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ncca
March 2015
The official journal of the National Carpet Cleaners Association
Features:
Wicking Moisture Management The Cleaning Show 2015
PictureŠBrintons Bell Twist - China Blue
Contents
Published monthly by:
03 From the Editor - Join us at our event
The National Carpet Cleaners Association, 62c London Road, Oadby, Leicestershire, LE2 5DH. Tel: 0116 271 9550 E-mail: admin@ncca.co.uk Website: www.ncca.co.uk
this year! 06 From the President 07 Membership renewals 08 The versatility of flint 12 The wicking phenomenon 14 NCCA at the Cleaning Show 2015 16 Moisture management 20 Dealing with heavily soiled upholstery 23 Are you using survey forms? 23 Upholstery filtration marks 24 Getting knocked down on price 26 Why not TrustMark this year 28 One-man banned? Opinions expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the Association or it’s officers or members. Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the statements within this publication, we cannot accept responsibility for any errors, or omissions, or matters arising from any clerical or printing errors, and whilst every care is taken of manuscripts and photographs submitted to us, we can accept no responsibility for any loss or damage. ŠCarpet Cleaners Association Ltd 1994 (Trading as the National Carpet Cleaners Association). No part of this Newsletter may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission of the Carpet Cleaners Association Ltd.
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Editor Nicky Law Editor in Chief Keith Robertson Design Editor Nikki Law President/Admin Director Nigel Lay Technical Director Paul Pearce Company Secretary/1st Vice President/ Training Director Glyn Charnock Corporate Director/2nd Vice President Allan Simmons Membership Director Martin Johns Marketing Director Keith Robertson Co-opted Franchise Director Denise Pitt www.facebook.com/NCCAFloorCare www.twitter.com/NCCA_floorcare_
Join us at our event this year!
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n 12th September this year we will again be holding our very popular annual event, the Carpet Cleaners Carnival (CCC), at Wicksteed Park in Kettering. Now in its fifth year, the CCC brings together participants of the UK's flooring and soft furnishing cleaning industry, providing you with an ideal opportunity to network and the chance to learn something new. So, whether you are a business owner, technician, new to the industry, or an 'old hand', then this is the event for you! The Carpet Cleaners Carnival is not just 'all about business' however. OPEN TO EVERYONE and FREE TO ATTEND, it is also a family-friendly event and an excellent place to bring your partner, children, relatives and friends for a great day out. So… why not come along and join the fun! WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT AT THE CCC THIS YEAR THE EXHIBITION - The event includes an exhibition featuring top manufacturers, suppliers, advisors and service providers from within and outside the Association, providing you with the chance to compare equipment, see all types of machinery in action and to make contact with ancillary companies who can help you in your business. THE SEMINARS - There will be a number of seminars held throughout the day. Speakers from a wide range of relevant fields will be giving focussed presentations on a number of subjects. From the technical aspects of cleaning, to marketing and improving your business, there will
be valuable advice from some of the most recognised and wellrespected experts in the industry. FAMILY FUN - Inside the Nicky Law exhibition hall there will be Newslink Editor plenty to keep family and friends interested and entertained, including entertainment for the children, competitions and plenty of prizes. WICKSTEED PARK - The perfect setting for the Carnival, Wicksteed Park offers everything a family could need to enjoy a great day out. From the play area, fairground and lake activities, to the parkland, dining options and other facilities, you can make your day as fun-filled or as relaxed as you want. ***************************************** FEEDBACK FROM CCC 2014 “Thank you to everyone involved in organising the Carnival. We had an absolutely fantastic day! There was a great atmosphere, which was friendly, relaxed and 'non-corporate'. The seminars were really helpful and there were some excellent products at the exhibition. We appreciate all the thought and effort put in and hope you are all pleased with the result too. Five stars!” - Chris and Maggie Walker (All Clean, Nottinghamshire). ***************************************** “We would like to thank everyone involved in the Carpet Cleaners Carnival for an absolutely wonderful day. I know how much effort is put in to Continued on next page
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CARPET CLEANERS CARNIVAL 2015
THE CARPET CLEANING EVENT OF THE YEAR! Continued from previous page
organising this type of event and it is truly appreciated. It was great to catch up with old friends and meet new people. Our whole family thoroughly enjoyed the day!” - Peter Collins (Collins Cleaning Company, Surrey). **************************************** “I just wanted to say a big 'thank you' for such an excellent day. We both really enjoyed it and are looking forward to next year's event” - Keith Sanderson (Derby Carpet Cleaners, Derbyshire). **************************************** “I had a heavy week leading up to the Carnival and the thought of travelling 150 miles left me with the dilemma as to whether I should just have a restful day at home or drive to Kettering for the event. In the end I bit the bullet and went. I didn't arrive in time for the first few seminars, but the three I did manage to attend were very informative, each one being well worth the trip on their own. There was also the opportunity to talk to those who had stands at the show and see the
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new technical developments. It was a great day and I'm really glad that in the end I decided to go. Thank you to everyone who helped to organise it” John Jordan, (Carpet Miracles, Dorset). ***************************************** “Fantastic event! It was great to meet with colleagues and suppliers, both old and new. Roll on the next Carnival” - Dean Haywood (Five Star Furnishing Care Consultants, Bedfordshire). ***************************************** “Thank you NCCA. I loved meeting the people that we've built up relationships with on Facebook. The event itself was also excellent. I attended Allan Simmons's marketing seminar (some thought provoking stuff) and got some great freebies from the stands at the exhibition. The magician was fab and kept my children, Imogen, Harry and Clara entertained. Harry is very into magic so he was extremely happy. The face painting was amazing too and the older two children also made use of Wicksteed Park, going on the rides etc. From visiting the show we now know what machine
Wicksteed Park Barton Road, Kettering NN15 6NJ
we'll be buying next and also that we will be attending a stone floor course at some point soon” Victoria Jordison (TopMark Cleaning, Norfolk). ***************************************** “The seminars where excellent and made the journey down from Scotland well worth the time and effort” - Jim McArthur (Eclipse Deep Clean, Renfrewshire). To register your interest in the Carnival this year, please call the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.
The Event n Organised by the NCCA n Open to everyone n FREE entry for ALL attendees n Networking opportunities n Seminars n Supplier exhibition n Big industry names n Supplier demonstrations n Product launches n Hands-on opportunities n Equipment for sale n Approved for IICRC CEC n Family friendly format n Fun games and activities The Venue n Central location n Ideal venue for fun day out n Beautiful grounds and gardens n FREE attractions n Discounted entry to fair n Camping Facilities on-site n Easy Access from Motorway n FREE parking
EXHIBITING AT CCC 2015 If you would like to exhibit at this year’s event, please call NCCA Corporate Director, Allan Simmons, on: 01405 813665 or email: allanjnr@getbookedup.com to book your space.
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From the President
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Nigel Lay
ithin the NCCA family we try and support each other wherever possible and this is perfectly demonstrated within the (exclusive to members) NCCA Facebook Group. The Group is a popular forum where over 110 members share ideas, advice, opinions and daily stories, and is often used by those seeking help with some of the more obscure cleaning tasks that we are asked to resolve on behalf of a client. For some members, who are just starting out, it may be that the work they have been asked to do is not even that obscure, but simply a more speciality clean which feels like a daunting task when faced with attempting it for the first time. Whatever your questions are, within the Group there is always someone willing to help. I think that we have all been there at some stage in our careers, when we and would have liked to have been able to access a forum to talk about the cleaning issues that were troubling us. Fortunately, nowadays, technology has revolutionised the way in which we communicate and has opened up many more avenues for us to seek out the information we require. The NCCA Facebook Group is a friendly online community and as long as you're an NCCA member you can join. So, if you've not yet joined and would like to do so, just log on to our industry-facing site at: www.facebook.com/nicky.law.315 and send us a request to join the Group.
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On to a difference subject, the Association has numerous plans to enhance the benefits that membership gives to each and every one of you. The NCCA is run by a board of directors, elected from within the membership, that work hard on a voluntary basis to maintain standards and make further improvements to the Association. Whilst I have an excellent Board of directors, who work well as an integrated team, we are always looking for 'new blood' to join us. Why? Well, as technology moves on and helps us to refine our businesses through shared experiences, new eyes capture different images that we may not have been able to view, so new contributions are always welcome to allow us to see the wider picture. So‌ if any of you feel that you could make a positive contribution, or have a particular skillset that you could share with others, then please get in touch and let's have an informal chat. HELP US to HELP YOU get the best out of your membership.
Member referral report Since publishing a referral statistics report in the last issue of Newslink there have been 77 recommendations for full members provided by the NCCA. This number is made up of 31 referrals from the NCCA office and 46 potential customers contacting members direct through the website.
Membership Renewals Look out for your membership renewal documents arriving, you should be in receipt of these by 1st April. If you have not received them by 10th April please contact the office. Note: Associate members will not receive renewal documents until the anniversary of their joining the Association. Sign up to pay your subscription fees using the Direct Debit facility provided by GoCardless - you will receive a discount and the 1% fee will be waived for those members signing up by 1st May. If you already have the Direct Debit set up from last year, and haven't cancelled, your payments will automatically start in April. Direct Debit can be used to pay your invoice in one payment or over a period of up to six months, whichever you prefer. If you are experiencing any difficulties or are thinking of not renewing then please contact us, we like to assist members where we can. Thank you for your continued support of the Association.
New NCCA Members Clean Act NI Anderstown, Belfast Adam Retter Tiverton, Devon Peter Allengame Poolewe, Achnasheen, Ross-shire Carpet Wizzard Southsea, Hampshire Carpetcare & Upholstery North East Darlington, Co Durham REJOINED J T Carpet & Upholstery Care Oakengates, Telford, Shropshire
Latest TrustMark Statistics Since its launch in April last year, the category of Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners on the TrustMark website has been searched a total of 53,150 times! TrustMark membership within the Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners category is ONLY available to NCCA members. So, put simply, that's over 53,150 times NCCA members' company details have been searched by consumers looking for a carpet and upholstery cleaner on the TrustMark website!
How to apply for TrustMark membership To see joining criteria go to page 26 of this month’s Newslink If you would like to apply to become a TrustMark member please ring the NCCA office on 0116 271 9550 or email: admin@ncca.co.uk
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The versatility of flint
Keith Robertson
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n the edge of a small village in Norfolk there are the ruined remains of what once must have been a Manor House of quite grand proportions. The walls were constructed from whole uncut flints which had been cemented in place. Some of the walls still stand twenty feet high which, bearing in the mind that the last owners walked away from the building (now known as Weeting Castle) in 1380, is quite amazing. It is not unusual to see flint in the Typical flint construction of historic buildings, particularly in parts of the UK where other stone such as sandstone and limestone is not readily accessible. Apparently, the Romans introduced the use of building with flint early in the first
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Weeting Castle
century. As it is an extremely durable material it is understandable that it became a sought after building material. Generally we think of the Romans as using tile or brick for flooring but they also used flint cobble (such as in Ovingdean in Sussex) as well as recognising the hardness and durability of flint for building roads. Building with a rounded material, however, had certain obvious disadvantages. It was difficult to construct square corners (quoins), and window jambs (which make up the top, bottom and sides
of the window like a frame) or door jambs, so in East Anglia Roman Bricks were recycled and used with the flint until very early in the 12th century when the supply ran out. English brick-making isn't generally recorded to have started until the late 13th century. It was more than likely influenced by the importing of bricks from the continent, possibly for the building of houses for the European merchants from some of the Baltic State countries and Holland, who had moved to places such as Norwich and Kings Lynn. There does, however, appear to at least have been some experimentation. An English Heritage survey of the parish church at the village of Bradwell Juxta Coggeshall in Essex has revealed medieval bricks
dating from the first half of the 12th century. Nevertheless, the practise of using flint rather than brick continued and both Saxon and Norman churches were built largely from coarse unsplit flint. By the 14th century, techniques had been developed to knapp (break or chip stone with sharp blows) the flint to trim and square it. This new ability of constructing flatter surfaces progressed until buildings combined the use of limestone and flint. Decorative detail or patterns could be carefully constructed using contrasting dark flint with lighter grey limestone. This process, where the flint was framed in limestone, became known as 'flushwork'. Flint is found throughout much of southern England, particularly where it has originated as either nodules or in bands within chalk. In particular, the counties which have plentiful supplies are Suffolk and Norfolk in the east, but also in Berkshire, Kent and Surrey as well as Sussex, Dorset, Wiltshire and Hampshire. The chalk where the flint nodules Chalk hills in Sussex
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come from formed on the floor of ancient seas out of crystals of calcium carbonate from tiny sea creatures called Coccolithophores, so small that they are described as microscopic algae. This chalk is a form of limestone, but much softer than the limestone that is used for building purposes (which originates in shallow seas and includes corals and shells) as it was formed in a deep marine environment. It is said that over many millions of years there were continental movements which, in the course of forming the Alps, also caused the uplifting and folding of bands of chalk which led to the formation of hills including the South Downs in Sussex and Hampshire. Later, erosion of the chalk exposed the flint nodules which accumulated and sometimes were moved by glaciers. There is an ongoing debate as to whether flint is a rock or a mineral. Technically, flint is a concretion; in other words a natural growth of mineral matter around a core. Flint is a silica material, possibly from a structural element found in sponges (called spicules) in conjunction with silica dissolved (by water penetration) from the chalk which collected around some solid object. Flint has a Mohs hardness of 7. The fact that it is a hard fine-grained material that can be spilt into pieces, with a curved, even, smooth surface, makes it easy to understand why it was used to construct tools for a long time before anyone considered it as a building material. Flint was frequently used to make arrowheads, axe-heads
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and cutting tools which were often sharper than a surgeon's knife. There are examples of these tools in Scotland from around 3000 BC. Throughout the years flint has also been used for many other things. Before friction matches were used, fire was ignited using tinder with sparks struck from flint. Crushed flint is still used as the abrasive agent on sandpapers for the finishing of wood and leather. What about today? Does flint have a relevance in modern day flooring? Certainly flint abrasive grains are extensively used in the manufacture of industrial floors, where its angular shape can impart excellent non-slip characteristics. It is also used in airport runways, roadside footpaths and even in floor polishing abrasives. Some resin floor systems use calcined (burned) flint as a filler. There are some cobbled flint floors in cottages but I have yet to come across a flint floor in a modern property, although it certainly would be virtually maintenance free. There are, however, examples of it being use for feature walls. Split flints can show a variety of colours and textures that, when mixed with uncut flints, provide an interesting surface which blends with virtually any dĂŠcor. They are often used externally and look attractive on both traditional and contemporary buildings, blending easily with the surrounding environment. The question is, who is brave enough to introduce this amazing natural material into their house?
