Wired September 2011

WIRED Publication of the Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand

Issue 23 | September 2011

IN THIS ISSUE: Field Days Review PSA Risk Management Protocol System Stays Profile on McLenaghan Contracting Good v's Bad Northland Basalt

FOUNDING STRATEGIC PARTNER $35.00 subscription per annum �4 issues� - Free to members of FCANZ

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FCANZ, PO Box 19-389, Hamilton, 3244 New Zealand. Ph 0508 4 FCANZ �0508 4 32269�

www.fencingcontractors.co.nz

WIRED

Publication of the Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand

PRESIDENT’S REPORT Hi All, Welcome to the Spring edition of the WIRED magazine. I hope winter has been as kind to you in your part of the country as it has been to me. It’s great to see some longer daylight hours and the ability to get in a few more hours on the tools each week.

Things are looking positive for the fencing industry, farmers have had a very good year and are passing their earnings on.

Capital development ie: fencing is high on their agenda to offset taxes so we as an industry will directly benefit from this windfall. Contractors I have talked to around the country are already beginning to experience this and are getting bookings for some large scale jobs. This is a welcome relief from the tight last two years.

Owing to the location of the Executive Board members, meeting locations have been changed to alternate between Auckland and Christchurch. This means we substantially reduce the flight costs and at both locations we have free venues to use.

Suzy our Operations Manager has exceeded our expectations. Part of Suzy’s role is to create and maintain relationships with Partners. We feel in the past that maintaining relationships with partners has been an area where FCANZ has been weak. Partners need benefit in return and I now feel that with someone solely focusing in this area we will excel.

As we move forward into summer and a potentially brighter economic climate remember to keep your standards high and not rush through jobs, because you have

too much to do. This could be an opportunity to raise your prices to a profitable level. Remember profit is not a swear word!!!

Please also remember as an FCANZ member you get the benefits that Federated Farmers have to offer, be sure to check this edition of the WIRED for a list of their benefits or check out their website.

When purchasing goods or using services please remember our Partners. They are supporting us so lets support them.

To the whole FCANZ community work hard, work smart and enjoy your part in the New Zealand Fencing Industry.

Nigel Broadbridge President

FCANZ is also experiencing some very positive forward movement. We were invited to demonstrate fencing best practice at Mystery Creek National Field Days, this is a massive public event and we were excited to be involved. This event was another great way to expose our brand, getting out in front of people to let them know who we are and what we are all about.

Demonstrating best practice fencing at such an event aligns perfectly with our mission statement “ to raise the profile of fencing as a recognised profession and encouraging a high level of workmanship through knowledge and standards.” We purchased a marquee for this event with our branding on it, we are sure you will see the marquee at many future events, and it is another great branding tool. th th August 17 & 18 saw the Executive Board members make their way to Lincoln to have a one day meeting focused solely on marketing, preparing a marketing budget, calendar and strategies for the future. This is a great tool for our Operations Manager Suzy Alsop to use and defines exactly how we will spend our money over the next two years for FCANZ to gain exposure and recognition within New Zealand. The following day was used for our normal six weekly meeting.

Cover photo Pete Gregory Sincere thanks to our contributors Nigel Broadbridge, Rob Best, John Noakes, Pete Gregory, Andy Smith, Paul Fitzsimmons, Mike Samuel, McLenaghan Contracting & Suzy Alsop

Disclaimer - WIRED takes all due care in the preparation of this magazine but is not responsible or liable for any mistakes or omissions. Articles that appear in the WIRED do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the FCANZ. WIRED welcomes contributions but reserves the right to edit . Material sent in will not be returned unless requested and we are sent a self addressed stamped envelope to help with processing.

FCANZ would like to acknowledge the significant financial contribution that WIREMARK makes towards meeting the costs associated with publishing and distributing the WIRED Publication.

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Field Days 2011 John Noakes Back in June FCANZ was invited to demonstrate industry best practice at the Mystery Creek Field Days in Hamilton. The four day event kicked off on Wednesday and we finally sorted our site out on Tuesday, which was not in a great location, a bit out of sight of the public. We erected our marque and organised material for a 3 wire fence, displayed our FCANZ Partners and Sponsors inside.

Wednesday dawned and we were on site at 7am making sure everything was ready to go. We had Rob and Ian Best, Alan Rennie, and myself doing the demonstrations, promoting FCANZ, answering questions and hands-on showing people how to do footings, stays and tie wire off and strain fence. At the end of the day we pulled the marque down and moved to a new site right next to the Fencing Competitions at the top of the hill.

Gave us a much better profile.

Thursday we had Simon Fuller on site which was great to have him pass on his expertise. We erected a netting fence down over the side of the hill following the contour and put in box stays. Answering questions, explaining best practice, meeting like minded fencers and new members wanting to join up, even people who hadn’t heard of FCANZ before. All positive stuff!

Friday we put up a post and rail fence, mortice in the rails on the angle post to make it neat and tidy (Best Practice) and hung a gate. Plenty of interest and heaps of questions, and to have our new Operations Manager, Suzy Alsop, on site was a bonus.

Saturday was a good opportunity to meet Partners and Sponsors and Potential Partners and Sponsors, as we mixed and mingled. After three good days of weather Saturday was wet on and off which meant numbers were down and a totally different crowd compared to the rest of the week.

