October is...
Safe Work Australia Month The Volcano Art Award for Lead Paint Awareness
Toolbox Talks ‘The App Economy’ How to Make Lasting
Million Dollar Relationships
From the Editor EDITOR Nigel Gorman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Caroline Miall CONTRIBUTORS • Ann-Maree Russell • Caroline Miall • Colin Thompson • Daniel Wurm • Jennie Gorman • Jim Baker • Nigel Gorman • Scott Collins GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado
Hi Readers! We are rapidly hurtling towards Christmas already! How are your goals for 2013 going? Aussie Painters Network and neighbouring businesses are now settling nicely into our new abode, enjoying the autonomy of dedicated space and considering what challenges might soon accompany the New Year. October is 2013 Safe Work Australia Month, so in keeping, Aussie Painting Contractor has a bit of a Health and Safety theme this month. Keep reading for info on the Work Safe events and how you can get involved; go and ‘Like’ the Safe Work Australia Face book page or, to keep across the goings on in your state, even download the Work Safe Month App! (search for ‘Safety Month’ in itunes or Google Play) Read on for safety related articles about a unique Lead Awareness event, and how you can get your workplace cooperating towards safety, with Tool Talks. There’s loads more in this month, so have a flick through. And if you have any suggestions or issues to discuss, please give our new Manager, Colin Thompson, a call! He’ll be more than happy to help in any way he can.
Until next time Happy Painting!
Nigel Gorman nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
0430 399 800
Contents 6 National Safe Work Month
8 Volcano Art Prize 10
Industry Forecast
13
A CATC Design School open night
15
Small Business under Liberal
17
The App Economy
20
Workplace Health & Safety Forum
22
Niche Marketing
23
It Pays to know your stuff
24
Nana’s Home Remedies
27
Million Dollar Lasting Relationships
30
10 Simple Insurance Tips
32
Toolbox Talks
34
MPDA Training
35
Painters Edu Training
36
Industry Idiot
37
Important Contacts
Safe Work Australia Month
2013
Safe Work 2013 takes place in October.
Most work health and safety authorities across Australia will host safety awareness activities in October. Safe Work Australia has also developed its first safety month smart phone app to help users find safety events and activities throughout the month.
Get the picture. The event has been extended from its previous week long program following Safe Work’s success in 2012. Throughout October workers are encouraged to think about their most important reasons for staying safe at work.
Download it for Apple or Android. You can subscribe to them on facebook:
This year’s theme is Safety is a frame of mind.
Last year the event registered 699
Safety Ambassadors to champion the cause in their workplaces. The program provides online resources, Seminars and events, as well as hosting the Safety Ambassador of the Year Awards. Organisations can participate in gatherings to recognise the need for safe work practices, and vigilance on the part of the individual, in reducing the incidence of death, injury and disease.
www.facebook.com/SafeWorkAus?sk=wall To see whats happening in your state, go to: www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/sites/swa/mediaevents/safe-work-week/pages/jurisdiction-activities-2013
So far 116 Australian workers have been killed this year at work. Lets help Stop this number rising!
Safety is a frame of mind . . . Get the picture 6 | Aussie Painters Network
Just Released!!
The Aussie Painters Network App Just search the App Store or Google Play for Aussie Painters Network.
2013 October Issue | 7
‘Picture This’
A Lead Safe Future! The Lead Group holds its annual Volcano Art Prize to raise lead awareness A unique digital art competition is about to be judged in Sydney that is of particular interest to some in our industry - in which artwork submissions feature a lead safety theme! The inspirational event has been organised by the Lead Group – an environmental health charity. Thirteen winning entries will illustrate a Lead-Safe World Calender/Art Catalogue which will be sold to raise money for lead & lead poisoning awareness. One of the suggested themes is “In our lead-safe future, the only source of lead in air, will be volcanoes” presumably where the title of the comp has been borrowed from.
Keep an eye out for the calendar and get yourself a copy. You’d be supporting a very worthwhile cause that is sorely underfunded. Check out past winners here http://volcanoartprize. com/previous-winners/. They’re amazing visual displays that help to expose the real modern problems with lead and all the places it can still be found. You might be surprised; I was! For more info, to vote for your favourite, or purchase a calendar, go to: http://volcanoartprize.com/
Volcano Art Prize (VAP) is an annual digital image competition for environmental art organised by The LEAD Group – an environmental health charity [ABN 25 819 463 114 ] – in which 13 winning entries will be chosen to illustrate a Lead-Safe World CALENDAR (which also serves as an Art Prize Catalogue) to be sold to raise money for lead-awareness.
8 | Aussie Painters Network
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www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au 07 30401234 or 0430 399 800 info@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au 2013 October Issue | 9
Painting Industry Forecast What are the top issues affecting the painting industry over the coming year? The National Institute of Painting and Decorating looks ahead to 2014. Employment Employment across the construction sector is expected to grow by 1.5% a year through to 2016 according to the Construction and Property Services Industry Skills Council, with painters expected to be in the top ten jobs in demand by 2026, ahead of all other finishing trades. The demand for painters is expected to rise to 7740 vacancies per year by 2025. (Source CPSISC Environmental Scan 2013-14) Click Here This demand for skilled painters will be fuelled by a combination of strong population growth and low interest rates, leading to a recovery in the residential building sector, with 164,000 new homes to be built every year for the next ten years, according to the Centre for International Economics. CPSISC says that improving skills would help drive growth. Strategies include making vocational training more relevant to employers. The National Institute of Painting and Decorating anticipates the decrease in mining industry investment to flow through to the painting industry in 2014, because many mining infrastructure projects are reaching the peak for painting only now. In 2013 NIPD launched its new Protective
10 | Aussie Painters Network
Coatings Course for painters using industrial coatings on commercial and mining projects. Demand for painters is still very strong in Gladstone, Mackay, Bundaberg, Darwin and Canberra. National Licensing The body responsible for national licensing is the National Occupational Licensing Authority. It has yet to decide on if, or how, national licensing will be implemented for painters. The Building Commission in Victoria has changed its stance on this issue and now supports licensing for sub-trades. Conditions or restrictions on existing licences will be transitioned to the equivalent national licence. In working out the equivalent national licence for individual licence holders the jurisdictional regulators are working on a “no disadvantage” principle. This means if you are licensed to perform a particular scope of work, your new national licence/s will entitle you to carry out this work anywhere in Australia without needing to satisfy any further licence eligibility or training requirements. If the completion of a course or apprenticeship was required in your State or Territory before the commencement of national licensing to obtain a licence, in transitioning to the national licensing scheme,
your apprenticeship or course will be accepted as a valid qualification for an equivalent national licence under the National Law. “National Licensing will be good for the industry because it will allow painters to work in any state, reduce compliance costs, red-tape and standardise the quality of work. At the moment there is a huge disparity between the states like Queensland where painters must be fully qualified and complete training in business management to get a license; and Tasmania where anyone can slap a sign on their car and call themselves a painter”, comments Daniel from NIPD. “Painters who are already licensed will be issued with the new licenses when they renew license, but how licensing is implemented in the states, where it currently does not exist, remains to be seen. At the moment it’s a free for all, and that is causing problems for consumers and employers. We want a strong industry that supports high standards. Painters who are licensed are more likely to work safer, and be able to run a business well. Better regulation means higher standards, and higher pay for everyone.” For more information on licensing, employment, training, business; and to watch ‘how-to’ videos on everything to do with painting,
www.painters.edu.au
Aussie App Store
Why go mobile? • Over 8.5 million smartphones are in use in Australia today • 98% of them are used at home, 85% on the go and 73% at work • 94% have been used to research products or services • 78% visit social networks • 74% never leave home without it. • 63% have performed a search on their mobile after seeing an offline ad • 59% make mobile purchases at least once a month • 58% access the Internet every day on their smartphone • 48% look for local info at least once a week, 18% look daily. 43% search Restaurants, Pubs, Bars
12 | Aussie Painters Network
1300 494 188 • info@aussieappstore.com.au
www.AussieAppStore.com.au
What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up?
CATC Design School Do you still ask yourself these sorts of questions? This question came to my mind, just recently, when I spent an evening at the CATC (Commercial Arts Training College) Design School open night, in Brisbane. Despite the time required for my career in Real Estate, my Cape Cod Designs business, mothering and planning my next house build, I found myself seriously asking myself if I could find a way to also squeeze in a Diploma of Interior Decoration and Design, from the CATC Design School in Brisbane. Could I? C’mon A-M, it’s only 20 hours a week part time! … life is short! I attended on an evening when classes were actually in full swing. Never have I experienced such a vibrant learning environment. … groovy music, colour everywhere, smiling, happy people. Certainly leaves the old UQ Biol Sciences Library, of 30 years ago, for dead. Seriously, I am sure all the campuses would be the same. There are campuses in Brisbane, on the Gold Coast and in Sydney and Melbourne too. The CATC Design School offers education opportunities in Interior Design, Graphic Design and Photography. It’s vocational education and training (VET), which is skills-based and industry-focussed … very hands on … similar to the days of masters and apprentices, where you’d learn a trade and develop your skills under the watchful eye of a master craftsman. It provides an environment which encourages deliberate practice and experimentation, a place in which, if you put the work in, you can’t technically fail … where the worst that can happen is it might take a little more effort to achieve the result you are after.
You are encouraged to jump right in, actively look for ways to improve your skills and knowledge, make mistakes, learn from them, embrace your creativity and original thinking. You are taught to think creatively and practise constructively. Speaking of ‘master craftsmen’, the Program Manager of the CATC Brisbane Interior Design School is Jane Flemming, who has degrees in Architecture, Industrial Design and Interior Design. Jane has practised as an architect for over 20 years, taught Interior Design and Architecture all over the world, and her goal at CATC is ‘to help every student find their inner design diva and help them change the world – one interior space at a time’. Can you see why I was lining to sign up?!! The Diploma of Interior Decorating and Design can be taken full time over a year, or part time, over two years. For part time you are looking at about a 20 hour a week commitment…. 2 nights a week, from 6-9pm, about 4 hours of online contact and then about another 10 hours of practice and study at home. You can change from FT to PT or PT to FT and they are so flexible that if you need to be even more ‘part time’ they can work around your needs. I asked all the serious questions. “For someone like me, who is doing everything already, could you structure a ‘part, part time’ timetable for me”. The answer was yes. Scheme,.. scheme!
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What Do You Want To Be When You Grow Up? They have 3 intakes a year and work over 3 trimesters. It’s intense and fast moving. In the Interior Design course you learn to evaluate, formulate and implement creative design solutions to meet the functional and aesthetic needs of your clients. You use all the latest software … Auto CAD, Adobe products (Photoshop), In Design, Sketch Up … and for those who fear technology on a larger scale, there are heaps of tutorials and all the help you could possibly need in embracing the ‘tools of the trade’, so to speak! You get to explore the relationship of interior design to decorative styles, architectural styles, material and finishes, technology and environmental considerations, with career opportunities ranging from Design Consultancy (in interior design studios, architects studios, on film sets, in interior consultancy firms and with building companies), Colour Consultancy, Interior Styling, Interior Decorator for decoration consultancies, furniture, furnishings and fabric suppliers, furnishing departments of retail stores …. also with skills in CAD operation, 3D operation and sustainability that sit alongside the designer and decorator roles. The course is being continually updated to embrace industry styles and trends and even this year has been modified to include a stronger focus on kitchens, bathrooms and furniture. You walk out of the joint totally industry ready and also totally competent to set yourself up in a freelance capacity if your heart so desires. So, maybe you’re working in the Painting and Decorating Industry, and looking to expand on your skills in a creative and challenging direction...? for more information, you can head to their website
www.catc.edu.au/about-catc Anne-Maree Russell PO Box 660, Bulimba, QLD, 4171
14 | Aussie Painters Network
The new
Small Business Portfolio Many small business owners would be feeling some relief with the latest move of the Small Business portfolio to ‘cabinet’ status under the new Abbott Government. Minister for Small Business Bruce Billson has taken the area into the Department of Treasury in recognition of the economic impact of the sector. The Small Business share of private sector employment has dropped from 53 per cent to well under 50 per cent since 2007 and there are 3000 fewer small businesses employing people, according to Coalition. “The Hon Bruce Billson MP is an evangelist for small business and will drive the Government’s small business agenda.” Says Abbott. The department had received reports from many people that the ATO’s treatment has been inequitable to small business; refusing to issue ABNs or withdrawing them from those deemed to be ‘employees’ rather than independent contractors. They say that many of actions of the former government was designed to force employee-employer relationships, making self employed people in particularly vulnerable to being in ‘Sham Contract’ arrangements so employers did not have to pay such entitlements as sick leave or super. The legislation acted as a deterrent for practicing correct procedures. The Abbott Government says it will strive to return to an approach of encouraging contractors and self-employed, supporting those enterprising individuals to make a contribution to the economy. Here’s hoping that their changes do translate to make life a little simpler for the business owner and Independent Contractor to run their businesses successfully.
2013 October Issue | 15
Introducing
Jason has been playing the professional circuit for over 15 years. He was the winner of the 2010 Victorian Open, the 2007 Western Australian PGA & the 2007 New South Wales Open. We’re proud to be sponsoring him and look forward to seeing Jason sporting our logo!
Members of Aussie Painters Network will be in draw to play a round with Jason in your state...
16 | Aussie Painters Network
The App Economy Keeping your customers ‘Appy’ - Why so many businesses are going the way of the App. How quickly we went from the old Motorola brick to the Smart devices that are so prevalent now! When Apple launched ITunes in 2008, apps were in (big) business... And soon the Android (non-apple, open source, smart phones) equivalent - Google Play’s success is set to rival it. Driven by a rapidly growing mobile workforce, faster access on the run - 3G, 4G, Cloud computing, those inexpensive and often clever little software programs have already had a massive impact on our personal and professional lives, turning our hand held devices into comprehensive little computers, entertainment systems, and an office on the run. Consider for a moment how many apps you have on your phone; from games and music to productivity and health related apps. Nowadays, there’s an app for every occasion, and that is exactly how Apple has marketed them. Some are useful; some are plain off the wall, some are free game apps which become a merchandising monster for the kids! Come up with the right idea, there’s a fortune to be made. A businesses’ purpose for apps can be broad and maybe still yet to really be comprehended as the nature of markets and industries continue to change. From a shop front, to contacting business directly, or providing GPS directions
to your door, it could soon be as imperative for a business to have an app, as it is to have a phone number. The possibilities for mobile apps in the construction industry are great, providing the ability to collate data easily on mobile devices. Challenges to be met still are really effective integration of collated data with existing platforms and back office structures. Organisations are also increasingly utilising apps as their main digital presence, and building their own internal app network to manage employees and coordinate PCs and mobile devices. Or they’re utilising the ability of the App to pull together all their social media communications; Facebook, linkedin, Youtube, etc.,
Some are already heralding new app developments will cause the inevitable ‘death of the PC’. So, once again it’s an exciting transitionary time for business and technology. Smart phones have taken the computer to the streets; Anywhere, anytime personal computing. The ‘app economy’ will continue to transform how we buy and use software, as individuals and as businesses. According to Software Consultancy Co, AppNation the app economy is forecast to double to $151bn in the US alone by 2017.
2013 October Issue | 17
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2013 October Issue | 19
Workplace
Health & Safety Forum
On the 24th of September I attended a breakfast forum on Occupational Health and Safety run by Davidson Recruitment and The Safety Institute of Australia. The two organisations partnered to create an opportunity to discuss the challenges that we as professionals may encounter. I found it quite informative. The two guest speakers gave the audience an insight into their respective journeys through their careers and how and why they ended up in the positions they have in O.H&S. The first guest was Jo Kitney, a nurse from a major hospital in England. She described a time when she was wheeling a patient down a hallway when an oxygen bottle fell off the trolley. It could have had disasterous concequencies had the top of the bottle been damaged. The gravity of the incident sparked an occupation in health and safety. Jo has had various roles, ranging from state WHS Manager for CCIQ and Safety Team Leader for Brisbane City Council. She now is the Director of Kitney OHS and is also a Business Mentor with Queenslands Mentoring for Growth program. The second speaker, David Skegg, is a past president of the Safety Institue of Australia and is now in executive management with OHS. David has had many positions in his career from working in mines to company management and tends to be rather practical about the OHS Industry. David expressed that to some degree we have lost the plot with OHS and need more common scence with some of the issues. He thinks that so called experts are making rules and regulations without speaking to the people at the coal face. Here are some of Davids OHS definitions.
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Safe: The level of risk you are prepared to accept Hazard: A source of potentially damaging energy Risk: The chance of unwanted outcomes Emergency: An event beyond the apparent capability of immediate resources to mitigate ongoing damage Disaster: An event that is beyond all available local resources to mitigate ongoing damage We need to think about these definitions and to think things through carefully before we do some of the silly and dangerous things we do on our job sites. You may remember one of our recent “Industry Idiot” photos of a dangerous scaffold setup on a local Brisbane job site. Obviously someone trying to save some money or hadn’t factored in the cost of scaffolding for the job. The dodgy set up, which included a large part of the structure resting on an small piece of wood holding up the antenna, could easily have resulted in a serious injury or even the death of a worker if the ‘scaffold’ collapsed. October is Safe Work Month, so have a think about your own job and whether you ever put yourself or others at unnecessary risk. And to assist our readers in knowledge and compliancy, over the coming months, look out for articles on some of the current work health and safety legislation; So we can all be aware of our responsibilities under OHS to protect ourselves and our staff. Colin Thompson Aussie Painters Network 0433 724 794 For information on similar upcoming events in your state go to: http://www.sia.org.au/about
How much does your business need to earn to cover its expenses?
www.mytools4business.com/myhourlyratecalculator
Need an Employee? Looking for a Job?
2013 October Issue | 21
Niche Marketing How do you market yourself? Do you do anything differently from other painting companies? Do you even give it much thought?
Recently I was fortunate enough to meet Ron Chapman from Ron & Robin Painters and Decorators, a gay company based in Melbourne. Ron says ‘Being gay is an advantage in the painting and decorating business’. When Ron goes to quote a job, he ‘camps it up’ a bit and makes it clear he is gay. This makes the women feel more comfortable and apparently, the husbands, more at ease. They proudly display their ‘rainbow flag’, (which is the symbol of ‘gaydom’) from their work vehicles. Ron and his partner Robin Ganser, started their business in 1990 in Melbourne by targeting the gay community. They continued this for years and then discovered there was a much bigger market called the ‘heterosexual’ community. Their business is thriving and to date they have put through nine apprentices.
Victoria Waring, from MsFix http://www.msfix.com. au/about-ms-fix is another company that cleverly promotes her ‘all-girl’ organisation. Women in painting can be a great asset often being meticulous and having an understanding of what a female client wants. An award winning painter, Victoria is on the Dulux Accredited Advisory Board and has been featured in many publications including the Highlife magazine. They have also been featured on ACA for lending a helping hand in the community. As you can see, both companies have a ‘point of difference’ and they promote it to the fullest. If you do something that is different, or you specialise in a particular area - wallpapering, texturing, driveway stencilling, etc, then use it to your advantage. There are thousands of companies that advertise; so how do you get a customer to choose you? Stand out from the crowd, distinguish yourself in a great way, and back yourself up with great skills and professionalism. Jim Baker www.mytools4business.com
‘My Costing Guide’ is a fully automated program where all you have to do is add or change the variables and the total price will appear in an instant. It is simple to use and can be personalised to your own business.
22 | Aussie Painters Network
www.mytools4business.com/mycostingguide
It Pays To Know Your stuff! How crucial it can be to know what you’re doing, and keep across changing guidelines, particularly in light of technology and product development. A job I did many years ago as part of a contract involved coating one hundred table tops for a science laboratory in a university to make them resistant to acids etc. The Architect for the contract really should have done a bit more research‌ he found a Procedures in the archives and insisted that the following process was to be used. There was no arguing apparently. There were three different solutions made up for the whole job and they were mixed up by the university as you had to be a chemist to procure some of the ingredients for each solution. The solutions were named; Solution one, Two & Three. The process required two coats of each solution with Solution One to be applied at boiling point so the university had to supply a small hot plate and a two litre container to pour the solution into so it could be heated before application. After applying the six coats of solution the tables then required a coat of a 50/50 mix of terebine and linseed oil. The end result was the timber turned black and sticky because of the oil. After sitting them outside under cover for two months, I was then asked to rub them all down with steel wool and more terebine to dry the surface. The whole process took several weeks and I went through about four pairs of overalls as the solutions would eat through the material and leave holes everywhere and I had to wear rubber gloves. Such a lot of work effort and expense for this job, when two or three coats of a urethane would have done the job, been less expensive and the tables could have been used immediately! Colin Thompson colin@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
2013 October Issue | 23
Nanna’s
Home Remedies Scott Collins BHSc Naturopathy
One of my earliest memories is of my Nanna removing glass from my foot with some black tarry looking stuff to draw it out. The funny thing she can’t remember what it was or even doing it. So today I thought I would write about the old remedies our ancestors used. Today would you even think about whipping out your mortar and pestle and adding some eye of newt and tongue of frog, not in your fat nelly? Today we are more likely to duck into the pharmacy and ask one of the all knowing staff for a modern potion. When you think back our ancestors were really very resourceful and they really had to be, as there were no fancy medicines or antibiotics to be had. I mean really think way back even as early as the pre 1940’s. When I was studying I remember reading about how soldiers coming off the battlefield were plastered in garlic to prevent a wound from festering. Even during
24 | Aussie Painters Network
the Black Plague it was said that those who survived were consuming large quantities of garlic. Garlic is one of my favourite home remedies whenever there is a need to boost the immune system. More recently I have become a fan of green clay, there are many tales throughout the world that talk of using clays to heal and rejuvenate the body. I have taken to soaking in a clay bath, it is said to have detoxifying effects on the body. Jason Eyton (a green clay expert) talks about clays being one of the most effective ways to eliminate toxins from the body.
Now my Nanna never really told me of all her secret tricks and tools in her home medicine chest but there are few of my own that I have picked up along the way. I am a big fan of herbal medicines, as a Naturopath we studied herbal medicine extensively. Now I don’t expect you to be an expert but you can add herbs to life in many ways. As mentioned above garlic is one such herb, but there are many others. You may not need to know what they do but you can sure add them to meals quite easily.
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2013 October Issue | 25
Nanna’s Home Remedies Ginger has many historical uses, from reducing nausea, assisting circulation, put heat into the body and modern science indicates it can help reduce cholesterol too. Liquorice root is another very cool herb and I am not talking about the kind you would grab from the corner store. Liquorice has been used to help with stress, the immune system, inflammation but they suggest not consuming too much if you have high blood pressure. You only have to look around and you will find a natural pharmacy of plant based medicine right at your fingertips. Simply start by adding herbs to your food and replacing coffee and tea with herbal teas instead. You might find that these easy steps could be the change you have been looking for. When clients come into the clinic we often will hand make personalised medicines just for them. Each client’s needs are different and it’s a great way to start using natural medicines in daily life.
Scott Collins +61 411 740 222 info@scottcollins.com.au
www.scottcollins.com.au
www.facebook.com/ScottCollinsNaturopath
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Million Dollar Lasting Relationships Building relationships
with people that will last, creating win-win connections with those who will become your ‘raving fans’..good relationship building is based on a few simple rules. Firstly, you need to establish trust. I ask you, do you trust yourself and your ability to make good judgments? Trust is all about knowing yourself and how authentic you come across to people meeting you for the first time. Do you give the feeling to others that you are someone who can be relied upon and can keep their word? Do you have faith and belief in others? Can you be relied upon to do the right thing?
These are all questions one needs to ask oneself when looking at the basics in relationship building. By trusting someone it does not necessarily mean that that person is trustworthy. Being too trusting without thinking about it carefully can sometimes be dangerous. There are people who gain trust and then break it, so you need to
use discretion on where you give your trust. To remember important dates and significant events in another’s life can show your awareness of them. I believe building your credibility is the next thing to look at when creating solid relationships. Your credibility is how your words and deeds are seen by others. Are you trustworthy and do you have the expertise on the subject you are talking about? To gain credibility in the business world you need to prove it by the way you act as well as knowing that the information you pass on is correct and reliable. People will view you by the company you keep and what is perceived as your established reliability. How you treat others is a reflection on you as a person. It has been said that ‘one should treat others as they would like to be treated’. I disagree with this statement. I believe that we ‘should treat others as they would like to be treated’. This is better from my perspective, as the first way is assuming that the person has the same values as you
yourself. The way I would like to be treated would be very different from many other people. Take for example, the giving of a gift. How many times have you been given a gift by someone who gives what they like and is their taste, but quite contrary to your own? It is very easy to assume what others like. The only way to truly know what someone likes is to listen to what they say, watch how they live and observe how they do things. I believe that making a habit of acknowledging people is a wonderful attribute to have. Making others feel good and worthwhile helps create a relationship. We are not aware, I believe, to what is going on in others lives and praise or kindness can change a person’s life dramatically if they are someone who does not get enough of this in their life. It must be sincere though and come ‘from the heart’. Observing people and acknowledging what they are doing or have created can be very powerful. It is important that we create win-win situations in all our relationships.
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Tipping Competition Weekly Prizes up
Tipping Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 Round 10 Round 11 Round 12 Round 13 Round 14 Round 15 Round 16 Round 17 Round 18 Round 19 Round 20 Round 21 Round 22 Round 23 Round 24 Round 25
Smith, Chris Palmer, Darlene Brown, Glen Blake, Colin Van Didden, Bill Gorman, Nigel Fisher, Scott Blake, Colin Walters, Alan Freeman, Paul Bradley, Donna Van Didden, Bill Robertson, John Kelly, Harry Anderson, Peter Walters, Alan Bradley, Donna Walters, Alan Paulson, James Llewellyn, Dianne Walters, Alan Llewellyn, Dianne Palmer, Darlene Draw Smith, Chris
Tipping Round 1 Round 2 Round 3 Round 4 Round 5 Round 6 Round 7 Round 8 Round 9 Round 10 Round 11 Round 12 Round 13 Round 14 Round 15 Round 16 Round 17 Round 18 Round 19 Round 20 Round 21 Round 22 Round 23
Brown, Glen Girvin, John Peterson, Grant Brown, Glen Brown, Glen Rackley, Clayton Francisco, Liam Draw Kelly, Harry Anderson, Peter Freeman, Paul Freeman, Paul Fisher, Scott Nettle, Terry Freeman, Paul Francisco, Liam Draw Draw Rackley, Clayton Smith, Chris Gorman, Nigel Kelly, Harry Chesterman, Brett
Congratulations to our Winners of this year’s Footy Tipping Competition. AFL Winners 1st Darlene Palmer, 2nd Alan Walters, 3rd Bill Van Didden. All of which are from Western Australia. NRL Winners 1st John Girvin, 2nd Caroline Miall, 3rd Fabian Zaini
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Million Dollar Lasting Relationships To remember important dates and significant events in another’s life can show your awareness of them. It nice to be remembered on your birthday or anniversary or if your work mates and friends acknowledge something you have done well? We are sometimes very aware of what is not necessary to remember, and all too often forget the significant times in people’s lives. Bringing joy and happiness to others lives can be very easy and simple. Like a smile, it is free! If you want to create solid lasting relationships, be prepared to invest time and energy into that relationship. Take the first step … don’t wait for the other to take that first action. Relationships that last and are productive for both sides are worth the time and energy that one needs to put into them. So remember these attributes: trust, credibility, the way you treat and acknowledge others, by remembering important dates and events as well as investing time and energy, are all the basic ingredients to building relationships that last forever.
Jennie Gorman
www.connexionsunlimited.com.au
• • • • • • • for more details, visit our website!
www.paintershrpolicies.com 2013 October Issue | 29
Insurance for Painters
Ten Tips...
Sometimes it seems like insurance companies go out of their way to make things confusing or to ask strange questions. So here are 10 easy ways to get more out of your insurance, or to avoid common pitfalls that could leave you in the lurch.
1. Giving up smoking.
After 12 months off the smokes your life insurance or income protection insurance can become significantly cheaper.
2. Remember your subbies.
6. Accurate Numbers.
By giving an accurate number for your total business turnover and an accurate number of staff you can make sure you’re not paying extra rates for no reason.
7. Protect Yourself.
Most painters these days have liability insurance for their business, income insurance for their health and WorkCover for their staff. If you want to cover yourself or the directors from OH&S breaches or from alleged discrimination, then a management liability policy may be in order.
By telling your WorkCover & Liability insurers if you use sub-contractors & what percentage of your gross turnover you pay them, they will usually give you extra insurance coverage for personal injury to subcontractors, which is usually not covered.
3. Consider what you do.
If you do something special, you should tell your WorkCover & Liability insurers. Things like lead paint removal, handyman work or interior design are not insured by default as they are not considered part of being a painter. Once you tell your insurer they will often improve your insurance to cover that work as well for a small cost.
4. Overspray.
8. Premium Verses Excess.
A common way to decrease your insurance costs is to raise your excess – the amount you opt to pay in a claim yourself – as it shows the insurers that you do not intend to make small or frequent claims.
If you do any spray-painting, check your Liability insurance. Some insurers will limit, charge additional excesses during a claim or not insure spray-painting at all. To see if you have limits on your spray-painting work you can check your business description (eg: Painter excluding spray-painting) or look for endorsements (eg: “Exterior Overspray Exclusion”).
9. Automatic Benefits & Optional Benefits.
5. Working from heights.
There is a common misunderstanding about trailers. If your trailer is registered, then it will usually need commercial vehicle insurance like a sedan, ute or truck. Tools kept within your trailer can be insured under ‘Tools of Trade’ or ‘General Property’ insurance, but not under ‘commercial vehicle’ insurance.
Many insurance policies will limit your insurance coverage when you begin to work 10, 15 or 25 meters from the ground. If you do work from cherry pickers or from ropes it would be worth making sure your insurance covers you in those situations.
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Most insurance policies will come with automatic benefits – benefits that are included for free, and with optional benefits – benefits you can choose to add. Being aware of these can allow you to claim on many more situations where you experience a loss.
10. Trailers
www.consolidatedi .com.au Phone: +61 7 3292 1100 Fax: +61 7 3292 1110 Email: contactus@consolidatedi.com.au
2013 October Issue | 31
Toolbox Talks Toolbox talks are simply a short staff meeting where a particular topic is discussed, usually relating to workplace health & Safety, or relating to such issues on a particular job. An opportunity for staff to ask questions in an open forum and discuss any issue or concern they have with regard to health and safety in their work environment. Regular scheduling of a toolbox meeting helps you to keep across training & procedures your business needs to function safely; It could be a demo of the safe use of equipment, CPR, work at heights, ladder safety. It doesn’t need to be a long drawn out occasion, 15-20 min. a fortnight or month could do it. Enough time for a supervisor to give some emphasis to the gravity of a particular issue or procedure. Loads of resources (proformas, agendas etc) available to guide you in the process of holding effective Tool-talk
32 | Aussie Painters Network
meetings, and Aussie Painters Network will be making some industry specific ones available to Members soon. If you have a larger firm, there are some resources and organisations out there to help hit home the message with staff. Like a presentation at the Spinal Association I went to last year; Some passionate gentleman sharing an incredible journey and a very serious message. Their job is now to go to workplaces and schools to talk about their accidents and help avoid them for others. Consider a visit like this to yours. The best way to ensure the process is worthwhile for your business is encourage workers to ask questions and discuss situations they have been in. The more they are invested in the process, the better it will be for all of your staff and business. The greater their understanding.. The greater their understanding is of health and safety the stronger your business will be for it.
2013 October Issue | 33
Training Schedule Course
Date
Time
Establish Legal and Risk Management
25,26,27 Nov.
5.00pm to 8.30pm
Requirements of Small Business
2,3,4 Dec.
5.00pm to 8.30pm
Prepare Surfaces for Painting PRB
1,2 October
5.00pm to 8.30pm
Colour & Wall Papering
7 Oct. – Rev*
8.00am to 12.00pm
8 Oct. - Exam
8.00am to 12.00pm
9 Oct. - Resit
8.00am to 12.00pm
Identify and Produce Estimated cost
15,16 Oct.
8.00am to 4pm
for building & construction projects
22,23 Oct.
8.00am to 4pm
28,29,30 Oct.
5.00pm to 8.30pm
4,5,6 Nov.
5.00pm to 8.30pm
11,12,13 Nov.
5.00pm to 8.30pm
26,27 Nov.
8.00am to 4pm
10,11 Dec.
8.00am to 4pm
Course in Sustainable Painting Practices
12-Nov
8.00am to 4.00pm
Remove Graffiti & Apply Protective Coatings
26,27 Nov.
8.00am to 4pm
Course in Restricted Asbestos Removal
13-Nov
8.00am to 4.00pm
The Queen of Hearts requests you attend Master Painters and Decorators Australia and ReddiFund
Saturday 26 October 2013 Crown Perth Tickets available early September Register your interest now and secure your seats!! Contact Ashlee Marcon, Events Manager on 9471 6667 or ashleem@mpawa.asn.au
34 | Aussie Painters Network
Training Schedule Date
Course
State
Oct 1 Advanced Estimating and Tendering ($400) Melbourne rd Oct 3 Apply Wallpaper Melbourne Oct 19-26th Small Business Management Marion Movie Industry Set Finishing Gold Coast Oct 22-25th th Estimating and Tendering for Painters - Advanced ($395) Melbourne Oct 17 th Advanced Wallpapering, All Trades Training Ballarat Oct 19 th Apply Paint by Brush and Roller/ Learn to Paint Elizabeth East Nov 4-18 th Protective Coatings Perth Nov 17-18 th Safe Lead Paint and Asbestos Work Practices Perth Nov 29-30 th Prepare Surfaces & Repairs to Gyprock Walls Elizabeth East Dec 2-16 th Small Business Management Elizabeth Dec 7-14 TBA Safe Lead Paint and Asbestos Painting Practices Nauru st
On-line Courses WorkCover White Card - On-line, $80 Apprenticeships (on-line) fully funded in Queensland Small Business Management (on-line) for SA license. Subsidised by CITB New: Certificate III Painting and Decorating Apprenticeship, on-line, starts January 2014 in SA, VIC and WA
EWP Yellow Card, Sydney, on demand ($250) Painters Business Management Course (distance learning) on demand. Suitable for BSA Queensland license ($290)
National Institute of Painting and Decorating T 1300 319790 | E : admin@painters.edu.au | www.painters.edu.au
Certificate III Painting and Decorating now subsidised in VIC, SA and QLD. Free for painters over 50.* Conditions apply 2013 October Issue | 35
The Industry Idiots
36 | Aussie Painters Network
Important Contacts Aussie Painters Network www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
Ph. 0430 399 800
Master Painters & Decorators Australia www.masterpainters.asn.au Ph. 08 9471 6662 National Institute for Painting and Decorating www.painters.edu.au Australian Tax Office www.ato.gov.au
Award Rates www.fairwork.gov.au
Ph. 13 72 26 / Ph. 13 28 65 Ph. 13 13 94
Fair Work Building & Construction www.fwbc.gov.au Ph. 1800 003 338 Mates In Construction www.matesinconstruction.com.au
Ph. 1300 642 111
Workplace Health and Safety Contacts STATE ACT NSW NT QLD SA VIC WA
Website www.worksafe.act.gov.au www.workcover.nsw.gov.au www.worksafe.nt.gov.au www.deir.qld.gov.au www.safework.sa.gov.au www.worksafe.vic.gov.au www.safetyline.wa.gov.au
Phone (02)62073000 13 10 50 1800 019 115 1300 369 915 1300 365 255 1800 136 089 1300 307 877
Cancer Council Australia ACT NSW NT QLD SA VIC WA
www.actcancer.org www.cancercouncil.com.au www.cancercouncilnt.com.au www.cancerqld.org.au www.cancersa.org.au www.cancervic.org.au www.cancerwa.asn.au
(02) 6257 9999 (02) 9334 1900 (08) 8927 4888 (07) 3634 5100 (08) 8291 4111 (03) 9635 5000 (08) 9212 4333 2013 October Issue | 37
Two Tier Membership
Join us today! 07 30401234 or 0430 399 800 info@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
www.aussiepaintingcontractor.com