like slugs with the help of Slug Traps. Clean and maintain your garden equipment All that Spring gardening work requires the right tools, but you need to maintain them if you want them to last and save you money. Hand tools including spades, hoes, trowel and rakes will benefit greatly from a good clean and oiling. For more on maintaining your gardening tools, check out our Top 5 Tips for Maintaining Your Garden Equipment. Read Full Story -
Products
When you’re buying a car, you come to associate certain traits with specific brands. X is powerful, Y is economical, Z is comfortable, and so on. Over the years, Hyundai has developed a reputation themselves for cars that are at once both affordable and reliable. It’s a reputation that’s been hard-won and passed around through word of mouth, but it’s not a reputation they’ve developed from their cars alone – because it’s a description that applies equally well to Hyundai Power Equipment. A division of parent company Hyundai, Hyundai Power Equipment produces a stellar range of generators, garden machinery, pressure washers, compressors, water pumps and more. Distributed and repaired in the UK by Genpower Ltd, Hyundai Power Equipment offer a comprehensive range of tools and equipment backed up with a generous manufacturer’s warranty. At MAD4TOOLS, we’re proud to supply over 150 products from across the Hyundai Power Equipment range, and in this guide, we’re going to take a look at the various categories Hyundai Power Equipment operate within. Let’s get started. Generators Hyundai is perhaps best known for their industry-leading range of powerful generator units. From the likes of the top-of-the-range Hyundai DHY85KSE Silenced 3-Phase Diesel Generator 68kW/85KVa to site generators like the Hyundai HY2800L-2 Recoil Start Petrol Generator 2.2kW/2.75kVA there are over 40 models to choose from. Their range includes: Petrol generators Diesel generators Inverter generators Welder generators So, whether you’re looking to power a remote site or build in back up power for a whole building, Hyundai Power Equipment’s range offers a product for every requirement at a great price. Garden Machinery It’s easy to go wrong with garden machinery. Put under immense stress and often having to deal with significant shifts in humidity, lesser models are prone to regular failure. As such, it’s imperative that you invest in quality. Thankfully, with Hyundai Power Equipment, it’s never been easier to know you’re getting a high-quality product. Hyundai’s unwavering commitment to quality ensures that no matter whether you’re buying a Hyundai HYM460SP Petrol Self Propelled Lawn Mower or a Hyundai HYTR250E Electric 250w Line Trimmer you know you’re getting a product that will stand the test of time. Their range includes: Chainsaws Grass trimmers Hedge trimmers Lawnmowers Multi-tool Wood chippers Log splitters Whilst Hyundai have built their reputation on petrol and diesel-powered equipment, they’ve also mastered the game with their convenient battery-powered garden machinery. Providing a safe, clean and green alternative to traditional fossil fuel-powered machinery, Hyundai’s 60v range features five battery powered garden tools that all share the same battery design, so you can quickly swap in and out of your tools without wasting time or money on multiple sets of batteries. This range includes the HYTR60Li Cordless 60v Line Trimmer, HYTR60Li Cordless 60v Line Trimmer, and the HYC60Li Cordless 60v Chainsaw. So, whether you want a petrol, diesel or battery-powered garden tool, you’ll find that the Hyundai range has everything you need to keep your garden looking superb, without breaking the bank. Pressure Washers Blast away dirt, grime and debris with the petrol and diesel-powered pressure washers from Hyundai, ideal for either commercial or domestic use thanks to their high-pressure output and affordable prices. Our range of Hyundai pressure washers produces up to 4200psi jets of water, capable of completing even the toughest of jobs. With pumps constructed by Italian pump specialist Annovi Reverberi, they’re designed to operate with absolute quality and reliability throughout the year. Compressors Hyundai has an expansive range of compressors in their line-up, with models designed to cover home, domestic, DIY and professional use cases. Whether it’s the Hyundai HY2524 Home Series Direct Drive Air Compressor for home usage or the industrial-tier Hyundai HY140200P Petrol Driven Air Compressor, you can be certain you’re getting Hyundai’s decades of experience. Their range includes: Belt drive compressors Direct drive compressors Petrol drive compressors Rotary screw compressors Water Pumps Utilising their expertise in engines, Hyundai has launched a range of petrol, diesel and electric water pumps, many of which are submersible. Designed to handle an extremely wide range of use cases, Hyundai’s range extends from the top-of-the-line industrial DHYT80E Diesel Trash Water Pump, capable of pumping 880L per minute all the way to personal consumer level HYSP400CD Submersible Water Pump with Float Switch 240v with its low price and 11000L per hour output. Put simply, if it’s a water pump you need, Hyundai is brilliantly placed to help you satisfy your requirements. Take a look at the range here. Earth Augers Hyundai’s earth augers are built from the ground up to offer stunning performance at prices that can’t be matched elsewhere. Designed for either home or professional usage, they’re ideal for drilling into the earth to set fence posts, poles, trees or foundation stumps. Tillers Hyundai Power Equipment recently introduced the HYT140, a new self-propelled