We did strainer assemblies, went through all the different scenarios of building fences, always learning new ways and sharing ideas. Also the tools used and the little things for making jobs safer.

I would like to thank the Field Days Committee for getting FCANZ a site at Mystery Creek and special thanks to Lucy and Warrick for all there help with meals, transport etc. We look forward to a top site next year for promoting FCANZ and the fencing industry at a high level.

A Special thanks to all the people, Partners and Sponsors that made this all happen, and for supplying materials on site at the Field Days: Wiremark – Andy Goldpine – Brendon, Shane and Matt Cyclone – Shane Strainrite – Maurice, Struan and Hugh Paslode – Warren A big thanks to our demonstrators: Rob and Ian Best – a great father son combination Allan Rennie Simon Fuller A very positive outcome as we go forward in the future. FCANZ Setting Standards.

Thanks to anyone I have missed and I’m look forward to Field Days 2012.

FCANZ Site and Fencing Competition action from 2011 Mystery Creek Field Days

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Field Days 2011(cont’d) John Noakes The results from the Mystery Creek Field Days 2011 fencing championship were as follows: Golden Pliers (singles finals) 1st - Paul Van Beers 2nd - Jeff Joines 3rd - Shane Bouskill Finalists; Gordon Hansen, Matt Jones, Nick Liefting, Tim Stafford and Tony Bouskill Silver Spades (doubles finals) 1st - Wayne Newdick & John Steedman 2nd - Shane Bouskill & Gordon Hansen 3rd - Matt Jones & Jeff Joines Finalists; Mark Lambert & Craig Shortall, Nick Liefting & Darryl Wheeler and Jared Nicholson & Tony Bouskill Best First Year Jared Nicholson Best Second Year Tony Bouskill Bill Schuler Trophy Jared Nicholson We look forward to seeing next years competition!

Allan Rennie Drilling Strainer Hole

Doubles Winners

Jeff Joines Runnerup Golden Pliers

Best Drilling - Father & Son

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More action from the Field Days

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More action from the Field Days

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KVH Psa Risk Management Protocol—Kiwifruit-Orchard Entry Kiwifruit Vine Health Inc This article has been supplied by Kiwifruit Vine Health Inc, they would like all contractors to be aware of the protocol required for working on kiwifruit orchards due to the risk of PSA. property boundary with contact details listed. (See attached orchard gate sign below).

Who should follow the kiwifruit-orchard entry protocol?

Every employee or contractor who is required to move onto kiwifruit orchards as part of their employment must follow this protocol.

What is Psa? Pseudomonas syringae pv. actinidiae (Psa) is a bacterial disease of kiwifruit vines, first identified on New Zealand kiwifruit orchards in November 2010. Psa carries no risks associated with human or animal health, and it does not affect plants other than kiwifruit vines.

How does Psa spread?

Psa is a transmittable bacteria, which means it can be carried via heavy rain, strong winds, on equipment, machinery, people and plant material.

Who is Kiwifruit Vine Health Inc. (KVH)?

KVH has taken over leadership of the Psa response from ZESPRI and MAF since December 2010. KVH is working with industry partners to develop and execute short- and longer-term strategies for managing Psa in New Zealand. (Refer to www.kvh.org.nz phone 0800665825, email info@kvh.org.nz) Protocol Prior to leaving your office: 1. Before leaving office premises or commencing work, contact the orchard owner or manager to arrange a designated meeting place.

2.

Enquire about the grower’s own protocols and orchard-hygiene requirements.

3.

If you cannot contact the grower you will need to delay your visit.

4.

Ensure you have disinfectant to decontaminate yourself and your vehicle upon exiting the orchard.

5. Ensure your vehicle is as free as is possible of previous debris and mud in the wheel arches. Ask to use the orchard wash-down area if available.

On arrival at an orchard 1.

You should see Psa risk-management

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2.

Meet the orchard grower at the designated site. Only essential vehicles should enter the orchard so park outside the orchard if possible.

3.

If you were unable to contact the grower prior to leaving your office, once you have arrived at the entrance or the orchard office, make every effort to contact the grower again.

4.

Keep to the hard-formed tracks when driving through the orchard; do not drive on the grass.

5.

Follow the orchard requirements for hygiene.

6.

Do not go under the kiwifruit vines (this includes people and vehicles) unless it is absolutely necessary. If you have to go under vines, you must follow the owner’s expectations and wear the correct protective clothing (disposable coveralls/hats etc).

People Do not take anything you do not need from the site.

Immediately prior to exiting the orchard disinfect footwear (particularly the soles) in a footbath; or spray with disinfectant (Virkon, Quats, Trigene etc. – follow the recommended label rates).

Vehicle cleaning (prior to leaving the orchard) 1.

At the wash-down area check that all plant material and soil on the vehicle is completely washed off and removed.

2.

Spray all tyres, wheel arches and access ladders with a high-pressure water-hose followed by disinfectant (Virkon, Quats, Trigene etc. – follow the recommended label rates). Pay particular attention to the undersides of the vehicles, ensuring tyres are thoroughly washed and make sure nothing is trapped in the tread.

3.

Ensure that any run-off or splash does not contaminate adjacent vehicles.

4.

No vehicles will be allowed to leave an orchard until the vehicle has been sufficiently decontaminated.

owner’s

Prior to exiting the orchard Check and decontaminate yourself and your equipment of all plant material (including your shoes, clothes and vehicle) 1.

