Aussie Painting Contractor November 2016

CSQ Excellence Awards 2016 APN strives for Innovation in Training Award!

Changes to Queensland Home Warranty Scheme How the changes will affect you!

Construction Workers’ Safety

Must not be an afterthought!

Employment Contracts Getting it right...

2016 WorldSkills Australia National Competition

www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

EDITOR Nigel Gorman EXECUTIVE EDITOR Caroline Miall CONTRIBUTORS • Ace Abbey • Anne-Maree Russell • Caroline Miall • Helen Lingard • Jim Baker • Leo Babauta • Monroe Porter • Nigel Gorman • Patrick Hill • Robert Bauman • Stephanie Foster

GRAPHIC DESIGNER J. Anne Delgado

From the Editor Hi Everyone, What a Month! We saw the ten best apprentices compete for the title of the best in the country. What an amazing group of young people striving to be the best in their trade.

Congratulations to you all. You did an amazing job over the three days of competition, and have done yourselves and your employers proud.

In the last few days, some major legislative changes that the Queensland government has brought in, have turned the painting industry on its head. With only about a weeks notice the Queensland Home Warranty Scheme came into effect last Friday, 28th October. This is a game changer for the industry; now painters have to report a vast majority of work they do over $3300 to the QBCC in addition to existing obligations. It has come as a shock to all painters who have contacted us so far for more information. Understandably, they are all perturbed by the lack of consultation and time to implement the new regulations into their business. We have some information from the QBCC in this edition and we expect to have a lot more questions answered in the coming days and weeks. Join our Facebook Group or like our Facebook Page to keep across the issue.

On a much lighter note, Aussie Painters Network has been confirmed as a finalist in the Construction Skills Queensland Excellence Awards for Innovation in Construction Training with the Painters Training Wheels. The awards night is later this month and we will be sure to let you know how we go in Decembers e-zine. Wish us luck!! We hope this will be an opportunity to acknowledge how far we’ve come and how much the team has achieved together, especially in providing modern tailored solutions to effective training in our industry.

Till next month.

Happy painting,

Nigel Gorman

nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

07 3555 8010

Contents YOUNG PAINTING CHAMPIONS

6

There are NO shortcuts to

BUSINESS SUCCESS

At national skills competition

CSQ ‘Tafe Queensland SkillsTech Award’ for Innovation in Construction Training How Painters Help Transform Spaces That Crucial FIRST RESPONSE DEVELOPING A MORE Flexible Mind

17

9

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS

20

Getting it right

10 13 14

THE WEIRD SH*T MY KID DOES! Beach Huts Queensland Home Warranty Scheme: HOW THE CHANGES APPLY TO PAINTING

23

Construction Workers’ Safety must not be an after thought Where DO you get THE TIME?

32 35

“But I Meant to Get To It”

39

24

FOR THE LOVE OF A RUG

42

28

Industry Idiots

44

Important Contacts

45

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.

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YOUNG PAINTING

CHAMPIONS

Sieze GOLD at national skills competition The drop cloths have been cleared, paint has been stored away, the brushes have been cleaned and the hearts of over 500 young apprentices, trainees and students are soaring as they reflect on a life-changing three days at the 2016 WorldSkills Australia National Competition.

From 6-8 October, young champions from 60 trades and skills converged on Melbourne Showgrounds for three intense days of competition. Amongst them were 10 of Australia’s top painting apprentices who, after their medal-winning performances at Regional Competitions held across the country, earned their place at the ultimate skills showdown.

On Day 1 of the National Competition, the air was buzzing with excitement and anticipation. School groups and members of the general public enjoyed watching the competitors’ designs come to life. “I was really nervous going in because there’s always an element of the unknown,” reflects gold medalist Michael Ingram. “I was really excited, though. When they announced, ‘Tools down!’ it was a big sense of relief.”

A budding camaraderie amongst the competitors and judges was apparent throughout the three days. At the end of Day 3, groups of competitors could be

6 | Aussie Painters Network

seen laughing and congratulating their new friends on a job well done while parents were spotted gazing at their children with eyes full of love and pride.

On Sunday night, the competitors donned their team colours and united once more with their family, friends and industry leaders at the official Closing Ceremony to celebrate a fantastic effort. After reminiscing about the highlights from the past three days, it was onto the medal announcements.

“Winning gold was pretty big – I couldn’t stop shaking! I was very proud of my effort.”

From competitor to parent, judge to volunteer, staff to the general public, the most fitting way to describe the experience of the National Competition is inspirational. For Michael, competing with WorldSkills Australia is something that he could recommend to anyone.

“Just go for it! Enjoy it and try not to stress because it’s an awesome experience.”

PHOTO CREDIT: Photos and footage

by WorldSkills Australia. All rights reserved. Used by permission.

2016 November Issue | 7

WorldSkills Australia

WRAP-UP Day 1 of Competition pushed competitors to the edge.

10 competitors. 6 Judges. Who will be the 2016 MasterPainter?

On Day 2 of the WorldSkills National Competition, hear what the competition means to professional trainers in the industry, and what criteria are used during judging of competitors

Six judges. 200 Litres of paint.