Wood-Solv A hands-on course in a real commercial environment On 26th March come and learn how to easily restore scratched and worn wooden floors to their original beauty without sanding, using the equipment you will already have in your van. To book your place please call: 01509 881137 (group discounts available for delegates attending from the same company).
Organised and sponsored by Crisp & Brite 17 Poplar Hill, Walton on the Wolds, Leicestershire, LE12 8JD Tel: 01509 881137 Email: tony.woldbrite@btinternet.com Website: www.crispandbrite.co.uk
The wicking phenomenon
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Ken Wainwright
e often hear carpet cleaners Spillages are a common cause of wicking talking about the problems caused by wicking‌ but exactly what is 'wicking'? Well, in general terms wicking is a capillary action - the ability of a liquid to flow within a narrow tube-like structure without the assistance of, and in opposition to, external forces like gravity. However, in the process of carpet/upholstery cleaning we are often cleaning solid synthetic fibres and, in this instance, wicking can happen along accelerate the wicking process too. Forced drying the outside surface of the fibre. with an air-mover can also be complimentary to Most of us think of wicking as water moving this procedure. vertically along a fibre and yarn bundle and then, Now let's look at the dark side of wicking. As a upon reaching the highest point at the tip of the carpet or fabric dries, it is only the water that yarn, evaporating into the atmosphere. Whilst evaporates. If there is any residual soil, detergent true, this is not the only way that wicking occurs or staining material present, this will be within our work as cleaners. Wicking is actually a transported within the water as a micro-solution. two-way phenomenon which can work FOR as At the surface only the moisture evaporates, well as against us. leaving the contaminants within the yarn bundle. The first positive aspect of wicking is that, upon Transported soil will show as a dirty mark, spillages the application of the pre-spray, it can assist in the will show as a coloured stain and detergent three dimensional distribution of the cleaning residues will act as a soil attracting medium which solution throughout the yarn bundle. This is then will 'grow dirty' over a period of time. complimented by the agitation process. Spillages are a very common cause of wicking. Secondly, wicking is an essential part of the You can be 100% thorough when treating the spilt drying process, moving the moisture to the point of evaporation (as mentioned earlier), i.e. the yarn soils in the face yarns but, if the spillage has also penetrated into the backing, wicking can still occur. tips. Air movement and temperature will aid and In circumstances like these it will be necessary to accelerate water evaporation and thereby
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apply a poultice. This will allow the wicking process to progress beyond the yarn fibre tips, thereby transporting the soils into the poultice before the moisture evaporates. NOTE: If you are not familiar with poulticing it may be wise to enrol on an NCCA Advanced Spot & Stain Removal training course to update your skills. Most wick-back problems are usually caused by operator error. One major cause of wicking is overwetting. NEVER over-wet a textile and ALWAYS make sure that you follow industry best practices to achieve maximum water and soil extraction. Over-wet Jute fibres in a carpet foundation or backing, for instance, can release their natural dye into a carpet. This will wick to the surface leaving the typical cellulosic browning stains. It should be noted that with any carpet or fabric that has been over-wet, speed drying may not eliminate the problem. Any contaminants suspended in the moisture will still be carried up the yarn tuft during drying, but more quickly. Another primary cause of wicking is ineffective dry soil extraction. Dry soil extraction is a subject that has been covered many times in previous editions of Newslink. It should be a much more thorough process than merely a 'quick whizz' with your Dyson. In order to complete this task effectively you need to make steady or slow passes both forward and backwards over the same area, executed in East-West and North-South directions with a commercial grade vacuum cleaner, preferably with twin motors. If you remove the dry particulates they cannot wick up the yarn during the drying phase.
Email addresses The NCCA are increasingly contacting members via email to circulate relevant Association information. As such, it is MORE IMPORTANT THAN EVER that we have your current email address logged on our database. If you change your email address at any point, could we ask that you please notify us immediately so we are able to update your details. This will ensure that you do not miss any important information circulated by us. To inform us of any changes, please email: admin@ncca.co.uk or phone the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.
NCCA on Facebook Did you know that the NCCA have two Facebook sites? 1) Industry-facing site - go to: www.facebook.com/nicky.law.315 (includes a private Group exclusively for NCCA members - a place where over 110 people are already sharing ideas, advice, opinions and daily stories). 2) Consumer-facing site - go to: www.facebook.com/NCCAcarpetcleaning (contains useful information on flooring and soft furnishing cleaning which is ideal for sharing with your customers and others within your industry). So pop on, have a look, and if you see something you like‌ just share it!
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NCCA at the Cleaning Show 2015
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he NCCA will be exhibiting at the Cleaning Show this year and, with pre-registered visitors up by a staggering 60%* and new features to the event, the 2015 show is set to be a winner! Taking place from 10th-12th March at Excel in London for the first time, the show will feature all the latest innovative products impacting the cleaning sector, as well as some brand new interactive features for visitors. Cleaning and hygiene professionals and facilities managers will be able to try out products, learn from a wide range of free seminar sessions, get free careers advice, take part in small group training sessions on social media and staff management, as well as network at a number of social gatherings. With the move to London, the Cleaning Show organisers have created a series of compelling new features for the event, ensuring that visitors and exhibitors get full value from time spent out of the office. Some of the new key features that transform the old Cleaning Show into a true industry event are: A Free Seminar Programme - The seminar programme will consider solutions to challenges currently facing the industry. Keynote topics already confirmed include the Living Wage, immigration and employment issues, training, window cleaning, and hospital hygiene. The full Seminar programme can be viewed at: www.cleaningshow.co.uk/seminars and is not to be missed. The Training Academy - An opportunity to learn more about products and techniques, to get
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professional advice in developing your business, as well as a host of other topics designed to improve the way you work. Careers Clinic - Meet and discuss career opportunities in the cleaning industry with clinic sponsors FM Network. The Cleaning Show Innovation Awards Categories include: cleaning products, floor cleaning, outdoor cleaning, carpet cleaning, window cleaning, washroom hygiene, sustainable cleaning, and management systems. The Award winners will be announced in the Seminar Theatre at 4.15pm on Tuesday 10th March. The Exclusive VIP Lounge - This private area (constructed at the heart of the main exhibition) offers visitors and exhibitors a venue to hold meetings and one-to-one discussions. The Guinness World Record Attempt - Terry 'Turbo' Burrows, the world's fastest window cleaner, is throwing down the gauntlet, challenging window cleaners from across the globe to take him on‌ and take his crown! The official world record challenge event, which is being sponsored by Unger and Principle Window Cleaning, will take place on Wednesday 11th
Diary Dates 2015
March. Would-be record breakers can enter by completing the form on the Cleaning Show website: www.cleaningshow.co.uk Anyone holding a new world record after the event will receive a cash prize of ÂŁ1,000. A Series of Social and Networking Events - The Cleaning Show represents the largest gathering of cleaning professionals and hygiene experts in the UK and is the ideal place to attend meetings and network with customers and colleagues, old and new. A programme of social events has been devised, and a number of industry associations will be taking the opportunity to hold meetings and stage presentations during the Cleaning Show. Twitter Sessions - Small businesses who want to find out how to use and engage with social media to their advantage can learn how to set up Tweets effectively by having a free training session with our expert. Over 100 Industry-Leading Companies Showcased within the Exhibition - The UK cleaning industry's main producers and suppliers of machines, products and services will demonstrate their latest, cutting edge solutions. A full list of exhibitors is available at www.cleaningshow.co.uk/exhibitors *Compared to pre-registration figures recorded at the same time for 2013 show at NEC, Birmingham.