2.

Even if you do not intend going onto another orchard in the foreseeable future, you still must follow the above protocol.

Psa risk management orchard gate sign illustration:

Members reminder, as part of your FCANZ membership you automically receive a Federated Farmers membership, which gives you the following great benefits: A collective voice: Federated Farmers has a team of policy analysts dedicated to fighting to lower rates, lower taxes, and stop laws which create extra costs and unfair outcomes for farmers and the rural community.

Free Advice: Legal, employment, policy such as ACC, OSH, regional planning, the list goes on Contracts & Agreements: A range of employment & sharemilking agreements and leases.

Take the hard work out of all those jobs that require crowbars, sledge hammers,shovels and other tools. Kiwi-made to suit fencers, builders, horticulture, mechanical, demolition, roading and more.

One tool that delivers more impact than a crowbar ,but requires half the energy. Be kind to your body. Fencer kit includes ,handle, spade, small tamper, chisel, 300mm extension. $440 +gst

Special Discounts: Through our partnership programme Education & Training: Leadership courses to develop skills All of the above is accessible to Federated Farmers members by calling 0800 FARMING (0800 327 646), or alternatively, go to www.fedfarm.org.nz We have a collective log in we are able to use for the Federated Farmers website, if anyone would like it or further details please email Suzy on: operations@fencingcontractors.co.nz Lake Ellesmere, Te Waihora

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Gallagher Showcases Outstanding New Fencing Products At Fieldays Launched at the National Fieldays in June, Gallagher’s latest fencing products are fine examples of farming technology which is simple yet brilliant.

At Mystery Creek this year, Gallagher unveiled two new products- the High Conductive Electric Fence Wire (Electromax) and Drive Through Electric Gate. Peter Nation, National Sales Manager for Gallagher, says both products showcase the innovation which has made the company famous.

High Conductive Electric Fence Wire (Electromax) Gallagher’s new High Conductive Electric Fence Wire (Electromax) represents another product breakthrough. Due to its greater surface area, the product provides up to 15% more conductivity than standard fencing wire.

It features a patented and highly advanced zinc-aluminium coating for superior corrosion resistance. This ‘self-healing’ coating enhances the working life of wires, even when they are damaged or cut.

High tensile for longevity and strength, the High Conductive Electric Fence Wire provides exceptional stock control and it’s designed to handle tough New Zealand farming conditions.

Yet despite all its benefits, it’s no more expensive than standard 2.5mm high tensile wire. “Its unique properties enable it to carry more power over a greater distance,” says Peter Nation.

Drive Through Electic Gate Also launched was the Drive Through Electric Gate which is a prime example of a practical product that “simply works brilliantly”.

Featuring lightweight and robust electrified gate rods, it is designed to stop large livestock while allowing safe and quick vehicle or pedestrian access. This saves the farmer a considerable amount of time because they don’t have to stop to open and close gates.

The Drive Through Electric Gate’s hardwearing and long-lasting flexible glass rods are covered in an electrically conductive rubber that prevents damage to vehicle paintwork. Standard insulation in motor vehicles and tractors protects the driver from shocks and when set at the right height, the flexible gate also works for farm motorbikes. Pedestrians simply open the gate using the insulated hand grips and walk through without receiving a shock.

Peter Nation says the Drive Through Electric Gate offers all the time-saving convenience of a cattle stop “but at a fraction of the cost”.

He says it’s ideal for high-use access points such as farm approach roads, private driveways and garden gateways, or for protecting feedpads, yard entrances or travel pathways for pivot irrigators. “It will definitely stand up to the rigours of farm life and it will be a real winner on dairy farms, especially for enabling quick vehicle access to areas such as silage pads. It’s going to save farmers an enormous amount of time and effort.”

Like all Gallagher products, he says these two latest launches are the results of considerable research and development undertaken as a direct response to customer needs. “They are great innovations from the leader in farm fencing technology.”

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Andy’s Little Helper Andy Smith - Rural and Lifestyle Fencing We had great fun at this property , with the miniature trying to get involved!

Pass the ezzi pull

What the thingy with the red handle

Thanks

Being a FCANZ Silver Partner means more to us than just supplying quality timber, fencing products, poles sheds, drainage and tools. The “Partner” bit means that we will always work together with all our rural customers to ensure that you receive the full benefit of our extensive experience and expertise in the trade.

There are plenty of other reasons why adding us to your supplier list is a good idea too: Ÿ We offer heaps of great deals Ÿ We’ve got an awesome loyalty programme called Advantage Ÿ We’ve got over 50 branches dotted about the countryside Ÿ One account everywhere – use your Carters account at any of our branches So if you’re planning to build on the farm call us on 0800 CARTERS & see how we can make fencing easier for you. www.carters.co.nz

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Northland Basalt There are some parts of Northland countryside where fencing gets really hard.

and it’s probably the best way to describe this project.

We’re talking about solid basalt. It’s why there are so many stone walls around the district – back in the old days the easiest way to build a fence was to keep it all above the surface. It was also a great way to clear paddocks of surface rocks.

“We found Intorock Drilling after a bit of phoning around – I wanted 200mm diameter holes in solid basalt so we could use 175mm SED poles in the stockyards – and Intorock had a 4.5T tracked machine that runs off a 750CFM compressor on the back of a truck. They were confident the rock wouldn’t be a problem but couldn’t give me any real idea of how long it would take to drill the 80-90 holes we needed for the yards plus a couple of fencelines I couldn’t do with the tractor & rammer because of the ground rock. But we did know it was going to cost $280 an hour.

Plus GST. Scary”.

But if you’re a fencing contractor and it’s your own property, there are times you want to see things done in post and wire, and in lines or curves that are pleasing to the eye. Especially if your driveway is 900 metres long and you’re driving up and down it twice a day.

When Pete Gregory and his wife Jules Smith bought their property west of Whangarei in 2005, they knew they were in for some challenges forming a driveway to where they wanted to build their house.

There was also the daunting prospect of building stockyards as well. Pete had a few people suggest a rock spike on his post driver would do the job. “I can see that working when you hit a 3 tonne rock 300mm below the surface – yeah right”.

Faced with the challenge of outcrops of solid sheet rock and boulders the size of small Japanese cars lurking just below the surface, Pete decided the best approach was to bring in a specialist rock drilling contractor. “Always take a gun to a knife fight” is one of Pete’s favourite sayings –

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“I got a local contractor in with a 12T digger to clear the site for the yards and metalled it with a local red rock which we then compacted with an 8T roller. Set out the semi-circular yards with dazzle and steel pins ready for Intorock. The tracked drilling rig was a ‘down the hole hammer’ drill – blowing all the debris out as it went, to leave a smooth sided hole in solid basalt, with a neat pile of freshly made builders mix next to the hole. Put post down hole, add cement to builders mix and grout post in hole – brilliant! Angles didn’t need staying or breastplating – even better! Four holes per hour = $70 a hole – ouch! But, as I’ve said to a few people, there were only 87 of them, and we used H5 poles, and we’re only planning on doing it once”.

The result is pleasing curves at the start and end of a laser straight line of post and wire fencing, with timber posts sitting up out of solid volcanic rock flows. “And every day I drive up and down it, I appreciate the work that went into building it”.

FCANZ Operations Hi! My name is Suzy and for those of you whom I am yet to meet, I’ve recently taken on the part time role of Operations for FCANZ. I am new to the Fencing Industry, however I come from a background in Customer Service, Sales, Marketing and Operations within the transport and logistics sector. I am sure the skills I have acquired over the years will be of great benefit to FCANZ however please forgive me while I take me time learning the lingo about foots, stays, strainers and the like. Rest assured I do know my way from pair of heels to a pair of red bands, so all hope should not be lost!

I was lucky enough to get to Field Days, to meet some of our partners and members, I even learnt a few things from our great Demonstrators. Thanks guys for taking the time to show me and explain things so well.

I look forward to meeting and assisting you all in the future, as we continue to grow FCANZ into an amazing association that is helping to raise the standards and profile of fencing as a recognised profession and through outstanding workmanship.

If there is anything I can ever do to help you please feel free to contact me anytime at operations@fencingcontractors.co.nz or on 021 955958.

171 Ellis Sreet/PO Box 5359 Frankton, Hamilton Ph: 07 8475566 Fax: 07 8475621

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Will your Health and Safety Policy save you from prosecution?

Michael Smyth - The Approachable Lawyer The metal stake had pierced his right side, gone through his torso and was now protruding from his stomach. Surprisingly there was very little blood but his ear piercing scream was enough to alert everyone on the building site.

Jason was only 15 and shouldn't really have been on the site. His Dad could only look over his body mortified as the emergency services cut the stake and took Jason to hospital.The metal stake had pierced his right side, gone through his torso and was now protruding from his stomach. Surprisingly there was very little blood but his ear piercing scream was enough to alert everyone on the building site.Jason was only 15 and shouldn't really have been on the site. His Dad could only look over his body mortified as the emergency services cut the stake and took Jason to hospital.

Why Jason was on the building site Jason's father was contracted by Buildco as a labourer on their new apartment development in the city. It was school holidays and Jason's Dad decided to take Jason along to work. He knew it wasn't strictly allowed but Jason looked older than 15 and was a responsible kid.

The metal stakes were protruding from the newly laid foundations of Block C. Whilst the stakes themselves weren't protected the whole area was cordoned off and those working on the site knew to stay away.

Jason, however, was a curious kid and when his foot slipped off the raised platform he toppled onto the stake falling on his back.

It wasn't long after the accident that OSH were on the site asking questions.

OSH decided to target Buildco

What this meant in Jason's case

Whilst Jason was very lucky not to die, if the stake had been one inch to the left it would have pierced several vital organs.

OSH were keen to lay fault with someone and as the owner of the site and the employer of those working on it, Buildco were the obvious targets.

Buildco had a policy that only persons over 18 who had successfully completed their safety induction would be allowed onto the site. Entrants to the site were monitored using a sticker attached to their hard hat which confirmed that the person had completed the course. Jason's father had borrowed a colleague's hard hat to get Jason onto the site - he knew that the site foreman wouldn't let Jason on without the sticker.

Under the Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992 (as amended), employers and people who control places of work are under various legal duties.

Some of the most important ones are: * To identify and eliminate / minimise hazards * To operate a safe system of work * To warn of hazards The consequences of not complying with these legal duties can be serious and include a fine of up to $500,000 as well as a criminal conviction. Neither were a consequence Buildco could afford to suffer.