Blood. Sweat. Tears. Joy. Ten painters going for gold and the chance to represent their country. Catch all the action from the final day of WorldSkills Australia National Competition

8 | Aussie Painters Network

Its official! Aussie Painters Network is a finalist for the Construction Skills Queensland ‘Tafe Queensland SkillsTech Award’ for

Innovation in Construction Training

Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) is once again hosting the Excellence Awards, with the gala evening set to take place on Friday November 25 2016 at the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre. The Awards night is the Queensland building and construction industry’s most prestigious event, recognising the training achievements of industry including students, schools, trainers, training organisations, industry employees and employers.

“The winner in this category will demonstrate successful delivery of an innovative training or workforce development response for the building and construction industry that has assisted individuals and organisations in the sector to adapt to or prepare for new skills and workforce requirements.” http://www.csq.org.au/excellenceawards/award-categories

We are very excited to announce our nomination for the CSQ Excellence Awards is official, for a brand new award category - Innovation in Training!

We are crossing our fingers that our mobile training concept, The Painters Training Wheels, and the adoption of an exceptional online model to support it, will prove to be exactly what this award has been designed to acknowledge.

For our unique solution to distance and convenience in providing effective modern training to painting apprentices, we are in the running for the TAFE Queensland SkillsTech Award for Innovation in Construction Training:

Being part of these awards puts Aussie Painters Network among the best of the best, and gives us the unique opportunity to showcase our work for the whole industry. In such a competitive modern market, the awards highlights those who are

making a real difference and going above and beyond in responding to their industry’s needs. A night to celebrate the work of those achieving excellence.

This year marks 21 years that we have hosted these awards for the building and construction industry, and we are proud that they have become such a prestigious and well respected celebration – a ‘night of nights’ that puts the spotlight on people and business who go above and beyond with their commitment to skilling and training.” http://www.csq.org.au/excellenceawards

We wish every Nominee the best of luck in this 21st year of the awards, and look forward to reporting the event (and perhaps our win!) next month.

2016 November Issue | 9

HOW PAINTERS HELP

TRANSFORM SPACES Contrary to what some may believe, the role of painters entails much more than just changing wall colours. They have the ability to completely transform a space into something fresh and new.

Transforming a room, particularly in a home, can be a costly and timeconsuming endeavour. Depending on the homeowner’s goals, some projects can take weeks or even months to complete while racking up thousands of dollars in added expenses. Luckily, painting is an adequate alternative. There are several ways professional painters can alter the look of any space in just a matter of a few days for a fraction of the price of a full-blown remodel.

The Illusion of Space

Due to the average cost of remodelling, the thought of increasing or decreasing the size of a room is all but a dream for some. The good news is that painters can use their skills to create an illusion of space.

Darker paint colours can sometimes make rooms appear smaller because darker shades tend to absorb light. This an ideal option for people who have relatively large rooms. On the other hand, lighter colours can help open up a room to make it appear larger. This could be the perfect remedy for people with smaller spaces, such as studio apartments or even small living rooms. Of course, this concept is not a law and may not apply to every single dark or light paint colour.

However, it is a great rule of thumb.

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Setting the Atmosphere

Not only can colours create an illusion of space, but they can also affect mood. There is even a branch of psychology dedicated to the study of this phenomenon, known as colour psychology. Homeowners who desire rooms with serene atmospheres should choose paint colours like purple, blue-gray, light green, light pink, celestial blue, blue-green, gray lilac, warm gray, coral, pale blue, and aqua. On the other hand, colours like bright red, yellow, lime green, orange, and red create an atmosphere of excitement. Keeping in mind the way certain colours enhance and shape

moods, it’s important that homeowners carefully consider each room before choosing paint shades.

Improvements and Updates

Painters also have the ability to transform home interiors by improving certain home features like kitchen cabinets and countertops. Over time, these objects can become worn, unappealing, and outdated.

Incorporating fresh colours can create a dramatic transformation.

Some painting techniques can change a bland kitchen counter top into a space that resembles marble, granite, quartz, or reclaimed wood.

Additionally, there are ways to create a faux wood or textured finish on kitchen or bathroom cabinets. Any of these options can give homeowners the aesthetic appeal they desire without having to go through a long, drawn-out remodelling process.

Renovating home interiors can sometimes take a lot of work, leaving some people to settle for undesirable interior spaces. However, it doesn’t take an extreme budget to improve a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom, or other space with a new paint job.

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Ace Abbey

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/expert/Ace_Abbey/851844

2016 November Issue | 11

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12 | Aussie Painters Network

That Crucial

FIRST RESPONSE

A recent call to the APN office about first aid and CPR requirements in the workplace prompted us to ask a few questions of our Facebook Group; Do you have someone with first aid experience on your sites?

Also what do you do if there is an accident? It prompted the sharing of an inspiring story from one of our fellow painters from Melbourne. Not once, but twice, he has had to take action to save a life, in incidences a couple of years apart.

The first was a twelve year old girl who was drowning in a pool next door to the job they were working on. Abbotsford painter Ron Chapman and business partner Robin Ganser were painting a house when the happy sounds of children splashing in a pool next door turned to screams of terror.

“Suddenly we heard hysterical screams from the carer and the children saying, ‘Help! She’s stopped breathing! She’s turned blue’,” Mr Chapman said. “There was shock and desperation in the voice.

After leaping the fence, Mr Ganser tended to Ella as Mr Chapman dialled 000. Neither of the men knew CPR, but Mr Chapman put the emergency services operator on speaker phone as they guided the men through the procedure.

“Much to our joy she began to breathe and then Ambulance Victoria and the fire brigade arrived.

Ron and Robin were reunited with the girl they saved, Ella Bunn, in 2013 when they were recognised

by Ambulance Victoria.

minutes, when Ron gave him the lifesaving CPR.

Ron was again in the right place, right time again when his partner suffered a sudden cardiac arrest.

He was technically dead for eight

Nigel Gorman

How would you be faced with a life or death situation? Have you ever been tested – at work or at home?

nigel@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

2016 November Issue | 13

DEVELOPING A MORE

Flexible Mind

It’s my belief that a flexible mind helps us to deal with chaos, loss, big life changes, small frustrations, and all that life throws our way.

A flexible mind leads to more peace.

You’re not as stuck in your ways, and can adapt to change. You don’t always think you’re right but are curious about other people. You can take on new challenges with a smile.

I don’t always have such a flexible mind, to be honest. I’m working on it.

When I’m not flexible, I can feel it: my mind starts to feel rigid, I feel frustration, irritation, anger, disappointment.

There’s a feeling of not wanting things to be the way they are, feeling of being wronged, attacked. It’s the result of being caught up in whatever story you’re telling yourself.

14 | Aussie Painters Network

So here’s what I’ve been working on, to develop a more flexible mind: 1. See the tightness. If I notice myself getting frustrated, hardening up, feeling a tightness … this is the sign that I should practice. And the good news is that practice helps me get better, so I should celebrate!

This is a lesson that life has gifted me, and I try to say thank you.

2. Don’t act. The most harm comes when I act out of my frustration, actions that might include shutting down and not talking to someone.

So when I notice the tightness, I try not to take any harmful action. Instead, I try to turn inward to face whatever is arising.

3. Stay with the feeling.

Turn towards the feeling, and just observe it. See it as something that is arising, but isn’t necessarily me.

It’s a feeling, a cloud passing across the sky, not a big deal. What does it feel like, physically in my body?

Explore it with curiosity.

4. Give it some space, and compassion. If the tight feeling that is arising is a cloud, then I try to give it a big, expansive blue sky to float across. Instead of being immersed in the cloud, I try to widen, open up an expansiveness. And then I give the feeling some compassion. It’s OK to feel this! And it’s good to give it some love.

5. Relax, and loosen my grip.

The tightness comes from wanting something or someone to be a certain way. I’m holding on tightly, and I really want this. Instead, I try to loosen my grip on whatever it is. It doesn’t really matter that much, I can flow around this.

Instead, I try to relax into the moment, and be with whatever is going on. Notice the world around me, right now, instead of being caught up in my story. Relax, and be grateful for what’s around me.

6. Saying “I don’t know.”. Here’s the key to it all. Once I’ve relaxed a bit, I can now tell myself, “I don’t know how things should be. I don’t even know how they are now.” So this

gives me space to not know, and to investigate. What is the truth about this moment? What would it be like to allow the future to unfold without knowing? What is it like to not know how other people should act, but be curious about why they’re acting that way? And to give them some compassion too?

Not knowing. A flexible mind is one that doesn’t really know what should happen, and is not even sure what will unfold in this next moment. When we sit in meditation, or take each moment as it comes, we allow ourselves to not know, and to be interested in whatever arises.

That’s what I’m working with, imperfectly and forgetfully, and I find it helpful.

-----------------------------Leo Babauta, a successful

‘simplicity’ blogger and author from California, the creator of top 25 Blog, Zen Habits

www.zenhabits.net

2016 November Issue | 15

Do you have an apprentice?

What does your apprentice do on rained out days, or down-time between jobs when you’re paying them?

16 | Aussie Painters Network

There are NO shortcuts to

BUSINESS SUCCESS

Last month we’ve discussed how your business success is reflected in your financial statements and how to best set them up so that you get meaningful information from them that makes sense to you.

This month I want to show you how to lay the foundations to achieve your business success and the secret is NOT to take any short cuts. It’s the same when you paint a house… a good preparation and undercoat will get you a better quality paint job when you look at the end results.

1. Review your current business operations

Set some time aside to review your business operations and think about what went well in the last year and what didn’t go so well.

Reviewing your operations should always be based on actual figures and your Profit & Loss Statement will tell you how you went last year.

Look at things like your expenditure

and if there could be opportunities to cut costs. Examine if you could improve on your debtor management to make sure that your cashflow is steady and outstanding invoices are followed up in a systematic and timely way. Think about productivity and whether you could increase it by making some changes to your operations, including staffing.

2. Make some plans for the new year

Based on your review you now know where you want to make some changes to improve your business output. Think about how you could achieve this. You may want to keep it simple and just set five goals for next year. On the other hand, if you have big goals you definitely want to spend some time creating a proper business plan.

When you make plans for the new year be sure to develop a marketing strategy to match. The point of marketing is to increase business, so you

need to look at how you can deliver the additional business volume.

3. Set a budget to match your plans

This is where the fun begins. The great thing about creating a budget is that it makes you think about your business in detail. It forces you to quantify your operations and by getting down to this level of detail you will be able to identify any hurdles from the start and how you can overcome them.

It is important to set time frames for your goals and you want to break down each goal into the individual steps you need to take to achieve them. Start with a 90 day Action Plan and list all the steps you aim to achieve in these 90 days that take you closer to your main goal.

Make sure you include an adequate budget for each goal you’ve set for the year, otherwise it will be doomed to stay a pipe dream.

2016 November Issue | 17

4. Monitor and Reset Action Plans

The best way to keep track of your new business plans is by using your financial systems to monitor how things are going. To do that you’ll need to set up the new budget in your accounting program which will allow you to monitor your actual expenditure against the set budget each month.

At the end of the 90 day plan, sit down and review where you’re at and – yes, you guessed right – create the next 90 day plan. Take the things you didn’t achieve in the first 90 day plan and carry them over into the next 90 day plan, if warranted.

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Sometimes, business life can also require you to completely change tactics to achieve your main goal… but that’s what plans are for, to be changed when necessary.

The above processes are not rocket science and anyone can implement them. All it takes is some time to think and the right tools. However, despite the progress we’ve seen in online business technology development over the last few years, we know that many small business

owners don’t have the right systems set up yet that would serve them best for the business they do.

If you want to learn more about how you could streamline your business processes and become more productive, visit our website at www.straighttalkat.com.au and complete your details on our Home page to request an appointment.

Copyright © 2016 Robert Bauman.

Call Us: (07) 3399 8844

Aussie App Store will develop a state of the art mobile app/website to grow your business using our integrated social networking applications.

2016 November Issue | 19

EMPLOYMENT CONTRACTS GETTING IT RIGHT Gone are the days of a handshake deal and paying what you think is ‘fair’ or ‘reasonable’. A labyrinth of government legislation, applying in equal measure to large multinationals and small businesses, regulates a safety net for employees working in Australia.

The Basics – Do I need a contract?

Unequivocally, yes. Any employee who is engaged in work for an employer needs to have an employment contract setting out the conditions of their employment.

As a business you open yourself to all sorts of potential liability for failing to detail the terms under which your employee is engaged.

At an absolute minimum the following should be communicated to an employee in their contract of employment: • Any Modern Award or Enterprise Agreement that covers their employment; • Type of Engagement (i.e. full-time, part-time, casual); • Hours of work; • Pay;

20 | Aussie Painters Network

• Position; and • Classification level.

Employers have to give every new employee a copy of the Fair Work Information Statement before, or as soon as possible after, they start their new job.

Sometime it is easier to purchase a template contract and fill-in the relevant details than start from scratch.

What Award is my employee engaged under?

If you are engaging employees and are unaware of what an Award is then there is reason for you to be concerned.

An Award regulates the legislative minimum ‘safety net’ for a particular industry. For example, the Building and Construction General On-site Award 2010 regulates the terms and conditions of the Building and Construction sector.

A breach of an Award term can result in a maximum $10 800 penalty per contravention for an individual and $54 000 per contravention for a body corporate.

For example, Building and Construction General On-site Award 2010 has the following provision: 10.2 At the time of engagement an employer will inform each employee, in writing, of the terms of their engagement and, in particular, whether they are to be daily hire, full-time, part-time or casual employees.

So not only is it best practice to have a written contract it can be a legal requirement.

Can I have an unpaid work trial to test-out someone before I engage them?

A work trial is okay when: • it involves no more than a demonstration of the person’s skills, where they are directly relevant to a vacant position; • it’s only for as long as needed to demonstrate the skills required for the job. This will be dependent on the nature and complexity of the work, but could range from an hour to one shift; • the person is under direct supervision for the entire trial.

Any period beyond what is reasonably required to demonstrate the skills required for the job must be paid at the appropriate minimum rate of pay. If an employer wants to further assess a candidate’s suitability, they could employ the person as a casual employee and/or for a probationary period and pay them accordingly for all hours worked.

Think you can just skate on by?

Let’s say you have engaged an employee as a painter on a handshake deal, on a flat-rate of pay. Here are a few breaches and how much it could cost your business: Failure to provide a copy of the Fair Work Information statement: $10 800 per contravention for an individual and $54 000 per contravention for a body corporate; Breach for an Award term (this is for each individual breach): $10 800 per contravention for an individual and $54 000 per contravention for a body corporate; Any underpayment, including hourly rates, penalties and overtime, as

identified against the relevant Award.

And that doesn’t take into account the cost, time and stress of handling any sort of legal action taken against you and/or your business.

Generally, the Fair Work Ombudsman only takes legal action where there has been a deliberate attempt to circumvent a workplace law or a refusal to pay what is owed.2 However, this does not preclude an employee or a union from taking action.

For example, in 2015 the Fair Work Ombudsman took action against a company that thought Australian minimum pay rates were “just crazy.”3 In breaching several Award terms and failing to cooperate and comply with the Fair Work Ombudsman the Company was fined $192,840 and the individual owner an additional $35,496. The Judge in that case found: “…. compliance with minimum standards is not optional, it’s the law”.

Fun Fact:

A small business, being a business with less than 15 employees based on a head count of everyone who

works for the business and associated entities, can have a 12-month probation period for their employees. If an employee is dismissed due to their performance during this 12-month period, they are not entitled to make an application for unfair dismissal.

Takeaway lesson:

If you take the time to set-up your paperwork before you formally engage someone you substantially lessen the risk to your business that you may be found to have breached a workplace law requirement.

Note: This article is general information only and should not be taken as legal advice. Links to external sites contained within the article are for further reference for readers.

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Patrick Hill is an industrial relations consultant at IRIQ Pty Ltd. To see the services IRIQ can provide visit www.iriq.com.au

DISCLAIMER: Employment Contracts are a complex part of Employment Law. If you have any questions, concerns or doubts, please ensure you seek Professional Advice before finalising your Employment Contract.

2016 November Issue | 21

My Hourly Rate Calculator

www.mytools4business.com

The weird sh*t my kid does!

Last week my 7 year old son asked,

‘Why do some cats have no tail?’

I said that they can breed them that way, and in other ways with specific things. I attempted to explain genes in very simple terms. (Very simple, considering there has yet to be “The Talk”) He came back with (thinking about genes, presumably) … ‘What if I marry someone who has no hands, no legs and …… no tastebuds!!??’

Me; ‘Um… Huh??’

Tell us some of the weird sh*t your kid does?

We’ll send you something for nix..

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Caroline Miall caroline@aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au 2016 November Issue | 23

Beach Huts It was on my recent visit to Melbourne that it reminded me of the time my wife and I went on a day trip to Mornington Peninsular many years ago. Besides the beauty of the area, what stood out in my mind were the colourful beach huts along the foreshore. This made me curious on the history and when ‘Beach Huts’ came about, so I proceeded to do what everyone does when looking for information, I ‘Googled’ it.

A ‘beach hut’ (also known as a beach cabin, beach box or bathing box) is a small, usually wooden and often brightly coloured building above the high tide mark.

They are usually arranged in one or more ranks on popular bathing beaches and generally used as a shelter from the sun or wind and for changing into and out of swimming costumes and for the safe

24 | Aussie Painters Network

storing of some personal belongings. Some beach huts incorporate simple facilities for preparing food and hot drinks by either bottled gas or occasionally mains electricity.

The noted bathing boxes at Brighton in Australia are known to have existed as far back as 1862. The bathing boxes are thought to have been constructed and used largely as a response to the Victorian morality of the age, and are known to have existed not only in Australia but also on the beaches of England, France and Italy at around the same time.

Depending upon the location, beach huts may be owned privately or may be owned by the local council or similar administrative body.

On popular beaches, privately owned beach huts can command

substantial prices due to their convenient location, out of all proportion to their size and amenity.

----------------------------------------

The history

---------------------------------------Beach huts may look pretty humble but their story is closely bound up with the history of the English seaside resorts going back more than 250 years. They had become an established feature of any wouldbe seaside resort, which began in Scarborough, the world’s first seaside resort located on the east Yorkshire coast. These people needed accommodation and sources of entertainment, so the modern concept of the seaside was born. Before this, no one but fishermen and smugglers used the beach.

2016 November Issue | 25

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Continued from page 24...

Then doctors began to prescribe the cold sea bath as the latest ‘cure-all’ remedy, the sick went to the coast to be treated and took their families with them.

It wasn’t long after this that the ‘bathing machine’ was invented to offer greater privacy to those taking a therapeutic dip. In its original form this horse drawn carriage featured an enclosed room with a collapsible hood at the seaward end to shield patients as they were submitted naked to the waves by burly attendants called ‘dippers’. In 1789 George III gave royal approval to the new fashion when he took a medicinal bath at Weymouth to the musical accompaniment of ‘God Save the King.’

These simple vehicles, designed for the use of the wealthy but infirm, were evidence of a radical new fascination with the sea.

The rules designed to keep male bathing machines at a set distance from female bathing machines were probably only in force for about 30 years, less in some places, and they were routinely flouted.

Before then, bathing had been a cumbersome and expensive affair.

Men and women bathed on separate beaches and changing for a dip in the ocean was performed out of view in a bathing machine, which was towed a safe distance out to sea before the nervous bather took his or her plunge into the often uninvitingly cold sea water.

By the 1890s the call for mixed bathing was getting stronger, not least because this was the norm in northern Europe but as well in American resorts. In the Edwardian era and in the years following the First World

War, the sight of people of both sexes in bathing costumes had become acceptable. However, changing in public was still frowned upon and could result in a fine, even if decency was preserved under a Macintosh (so called “Macintosh Bathing”). Hence councils provided and charged for beach huts to change in.

In the nineteenth century, no trip to the seaside was complete without a dip in the sea from one of these bathing machines. The vehicles looked like beach huts on wheels and they could be hired for halfhour periods. Patrons would get in at the top of the beach, change out of their normal clothes as a horse pulled them towards the sea, then step directly into the water from the front of the machine. For more than 150 years this was how most bathers experienced the sea.

Queen Victoria even had her own personal bathing machine built at Osbourne on the Isle of Wight.

In the inter-War period, sunbathing was the new fashion as it became more acceptable for people to walk across the beach in their bathing costumes. As an alternative to the beach hut, villages of stripy changing tents were erected on the Edwardian sands and were offered for hire, along with deck chairs. Around the same time some of the bathing machines began to lose their wheels and other, purpose-built, day huts began to appear. The last of the machines disappeared with the Second World War and when the beaches had been cleared of barbed wire at the end of hostilities, the holiday makers came back in their millions.

When the bathing machine was finally dispensed with, many were

left abandoned on the beach. Enterprising people then made use of the abandoned machines by removing the wheels and turning them into ‘beach huts’. The 1950s was the heyday of the beach hut and dedicated fans have been keeping up the maintenance of their huts ever since. Today there’s a clear resurgence with spiralling prices and much media interest in them. In Australia on the Mornington Peninsula, exists the largest amount of beach huts (around 1300). These are mainly on Crown Land or owned by the Local Shire.

Most are passed down from generation to generation, but recently a beach hut in the historic Portsea area (one of Australia’s most expensive plots of real estate) sold at auction for a record price of $615,000.

The various foreshores are managed by different ‘foreshore committees’ and sometimes the local Shire is the appointed ‘foreshore committee’. There are also certain council guidelines and licenses and rates to pay if you own one of these. It could cost anywhere up to a $1000 a year in fees; you can’t connect to mains electricity; you can’t use any form of advertising on the exterior, and most of all, you cannot live in them., They are only meant for day use.

So for a ‘box’ that may only be 9 square metres in size and cost at least $180,000 for a cheap one, you may really have to think about it first.

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Jim Baker www.mytools4business.com

2016 November Issue | 27

Changes to Queensland Home Warranty Scheme:

HOW THE CHANGES APPLY TO PAINTING

What does this mean for licensed painters?

It is important that you are aware of recent changes to the law concerning what is insurable building work and premiums for Queensland Home Warranty Scheme (the Scheme). The Scheme is managed by the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).

These changes will apply to contracts signed by both parties on or after 28 October, 2016.

In general, everything previously insurable under the Home Warranty Scheme will continue to be insurable, although the Scheme has been expanded to cover other types of building work.

The Scheme now includes painting, both internal and external, of a residence or related roofed building (for example, a shed) that is over the value of $3,300.

So, if you are carrying out painting work that fits this description and the contract value is over $3,300, you will be required to collect the appropriate insurance premium from the consumer and pay the premium on to the QBCC. We realise that as a licensed painter, you have probably not had to use the Scheme before.

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Here are answers to some commonly asked questions: • What about jobs that you have already provided quotes for?

Any contract signed by both parties on or after 28 October, 2016, will be subject to the new provisions. So a premium will be payable (providing the work is over $3,300).

If no contract has been signed yet, the contractor should liaise with the consumer and provide a new quote which factors in the premium payable, if the contract is to be signed on or after 28 October, 2016.

If the contract is only for painting and is signed by both parties prior to 28 October, no premium is payable.

• What about contracts already in place?

If the contract is only for painting, and is signed by both parties prior to 28 October, no premium is payable.

• Does it apply to all types of painting?

Yes, providing it is over $3,300 and is carried out by a licensed contractor, within the building envelope of a residence or related roofed building.

• Does it apply to new paint jobs and re-painting?

Yes, it applies to both.

• There is confusion about whether painting work is actually considered building work, as opposed to decorative work.

What is actually to be included as part of the Scheme?

Painting is building work within the definition of “building work” in the Queensland Building and Construction Commission Act 1991 (QBCC Act).

• How is painting included in the new provisions? o The QBCC Act provides that a premium must be paid for residential construction work. o The term “residential construction work” includes primary insurable work. o Amendments to the legislation state that building work within the building envelope of a residence or related roofed building is primary insurable work (providing it is over $3,300 and carried out by a licensed contractor). The term “building envelope” is defined to mean the outermost sides of the building that separate the internal part of the building from the external environment. o So, if the house is painted (either internally or externally), and the value of the work is over $3,300 this is building work within the building envelope of a residence. o As such, this is primary insurable work for which a premium must be paid.

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• What coverage is provided for painting? o The Scheme covers consumers for loss suffered if a contractor (or an individual where fraud or certain representations are made) fails to complete a contract for residential work or fails to rectify defective work. The terms of cover, however, contain certain limitations and restrictions. o This generally means that incomplete or defective painting work will be covered by the Scheme. The Scheme does not cover defective products however. For example, a defective batch of paint resulting in peeling will not be covered, however, using the incorrect paint for an area resulting in peeling will be covered. o Non-structural defects like painting are generally covered for 6

months after the day the work is completed. Consumers must lodge the claim with the QBCC within 7 months of the completion date.

• How is it going to be policed?

The legislation is clear – it is an offence not to pay a premium for work that requires it to be paid.

If it comes to the attention of the QBCC that a premium should have been paid and was not, then the QBCC can take appropriate compliance action.

• Is it going to cost painting contractors more money?

The contractor will collect the premium from the consumer, and pay the premium to the QBCC. The premium should be factored into the

total contract price, which is paid by the consumer.

So, ultimately, it is the consumer who will be paying the premium, since it is the consumer who gets the benefit of the insurance cover.

The contractor will be able to promote the fact that the work will be covered by the Scheme backed by the Queensland Government.

---------------------------------------------For more information visit

www.qbcc.qld.gov.au

The portable, inexpensive method to prevent paint waste-water polluting the environment.

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2016 November Issue | 31

Construction Workers’ Safety MUST NOT BE AN AFTER-THOUGHT

In the complexity of construction sites, ways to boost safety can be overlooked.

According to SafeWork Australia, 211 construction workers died from work-related injuries in the five years from 2007–08 to 2011–12. Over the same time, construction accounted for 11% of all serious workers’ compensation claims, with an average of 39 claims requiring one or more weeks off work because of workrelated injury or disease, every day.

Construction projects are delivered in complex networks of activity.

Multiple project participants and stakeholders are involved. Many of these stakeholders have an impact or influence construction workers’ safety, including those who procure construction projects and those who make or influence significant design decisions.

Recent research undertaken at RMIT shows that decisions made early in a project cycle - before construction work commences - can shape the health and safety of construction workers. Yet the people who make these decisions may not fully consider this safety impact.

The research was part of an international benchmarking study of construction health and safety. Data were collected from 288 interviews

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taken from 23 construction projects – 10 in Australia and New Zealand, and 13 in the United States. In each project, 43 specific elements or components of the building (or other facility) were selected, including roof structures, sewerage systems, retaining walls, a pedestrian bridge, and foundation systems.

Further down are the engineering controls that isolate people from hazards. These three may be classed as “technological controls” because they change the physical work environment.

Interviews explored the way construction decisions were made, how hazards were controlled, and the timing and sequence of key decisions as well as other influences at play as project decisions were made.

In contrast, the lower layers in the hierarchy represent “behavioural controls” in that they seek to change the way people work such as implementing a job rotation scheme to limit exposure to hazards. At the bottom of the hierarchy is personal protective equipment - regarded as the least reliable of the measures.

There is a well-established hierarchy used in the construction industry for controlling workplace safety hazards. At the top of the hierarchy is eliminating the hazard altogether. The second level is substituting something that produces a hazard with something less hazardous.

The research showed a significant positive relationship between the percentage of hazards identified and controlled before construction commenced and the implementation of upper level (or technological) control measures in the Australian, New Zealand and US projects.

The research also found that the effectiveness of control measures relied on people with knowledge about construction materials, methods and processes being involved in making decisions in the planning and design stages of projects, known as the pre-construction phase, rather than decisions happening on-site.

So when construction contractors and specialist subcontractors were central to decisions made before construction work commenced, more effective upper level controls were implemented.

To a lay-person, this seems obvious: but the construction supply chain is disjointed and complex. Depending on the delivery mechanisms selected for construction projects and resulting contractual arrangements entered into, the extent to which construction process knowledge available may be limited.

The fact that the design and construction of projects are often carried out by different firms further reduces the possibility of free-flowing communication between constructors and designers.

The situation is made even more challenging due to the complexity of the construction industry’s product, which means that many components of a building or facility will be designed and delivered by specialist sub-contractors, who may not be engaged when key decisions are being made. This is a problem for the design of upper level hazard controls, because communication is critical to the effective performance of construction project teams.

The research provides evidence that early consideration of construction workers’ safety in project decisionmaking and the involvement of people with appropriate knowledge of

construction processes can make construction workplaces safer.

Enabling this to occur within current market structures and mechanisms may have cost implications, but ultimately clients of the construction industry may need to reconsider the value that they place on construction workers’ safety.

----------------------------------------------

Helen Lingard

Professor, Construction Occupational Health and Safety, RMIT University

Disclosure statement

Helen Lingard’s work was supported by Cooperative Agreement Number U60 OH009761, under which RMIT is a subcontractor to Virginia Tech, from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the CDC NIOSH.

2016 November Issue | 33

Find out if the things around you are SAFE for humans and pets

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Where DO you get

THE TIME?

Why does it so often seem like you turn around and it’s midnight when you’re raising your kids? It seems like no matter what you do sometimes, there’s still a lot more work to do by the time you are ready to go to bed. What can you do?

The first thing you need to do is figure out where your time is going each day. Try making notes one day about what you do and how long it takes.

If you’re feeling really ambitious, you can try this for a week, since every day is going to be different, but even one day will give you an idea as to where you’re using up all your time.

It may feel like you’re wasting time writing these things down, and they will slow you down a bit for that day, but it can be a big help.

Take a look at what you spent your day doing. Now assign a priority to

each. How much time would you prefer to spend on each?

Now if you add all these up, you’ll probably find out your day is more than 24 hours long if you include time to sleep. That’s how it is being a parent.

The first thing you need to do is figure out what items can be done less often. Can you stand a little mess in the house? Can everyone else? Can you get more help from your spouse and the kids in keeping the house clean? You’ll have to decide which solution is right for you.

What about time spent surfing the internet or watching TV? Give yourself time limits on each of these. If you have Cable TV or a digital recorder, try recording your favourite shows and watching them

a little later, skipping the commercials. Not only does this allow you to choose the time you watch your shows, it can cut down their length.

Sometimes it can be hard finding enough time in your day to be with your kids, yet most parents will call this a priority. Just remember that time with your kids isn’t just about having fun. Even small children can help out with making dinner, which can be a great time for talking with kids of any age. My three year old daughter has been helping make salads since she was two. The lettuce ends up in either rather large or very small pieces, but she has fun helping and we get some great time together. Older kids may or may not appreciate this time, but it’s good for them to help out.

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I definitely do not recommend cutting back on whatever meals you insist on eating as a family. This is a great thing to do as a family, and if you aren’t making time for family meals, find a way to do so! Even if it’s just dinner one night a week together, no activities to run off too, your family needs time to relax together.

Finally, are there things you can cut out all together? If you feel as though you’ve been pushed into doing things for others because you’re at home and “have time,” don’t feel guilty about telling people that you

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do not have the time to do things they want you to do. Your family comes first. If you really want to volunteer, think about either cutting back the number of hours when you need more time for yourself or your family, or volunteering for something you can do as a family.

time. You’ll go through times where there just aren’t enough hours in the day even when you know your priorities, but you can cut down on the less important stuff and relieve a lot of your stress.

There are only so many hours to a day, and so many things you’d love to get done. Take a good look at what you need to do, want to do and don’t really need to do, and you can find ways to feel a little less overwhelmed most of the

Stephanie Foster is the owner

---------------------------------------------of Home with the Kids.

If you want to learn more about time management as an at-home parent, visit

www.homewiththekids.com/ time-management/

Maintain Your Family’s Living Standard

2016 November Issue | 37

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“But I Meant To Get To It” Business owners are busy and even with the best of intentions, there are things we meant to do, that we just never get around to. Failure to do some of these things can cost you a small fortune and be disastrous.

Here are some friendly reminders.

Death and taxes: Facing our mortality is never easy but death is inevitable for all of us. Remember, your death is already a tremendous ordeal for your family, so don’t put further stress by being unprepared. Failure to have a will means the government and bureaucratic processes will prevail. Also, if you have not updated your will in the last 5 to 10 years means it may be out of date. If you have small children, a custody directive as to who will take care of them in the case of both spouses death is also wise. A living will is also in order. Powers of attorney are complicated documents and should never be taken lightly but is your business covered if something happens to you? Being in a coma in the hospital is bad enough but losing your business while you are asleep because no one can sign checks or take care of things just adds to the disaster.

Hire a professional. Get some advice and make sure the basics are covered.

Consider funeral preplanning and payment. It can be a wonderful parting gift for your family.

Prescription lists: Do you have a prescription list in your wallet and readily available? If you have an adverse reaction or are in a car accident, such a list could save your life.

Physical: No matter what your age, set a doctor’s appointment and have a physical. Finding out your vital statistics may save your life.

Offsite computer backup: It would astonish you how many contractors have a manual back up system, think they are covered, crash and have not backed up the system in several months. It is not a question of if your computer system will crash, but when. It is important to have a backup system you don’t have to

remember to copy. And it also is important to make sure it works and you can restore the data. Systems have to be restored offsite.

Even if you put a disk in a fireproof cabinet, the heat of a fire will destroy the disc. Also, what happens if thieves take all of your computers and also the fireproof cabinet because they thought something important was in it?

Estimating help: If you are the only person who can measure and put together a job and something happens to you, you are going to be out of business once your backlog disappears. If a key employee can do a takeoff, you can advise them on how to mark up the job. Have your spouse or office call me and I will offer some guidance but I am not a technician and I don’t do square footages or count units.

2016 November Issue | 39

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Document what you own: Have a fire or disaster and it can take forever to count all those missing items and you probably never get it all. With digital photos and videos, it is extremely easy to video tape your office, shop and home. Make a note to do so once a year and make sure the information is kept offsite. Open cabinets and doors to take photos of what is inside.

Just takes a minute and if you ever need them, they are a godsend.

Safety program: Put together a simple safety program and have access to a safety consultant. If someone falls and dies on one of your jobs, it is too late to start thumbing through the yellow pages to find someone to help guide you. