How to avoid the
CREDIT CRUNCH Credit landscape looks riskier... Why goals are key to building a SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
5 XERO Mistakes Business Owners Make
Allowing Ourselves to Feel Joy During the Day
www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
Many great careers start with a Pathway. Whether that be, beginning your Apprenticeship whilst still at school, or by finding an employer ready to take you on from the very start. Become a Painting Apprentice
A painting apprenticeship takes 3 to 4 years to complete dependant on the individual student. They get paid as they learn rather than building up a debt by going to university. An apprentice learns the theory behind painting as well as the practical application of working with others on the job.
Become a Qualified Painter
After completing an apprenticeship, you become a qualified painter. You can continue working for painting companies or building companies on wages for as long as you like. Your wage should increase as you now have your qualification.
Become a Painting Business Owner
After completing your apprenticeship this is where you take the leap of working for yourself and potentially put on staff and your own apprentice. At this point we recommend that you contact Aussie Painters Network as well as other organisations and associations.
Are you running a Painting Business? See how we can assist you in growing your business with apprentices!
From the
Editor
CONTRIBUTORS • Andy Smith
Hey Everyone, Welcome to the April 2021 Edition of the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine. What a month it has been, the Painters Training Wheels has covered over 5000km throughout Qld, conducted training with 30 apprentices over the 2 weeks of traveling. This time we did something a little different. Whilst in Hervey Bay, the apprentices as part of their training did some tidy up work at the Hervey Bay Seagulls Rugby League Clubhouse. It was great to have the apprentices doing training in a real-life situation. We are going to try doing more community-based training projects. If you are involved in a club in Qld and would like to discuss some painting maintenance work, please contact us. Between the time away traveling, APN started a CSQ funded program with 7 participants wanting to get apprenticeships within the painting industry. The program is a 5-week unpaid program with a potential apprenticeship as the outcome. For more info read the article within. I hope everyone has a Happy Easter and a bit of a break.
• Anthony Igra • Brendan Bower • Helen Kay • Jim Baker • Leo Babauta • Monroe Porter • Ryan Hoy • Robert Bauman • Sandra Price • Vanessa Petch EDITOR Nigel Gorman
Till next time, Happy Painting!!
GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado
Nigel Gorman
nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
07 3555 8010
Advertise with us...
1800 355 344 07 3555 8010 info@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
www.aussiepaintingcontractor.com
Contents 06
Why Goals are Key to Building a SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS
09
Construction Insurance
12
So many changes!
17 18
22 24
28
PAINTING YOURSELF into a corner
31
DIRTY DEEDS: Insulting payment offers and Deeds of Release
34
5 XERO MISTAKES Business Owners Make and How To Avoid Them
36
How to be a Better Supervisor
38
Allowing Ourselves to Feel Joy During the Day
41
Renovating your kitchen?
Are you compliant?
SPORTS AND BUSINESS WORKING TOGETHER Paints a good outcome for the community
Ready for work
How to avoid the CREDIT CRUNCH TODD... May He Rest in Peace
38 41
Help Australia’s tradies avoid silicosis by not choosing artificial stone
The Industry Idiots Important Contacts
Opinions and viewpoints expressed in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine do not necessarily represent those of the editor, staff or publisher or any Aussie Painters Network’s staff or related parties. The publisher, Aussie Painters Network and Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine personnel are not liable for any mistake, misprint or omission. Information contained in the Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine is intended to inform and illustrate and should not be taken as financial, legal or accounting advice. You should seek professional advice before making business related decisions. We are not liable for any losses you may incur directly or indirectly as a result of reading Aussie Painting Contractor Magazine. Reproduction of any material or contents of the magazine without written permission from the publisher is strictly prohibited.
Why Goals are Key to Building a
SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS Building a successful business takes months or even years of planning, testing the waters and tons of hard work. Success comes paired with challenges and these challenges vary through time and through how you manage your business. One of the most common business challenges, especially a newly established one, is identifying where to take your business next and how to go about it. For a business owner, surely, one of your goals is to get more people to buy your product or hire your company and make more profit. The problem is sometimes we are so bent on the operations, on getting the numbers right and striving hard to make that sale or close that deal, but we forget about the other aspects of our business. Oftentimes, the downfall of a business is through not being able to set goals and plan the course of action.
Always Start with Setting Goals
these people will feel responsible and will make sure that with whatever strategy they may use, they will meet the goals that you have set. There is ownership, therefore, there is movement. That movement will bring you closer towards success. • EMPLOYEE ENGAGEMENT. A workplace without a goal is just an office with people working in it. However, if you have central goals and you involve everyone; everyone will work hard to meet those goals. Employees will feel they belong to a team and will create in them a greater purpose and an urge to work harder not only for the job, but also for the good of the whole company. • C O M P E T I T I O N. Healthy competitions inspire employees and business owners to do their best and come up with better strategies and more than satisfactory outcomes. It sparks the need inside you to work harder, to persevere so you can achieve the quality of the outcome that you wanted.
Being hands-on with your business is not enough to make it a successful one. You need forecasting, planning, and goal-setting to establish a foundation for your business. Establishing your goals will give your business a sense of direction and it gives you something to revisit when you lose your direction. Goals are highly beneficial not only for you, but for your team. Benefits of setting goals include:
• MANAGEMENT SYSTEM. By establishing a set of goals, you can define your objectives and strategies for your business. Once you have recognized these, you can establish a set of processes, standards and guidelines for different functions of your business. You already have a sense of direction and you can already tell what to demand of each business process.
• ACCOUNTABILITY. When you set goals for your company, for a department or an employee, you or
Therefore, you can demand the quality of your service, product and ensure customer satisfaction.
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Your Role as Business Owner You have your goals; you have your team; so you think you already have what it takes to create a successful business. However sometimes, the missing piece is the business owner itself. If you want your business to be successful, you have to willingly improve your own ways of becoming the leader of your business. There may be no template to becoming a good business owner, but for you to be successful, you at least have to be: • Authentic • Optimistic • Efficient with time • Great at building and keeping relationships • Adaptable • Able to take risks • Not scared of failures • Persevering • Innovative • Full of conviction • Passionate for success
Burdens of Being the Business Owner
or an accountant. Let us admit that we do not know all facets of our business and it is also inefficient to spend so much time learning the ropes when you should be on the next step towards a higher goal. You lose your time, resources and you end up exhausted. Be wiser with your strategies in implementing your goals by hiring a business advisor who can help you through business set up, business planning up to drafting of goals for you business. This will allow you to win back some of your time for the things that really matter like your personal life, your employees, and your business operations. At the same time, you can get insights on the things that are helpful for your company because sometimes it helps to get someone else’s bird’s eye view of the situation your company is in. If you need any support with your business plans, goals and strategies, call my office on 3399 8844 and we will be happy to help you with a FREE Business Financial Health Check. You can also visit our website at www.straighttalkat.com.au and complete your details on our Home page to request an appointment.