How to avoid the cost of prosecution Fortunately, Buildco were a responsible employer and were aware of their legal duties under the HSE Act. To comply with their duties they had put together a comprehensive Health and Safety policy which included the requirement to have a hazard register, accident register and a safety induction for everyone entering the site. Everyone working on the site was very familiar with the policy.

After a full investigation by OSH the charges against Buildco were withdrawn. OSH agreed with them that they had taken all reasonable steps to ensure safety on the site and that fault firmly lay with Jason's father.

Follow Buildco's example Some may say that Buildco were lucky not to get prosecuted. But it wasn't luck that stopped the prosecution in its tracks - it was the implementation of a thorough health and safety policy which Buildco were able to produce to OSH investigators after the accident. Without that detailed written policy things could have been very different.

Do you have a professionally prepared written Health and Safety Policy for your workplace? If not you could be risking not only accidents but also an OSH prosecution.

If you need help putting together a such a policy then go to my website. www.approachablelawyer.com

The policy itself addressed the hazards likely to be found on the site, how to prevent accidents happening and what to do if an accident did happen.

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“We are ‘your outdoor timber specialist’ who have been providing all your fencing solutions for over 30 years” Proudly Kiwi owned, Goldpine has built a solid reputation for providing high quality fencing products and kitset farm buildings.

Over the years Goldpine has worked in partnership with independent organisations such as Scion, formerly the NZFRI, engineers, fencing contractors and rural customers, researching and developing innovative products and fencing solutions.

One such example is Goldpine’s range of Rounded Superpost. This uniquely designed product has all the advantages of a traditional round, is stronger and costs you less.

Goldpine sources it’s raw material from high density forests around the Nelson region, from trees with an average age of 28 years. This ensures their Superposts are the most durable available and all come with a “you break ‘em, we replace ‘em” guarantee.

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Hill Country Fence Removal Mike Samuel This article is being re-printed to include the photos which go along with the article, we hope you enjoy it.

The best part to being a fencer I think we can all agree is that our office is constantly changing. We don’t work on a boring factory line doing the same thing day in day out. In Feb./March this year we successfully tendered for removing 8km of an all post fence and 12km of ypost form retired ground in the Hawkdun Ranges.

The fence was about 12yrs old using Corsican 6inch posts with 7 2.5 wires attached and spacings were 5m apart.

To give you an understanding at the remoteness of the area from Alexandra we were travelling 2.5 hrs to get to the top of the hill.

The last farm house we passed was 30km away and cell phone coverage was near on useless until we got to the top of the range some 1400m above sea level.

On a wet Monday morning (2 inches in 12 hrs) we ambled up the valley, we were heading into the upper

Manuherikea catchment hoping that the weather would clear however all the creeks were raging and the Manuherikea was in flood. We had established a D5 bulldozer with a cage we remedied at home to ferry materials in the steep terrain, a digger, 4wd tip truck and tractor with a homebuilt PTO wire winder.

Once we left the gravel road we had to wind our way for 7kms beside the river and crossed it 7 times (when it dropped its level) to get to the fence line. You had to be careful of the jagged rocks in sections (tyre killers) while also marvelling at the hand built water race around steep rock faces built by early miners to supply St Bathans with water.

The Dozer was also modified with a small crane at the front to extract posts and tiedowns all mostly 5ft 6 driven home using a chain and a sheet metal lifter. The dozer was necessary due to the steepness as well as fixing the access tracks.

At the top of Mt St Bathans the terrain was all weathered shingle and we were treated to views of Central Otago and the Waitaki District, You could see Lakes Dunstan, Pukaki, Ohau and Mt Cook. Alexandra, Cromwell, Omarama

, Tarras, St Bathans and Ranfurly could be also seen plus the odd herd of red deer.We first destapled all 1500 odd posts and wound the wire up in sections, Posts were collected on the dozer and tandem trailer and then transferred to the 4wd tip truck (150) at a time and taken to the bottom (on the first day the return trip from top to bottom with the posts and then back up took 6 hrs). All the posts were sold to the neighbouring farm. Part of the contract was that we retained materials to dispose of how we saw fit.

Some days we opted to camp out in a local DOC hut which is an original musters hut built right in the middle of the boundary line (the fence we removed). It was built like this between the 2 farms as there was no need for two huts as was agreed by the 2 landowners yet neither trusted each other to have it on one side or the other.

Over the past 3 years we have now removed 50kms of fence in the Oteake Conservation area some by helicopter but most by machines due to the large amount of reusable materials.

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Contractor Profile McLenaghan Contracting McLenaghan Contracting has been operating in the Selwyn District for 22 years.

A family owned business started by Andy and Carol McLenaghan, now employing their three sons Jeremy, Hamish and Simon and 18 other staff members. Initially doing mainly agricultural fencing, cultivation and haymaking the business has diversified several times due to the growing number of lifestyle blocks in the area.

The company now covers a full range of services for the lifestyle block owner, civil works, landscaping and agricultural work.

The work is extremely varied which the employees really enjoy.

From fencing rural blocks of land, the team has been part of the new Southern Motorway Stage Highway 1 project, shifting and installing new fences to enable the motorway to progress. Post earthquake, a team was involved in installing security fences to close parts of the Summit Road indefinitely. We run a Fence Pro combination side mount on a 6200 John Deere tractor and a Wyma Engineering Post driver on a Same 90, both with rock spikes.