The NCCA will be exhibiting at the event this year. We’ll be on stand F31, so come and see us there. More information on The Cleaning Show 2015 can be found on its website: www.cleaningshow.co.uk
NCCA COURSES Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning 20th - 21st March 22nd - 23rd May 10th - 11th July 18th - 19th September 20th - 21st November Advanced Spot & Stain Removal 26th June 9th October Health & Safety for the Carpet & Upholstery Cleaner 8th October Leather Identification and Cleaning 19th March All above courses held at NSPCC Training Centre, Leicester unless otherwise stated. Visit: www.ncca.co.uk for booking forms and further details. CARPET CLEANERS CARNIVAL (CCC) 2015 Wicksteed Park, Kettering, Northamptonshire 12th September THE CLEANING SHOW 2015 Excel, London 10th - 12th March IICRC COURSES (TUTOR: PAUL PEARCE) Held at Alltec Network, Hertfordshire. Tel: 01763 208222 Carpet Cleaning Technician 9th - 10th June 15th - 16th September Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician 16th - 17th June 22nd - 23rd September Commercial Carpet Maintenance Technician 14th - 15th May IICRC COURSES (TUTOR: ADAM JANKOWSKI) Held at National Flood School, Surrey. Tel: 01252 821185 Carpet Cleaning Technician 24th - 25th March 10th - 11th September Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician 31st March - 1st April 25th - 26th November IICRC COURSES (TUTOR: ADAM JANKOWSKI) Held at Chemspec Europe Ltd, Yorkshire. Tel: 01274 597333 Carpet Cleaning Technician 23rd - 24th September Upholstery & Fabric Cleaning Technician 18th - 19th March 29th - 30th September Visit: www.iicrc.org for further details on all IICRC Training Courses.
Moisture management Cecil Aigin (Honorary Member)
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ne of the most important aspects of the work we carry out, both in upholstery and carpet cleaning, is the management of the moisture we apply during our processing. Whilst several of the details I discuss within this article will be relevant to both types of furnishings, I am concentrating my comments on carpet cleaning carried out in-situ. Over application of liquid in the cleaning process may result in: ŸShrinkage. ŸColour migration. ŸDiscolouration. ŸDamage to the carpet backing. ŸThe build-up of mildew. ŸLeaving the carpet excessively wet. ŸUnacceptable drying times An inadequate volume of solution, however, will compromise the success of the cleaning operation. The volume of liquid that we use will depend on several aspects of the job in hand: ŸEfficiency of our cleaning equipment. ŸType of installation. ŸDegree and type of soiling. ŸCarpet construction, fibre, colours and pattern. ŸRequired drying time. Our first procedure must be to check the security of the installation, including the seam and, in the case of a loose lay carpet, the type of floor surface both below and surrounding the carpet.
Every colour in the carpet should be checked for stability to the cleaning solution at the intended temperature, pH and concentration. Apply the solution to an inconspicuous part of the carpet or to a cutting that your client might possess. It should always be the intention to use the minimum volume of water necessary to obtain a satisfactory degree of improvement and the shortest possible drying time, taking into account the integrity of the carpet and its installation. In the case of commercial installations, areas to be
cleaned may be required for occupation within a very short period and may require a drying time of two to three hours or less. Within the carpet pile will be an accumulation of particular soil, both soluble and insoluble. The soluble soil will be dissolved in the cleaning fluid and the resulting dirty water will then be drawn over the pile. On the basis that we cannot continue rinsing the pile until the evacuated water becomes free of soil, it is essential to carry out pre-vacuuming as efficiently as possible.
It should be borne in mind that we cannot remove 100% of the soil matter present in a carpet and in certain cases we cannot remove all the stains. Our intention should be to obtain the most satisfactory improvement possible and this should be made known to our clients so that they do not have unattainable expectations. NEVER claim to make a carpet ‘look like new’. As I have detailed previously, the volume of
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water that may be required will vary greatly but it should never exceed a safe level for a specific installation and floor covering. There have been many studies as to the relative speed of drying for different carpet types and, over the years, I have observed a wide variation in opinion and conclusion. The problem is that even within a similar carpet type there will be considerable variations in pile condition. The pile of a newer carpet will be more erect and will release moisture more readily than a worn carpet with a flattened pile surface. A relatively new carpet will probably be cleaner and will release soil more readily than an older carpet. Synthetic fibres possess a very low absorbency and, as a consequence, a quantity of the moisture applied will fall to the base of the pile where it will be absorbed by the backing. In my opinion, it is more difficult to extract the water from a synthetic pile carpet than that applied to a carpet with wool fibres where a greater volume of the moisture will be retained closer to the pile surface. Under controlled conditions drying will occur more rapidly as the air temperature is increased. However, whilst it may be possible to apply a scientific approach to the rate of evaporation of water laying on a smooth impermeable surface, I do not consider that a similar procedure can be applied to the rate of evaporation of moisture in a carpet. There are too many variables and a scientific approach may be useful only as a rule of thumb guide.
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Two very important factors which also influence the rate of drying are the movement of air and ventilation. Because the major part of our work is carried out on site we are reliant on the ambient temperature of the area in question and the degree of ventilation that we can create by the opening of doors and windows, taking into account, of course, the security of the premises. We can also make use of air movers in order to increase air movement and accelerate drying. In a works situation, following a wet cleaning process, the extraction of water should be carried out by use of a hydro extractor or, less efficiently, by use of a wet vacuum. Drying room design is highly technical and requires a very careful study in order to obtain the most efficient and economic rate of drying for the type of work being processed. In most situations, carpets that are cleaned in a works are of different origins, pile constructions, fibre content, pile, weight and size. The drying room environment should be designed to accommodate all the variables at the same time. Needless to say, in this relatively short article I have expressed some personal opinions and have not been able to cover every aspect of the procedures required for careful moisture management. But, added to your own experience and knowledge gained at training courses, I trust it will provide a useful source of additional information and assistance. I anticipate and welcome a deluge (inappropriate word?) of response and opinion.
Dealing with heavily soiled upholstery
Derek Bolton (Honorary Member)
hen confronted with furniture showing heavy soiling you have two options: 1. Decline the job 2. Have a go Just to add a bit of spice to the situation you may also find yourself confronted with a 'Dry Clean Only' label which the customer very kindly points out to you. I am sure that you will all remember my thoughts on the 'Dry Heavily soiled upholstery Clean Only' label, I have ridiculed them on so many occasions as an absolute waste of time. By all means if you want to waste a few minutes reading them thoroughly then please do, especially if the customer is looking over your shoulder at the Grease marks time. Leaving aside the subject of labels, the most important thing to do when cleaning any upholstery is quite obviously to first inspect the items to be cleaned. But you all do that already don't you? I just had to ask!
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Photographs ŠDerek Bolton
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Things you should do on your pre-clean inspection: 1. IDENTIFY WHAT FIBRES ARE LIKELY TO BE PRESENT Remember that if there are any Rayon fibres present (and there's a lot of it about!) they could have been weakened by the soiling, and bear in mind that they also become weaker when wet‌ so NO aggressive agitation! Rayon does also tend to hang on to soil and stains very well.