petrol tiller from Hyundai, powered by a 4hp, 4-stroke petrol engine and featuring a heavy-duty gearbox. It’s real innovation, however, is the easy frame control with 4 steel tines, providing a cutting width of 370mm, a great additional feature. Drills Part of the power tools range features DIY essentials such as drills. Take for example the HY2175 18v 1.5AH Li-Ion Cordless Drill with 89 Piece Drill Accessory Kit – a highly versatile, lightweight and ergonomically designed drill powered by a Hyundai 18V Lithium-Ion 1.5Ah Rechargeable Battery. The HY2175 also comes with a built-in LED work light making it a convenient companion for working in low light areas. Wet & Dry Vacuums Tough jobs need premium vacuum cleaners and in the world of wet & dry vacuum cleaners, there are few as tough as Hyundai’s premium offerings. At MAD4TOOLS we’re proud to carry three models from the range, the Hyundai HYBI3014 1400w 3-in-1 Industrial Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner, Hyundai HYBI2012 1200w 3-In-1 Industrial Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner and the Hyundai HYV10030 3000w 3-In-1 Industrial Wet & Dry Vacuum Cleaner. It’s just another example of how Hyundai Power Equipment combines raw power with thoughtful design. For more guides and information on the latest products from MAD4TOOLS, head over to our Information and Tools section on our blog. Read Full Story -
Products
Buckler Boots were born out of frustration. Frustration that the work boots available in 1997 were sub-standard in almost every respect one could expect a pair of boots to be. Constructed from poor, low-quality materials, they were cold, uncomfortable steel toe-capped beasts, replete with soles that seemed to actively enjoy separating from the uppers. The brains behind Buckler Boots didn’t think about making the cheapest boots possible, they thought about making the best boots possible. Coupled with premium customer service and a commitment to exceptional materials in every stage of construction, the modern Buckler Boot was born. Today, when you see the Buckler Boots logos on any footwear product you can be assured that you are looking at one of the best-made premium work boots that exist. Buckler Boots are made with no short cuts, just a total focus on quality, strength and durability with the kind of understated style you get when you blend the very best components and craftsmanship with classical and innovative designs. The Buckler Boots name stands for one thing – absolute quality. They’re tough, handsome and constructed to the highest safety standards around, and at MAD4TOOLS, we’re exceptionally proud to be an official stockist. We’ve brought discount Buckler footwear to countless customers across the country for years now, helping them to stay safe at a great price. Here are some of our favourite for 2021; Buckler BSH009BR Waterproof Anti-Scuff Safety Work Boots (Brown) Stylish, rugged, waterproof and antistatic – the Buckler Waterproof Anti-Scuff Work Boots in Brown are amongst the very best money can buy. Boasting the superior workmanship, materials and durability that all Buckler products enjoy, they’re a superb way to tackle the winter weather in style. Features: – Lace-up boot – Waterproof – Dark brown crazy horse leather – Super tough anti-scuff toe – Comfort insole – S3 HRO SRC rated – Toe cap protection – Midsole protection – Heat resistant sole – Oil resistant sole – Slip-resistant sole – Antistatic finish Buckler BSH010BR Waterproof Safety Rigger Work Boots (Dark Brown) Battle hazardous materials in total comfort and safety with the Buckler Waterproof Safety Rigger Work Boots in Dark Brown. Constructed to European S3 HRO SRC standards, these sturdy rigger boots feature a super tough anti-scuff toe, steel midsole protection and a slip-resistant sole. Features: – Rigger boot – Dark brown crazy horse leather – Super tough anti-scuff toe – Waterproof – Comfort insole – S3 HRO SRC – Steel toe cap protection – Steel midsole protection – Heat resistant sole – Oil resistant sole – Slip-resistant sole – Waterproof – Antistatic Buckler BBZ6000BL Waterproof Rubber Safety Wellington Boots (Blue) Not all wellington boots are created equal, so when you’re tackling the big jobs, you need the right footwear. That’s where the Buckler Waterproof Rubber Safety Wellington Boots in Blue shine. Crafted from neoprene and rubber waterproof material that features a structured honeycomb, breathable lining, they also feature superior safety and comfort features, like a hi-viz lining which can be revealed for extra safety. Features: – Knee-high boot – Blue with orange trim – Hi-viz lining rolls down for extra safety – K3 sole – Aerospence honeycomb breathable lining – Detachable cushion insoles – Energy absorption of seat region – EN S5 HRO CI SRC rated – Steel toe cap protection – Steel midsole protection – Heat resistant sole – Oil resistant sole – Slip-resistant sole – Waterproof – Antistatic – Cold Insulation Read Full Story -
Tips and Guides