At Work

Lifestyle Fencing

The Team

PAGE 18

Product Review – Optical Square Paul Fitzsimmons The optical square is a simple hand held tool which has a number of uses, the most simple being the set out of square corners.

Traditionally we use the 3,4,5 triangulation technique, however the optical square offers a simple, accurate alternative to this method. Using this tool in conjunction with a plumb bob to set out a right angle, an accuracy of around 1cm at 30m can be achieved.

The optical square can also be used to find points on a line between 2 outer points, and rd place a point on a line between 2 points and at right angles to a 3 point.

We have found the optical square to be a very useful tool, and is an excellent time saver where there is a requirement for a number of square corners, for example, setting out yards or compounds.

They are available from most stores selling survey equipment, including online from TrigInstruments (www.triginstruments.co. nz) where they currently sell for $59.00 plus GST. To set out a square corner, hold the optical square over the corner point, (using a plumb bob for greater accuracy if desired) and sight through the lower prism to a ranging pole (or batten, crowbar etc) at Point A. Have an assistant move a ranging pole or crowbar, sighting it through the centre window until the 2 poles align as above. When this alignment occurs, you have created a square corner.

Remember for your

Upcoming News…

A little bit of hair can say so much about a man… FCANZ is proud to show its support for Movember. We would like to put a challenge out to all our members, their staff and our partners to take part in Movember.

During November each year, Movember is responsible for the sprouting of moustaches on thousands of men’s faces in New Zealand and around the world. The aim of which is to raise vital funds and awareness for men’s health, specifically prostate cancer and depression in men.

Look out for more details coming soon on FCANZ's involvement , we look forward to everyone supporting this and seeing some amazing mo’s.

chance to win a great prize, simply email your article and photo to Suzy operations@fencingcontractors.co.nz

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KINGHITTER Series 4 Multi - Positional Base

Kinghitter Post Drivers has again pioneered the design in Postdriver Technology with the introduction of their newly designed Multi Positional Series 4 base .

This simplistical designed base now allows the operator to accurately position the post that is being driven with in a 2mtr square area.

The Series 4 Multi positional base can accept the Kinghitter Series 2 range of Postdrivers and the Series 2 Fully Telescopic Expander range of postdrivers.and can be operated with the full range of accessories that are to be fitted to both models.

This Series 4 multi positional base allows for a lower centre of gravity when being operated and with the postdriver beam being rotated into the side mount position then it can be angled forward and back 30 degrees from vertical position and away 45 degrees from the base or 25 degrees back towards the base and with the base rotated round to the rear position can be positioned side to side 30 degrees and back 45 degrees and forward 25 degrees and also being fitted with fully adjustable slides/pads that are simple to adjust when required and with features like the huge side shift movement of 800mm and rotates over 90 degrees around to allow a 200mm back shift this makes the Kinghitter Series 4 base one of the most universal postdriver bases on the market today.

For further information please contact 0800 476 868 or www.kinghitter.com

PAGE 20

We hope you don’t need it, but…………!!!!!!!

Murray Cullen and Paul Fitzsimmons.

Early in 2009, KC Fence Systems, a security fencing contractor in Christchurch, was approached by the Alpine and Cliff Rescue Team, a specialist team from New Zealand Land Search and Rescue. This team, whose members come from the New Zealand Alpine Club and the Canterbury Mountaineering Club, is available for SAR operations at the direction of the New Zealand Police in areas of technical difficulty in a mountainous or cliff environment.

They had an unusual request: “Can you design and build a tripod to assist with cliff top victim recovery?” After a short consultation, KC Fence Systems answered a resounding YES!. Murray Cullen from ACR provided a brief of their requirements together with a basic design. These requirements included the ability for the tripod to be broken into small pieces to be either carried into remote sites, or helicoptered in as required, for any lost parts to be easily replaced, and above all to be robust enough to take the combined weight of 2 people comfortably. Obviously it also needed to meet the client’s budget.

KC Fence Systems staff took this

information and tweaked the design to use materials readily available in our workshop, including 20mm gate lugs (for the hinged head section), 40mm swaged pipe (for the legs) and standard flange plates (to prevent the legs sinking into soft ground. The materials were quickly assembled, including welding the gate lugs to form a hinged joint, and once the initial construction was approved by ACR, the head section was zinc plated and passivated to give it an attractive gold colour. Several different pieces of swaged pipe were supplied so that the tripod can be assembled easily on uneven terrain, and were fitted with PTO pins which hold the legs together. Once on site, the legs are assembled to the required lengths, and locked in to the head section. The assembled tripod is put in position close to

the cliff edge, and securely fastened to anchor points using ropes and karabiners These anchor points can include rocks, waratahs, fence posts, or trees. The ACR team use a brake bar system and prussic knots to lower a team member down to the patient. A pulley system utilising a mechanical advantage of 5:1 (or more as required) is then used to raise the patient on a stretcher back to the rescuers. At all times there is an independent safety system operating to ensure the safety of the rescuer and patient.

ACR have expressed their extreme happiness with the final design and performance to date, and the entire tripod assembly was manufactured for roughly ¼ the cost of proprietary units available from the United States.

PAGE 21

Systems – Stays Mike Samuel Once upon a time we used to do angle stays and box sections quite different to what is known as best practice.

My response to mortising was that it was too time consuming and in the country we operate in meant we had no play sometimes in our strainers to be that precise. I proved myself wrong.

We were taught by the association cutting stays and planing them out and after a lot of driving around New Zealand I really looked harder at different types out there.

This is a stay that is cut to look the part with a 6inch nail driven home, NOT Industry Best Practice.

I believe that there are many ways to brace and I’m sure all of us have our own style. This is just one acceptable method and I’d like to touch why we changed.

I was shown a Fence constructed by former FCANZ President and it was just like what many of us have seen in the Fencing competitions.

This is a mortised stay, A chisel and plane, Gauged to correct It was smooth, the grains were height – not going to move. This visible, not an ounce of gap is Industry Best Practice. around the chisel hole. It was professional and tidy.

I One thing we encountered with mentioned that it seemed numerous staff was the height extreme for a fence and also inconsistency of stays since thought for the amount of time mortising we have a set height and precision that the cost of the which is gauged so that the fence must be “way up there” wires run above or below the stay and not through it.

In regions in New Zealand that are highly competitive this The other major thing I touched attention to detail will ensure that on was the time factor, as we your work is recognised as a have got better at doing the point of difference from mortising we are quicker and competitors and help you be have also employed a few chosen over the next guy. devices to speed the process up.

I thought this should be as good as any time to change.

PAGE 22

By sorting out how many boxes or angles we now do several at a time rather than 1 by 1

We certainly lost time with the manual Planer so with a portable generator and an electric Planer we save approx.

3 min a stay and tired arms.

If you don’t have portable power take all the gear to a shed or at your yard, a good wet day job for us is prepping stays.

This is a Strainrite Fencing Chisel it cost over $100 but has proven to be well worth it. We were using old building chisels.

This is a far better option and made the job much easier and quicker.

By changing our method I have had so many comments about Mortising. Clients are looking at our fences more and are really impressed with the end result.

It doesn’t matter whether we are at the front or back of the farm all strainers get the same treatment. At the end of the day as tradesmen we want people to recognise our work for time to come.

Central Otago Fencing Shots

A Loo with a View PAGE 23

South Island Fencing Shots

Godfrey Peaks - Tekapo

Sherwood Range - Fairlie

Mockingbird Hill - Fairlie

All members and partners are welcome to send photos through for the WIRED, please email them to Suzy on operations@fencingcontractors.co.nz

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Good v’s Bad Rob Best Something I see occasionally, is strainers installed incorrectly on sloping ground where a gate is to be hung. An example of this is shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Notice the strainer has been put in plumb which has made it difficult to hang the gate parallel to the ground, leaving it almost in contact with the ground at the latch end and needing a log of wood in the resulting gap, to make it sheep proof at the other.

Also the bottom gudgeon has been lengthened excessively to counter the problem.

Figures 3 and 4 show a much better relationship between the gate and strainer and is more consistent with the slope of the ground - gudgeons are adjusted evenly and are much neater and more professional looking.

A strainer can be installed on the correct contour simply by standing the gate in the proposed position and driving the strainer parallel to the hinge end of the gate. This is easy to do, but so often overlooked.

Figure 1

Figure 3 PAGE 28

Figure 2

Figure 4

Rugby World Cup Timetable Fri Sept 9

20.30

A

New Zealand v Tonga

Auckland

Eden Park

Sat Sept 10

13.00

B

Scotland v Romania

Invercargill

Rugby Park Stadium

Sat Sept 10

15.30

D

Fiji v Namibia

Rotorua

Rotorua International Stadium

Sat Sept 10

18.00

A

France v Japan

North Shore

North Harbour Stadium

Sat Sept 10

20.30

B

Argentina v England

Dunedin

Otago Stadium

Sun Sept 11

15.30

C

Australia v Italy

North Shore

North Harbour Stadium

Sun Sept 11

18.00

C

Ireland v USA

New Plymouth

Stadium Taranaki

Sun Sept 11

20.30

D

South Africa v Wales

Wellington

Wellington Regional Stadium

Wed Sept 14

14.30

D

Samoa v Namibia

Rotorua

Rotorua International Stadium

Wed Sept 14

17.00

A

Tonga v Canada

Whangarei

Northland Events Centre

Wed Sept 14

19.30

B

Scotland v Georgia

Invercargill

Rugby Park Stadium

Thu Sept 15

19.30

C

Russia v USA

New Plymouth

Stadium Taranaki

Fri Sept 16

20.00

A

New Zealand v Japan

Hamilton

Waikato Stadium

Sat Sept 17

15.30

B

Argentina v Romania

Invercargill

Rugby Park Stadium

Sat Sept 17

18.00

D

South Africa v Fiji

Wellington

Wellington Regional Stadium

Sat Sept 17

20.30

C

Australia v Ireland

Auckland

Eden Park

Sun Sept 18

15.30

D

Wales v Samoa

Hamilton

Waikato Stadium

Sun Sept 18

18.00

B

England v Georgia

Dunedin

Otago Stadium

Sun Sept 18

20.30

A

France v Canada

Napier

McLean Park

Tues Sept 20

19.30

C

Italy v Russia

Nelson

Trafalgar Park

Wed Sept 21

19.30

A

Tonga v Japan

Whangarei

Northland Events Centre

Thu Sept 22

20.00

D

South Africa v Namibia

North Shore

North Harbour Stadium

Fri Sept 23

20.30

C

Australia v USA

Wellington

Wellington Regional Stadium

Sat Sept 24

18.00

B

England v Romania

Dunedin

Otago Stadium

Sat Sept 24

20.30

A

New Zealand v France

Auckland

Eden Park

Sun Sept 25

15.30

D

Fiji v Samoa

Auckland

Eden Park

Sun Sept 25

18.00

C

Ireland v Russia

Rotorua

Rotorua International Stadium

Sun Sept 25

20.30

B

Argentina v Scotland

Wellington

Wellington Regional Stadium

Mon Sept 26

19.30

D

Wales v Namibia

New Plymouth

Stadium Taranaki

Tue Sept 27

17.00

A

Canada v Japan

Napier

McLean Park

Tue Sept 27

19.30

C

Italy v USA

Nelson

Trafalgar Park

Wed Sept 28

19.30

B

Georgia v Romania

Palmerston North

Arena Manawatu

Fri Sept 30

20.30

D

South Africa v Samoa

North Shore

North Harbour Stadium

Sat Oct 1

15.30

C

Australia v Russia

Nelson

Trafalgar Park

Sat Oct 1

18.00

A

France v Tonga

Wellington

Wellington Regional Stadium

Sat Oct 1

20.30

B

England v Scotland

Auckland

Eden Park

PAGE 29

Sun Oct 2

13.00

B

Argentina v Georgia

Palmerston North

Arena Manawatu

Sun Oct 2

15.30

A

New Zealand v Canada

Wellington

Wellington Regional Stadium

Sun Oct 2

18.00

D

Wales v Fiji

Hamilton

Waikato Stadium

Sun Oct 2

20.30

C

Ireland v Italy

Dunedin

Otago Stadium

Sat Oct 8

18.00

QF1:

W Pool C v RU Pool D

Wellington

Wellington Regional Stadium

Sat Oct 8

20.30

QF2:

W Pool B v RU Pool A

Auckland

Eden Park

Sun Oct 9

18.00

QF3:

W Pool D v RU Pool C

Wellington

Wellington Regional Stadium

Sun Oct 9

20.30

QF4:

W Pool A v RU Pool B

Auckland

Eden Park

Sat Oct 15

21.00

SF1:

W QF1 v W QF2

Auckland

Eden Park

Sun Oct 16

21.00

SF2:

W QF3 v W QF4

Auckland

Eden Park

Fri Oct 21

20.30

Bronze Final

Auckland

Eden Park

Sun Oct 23

21.00

Final

Auckland

Eden Park

PAGE 30

WIRED

Publication of the Fencing Contractors Association of New Zealand

EXECUTIVE BOARD LISTING

Paul Fitzsimmons

Nigel Broadbridge President

03 374 3510 027 432 9381 paul@kcfencesystems.co.nz

03 325 7779 021 433 623 president@fencingcontractors.co.nz

Robert Best (Accredited Fencing Contractors)

John Noakes

09 238 4833 027 282 7090 rob.best.fencing@live.com

03 528 6388 027 446 4413 noakesjc@gmail.com

Alan Rennie

Andrew Cave

Mike Samuel

03 448 9339 027 245 4090 mikesamuel@clear.net.nz

Suzy Alsop

Administration 0508 4 FCANZ (0508 4 32269) info@fencingcontractors.co.nz suzyjohnny@xtra.co.nz FCANZ P.O. Box 19-389, Hamilton 3244 www.fencingcontractors.co.nz

06 382 5555 027 450 6420 taihapefencing@hotmail.com

06 376 5992 027 296 3504 andrew@contractfencing.co.nz

Why Join Ÿ Support the industry and help lift the profile of fencing as a profession Ÿ Opportunity to network and communicate with like minded people throughout the country

The FCANZ committee is predominately governed by Fencing Contractors who are volunteering considerable amounts of time to help the industry as a whole. By joining you are assisting in this effort and we would welcome you on board.

We have various forms of membership.

Ÿ Access to training including ATV and chainsaw courses

Ÿ Fencing Contractor - $100 per annum

Ÿ Access to assessing & NZQA qualifications - National Certificate in Fencing

Ÿ Retired Fencer / farmer - $110 per annum Ÿ Training Institute / Trust - $110 per annum

Ÿ Free copy of WIRED publications (4 issues per year) Ÿ Associate Commercial Member - $500 per annum Ÿ Association Days around the regions All above members get a free subscription to WIRED. Ÿ Support from industry providers Email Suzy at operations@fencingcontractors.co.nz for your application form

Ÿ Annual Conference FENCING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF NZ Ph 0508 4 FCANZ (0508 4 32269)

www.fencingcontractors.co.nz

PAGE 1

PARTNERS GOLD

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BRONZE

ANCHOR FENCE©

LB & T HARE LTD

AFFILIATIONS, TRUSTS, TRAINING INSTITUTES LB & T HARE TRAINING SERVICES LTD Forestry and Agricultural Specialist Providing NZQA Accredited Training to the Rural Sector

FENCING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION OF NZ Ph 0508 4 FCANZ (0508 4 32269)

www.fencingcontractors.co.nz

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