2. CHECK THE STABILITY OF THE DYES - Unstable dyes can be found in deep-dyed materials. Fading/loss of colour after cleaning or a spot removal process can occur. 3. LOOK OUT FOR MANUFACTURERS INK MARKS These marks may be felt marker pen or even biro ink, which has been placed within the interior of the upholstered furniture as a guide for the assembly or cutting processes. Unfortunately they often suddenly blossom out of the fabric during the cleaning process. 4. CHECK THAT THERE IS SUFFICIENT HEM MATERIAL - Have a look to see if there has been sufficient material folded back in the hem of each seam. If there is insufficient material this could result in fraying, splitting and weak and gaping seams following the cleaning process.
5. CHECK FOR PAPER OR CARD INSERTS - These can often be found within the valance/pleats of the suite and can buckle under wet conditions, so keeping these areas of the suite as dry as possible is always recommended. 6. CHECK FOR WEAK AREAS OF FABRIC - Weak areas of fabric can be present anywhere but often appear in main wear or body contact areas. These areas often need more vigorous cleaning but, because they are weak, they may be prone to splitting. You will need to question whether the fabric can take it. 7. LOOK OUT FOR INSECURE FABRIC PANELS - If these are flimsily stapled onto a weak sub-frame interior it can cause problems when cleaning. Too much pressure when using a hand tool, or perhaps fabric contraction during cleaning, can be enough to pop the staples out and damage the suite. 8. CHECK THE OVERALL STABILITY OF THE FABRIC Assess whether the fabric may shrink or even stretch during the cleaning process. 9. LOOK OUT FOR INTERIOR BREAKDOWN OR POWDERING - Cleaning these areas with suction systems can often pull yellow powder through the fabric causing pronounced yellow discolouration.
Split in upholstery fabric
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10. ASSESS THE TYPES OF SOILING YOU ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEAL WITH - Look at the colour and touch it to see if it is greasy (don't forget to wash your hands afterwards!). Sometimes you may see dramatic colour changes to fabric so, if there is, check to see if your customer is on strong medication as this can effect fabrics in different ways and any colour change may be irreversible. Colour changes If you DO choose to clean a heavily soiled item, please remember that it essential to watch the degree of agitation that you use. I have already mentioned this, but it is Photograph ŠDerek Bolton vitally important. It is so easy to cause splitting or to remove colour from darker dyed areas (Crocking) and colour removal may not become apparent until the fabric has completely dried out. Also, choose your cleaning chemicals wisely and assess the cleaning technique that you use. Is it suitable for this particular job? Maybe you need to tweak it somehow so as not to cause damage to the fabric. A written comment on your survey form will hopefully limit your responsibility should any damage occur during the cleaning process, but it must be made plain to the client what the various options are. Remember, simply talking to your
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client about their options and the possible outcomes of the cleaning process is not sufficient, some people may deny such a conversation ever took place. So, always put everything in writing. Also, take photographs of the items that you clean before and afterwards, just for the record! On completing your pre-clean inspection you may be thinking that perhaps the dry cleaning route is the way to go after all. However, there can be limitations to dry cleaning upholstery. Dry solvents cannot remove water marks, for example, or heavy soiling. It may help with removing grease contamination but it is possible that the overall finish will not meet the customer's expectation of a clean item of furniture. Unfortunately you have to face the fact that, in some cases, it may well be more prudent to decline to clean a heavily soiled item. Remember, it is not shameful to walk away if you are afraid that you may cause damage to the fabric, or even if you are simply not confident of achieving a result that will be satisfactory to the customer. One final thing to remember is this‌ you didn't get the soiled item of furniture into this condition! The customer may have neglected it for far too long and expect you to 'bring it back to new'. If only! You may be good at your job but miracles are sometimes best left to the 'one' who can perform them best.
Are you using survey forms?
NCCA Library
C
onducting a survey prior to commencing a job should be an automatic part of your cleaning procedure. What you find during this process should then be recorded in writing. So, why should you do this? 1. It provides an opportunity to pick up on any previous damage or problems. 2. You can obtain vital information which will enable you to select the correct method and chemicals to do the work. 3. If you have recorded your findings in writing there is an evidence trail in the event of a later problem or dispute. So often, over the years, the absence of a completed written survey has resulted in the cleaning technician concerned being left with a very hefty replacement bill, often when it wasn't their fault… but the fact is that they had nothing
Upholstery filtration marks
A
to back them up and support their claims. Remember, it is very difficult to explain an inherent problem AFTER the event. An important point to bear in mind is that if you have a claim under your insurance policy your insurance company will request a copy of the survey form, which they will expect you to have completed prior to the work taking place. If you cannot provide a completed survey form then this may well invalidate your insurance cover… so be warned! The NCCA are able to provide comprehensive survey forms for members to purchase. These come in pads of 100 with a carbonated sheet, so you can give one copy to your customer and also keep a copy for yourself. If you would like to purchase one of these pads, please call the NCCA office on: 0116 271 9550.
NCCA Library
re you guilty of ‘wiping over the side and back panels with a damp cloth because they're not really dirty’ when cleaning upholstery? The fact is that when a person sits on an item of furniture the frame flexes like a set of bellows sucking in air through the fabric. When that person gets off the furniture the sucking action is reversed. During this 'sucking and blowing' phenomenon the air travelling through the fabric deposits any pollutants it contains into the fabric.
The environment the furniture resides in will denote the degree of soiling but it is ALWAYS going to be present to some degree. If the filtration soiling is VERY apparent then there is usually some underlying reason, maybe the owner is a smoker, maybe they have an open coal fire, or maybe the house is situated near a road with heavy traffic. Side and back panels should never be ignored but should always be included as part of the overall cleaning process.
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Getting knocked down on price
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n last month's Newslink I read with interest Cecil Aigin's response to my article published in the November 2014 edition, titled 'What would you have done?' For those unfamiliar with the original article, here is a brief summary: A prospective client, who had been recommended to us, asked for a further discount on our price. This was after being given a free room trial area and after seeing the result of the carpet cleaning at his parents' house and being very impressed. My decision was to turn down his offer of a further discount amounting to about £38. It is, of course, up to every individual business owner to decide exactly how he will run his business. Others may have accepted this offer. But there are sound reasons why I acted the way I did, many of them expressed in the original article. Remember, this is a prospect who already has a need for our service (i.e. dirty carpets) and was in a position to buy (he already knew our costs based on his parents' carpets, so clearly could afford us). The key part here is that he requested a FURTHER discount. And for no good reason. We have a policy regarding discounts... “If they change the price, we change the package”. In other words... “Sure, we'll give you a discount IF you empty the room of furniture completely” for example. Otherwise why did we not just offer the reduced price to begin with? So, was he a genuine prospect? He was prepared to pay £350 but not £388. It doesn't seem reasonable that he would lose the benefits we offered for the sake of £38. And don't
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David Coker
forget he was a recommendation AND already getting a free room of cleaning! So maybe something else was at play here. Like his attitude for example! He was just a chancer who thought he could bully us into a lower price. It now becomes an issue of pride for him to back down. If that is the case, as Larry Steinmetz says in his book ‘How to Sell at Prices Higher Than Your Competitors’, there are problems in dealing with people with an attitude like this: 1) They will almost certainly boast to others about how they knocked you down on price. Any referrals (upon which a service business depends) will do the same. 2) They would most likely complain about every little thing and try to find fault with the work to try to get the price even cheaper. In the end, you'd wish you'd never taken them on. 3) They simply won't appreciate what you do, otherwise they would realise that a higher price is worth paying for quality. 4) When they want more work doing, they already know that they can bully you to lower your prices. As for today's culture of discounts... I simply don't subscribe. Remember, all business depends on margins and profit. And a discount is straight off the bottom line. A discount of 10% off gross could easily be 20% or more off nett. It's a case of targeting the right market to begin with. By the way, try getting a sizeable discount on a new iPad from Apple. And they made a profit of 8.5 billion dollars in their last quarter alone!