If you ask most people about builders and tradespeople, you’ll often get some pretty nasty stereotypes back. ‘Lazy!’, ‘Beer-swilling!’, ‘Wolf-whistling!’ and just some of the more common epithets when it comes to the great British builder. They’re accusations as old as time itself, but in 2021, do any of them still ring true? We live in an age of immense competition for jobs, so is there any room for the ‘fry-up at 10 am and pub by 4 pm’ builder, and do they even still exist? According to research by My Builder, the answer is ‘no’. In fact, their study found that modern builders are far from the stereotypes they’re often laden with. So, what are the biggest myths tackled by the My Builder report? Let’s take a look. ‘Builders are Lazy and Smelly’ We’ve all heard it before, but whilst there might well be some lazy builders out there, the vast majority are up and at it first thing in the morning. Case in point? Fully 95% of those polled by My Builder report waking up every day before 7 am. They’re not just rolling out of bed and on to the site either, with 32% doing their hair, 24% applying aftershave and 1 in 5 moisturising! Clearly, the male grooming revolution has spread to the modern builder. Additionally, 98% of builders shower at least once per day with 64% opting for two showers a day and 55% enjoying a relaxing bubble bath at the end of the day. ‘All Builders Cat-Call and Wolf-Whistle’ Sexism isn’t a laughing matter, and for most builders being labelled a sexist is a real concern. 69% of those polled said that they’d never cat-called or wolf-whistled to anyone of the opposite sex, preferring to keep their attention on the task at hand instead. To take it one step further, 62% of tradespeople identified themselves as feminist, with 76% believing that wolf-whistling was out of date and old-fashioned and over half of them suggesting they would urge a catcalling or wolf-whistling colleague to stop. ‘Builders Live on Cups of Tea, Cigs and Fry-Ups’ Builders expend a huge amount of energy throughout the day and whilst fry-ups used to offer a quick way for builders to get some energy, they’ve fallen far out of fashion. Today, just 6% of those builders polled reported having a fry-up for breakfast. Pray for greasy spoons across the nation! Whilst tea remains a very popular beverage for the modern builder (50% drink it), 49% love water and 44% are partial to a cup of coffee. As for cigarettes, well, they’re out with three-quarters of builders opting not to smoke at all. ‘Builders Live in the Pub’ Swift one after a hard day’s work? Not for most builders, with 63% rushing home to spend time with the family before bedtime. Watching TV is the second most popular habit (60%), followed by playing sports (31%) pushing the pub to fourth place at just 29%. So much for that stereotype, ey? Builders are even enthusiastic about offering a hand around the home. Hoovering (38%) and washing up (29%) were among the chores which builders report favouring. Proof, once and for all, that absolutely no one likes taking the bins out. So there you have it. Just like many aspects of modern-day, the building profession is changing and it’s great to see those old builder stereotypes fizzling out! Shop quality tools and equipment at MAD4TOOLS. Read Full Story -
Information and Tools
When it comes to working on site, there are many regulations and conventions which govern how we act, what tools we use and how we operate, which can make sorting the vital from the merely important difficult. That’s none truer than in the case of 110V, with a great many of our customers asking us whether it’s actually required on larger building sites, or whether it’s merely extremely popular? Well, the truth of the matter is that whilst there’s no specific regulation which demands the use of 110V on larger sites, it’s highly recommended that you do use it. Why? Let us explain. What is 110V? 110v is a professional site voltage, designed specifically for high workload areas, like large sites. A transformer (typically bright yellow) is used to convert a typical ‘household’ 240V power supply to 110V, with yet more bright yellow leads running out from the transformer to your equipment. 110V site transformers are centre tapped, which means that the 110V output is actually 2 x 55V. This lower voltage and current is much safer to use, and is far less likely to cause serious harm if a wire were cut, stepped on or otherwise damaged. It’s for this reason that 110V rose to prominence as a safer standard for electricity on site following large numbers of electrical accidents. As such, 110V is now the accepted standard for building sites and may be enforced by insurance companies who insure the site. Do you Need 110V? The law in the UK states that you must take effective precautions against the risk of death and injury from electricity during construction. It doesn’t, however, state that 110V power supplies must be used. So, whilst there’s no legal reason why you can’t use an RCD and a 240V power supply, it’s not often recommended. The reason for this is because RCD (residual current device) units can fail, and won’t detect every fault in a standard 240V system, making them more broadly unreliable than a 110V transformer for on-site usage. On large sites where there are numerous cables, trades and companies all working in the same area then, 110V is the preferred and safest way to power tools, lighting and other vital on-site equipment. The advice from the Health and Safety Executive is that tools, plugs and cables designed for domestic use are not suitable for on-site conditions, and that cordless or 110V tools are preferred. How Can You Ensure 110V Power on a Site? You’ll find that the majority of very large sites will have their own on-site generator and that these generators have 110V sockets attached to them. However, if that isn’t the case for your site, a 110V transformer is an essential purchase. These units come in a variety of sizes and at a number of price points, but ultimately your choice of model will come down to the number of sockets you require. At MAD4TOOLS, we’re proud to supply a huge variety of 110v transformers, extension cables and accessories to our valued trade clients. Take a look at our range today and start working safer. Read Full Story