With the expectations being set for a business owner, you might feel you carry the weight of the whole world on your shoulders. That should not be the case. You should not be slaving away on the business, but rather, you should use some alternative strategies like entrusting business functions to an expert in setting up businesses like a business coach, business service,
2021 April Issue | 7
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8 | Aussie Painting Contractor
Construction
INSURANCE Just as there are numerous risks within the construction industry, there are numerous forms of construction insurance to protect you. Often when people are talking about construction insurance they are referring to contract works insurance, but there are a few others that fall into the same category.
This insurance will protect your projects from a range of different risks, including: • Loss or damage to the project due to fire, storm and a range of other risks • Loss or damage to materials on the work site • Property damage or personal injury to others Some of those points might seem like they overlap with public liability insurance, but there is a big difference.
In this guide we’ll take a look at the various forms of insurance that businesses within the construction industry may need.
Public liability is all about covering your negligence, so we’re talking about events where you are found to have been negligent, and that has contributed to the loss.
• Contract Works • Contractual Liability • Public Liability • Professional Indemnity • Mobile Plant & Equipment There are more, and we recommend speaking with one of our construction specialists for more detailed information on which could be right for you and your business. CONTRACT WORKS Contract works is one of the most common forms of builders insurance. You’ll sometimes hear it referred to as construction works insurance, builders all risk insurance and everything in between. Most commonly it’s just contract works insurance.
But contract works will cover you where you were not negligent, or basically, it wasn’t your fault. For example, if your worksite was properly secured but a storm caused damage, that’s not your fault. It wouldn’t be covered by public liability but would be covered by contract works insurance. CONTRACTUAL LIABILITY Contractual liability insurance is somewhat similar to contract works insurance, but it covering a different type of risk. We recommend speaking with one of our specialists for a proper explanation, but basically it covers you for things that you might not normally be liable for, but the contract you have signed has made you liable.
2021 April Issue | 9
An example from a real life claim was an electrical contractor installing a number of large generators on a construction side. Ordinarily he wouldn’t be responsible for loss/damage caused to the generators if he wasn’t at fault, but the contract he entered into made him responsible for them whilst he was undertaking the work. The generators suffered damage, but not because of the electrician. This meant his public liability wouldn’t cover the loss (as there was no negligence) but because he had contractual liability insurance he was covered.
As with contractual liability, professional indemnity is one of the construction insurance types where it really is better to speak with one of our experts to find out exactly what you need. PLANT & EQUIPMENT Many businesses in the construction industry are going to have mobile plant and equipment. Often these items are amongst your biggest investments, so it’s important to protect them from the risks they face. Mobile plant and machinery insurance can cover you for a range of risks including damage and theft. Your machinery isn’t just limited to your excavators and similar, but also the trucks and trailers you use to cart them around. A construction insurance package can be put together to cover all of your plant and machinery, as well as road vehicles. CONSTRUCTION INSURANCE SPECIALISTS We’ve been helping tradies and builders in the construction industry for over a decade.
PUBLIC LIABILITY This is the most common form of insurance for tradies, builders and most other contractors. It will cover you in the event that you cause property damage or personal injury to a third party. For some builders their contract works insurance will include their public liability, but you should never assume that is the case without confirming with your insurer or insurance broker. Here at Trade Risk, public liability insurance is the most common form of cover we deal with, so you can count on us for expert advice and service. PROFESSIONAL INDEMNITY If you are providing design, consulting or advice services in the construction industry, you’ll most likely need professional indemnity insurance. Like public liability it covers you where a third party has suffered a loss such as property damage or personal injury, but instead of from your physical actions it’s as a result of your professional services.
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If you’re a subcontractor who just needs a public liability policy to get onto the site, a builder who needs a single project contract works policy, or a major construction company that needs the works, we have the team to help. Our office is based in Queensland, but we assist thousands of trade and construction businesses from all over Australia. We can assist you via phone and email, video calls, or if you’re close to Brisbane we can meet at your place or ours for a face-to-face meeting.
2021 November Issue | 11
So many changes! Are you compliant? The last 12 months has been a big one in the employment law and relations space with more changes set to come into effect on the 1st March 2020. It wouldn’t be hard to have missed one or two changes. Unfortunately, missing just one change could mean that you are breaching your obligations as an employer and the Fair Work Act (Cth) which could result in a underpayments claim and/or severe penalties being applied to you and your business. At HR Maximised, we understand that its hard to keep up so we’ve developed a free HR Audit tool to assist you in assessing your compliance with the Fair Work Act (Cth) and highlighting areas that require attention. Once you’ve completed the Audit we’ll send you a report that explains your obligations and what’s the risk of not meeting those obligations.
12 | Aussie Painting Contractor
So what’s changed? Part time employees get the full 10 days personal leave A Full Federal Court decision handed down on 21 August 2019 turned the long held belief and practice of part time employees receiving a pro-rata of the full time personal leave entitlement on its head. The Court determined that part time employees are entitled to receive the full ten days personal leave regardless of how many days or hours they work. Whilst the decision is currently being appealed, its important that employers are aware that currently as it stands their part time employees are entitled to 10 full days of personal leave a year.
From 1 March 2020, employers will need to notify employees in writing of their annualised salary and perform a Better Off Overall Test (BOOT) to prove they’re better off under the salary. The Fair Work Commission has made changes to 22 modern awards (read more here) regarding annualised wages / salaries. Under the new rules, employers must advise the employee in writing: • how the salary has been calculated including • any overtime and penalty assumptions used • which provisions of the award the salary satisfies (penalties, loadings, allowances etc) • what is the outer limit of hours an employee can work before penalty rates apply • demonstrate how the salary is better off than payment under the award. • The changes have been made to a number of prominent awards including Clerks – Private Sector, Manufacturing and Associated Industries, Banking, Finance and Insurance and Health Professionals’ awards amongst others. We expect more awards to be changed in the future so all employers should be aware and prepared for the changes.
Under the new changes, an employer must have a written agreement with the employee which outlines how many overtime hours are included in their base salary and must pay them overtime for hours in excess of these included hours. If there is no written agreement then all hours in excess of 38 hours could be classed as overtime. Employers must perform a yearly Better Off Overall Test (BOOT) for salaried workers. Under the new changes, every 12 months or upon termination of employment, the employer must calculate how much the employee would’ve been paid under the award and if it was more than what has been paid to them under the salary arrangement, then the employer must pay this shortfall within 14 days. Employers must pay superannuation on employee’s gross pay. From 1 January 2020, employers are now required to pay super on an employee’s gross rate of pay, including on any salary they have sacrificed. It is now no longer possible for the employer to pay an employee on a salary sacrifice agreement on the reduced amount of super. Salary sacrifice cannot contribute to mandatory superannuation contributions From 1 January 2020, employers can’t include salary sacrifice components to contribute in full or in part to their compulsory superannuation guarantee contributions. Employers will need to self-correct any unpaid superannuation, under the proposed SG amnesty.