NCCA Corporate Members + Allied Insurance Services Ltd: 0844 8156211 (I) + Alltec Network: 01763 208222 (C/M/F/T) + Amtech UK: 01444 232211 (C/M) + Ashby's Cleaning Equipment: 01795 436999 (C/M/E)
NCCA Member Benefits Adelante Merchant Services 01628 820500 BeValued - Home Options (specialist claims management - insurance work) Call Shaun Mulvey on 01323 418432 Control Account PLC 01527 882901 Hibu (previously Yell) Ask for Corporate Advertising Department 0808 100 7890 HMCA (free legal & counselling helpline) 0117 934 2600 HMCA (medical health cover) 01423 866985 Payatrader 01296 660177 SiteWizard (website creation) 08450 608860 Thompson Local Ask for Corporate Advertsing Department: 01252 390385 TrustMark (Ring NCCA Office) 0116 271 9550
Corporate Member Benefits 20% off RESEARCH and CITRUS products for all NCCA members at Cleaners Warehouse! Go to www.cleanerswarehouse.co.uk (A registration page has been set up on the site for NCCA members)
+ Asset Finance Solutions UK Ltd: 01254 584404 (FI) + Bio Productions Ltd (inc. Stapro): 01444 244000 (C) + Camberford Law (insurance brokers): 0208 315 5000 (I) + Chemdry Franchising Ltd: 01482 872770 (C/M/Fr) + Chemspec Europe Ltd: 01274 597333 (C/M/T/D/F) + Cleanerswarehouse Ltd: 01772 434333 (T/C/R/M) + Cleaning Systems UK: 01334 656787 (C/M/T/F) + Cleansmart Ltd: 0115 8240034 (T/C/R/M/K) + Cleantec Innovation Ltd: 0870 733 7733 (T/C/W/M) + Columbus Cleaning Machines Ltd: 01772 426527 (M) + Crisp & Brite: 01509 881137 (C/M) + Dri-Eaz Products Ltd: 01908 611211 (C/M/T) + Dry Fusion UK Ltd: 01772 433711 (C/M/T/W/Fr) + Furniture Clinic Ltd: 01207 279964 (C/Tr) + Get Booked Up Software: 01405 813665 + Gleaming Insurance (insurance brokers): 0845 4740068 (I) + Hi-Tec Cleaning Group: 02866 341416 (C/E/F/M/T) + Host Von Schrader Ltd: 0151 347 1900 (M/C) + Hydro Dynamix: 01622 664993 (Fr/T) + LTT Leathercare: 01423 881027 (T/Tr) + Mailboxes Etc: 01628 633336 + McGregor Lloyd (insurance brokers): 0121 706 0616 (I) + NSL Restormate: 01670 590099: (M/C/Tr) + Nu Life Stone Care Ltd: 0161 480 7284 (M/C) + Oates Laboratories (Europe): 01772 433711 (C) + Prochem Europe Ltd: 0208 974 1515 (C/F/M/T) + Rainbow International: 01623 422488 (M/C/Fr) + Restoration Express: 01252 726106 (M/C/T/A) + Robert Saunders Marketing Mentor: 08450 537129 (K) + Sebo UK Ltd: 01494 465533 (M) + ServiceMaster Ltd: 0116 275 9000 (M/C/Fr) + Stainshield Ltd: 01372 841467 Š + Textile Cleaning Solutions: 01934 521155 (M/C) + The Big Clean: 0208 3934778 (M,C,W,K) + The Ultimate Floor Sanding Co.: 00353 91846488 (M/C/Fr) + The WoolSafe Organisation: 01943 850817 + Vaclensa: 0161 728 1800 (M) + Worldwide Cleaning Support: 01279 422220 (C/M)
C - Chemicals / M - Machinery / W - Wholesalers / Fr - Franchises / I - Insurance / K - Marketing / T - Technical Services / F - Fire Retardents / A - Auxiliary Services (Restoration Cleaners) / E Supply/Repair of Curtains and Blinds / Fi - Finance / Tr - Training.
Why not join TrustMark this year
N
ine years ago TrustMark was set up with the Government to give homeowners a safe and easy way to find quality, reliable tradesmen for all work in and around the home. Launched as a quality mark with Government-endorsed standards to tackle the menace of cowboy tradesmen, TrustMark not only provides advice to guide people through finding the best tradesmen for jobs in their home, but is a trusted avenue for support when needed. In April last year the NCCA was awarded Scheme Operator status for the Carpet and Upholstery Cleaners category on the TrustMark website. TrustMark membership within this category is ONLY available to NCCA members and all registered firms have had to meet strict criteria in order to join. There are now 60 NCCA members who are TrustMark registered. A key advantage of being TrustMark registered is the recognition it provides. TrustMark is the only national 'find a trader' scheme to operate to Government-endorsed standards and involve both industry and consumer interests in its governance and Board. Many consumer organisations including Citizen's Advice, Trading Standards Institute, Age UK and the HomeOwners Alliance
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are signposting consumers to TrustMark registered firms, which again ensures visibility of NCCA cleaners for anyone searching for a reputable local tradesman. TrustMark has gone from strength to strength and now has the largest database of vetted tradesmen in the UK, with around 14,000 firms across the UK. TrustMark carpet and upholstery cleaners' details were viewed 46,445 times during 2014, an average of 5,160 per month. How is TrustMark different? TrustMark audits all its Scheme Operators on a regular basis to ensure that quality processes, standards and complaint procedures are being maintained. All TrustMark registered firms have to meet strict criteria in order to join, have to agree to abide by Government-endorsed standards of competence and fair-trading, and are monitored for compliance. TrustMark also offers a consumerfriendly complaints procedure, and a customer feedback service which enables its firms to have low cost access to alternative dispute resolution tools for their customers. TrustMark recently updated its Core Criteria, the Government-endorsed standards by which registered firms have to operate. Unlike many of
the commercial 'find a trader' websites, firms cannot JUST PAY to become registered. TrustMark does not sell consumer details and a proper complaints process is provided should a consumer be dissatisfied with the work of a TrustMark tradesperson. TrustMark understands the concerns both consumers and tradespeople have about the persistent problem of rogue traders in the UK's home repair, maintenance and improvement (RMI) sector. Consumers need to have confidence that they are hiring reliable and skilled tradespeople and the RMI sector itself needs to ensure that the reputable, hardworking majority is not damaged by a minority of unscrupulous traders. To stay up to date with developments at TrustMark, visit the website at: www.trustmark.org.uk Joining TrustMark TrustMark members can use the logo on their advertising and promotional materials, website, vehicles and stationary. TrustMark membership is NOT compulsory. It is, however, AN EXCELLENT MARKETING TOOL which benefits members, the NCCA and the industry as a whole. Membership is just £150 + VAT per annum, and the criteria for joining is as follows: ŸYou must be a member of the NCCA and abide by our Code of Practice. ŸYou must have attended the NCCA two-day Carpet and Upholstery Cleaning course and passed the exam, or the IICRC two-day carpet and two-day upholstery cleaning courses, or a two-day Corporate course approved by the NCCA.
ŸYou must have attended an Advanced Spot and
Stain Removal course (a copy of the certificate will be required as proof of attendance). ŸYou must have third party insurance to a minimum value of £2m and Treatment Risk cover. ŸYou need to have been actively involved in the industry for a minimum of two years. ŸYour work must comply with PAS 86:2008 standards. ŸYou must attend a training course or industry event once every three years. ŸYou must sign a Health & Safety declaration form. The NCCA Directors reserve the right to refuse membership of TrustMark to any current members who, within the past two years, have: ŸBeen placed on probation for breach of the Code of Practice. ŸHad a complaint upheld against them. ŸFailed to pay their NCCA membership fees and/or send in their supporting documentation to the NCCA office by the due dates. If you would like to apply to become a TrustMark member please ring the NCCA office on 0116 271 9550 or email: admin@ncca.co.uk
NCCA Shop Are you making the most of your NCCA membership? Have you got an NCCA tie, badge, leaflets, survey forms or van stickers? To see all the NCCA items for sale, log on to the Members' Area of the NCCA website.
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One-man banned?
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Simon Winterburn (Eversheds LLP)
n August 2014 the Health and Safety Executive closed their consultation on the proposal to exempt self-employed people from section 3(2) of the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974 (“the Act”). The proposals followed a report written by Professor Löfstedt¹ which suggested that those whose workplace activities pose no potential risk of harm to others should be exempt from the general duty. The Deregulation Bill, the Bill containing the proposed amendment, entered the report stage at the House of Lords on 3 February 2015 with the amendment going to vote and being approved. This particular change is clearly pertinent to readers, whether you are self-employed, or deal with those who are. The current position The Act provides a broad definition of a selfemployed person: “A self-employed person means an individual who works for gain or reward otherwise than under a contract of employment, whether or not he himself employs others.” Currently, the general duties (under Sections 2 and 3 of the Act) apply equally to self-employed individuals, as they do to large multi-national or global employers. Proposed amendment Whilst the proposal does not put forward any changes to the 'self-employed' definition, it does propose to amend Section 3(2) HSWA to make selfemployed persons exempt from the general duty of care to non-employees.
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Whilst at first glance, this may appear a radical alteration; the amendment is limited in scope. There will be a prescribed list of activities for which Section 3 duties will still apply. The prescribed activities on the list include activities relating to asbestos work and work with electrical installations. Reaction Last month the Health and Safety Executive published their summary of responses to the consultation². The majority of responses came from health and safety consultants. The responses revealed that whilst most were happy about a limited list of prescribed activities, there was disagreement as to whether selfemployed persons would understand the rules about who was exempt. The general consensus was that self-employed people would assume they were exempt, even where they were not. To help the self-employed clarify if their undertaking fell in the list of prescribed activities awareness campaigns were suggested by respondents and, helpfully, a link to guidance on the HMRC website for self-assessment. One of the recurring comments in the responses to the consultation was that the change will result in additional expense for self-employed persons in obtaining advice to decide whether their activities fall within the regulated list or not. Comment Arguably, the amendments provide very little benefit for self-employed persons. Those involved
in high risk activities, where requirements are more restrictive and time-consuming, will not be exempt under the proposed changes. Only low risk activities will be exempt, where the general burden of health and safety compliance was less taxing anyway. The commentary above also ignores the fact that regardless of whether a duty exists or not, selfemployed people will still want to make sure that individuals are safe, and that no-one is put at risk from their activities. Further, those who are selfemployed will likely contract with larger organisations, who will want to know how the self-employed individual manages health and safety (regardless of whether any statutory duty is in force). The purpose for the change appears questionable. The accident statistics reported by the Health and Safety Executive in 2014 showed that self-employed individuals involved in accidents are generally in high risk sectors and will continue to not be exempt from section 3(2) by way of the specified list. The rate of fatal injuries for self-employed workers, when compared to those who are employed is, however, significantly higher. The rate for 2013/2014 for self-employed persons was 0.96 per 100,000 compared to 0.35 per 100,000 for employed persons³. The question therefore needs to be raised as to why the Government is looking to make such changes to loosen legislation on those who are most at risk. Whatever the reason for the change, it is now clear that in the near future self-employed
persons will not be required to meet the general duty under section 3(2) Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. What this means in practice, in terms of safety and day-to-day management, remains to be seen.
¹https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/syste m/uploads/attachment_data/file/66790/lofstedt -report.pdf ²http://www.hse.gov.uk/consult/condocs/cd273responses.pdf ³http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/pdf/fatalinjuri es.pdf
Why not write for Newslink? Contributions to Newslink from readers are always welcome, as are suggestions and new ideas. So.... if you fancy expanding your repertoire, why not put 'pen to paper' and add 'author of published article' to your skillset. Don't worry if you feel your writing skills are not up to the job, as all articles undergo an editing process before they are included. What we need from you is the knowledge and stories you undoubtedly have. We endeavour to publish all editorial received and all contributions will, of course, display your name as the author. If you feel you'd like to send something in, or have an idea, don't be shy, just give Nicky in the office a ring on 0116 271 9550 or email: nicky@ncca.co.uk We look forward to hearing from you.
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CLASSIFIEDS BUSINESS FOR SALE Small, long-established, reputable working carpet, upholstery and soft furnishings cleaning company. Essex based. Owner Operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Mobile HWE and dry cleaning system. Domestic and commercial clients. Genuine interested parties only please to call 07903 497298 and leave details. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Prochem 250 ft vacuum hoses for truck mount £150.00. Chemspec hose reel for truck mount plastic £200. Prochem sadle tank for truckmount 227 litre/60 gallons - £250.00. Contact aquadriinfo@btconnect.com for further information or contact Andy on: 07970 544806. BUSINESS FOR SALE Small long-established reputable NCCA registered working business, specialising carpet, upholstery and hard floor cleaning. Northumberland based owner/operator retiring. To be sold as a complete package only. Sign written 55 plate Iveco Daily van with fitted Prochem Blazer Truck Mount. High pressure and extraction hose reels complete with hoses, including wands, hard floor surface spinner 3 turbo dryers fans, 4 dehumidifiers, MMs Plus, Sebo vac and duo, Rotary scrubber, plus lots of other equipment and chemicals. Plus a fully SEO website. Genuine interested parties only please. Call 01670 787185. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Airflex Storm 800psi, Solution hose 25ft(high pressure), 25ft x 1.5" vacuum hose with 1.5" cuff fitted at each end, Westpak 4" stainless steel hand/detailer tool with splash guard, 6" stair tool, Upholstery Pro Sapphire Hand Tool, HOST Reliant agitator, Sebo BS36 upright vacuum cleaner, Dri-Eaz Air Mover Sahara E 3 speed, Magma heater 1313, Assorted horse hair brushes, Furniture Foam Snap Blocks x 360, Orion 6L Sprayer with nozzle set, 10 Litre Bucket x 2, Carpet Sliders x 8, pH Test Paper, Corner guard, Hose hook, Pumptec Powersprayer BOM, Mesh hose bag. Assorted cleaning chemicals - some opened. Bereavement forces sale. Cost: £4500 ONO (Bought as new in 2013 for £7500). All items used a maximum of 5 times so in 'as new' condition. Please contact Jamie Edmonds at: Jledmunds@hotmail.co.uk. Tel: 07795 546037. Items located in North Cornwall.