Employers must keep records of the start, break and finish times for ALL their employees including salaried. Employers must maintain records of all employees’ start, break and finish times and make sure this is signed off by the employee each pay period. This is recommended for all employees, including salaried workers not currently covered by the amended awards.
The Superannuation Guarantee (SG) Amnesty bill passed the House of Representatives in November and has now moved to the Senate. The bill, which is likely to be passed, will provide a one-off amnesty for employers to self-correct any unpaid super contributions, and will grant employers six months from the date of royal assent to come clean to the Australian Taxation Office. After the amnesty period, higher penalties will be applied – up to 200 per cent. Now is the time to act and review your superannuation contributions.
Employers must pay salaried workers overtime for excess hours.
2021 April Issue | 13
2020 employee award changes And just in case that wasn’t enough, the Fair Work Commission is also due to finalise its 4 year review of modern awards with changes occurring to 116 of the awards. The first round of changes (36 awards) is due to be released in February with the rest to follow in the coming year.
And in case you missed them, these changes occurred in 2018. ‘Double Dipping’ of ‘casual’ employees
Following the Full Federal Court decision in WorkPac Pty Ltd v Skene [2018] FCAFC 131, changes to the Fair Work Regulations were made to counteract casual employees ‘double dipping’ and receiving both the casual loading as well as full leave entitlements. Under the new regulations, employers are able to have the casual loading offset one or more NES entitlements not available to casual employees. For this to occur, employers must have documented either in the employment contract or on the payslip (preferably both) what the casual loading is and what it offsets.
Casual conversion clause
As of 1 October 2018, a new clause was inserted into modern awards giving casual employees the right to request conversion to full-time or part-time employment. The casual conversion clause allows a casual employee who works ‘a pattern of hours on an ongoing basis which, without significant adjustment, the employee could continue to perform as a full-time employee or part-time employee’, and has done so for a period of 12 months, the new clause entitles
14 | Aussie Painting Contractor
that employee to request, in writing, to be converted to full time or part time employment. A response must be made, in writing, within 21 days of receiving the request, and if the request is denied, must set out reasonable grounds for such denial. Employers must have provided a copy of the new modern award conversion clause to casual employees employed as at 1 October 2018. New employees must be provided a copy of the clause within 12 months of their employment commencing.
Family and domestic violence leave
From 12 December 2018, the Fair Work Amendment (Family and Domestic Violence Leave) Act 2018 (Cth) took effect. As a result, the National Employment Standards now entitles an employee to 5 days unpaid leave to deal with family and domestic violence. All employees, including part-time and casual employees, are entitled to five days of unpaid family and domestic violence leave each year.
Check your compliance
Take our 10 min HR Audit tool today and we’ll send you a report which assesses your compliance, explains your obligations and what the risks are.
Vanessa Petch
www.hrmaximised.com.au
1 - 8 8 8 - 4 9 - S T I N G | s t i n g e r b ru s h .c om S T I N G E R @ S T I N G E R B RU S H .C OM
"First innovation in a brush that works in a long time." - Todd H Professional Painter for 35 Years
U.S. Patent 10,674,809
2021 April Issue | 15
Do you have an Apprentice? Aussie Painters Network is the preferred industry consultation provider for Master Painters Decorators & Signwriters' Association of Queensland Union of Employers (RTO 30048) to provide an exceptional quality, convenient experience for apprentices. We work closely with employers and their apprentice with access to thorough, easy to use, online training resources, combined with onsite tutoring and hands on simulated work environments in our custom built Painters Training Wheels. We can come to you, on your site, with
Painters Training Wheels! Anywhere/anytime they can get online. We can provide individual guidance with any theory online or practical concepts on the job.
Call : 1800 355 344 / 0430 399 800 info@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
16 | Aussie Painting Contractor
SPORTS AND BUSINESS WORKING TOGETHER
PAINTS A GOOD OUTCOME FOR THE COMMUNITY RUGBY LEAGUE: The Hervey Bay Seagulls clubhouse is undergoing a makeover thanks to young apprentice painters brushing up their skills.
Hervey Bay Seagulls A-grade captain Steve Dwyer who completed his apprenticeship with Aussie Painters Network, believes it only has pluses for all involved.
In a partnership that is a win/win for apprentices, community groups and business, Aussie Painters Network, Inspiration Paints, and Hervey Bay Seagulls are working together for positive results.
“The apprentices get the benefit, and the club gets a new coat of paint as well,” he said.
The Aussie Painters Network is giving their apprentices real-life training by painting the Seagulls Clubhouse.
Dwyer wanted to thank Aussie Painters Network for the labour and Inspiration Paints who have donated all of the materials for the project. “It is great that we can all support each other,” he said.
“It is an opportunity for us to give something back to the community,” Nigel Gorman from Aussie Painters Network’s said.
Inspiration Paints, Aussie Painters Network, and Steve Dwyer of Dwyer Painting Services check out the painting of the Hervey Bay Seagulls clubhouse.
He has to conduct on-site training of young apprentices on the Fraser Coast every year and believes it is a win for the community and the apprentices.
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“It is the first time we have done a community project like this,” he said.
Brendan Bowers
Editor | FC Sports Media P: 0401791631 | E: editor@fcsportsmedia.com.au www.fcsportsmedia.com.au
2021 April Issue | 17
18 | Aussie Painting Contractor
READY
for WO WOR RK
Aussie Painters Network have put together a Painting specific Ready for Work Program. This program is funded by Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ). We would also like to thank Uni-Pro for supplying the tools that the participants received as their Painter Starting Kit, and the Qld Master Painters Association for the use of their premises for training.
The program is a 5-week unpaid program that consists of practical training and life skills for the first week, followed by 1 week of official training with Construction Skills Training Centre (CSTC) where the participants complete specific units of competency to get them work ready. For weeks three to five they go onsite with employers and start their working career. Once they have completed the 3 weeks work experience the plan is that who they are doing the work with will employ them as an apprentice. Week one and two got off to a great start. All 7 participants arrived not just on time but up to 30 minutes before start time. For 5 days at the training centre each day, they completed life skills that included
but were not limited to: Work etiquette, Resume writing, Interview skills, Healthy living, Fitness in the workplace, Financial management and budgeting.
Each of the five days they also gapped, filled, cut in and rolled their booth. (As one participant stated:There is an angry painter here that each morning keeps putting more holes in the walls. We just explained that he may not have been fully paid!!) Week two has seen them go to CSTC, and once again all were on time or early. They completed the training of their required units and from what we heard they had a lot of fun in the process. Week three has just started and the good old Covid Lockdown has hit. Unfortunately for the next few days they are not able to attend work. From all reports, after Easter they will all be back at it. We will keep you updated on their progress next month. If you are interested in getting involved in the program please contact Jo at jo.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au or 0413 345 595
2021 April Issue | 19
Interested in becoming a painter & decorator?
Are you looking for a Painting Apprenticeship? Find out how to get an Apprentice
Are you running a Painting Business? We can assist you in growing your business with apprentices! paintingapprenticeships.com.au Painting Apprenticeships brings Apprentices together with Painting Business Owners.
How to avoid the
CREDIT CRUNCH What does the credit landscape look like for 2021 and how should we best prepare?
demands and $5,000 for bankruptcy notices. Again these arrangements apply until 31 December 2020.
In our opinion the credit landscape looks riskier than the last couple of months because all of the Government’s temporary protections and stimulus packages are coming to an end In response to COVID-19 the Government enacted a temporary suspension of our insolvency laws.
If you provide credit, no matter how small the amount or how short the period, what must you be aware of? You might not get paid for goods or services provided because either:
The Government implemented significant temporary measures to ensure that our insolvency laws and processes did not expose companies and individuals to undue risk and to avoid a potentially unprecedented wave of insolvencies.
This was effective from 25 March until 31 December 2020. This means, during this period, directors would not be personally liable for debts incurred when they should have suspected their company to be insolvent. For example: a director taking out a loan to move some business operations online, or debts incurred through continuing to pay employees during the COVID-19 pandemic (cases of dishonesty and fraud will still be subject to criminal penalties). The period for compliance with statutory demands was extended from 3 weeks to 6 months. The minimum debt to which these processes can apply was increased to $20,000, up from $2,000 in the case of statutory
22 | Aussie Painting Contractor
a) your client does not want to pay; or b) they cannot pay you. If an individual cannot repay
When an unsecured creditor is owed money by an insolvent business the following happens: 1. The insolvent company becomes liquidated. A liquidator winds up the company to benefit the creditors. 2. Once a company is in liquidation, unsecured creditors cannot commence or continue legal action against the company, unless the court permits. 3. The liquidator will distribute debts to creditors they may seek relief by declaring bankruptcy. If a business runs out of money and cannot pay their debts they become insolvent. The problem is when your client goes insolvent. money from the collection and sale of assets: a. firstly to secured creditors; b. then to cover the costs of liquidation; c. then to priority creditors (such as employees); and d. lastly to unsecured creditors.
What can you do to protect yourself if you of er credit arrangements We encourage our clients to do a mixture of the following (depending on the individual circumstances)... Do due diligence before of ering credit; Make sure you have well drafted Terms and Conditions; Make sure you get your credit agreement signed; Take larger deposits (legislation permitting); Get regular payments (stage payments) – so the debt does not get chance to mount; and Consider asking for other security such as: Personal guarantees from directors; A deed of indemnity and guarantee for corporate clients is an excellent safeguard against solvent clients; Have the ability to place caveat or a PPSR charge in your Terms and Conditions. You can also be disciplined about disciplined about your invoices your invoices You need to have a system for invoicing and follow it... • Map out all stages and billing timeframes for each job • Make sure invoicing is done regularly (at least weekly) • Diarise all payment due dates • Have a system to contact clients with friendly reminders as soon as they are due for payment • Set overdue reminders • If the customer is not responding to you contact a lawyer to assist you with a letter of demand
What should be included in your Terms and Conditions to make sure you get paid Your Terms and conditions should include as a minimum the following clauses: • Price. The price you have agreed for the services needs to be clearly set out in your Quote /Terms and Conditions. • Payment Terms. How payment can be made (e.g by credit card, PayPal) and when it is to be paid. Without this, how could you claim payment is late if there was no written agreement about the due date for payment. • Ability to charge interest on late payment. In order to be able to charge interest you need to include this right in your Terms and Conditions, stating the rate of interest and how it is to be calculated.
• Suspension rights. You need to include the right to suspend services if you have not been paid (this links to taking stage payments). • Debt recovery costs It costs money to pursue a debt and you want your non-paying customer to pay any debt recovery charges you incur. You must have a clause which states that you have the right to engage debt collection services for the collection of unpaid and undisputed debts. • Termination provisions Consider adding various diferent termination provisions setting out the circumstances in which you can terminate the agreement without being in breach. For example, where your customer fails to pay an invoice by the due date. As you can see, there’s quite a few things to think about to ensure you navigate a credit crunch. This article is not intended to be definitive legal advice but just a handy checklist of the types of things you need to be thinking about. For more information on this or any commercial legal matter don’t hesitate to contact us. Book a chat with us here. Let’s Talk! A free consultation with us can help to tackle your legal issues. Typical Legal Disclaimer!… Unfortunately, there is never a ‘one size fits all’ formula to apply. Every situation is unique and it can be tricky to wrap your head around some areas of the law. To ensure you are setting yourself and your business up for success, it is always best to consult a legal professional with expertise in the field. If you require any legal assistance with your business or any other commercial legal issue, please do not hesitate to contact us. --------------------------------------------------------------------
Helen Kay
07 5619 6858
www.riselegal.com.au
2021 April Issue | 23
TODD...
May He Rest in Peace
My wife and I have spent the past four weeks travelling around Tasmania. When you are retired, this is the sort of thing, ‘retirees’ do. What an absolute beautiful ‘State’ it is. The country side is picture perfect, the history is fascinating and the old buildings dating back to the early 1800’s are simply amazing. If it wasn’t so cold here in winter, we would consider living here. On one of our days wandering around, we ended up at a place called ‘Gardiners Point’. It is situated at the far, North-West coast of Tasmania and has the longest uninterrupted expense of ocean on earth. This is why a plaque has been placed with the inscription, ‘The Edge of the World’. As it was after 1 o’clock, we stopped at a Tavern to get a counter lunch. We were told by the barman that no meals were being served as within the hour, the place was booked out for a memorial service. He said that it was for a twenty year old that recently took his own life. As I looked around there were photos on every
24 | Aussie Painting Contractor
wall of him with family and friends in different stages of his life. We didn’t want to pry and ask questions, but was told that ‘Todd’, was actually due to be married in the next few months and the pub was going to be venue where the reception was going to be held. My wife and I felt so sad. We finished our beer and drove down to the beach, (which was close by) and then saw many cars parked on the side of the road. I would have estimated well over 100. We noticed then, the cemetery. This town only consisted of a pub and a general store but every person from miles around must have been there to mourn the death of this young lad. It brought back our sadness of what we had seen. I am writing this to ask, R-U-O-K? Please. If you are not, talk to someone. You may feel that you’re on the ‘Edge of the World’ but taking your life is not the solution. You will affect so many peoples’ lives who will blame themselves for not doing more to help you.
13 62 60
www.oldfields.com.au
2021 April Issue | 25
50 YEARS A HOUSE PAINTER This book contains 36 topics of industry related knowledge and information which will help you in the way you operate your business.Topics under headings of; Business Checklist, Staff, Marketing and Sourcing Customers, Professional Behavior, Successful Operation and Looking Ahead.Highly recommended by Jason Osborn, Dulux Business Development Executive as; ‘A very easy interesting read, that combines industry facts and great topics.’
www.mytools4business.com
26 | Aussie Painting Contractor
Helpful tips for treating depression: Taking steps to manage depression is important for your current and long-term health. Depression is an illness that can get worse if left untreated.
The problem can be solved, or at least reduced, if: 1. You admit to yourself you have depression and talk to someone about it. 2. Be able to recognize the signs of depression in others and either give them support or advise them who they should see. Everyone feels sad or down sometimes, especially during tough times. Feeling sad or upset is a normal reaction to difficult situations. But, if you have these feelings intensely for long periods of time and are having trouble with normal activities, you may be experiencing depression.
Some causes of depression are: • • • • • •
Relationship problems or conflict – e.g. separation/divorce, abusive relationship Job loss, especially long-term unemployment Loneliness or feeling isolated Excessive drug or alcohol use Having another family member who has depression • Having a serious physical illness • Changes in how the brain functions • Personality factors – e.g. anxiety, low self-esteem
• See your doctor - Talk to your doctor about how you’ve been feeling to find the most appropriate treatment for you. Your doctor can also refer you to a psychologist or other mental health professional for treatment, sometimes with a rebate through Medicare. • Talk to someone you trust - Talking to family, friends, a counsellor, minister or a crisis line, can help you develop an understanding of your situation and help you move forward. There are some very effective treatments through psychologists/ mental health professionals that can make a real difference. • Look after yourself - Eat a balanced diet, exercise regularly and get enough sleep. Exercise has been shown to help reduce depression. Take time out to relax and do things you used to enjoy, even if you don’t feel like it now. When you have depression it can be hard to get motivated, but it’s important not to isolate yourself. • Be aware of your feelings - Noticing changes in your mood and thoughts and identifying what situations make you feel good and bad can help to stop negative thought patterns. • Keep safe - You may be having thoughts about dying, that it may be better to ‘not be around’ or you don’t know how much longer you can go on. These thoughts are common when people feel very depressed. If you have these thoughts, get help straight away. The ‘Edge of the World’ doesn’t mean the ‘End’ of the world. Although there could be a vast ocean in between, it can be crossed. You just need to be strong enough to ask people to help you cross it. Life is beautiful and worth living so give it a chance.
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Jim Baker
www.mytools4business.com
2021 April Issue | 27
PAINTING YOURSELF
into a corner Marketing is a foundational process, and without a solid strategy in place, you’ll never grow your business to its full potential. It’s hard to know where, and how should you spend your budget, and whom should you target. So, you want to ensure you diversify your marketing efforts and focus on a few key audiences, rather than paint yourself into a corner… The Harvard Business Review, in their article “The Value Of Keeping The Right Customers”, notes: “Acquiring a new customer is anywhere from five to 25 times more expensive than retaining an existing one. you don’t have to spend time and resources going out and finding a new client — you just have to keep the one you have happy.”
It makes sense, right? That’s why the smart tradies split their marketing dollars — half into new customers and the other half, past customers. The bright eggs are looking for tactics that target both audiences at once because you still need NEW customers to keep your business thriving.
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In our trade business, Dr. DRiP Plumbing, we’ve found that focusing on repeat customers results in triple average-dollar sales. Whilst that may not be consistent across all industries, there’s no reason why if it worked for us, it can’t work for you too.
Easy steps to market to your database PLUS gain new leads. #1 Text message database marketing. While SMS marketing can be viewed as spam or an intrusion of privacy, it’s becoming an accepted way for businesses to communicate with us, especially when the message is designed to provide customers with value. Plus, an average cost of 7 cents per 160-character message and a whopping 98% open rate, it’s affordable and yields strong ROI! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
For examples on how to effectively run a text message campaign, and templated examples, check out our blog HERE.
#2 Referral program. Referrals are one of the most powerful lead generators for trade business owners. Your happy, satisfied customers can do a lot of legwork advocating for your business in a budget-friendly way. In Dr. DRiP Plumbing, this is what we’ve done. We’ve built-in rewards for both the referrer and referee — it’s essentially an incentives program that ensures we are taking care of our existing customers and targeting potential customers.
#3 Buddy Up. Partner up with another local business (that has relevance to your painting business) such as a professional carpet cleaning company, real estate agent or home stylist. Partnering with another local business provides the chance to grow your database; it is a cross-promotional activity designed to add value for customers. It’s a symbiotic relationship, ‘You scratch my back, and I scratch yours.’
It costs you nothing to cross-promote like this but can be seen as a massive bonus in both current and new customers eyes. There you have it. If you think smart and spend your money wisely, you can ensure you’re targeting both current and potential customers without breaking the bank. Using these three uncomplicated strategies, you’ll be able to not only grow your current database but also solidify past customers and ensure you get repeat business. To find out more about how to use your marketing dollars wisely, download our Marketing Maximiser guide HERE. --------------------------------------------------------------------
Andy Smith
A fellow trade business owner and co-founder of Lifestyle Tradie, a membership and community for tradies in business.
Written by Lifestyle Tradie
Lifestyle Tradie is an award-winning membership and community for trade business owners who want to make more profit and fasttrack financial freedom.
2021 April Issue | 29
DIRTY DEEDS:
Insulting payment offers and Deeds of Release
I wish I had $20 bucks for every client that called me up telling me he had just received a Deed of Release from the builder or developer with a curt request that he sign it and return it. What is a Deed of Release? Basically it is a legal agreement where both parties agree to release themselves from further performance of their contract for an agreed payment. The most typical situation we have seen is a subcontractor who is owed (let’s say) $350 000 by the builder and one day receives a Deed of Release stating that the Builder will pay $50 000 in exchange for the subcontractor ending the contract and making no further claims. Often a conversation follows where the Builder says that the subbie can either take the fifty grand now or spend months fighting and get nothing. Many contractors feel fear and panic. This is a threatening ‘take-it-or-leave-it’ deal with no warning.
The purpose of this article is to demystify this pathetic practice and let you in on what is really going on. When you get a Deed of Release from your client that comes without warning and with a ridiculous and threatening offer in it, this tells you three things: a) your client is having financial difficulties, and b) your client has probably waaaaaaaay under-quoted the job and is trying to claw back some profit at your expense, and c) your client is fearful of how you might react. Think about that for a second….. in terms of relative power your client is the weak one, not you. So weak that he has to resort to this kind of pathetic practice in order to make a profit (which means that he’s also incompetent). I have run many claims for my clients where the debtor has threatened to sue for millions, start multiple court actions, Tribunal hearings, cross-claims, destruction, chaos, bla, bla, bla. The more of that talk you hear, the weaker your client actually is.
2021 April Issue | 31
So with the above in mind, what do you do when you get a Deed of Release?
At what point in the project did you decide that you did not wish to complete our contract?
It’s a two step process: 1) Tell your client what he can do with it, 2) Tell him where he can shove it.
Clearly you are offering this Deed/Offer because you have been unable to complete this project profitably; is this because you under-quoted or because you did not plan it properly?
Low-ball Deeds are an insult to the value of your work, and your client thinks that he can simply walk away because your invoices don’t suit him anymore. Imagine if the roles were reversed? What if you decided one day that you could not afford to continue on a project…. Could you just send your client a Deed of Release demanding that he agree to pay you 75% of what you are owed so you can just walk away? I don’t think so! The reason I am suggesting you reject these Deeds is that they don’t offer you any benefit except to pay a small part of what you are owed. Think about it. For the benefit of getting just a small amount of cash that will not make much difference to your debtors, you are walking away from your entitlement to the true value of ALL the work you have done. That is a bad deal and if some one wants to try that on you it is better to fight like hell for what is yours. There is no best pathway to dealing with Deeds of Release or low-ball settlement offers. But the best first step is to get some accountability. That is, get your client to explain himself. Not only does it make life uncomfortable for him but it gets you valuable information as to how your client will try to justify the move if it went to court. Write back to your client asking some of the following as appropriate to your circumstances: The valuation of my work is (let’s say) $86 000.00. How did you come to your valuation of (for example) $25 000.00? Can you please itemize my work and value each item so that I can see how your settlement figure was arrived at? Have you used any of the contract’s provisions to assist you in valuing our work? If so, which ones? Why was I not consulted regarding this Deed? On what basis did you think I would settle for such a low amount when the value of my work is far higher?
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Your offer is only for the work. What are you offering my company for the loss of profit due to not completing the balance of the work? How many other contractors on the project have you sent a Deed to? Please send me their details. Is your company going into administration? If so, who is the administrator and what are their contact details? Now use the ones that are relevant to your project. Now you are of course thinking “There’s no way they’ll answer questions like that!” And you’d be right. What we are after is what they do come back to you with. They may answer some of them but may otherwise give away good information will they are busy abusing you for asking. That’s what we want! It will yield invaluable information about your client’s thinking. You can then use this to get your money… which brings me to my final point. Refuse the offer! And take some form of action to get your money: Either by adjudication or statement of claim. These Deeds are attempts to scare you off and if you come out fighting you stand a much better chance of getting what’s owed or else a much higher payout. Finally you must regard the above as a general strategy that we have found works. It may not be appropriate for your situation or the contract you are working under. Get professional advice when dealing with a Deed of Release or a final offer. There may be repercussions that are not immediately obvious. The most important thing is not to just give in because you are desperate for money. Most of the time it is not enough to make a difference to your debtors, and you are throwing away the value of your work.
Anthony Igra
1300 669 075 www.contractorsdebtrecovery.com.au
Business Management Courses FOR PAINTERS!
2021 April Issue | 33
5 XERO MISTAKES Business Owners Make and How To Avoid Them
If you’ve just started working with Xero, it is normal to make a few mistakes while you’re learning. We see mistakes that are quite common - and unfortunately costly- so you should be aware of them if you want to get the most out of Xero’s powerful cloud accounting system. Not connecting all the bank and credit card accounts dedicated for your business
Run a reconciliation report in Xero on a regular basis and then compare it to your bank statements to ensure there aren’t any errors or duplications. Many business owners miss this critical step, which means that they are looking at inaccurate or incomplete data when they check their reports. Not checking user access and permission levels
Make sure that you keep all your business bank and credit card accounts synced to Xero to ensure that you don’t miss any sales or expenses in your reports.
Many business owners simply give key team members full access to their business’ Xero system and don’t review the user permissions at all.
Also, make sure that you separate your business accounts with your personal ones to avoid hassles during tax season. Trust us...your accountant and bookkeeper will thank you! Doing this also helps you make accurate business decisions.
However, the best practice is to provide access on an “as needed” basis and review who has access to the system and what permission level they have on a quarterly basis.
Not reconciling the bank account in Xero to bank statements
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Also, when your staff members leave, you should revoke their Xero access immediately.
Not setting financial SOPs (standard operating procedures)
You may need to get in touch with your advisors to make the adjustments accordingly.
Create a proper financial SOP which describes who is responsible for what and by when, as well as the step-by-step process on how to get things done.
Avoid Xero Mistakes by Working with a Specialist Advisor
For instance, you can assign your operations manager to run the aged receivables report in the system so you’ll know who owes your business money. Then, map out a clear action plan of what happens in specific scenarios such as a payment that’s 2 weeks late. You can also have standard replies that the team can send as needed. Mishandling transactions when you’ve paid with your personal money We find that many business owners don’t know how to handle transactions when they’ve paid for a business expense using their personal account. There are actually ways to capture such expenses paid on the wrong card in Xero so you can still claim the tax deduction.
The best way to ensure that you’re taking full advantage of all the features in Xero and avoiding costly financial mistakes is to work with an experienced advisor who knows the ins and outs of this cloud accounting system. We’re Xero Certified and would be happy to take a look at your file to give you some suggestions. Get in touch with us and let us help you save time and make smarter decisions that are supported by data.
Sandra Price
www.tradiebookkeepingsolutions.com.au Facebook : Tradie Bookkeeping Solutions
2021 April Issue | 35
How to be a
Better Supervisor Managing people can be an exasperating experience. Every time you think you have it figured out, someone does something to frustrate you. Over time it is easy to become cynical. However, there are certain skills and procedures that can help you succeed. Here are just a few: Keep future focused. You cannot do anything about the past so focus on the future. Ask what and how questions, not why questions. Why questions drive you into the problem not the solution. Problems are always in the past and solutions somewhere in the future. For example, asking an employee why he or she is late can generate a barrage of excuses. “The baby kept me up, I had to find my dog, the alarm clock broke, etc.” I know an employee who had 17 grandmothers die each year on the first day of hunting season. Acknowledging the issue and asking a what or how question avoids excuses and focus on a solution. “You’re late. What can we do in the future to ensure you are on time?” is a much effective discussion. Identify if the problem is an attitude or skill issue. With an attitude problem they won’t do it. With a skill problem they can’t do it. While this is way to simplified of a solution, a standard rule of thumb is train for skill problems and terminate attitude issues. Be careful as pride and ego can make skill problems initially appear to be an attitude problem. For example, rather than admit he/she doesn’t know how to do the paperwork,
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many will express that it is stupid, a waste of their time, etc. rather than show their inability. The first question to ask is if you gave the employee a million dollars could he or she do it? If the answer is no, capacity and ability are impacting the situation. Sometimes it is unpopular to question capacity but in reality, no matter how hard I tried, I could never be an NBA center. I’m just not tall enough. People do have limitations such as age, physical strength, learning disabilities, etc. If the person does not have the ability, reassignment is essential. If the person is capable but cannot do a specific task, coaching and training is required. If the person has an attitude problem is it an issue of values or circumstances? Some people just do not have the work ethic and other values required to be a good employee. You can teach people a skill but it is almost impossible to teach someone how to work. While some jobs require a warm body to help, ultimately such people need to be replaced. It is not unusual for employee circumstances to create a short-term attitude issue. Martial or children issues, a death in the family or illness can all create employee issues. Talk with the employee about it. Listen once and then insist or performance. Losing his or her job certainly won’t help the situation. Plus winning at work can create a refuge from life’s challenges. If they are unable to get it together, suggest a leave of absence until things sort out.
Manage behavior and work environment rather than trying to change personalities. Remember that teacher in middle school who had a no-nonsense classroom environment. I bet you still remember his or her name. “Little Johnny Hellian” wanted to misbehave but knew better. When Little Johnny went into that room, his personality didn’t change, what changed was the classroom environment forced a change in behavior. As a manager it’s perfectly acceptable to control and monitor employee behavior but totally unrealistic to try and change employee personalities. For example, I can’t make people want to come to work but I create an environment not to pay them unless they show up. I can’t make a whiner stop whining but I can choose not to listen to them. Trying to change is a person’s personality is like trying to teach a pig how to sing; it doesn’t work and annoys the pig. Establish achievable production goals. Everyone likes to know where they are going and what success looks like. Help employees hit the estimate by setting daily and weekly production goals. A manager’s role is help employees succeed and develop an engaging attitude. Uncertainty can block our brain’s ability to prepare for future events and move forward. Anxiety or worry is
typically about an immanent event or uncertain outcome. Keeping employees in the dark creates an anxious and unproductive workplace. A manager’s role is to help workers succeed thru employee engagement, systematic communication and production targets. Set realistic goals and helping employees achieve them. Everyone likes to win. One study found that only 1 in 9 construction workers could tell you what they were supposed to accomplish in a given day. Being a supervisor is always challenging but using these basic skills can help relieve your frustration. Stay future focused. Evaluate employee shortcomings and act according. Establish a culture of productive behavior by focusing on achievable goals. ------------------------------------------------------------------------
Monroe Porter
is president of PROOF Management a firm that teaches seminars and runs networking groups for painting contractors.
www.proofman.com
2021 April Issue | 37
Allowing Ourselves to Feel Joy During the Day I’ve come to the realization that most of us don’t allow ourselves to feel joy most days. Sure, maybe on some kind of big occasion, we’ll let ourselves run around whooping with joy … but mostly not. Think about you past week: have they been joyful and wondrous? Or routine, full of busyness and stress and doing doing doing? If you felt a daily amount of joy and wonder, you’re likely the exception. Most people don’t seem to feel joy regularly, or even realize that that’s the case. Let’s change that. Joy and wonder are two emotions we shut down, for so many reasons: it’s safe, it’s not allowed, we’re worried about ourselves, we’re stressed. But wouldn’t we like to live a life that has joy every day? That feels wonder at the incredibleness of this world and the richness of humanity? We can still get shit done, still function in society, while having a greater degree of joy and wonder. In fact, I’d argue that the people around us will benefit, our work will benefit, the world will benefit, if we allow joy into our lives. If we start seeing everything with wonder, at least some of the time. Not to mention the personal benefits of this as well — life can start to come alive again. It’s like that moment in the Wizard of Oz when things go from black and white to color! So how do we allow this into our lives? It starts by simply recognizing that we want this. That it’s allowed. Give ourselves some freaking permisison to feel alive and joyous! Then we can make it a daily practice. Not a daily chore to add to our task lists, another thing that we should do. NO! This is something we GET to do!
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Here are two practices you might try: 1. Go outside and see the wonder of the world around you. Let yourself feel alive! Feel the joy that you get to be alive in this freaking amazing world. Run or dance or skip around like a kid, in joy. See the open and vibrant nature of the universe. When you see other people, delight in their humanity! If you feel like it, whoop around joyously, climb a tree, do handstands. Whatever you feel like, whatever would be joyful. 2. Every day, ask yourself a simple question: “Where did I see God today?” If you don’t believe in God, as I don’t, you can take that to mean, “Where did I see the divine or sacred today?” or “Where did I see the wonder in the world?” This practice is simply thinking back to the parts of your day when you allowed yourself to see wonder and the divine. It could be in the face of a loved one, or a wonderful person outside. It could be in the joy you felt in winning a game or watching an incredible creation online. These can be daily practices. They can be anytime practices! Would you like to feel joy and wonder today?
Leo Babauta
a successful ‘simplicity’ blogger and author from California, the creator of top 25 Blog
ZEN HABITS
2021 April Issue | 39
LEAD KILLS Find out if the things around you are safe for humans and pets.
CLICK HERE for videos on How to use the sampling kit For donations, CLICK HERE This Lead Safe World Project of The LEAD Group, aims to achieve a lead safe world by 2041
Buy your DIY- Sampling Lead Test Kit/Lab Analysis Lead Kit Lead Group’s lead Test Kit The only ones available in Australia.
Even LOW level of lead is HARMFUL You take the samples and send them to Sydney Analytical Labs.
1800 626 086
www.lead.org.au 40 | Aussie Painting Contractor
Renovating your kitchen? Help Australia’s tradies avoid silicosis by not choosing artificial stone In 2012 my wife and I renovated our house — a twostorey extension with a brand new kitchen. Inspired by various renovation-themed TV shows and magazines, we chose a sleek stone island bench as the focal point for the kitchen. I knew the benchtop material was some form of stone. You could choose almost any colour and it cost a lot less than marble. But I didn’t know much else and I didn’t ask any questions. As a respiratory physician who has diagnosed numerous workers with silicosis over the past four years, I regret my ignorance. Like many Australians who have renovated or built homes since the early 2000s, the material we chose was artificial stone (also known as engineered or reconstituted stone, or quartz). In 2015, after the first Australian stone benchtop industry worker was reported to have severe silicosis, I was astonished to discover artificial stone contains up to 95% crystalline silica. Inhalation of crystalline silica dust is one of the bestknown causes of lung disease, including silicosis
and lung cancer. The adverse health effects of silica exposure were established while there was still debate about the harm of cigarettes and asbestos. But Australians’ affinity for artificial stone benchtops has seen silicosis make a major comeback in recent years. New research in Victoria shows the extent of silicosis among workers in the stone benchtop industry. Read more: Explainer: what is silicosis and why is this old lung disease making a comeback?
What is silicosis?
Silicosis is a preventable disease characterised by scarring on the lungs, called pulmonary fibrosis. Over time, inhalation of tiny silica dust particles triggers an inflammatory response that causes small growths called nodules to build up on the lungs. These nodules can grow and cluster together, causing the lungs to become stiffer and impeding the transfer of oxygen into the blood.
2021 April Issue | 41
In the early stages of the disease, a person may be well. Symptoms of silicosis can include a cough, breathlessness and tiredness. Generally, the more widespread the disease becomes in the lungs, the more trouble a person will have with breathing. There’s not currently a cure. In severe cases, a lung transplant may be the only option, and the disease can be fatal. Brisbane researchers, however, recently demonstrated early but promising results from a trial in which they washed silica out of a small number of silicosis patients’ lungs. Two women drinking wine at a kitchen island bench
It’s too early to assess whether these changes have affected the prevalence of silicosis, but hopefully they will make a difference.
Our research
Around the time the Victorian government introduced the ban, it launched an enforcement blitz in high-risk workplaces, while WorkSafe Victoria implemented a free screening program for the estimated 1,400 workers in the stone benchtop industry across the state. The Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health recently released a report detailing the findings from the first year of the screening program. Some 18% of initial 324 workers who completed the assessments were diagnosed with silicosis. A doctor looks at an x-ray of lungs.
Many modern kitchens have benches made from artificial stone. Shutterstock
The road to reform
Tradesmen in the stone benchtop industry cut slabs of stone to size and use hand-held power saws and grinders to form holes for sinks and stove tops. This generates crystalline silica dust from the stone which may be released into the air. Using water in this process can suppress the generation of dust significantly, but until recently dry processing of artificial stone has been ubiquitous in the industry. Almost 70% of workers with silicosis in Victoria indicated they spent more than half their time at work in an environment where dry processing was occurring. Stone benchtop workers suffering silicosis have called out poor work conditions over recent years, including being made to perform dry cutting with inadequate protections such as effective ventilation and appropriate respirators. Queensland was the first state to ban dry cutting in 2018. Victoria followed in 2019, and New South Wales in 2020.
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We found almost one in five workers in Victoria’s stone benchtop industry have silicosis. Shutterstock
We’ve seen similar results in Queensland, where as of February 2021 the government had screened 1,053 stonemasons exposed to crystalline silica dust from artificial stone. Some 223 (or 21%) were diagnosed with silicosis, including 32 with the most severe form, called progressive massive fibrosis. The Monash report indicates workers in Victoria are diagnosed with silicosis at an average age of just 41. The average time spent working in the stone benchtop industry when diagnosed was 14 years, and the shortest was just three years, reflecting an extremely high level of silica dust exposure. We published some earlier results of this research project in Occupational and Environmental Medicine late last year. But this latest data hasn’t yet been published in a peer-reviewed journal, meaning it hasn’t been subject to the same level of scrutiny as other published research.
A broader problem Failure to protect workers from silica exposure goes well beyond the stone benchtop industry. Around 3.7% of Australian workers are estimated to be highly exposed to silica at work, and we see workers in other industries, such as quarry work, with silicosis too. Some 59% of Earth’s crust is silica, so in certain workplaces such as mines and quarries, eliminating silica is not feasible. In these circumstances, exposure must be identified and tightly controlled with measures to prevent dust generation, isolation of workers from the dust, and effective ventilation. If silica cannot be eliminated from a workplace, constant vigilance and evaluation of control strategies are essential. Read more: Engineered stone benchtops are killing our tradies. Here’s why a ban’s the only answer
But when it comes to the choice of material for your kitchen benchtop, it’s hard to argue elimination of high-silica artificial stone isn’t feasible. There are many other materials suitable for benchtops that contain little or no silica, such as wood, laminate, steel or marble. Compared with other countries, Australian consumers have developed a particular fondness for artificial stone, which accounts for 45% of the benchtop market here, but just 14% in the United States. Workers’ lung health may seem like a strange thing to contemplate when designing a kitchen. But increased awareness of this issue is crucial to drive change. --------------------------------------------------------------------
Ryan Hoy
Respiratory Physician. Senior Research Fellow. Monash Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, Monash University
The portable, inexpensive method to prevent paint waste-water polluting the environment.
2021 April Issue | 43
The Industry Idiots
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IMPORTANT
Contacts
Aussie Painters Network aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au
Ph. 0430 399 800
National Institute for Painting and Decorating painters.edu.au
Ph. 1300 319 790
Australian Tax Office ato.gov.au
Ph. 13 72 26 / Ph. 13 28 65
Award Rates fairwork.gov.au
Ph. 13 13 94
Fair Work Building & Construction fwbc.gov.au
Ph. 1800 003 338
Mates In Construction matesinconstruction.com.au
Ph. 1300 642 111
Workplace Health and Safety Contacts Comcare WorkSafe ACT Workplace Health and Safety QLD Victorian WorkCover Authority WorkCover NSW SafeWork SA WorkSafe WA NT WorkSafe WorkSafe Tasmania
comcare.gov.au worksafe.act.gov.au worksafe.qld.gov.au vwa.vic.gov.au workcover.nsw.gov.au safework.sa.gov.au commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/ worksafe.nt.gov.au worksafe.tas.gov.au
1300 366 979 02 6207 3000 1300 362 128 1800 136 089 13 10 50 1300 365 255 1300 307 877 1800 019 115 1300 366 322
actcancer.org cancercouncil.com.au cancercouncilnt.com.au cancerqld.org.au cancersa.org.au cancervic.org.au cancerwa.asn.au
(02) 6257 9999 (02) 9334 1900 (08) 8927 4888 (07) 3634 5100 (08) 8291 4111 (03) 9635 5000 (08) 9212 4333
Cancer Council Australia ACT NSW NT QLD SA VIC WA
2021 April Issue | 45