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EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Ashbys Sensei Carpet cleaning machine with dry cleaning facility, comes with dry clean hose and curtain hand tool and hose bag - £800.00. Dry fusion rotary machine with drive board - £600.00. Power flite 500psi twin vac carpet cleaning machine, only used as back up, two years old - £1400.00. Esprit Von Schrader upholstery machine still under warranty only used 5 times - £2500.00. Ashbys power brush £300.00. Ashbys spotting machine with hose and hand tool - £300.00. Ashbys V2 steam attachment only used twice - £300.00. All Items plus VAT. If interested please call Peter on 07866 905 424, or 0208 850 2085, or Email: peterscarpetcare@aol.co.uk Buyer collects from south east London. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE 3 Ozone plates 4'' x 6'' to fit Jetazone 600 ozone generator - £15.00 for the 3, plus £5.00 p & p. Please phone Pete Collins on 07885 804560. EQUIPMENT FOR SALE HOST freestyle (dry carpet cleaning system) VGC £1800... NO OFFERS. ASHBY'S NINJA 2X3 VAC 130psi (water heater needs fixing). Also included: 2 jet wands, separate v2 steam kit, 2x hoses, 2x bags, 2x carpet rakes, Kleenrite upholstery tool, Prochem power brush, 2x stair tools, 1x curtain tool. Excellent back-up machine, all can be used again after servicing - £950 o.n.o. TURBO air mover Sahara Pro - £85 o.n.o. Dowding & Plummer contrator400 carpet/floor scrubber/polisher (slow speed - 105 rpm approx.) including buckets with stand and mops and pads (also including a wet/dry vac). All can be used again after servicing - £450. Call Jon on 07736 512527 up to 8pm. Based in West Midlands. MACHINERY FOR SALE CFR Paramount 1000 PSI machine - delivering 1000 pressure per square inch. 95 litre recycling tank, great for commercial and domestic work £600.00 o.n.o. Contact davidkendall40@aol.com for further information or phone David on 07768 667824 or 01277 824546. TOOL AND CHEMICALS FOR SALE One 5.4kg tub of host powder (unopened). Retails at around £29 - only £12. Also Kleenrite curtain cleaning tool - £25.00. Contact Lester Gale (oxfordshire) 07949 207777.
CLASSIFIEDS FREE CLEANFAX MAGAZINES Andrew Hoyland, of carpet cleaning company Freshclean in Cheshire, is offering 75 FREE Cleanfax magazines (ranging from 1998 up to 2005) to anyone who can come and pick them up. They are a few years old but still full of very useful information for carpet cleaners. He lives in Lowton near Warrington. If interested please call Andrew on: 07973 399903 or email: hoylandandrew@hotmail.co.uk
VACANCY & BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY Experienced full time Carpet and Floor Care Technician required. Own van and equipment an advantage but not essential. Good business incentive package (profit share or buy in). Area coverage M4 corridor from Bristol to London. Apply by email to glynn.norcutt@gnccontractservices.com (with full CV, etc.) or telephone: 01672 871882 or mobile: 07831 172743.
JOB VACANCY (CARPET & UPHOLSTERY CLEANING TECHNICIAN) We are looking for an experienced, full time, Carpet & Upholstery Cleaning Technician to work for an independent specialist business in Norwich, Norfolk. Please contact Danny on 07716475415 to discuss further.
EQUIPMENT FOR SALE Victor Sprite 12" Rotory Machine. Used once. Was £855 - Accept £450. Collect from Coventry. Tel 02476 620444.
TRUCKMOUNT Banclene truckmount complete with base unit, stainless steel 80 gallon recovery tank, 100 gallon solution tank, 150 feet of vaccuum/solution hoses, floor, stair and various upholstery hand tools, inline heater and misc parts etc. The van has been sold separately. Selling due to retirement and will consider the highest offer. Call Derek at Aquamaster on 01845 537640 - mobile 07976 218304 or email: derek@aquamaster-yorkshire.co.uk EQUIPMENT FOR SALE - IDEAL FOR NEW BUSINESS Everything you need to start carpet cleaning, including: Ashbys Ninja adjustable up to 400psi with Dry Cleaning Functionality built in, 2 x25m vacuum hoses, 1 x silencer hose, 1 x wand, 1 x upholstery tool, 1 x dry cleaning solvent tool. Sebo Duo agitator. Sebo Vacuum BS36. 1.5hp blower dryer. Truvox high speed buffer. Prochem Stain Removal kit. 2 x 6 litres pressure sprayers. 1 x 1 litre upholstery/spot sprayer. 1 x vinyl mat for Ninja and 1 terrapaulin sheet. Huge array of chemicals including: Prochem Power Burst, Defoamer, Prochem Pre Spray Gold, Prochem Natural Carpet Cleaner, Ashby's supreme Anti Grease, Prochem Browning prescription, Prochem Fabric and Fibre Rinse, Ashby's Extra Fresh, Prochem Odour Fresh. Box of other bits including: shoe covers, brushes, polystyrene pads, measuring jugs, dry compound. All in excellent condition. Selling as my second business is consuming all of my time. Selling for £1950. Contact Richard on 07903 841534.
WANTED Extracta Scrubba powerbrush (the mid-range model) in good condition and working order. Please call Steve on 0797 121 2720, or 01626 830 121. VAN & TRUCK MOUNT + EQUIPMENT VAN: Fiat Ducato 35 Multijet LWB / Only 3,200 Miles / Taxed April 2015 / Ply Lined / Linex Coated / Shelving. TRUCK MOUNT: Phoenix 570i / Only 91 Hours / LPG Gas Conversion / All Tanks Hoses & Reels / Water Softener/Filter. EQUIPMENT: Evolution Wand / Pre Sprayer / Carpet Rack / Stair Tool / Upholstery Tool / Ramp / Von Schrader Esprit Dry Cleaner. Genuine enquiries only please. Mobile: 07775 507227. Email: re_nulife@btinternet.com
The Association advises that all goods are checked to be in a satisfactory condition, and comply to electrical and health and safety standards, etc. It is recommended that equipment serial numbers should be checked to ensure the seller is the legitimate owner. The Association accepts no responsibility or liability arising from any transaction or dispute between the buyer and seller.
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WHAT IS T.I.G? . A newly formulated tar, ink and grease
remover. . For oily stains other solvents can't remove. . Fast and effective on stains such as: NAIL VARNISH, PERMANENT MARKER PEN, BIRO etc. . For most textiles, carpets, hard surfaces and leather.
PLEASE CONTACT US FOR MORE DETAILS
Pre-test carefully according to industry standards before use. Chemspec Europe, Tong Park, Otley Road, Baildon, West Yorkshire, BD17 7QD. Tel: 01274 597333 Fax: 01274 597444 E-mail: info@chemspec-europe.com Website: www.chemspec-europe.com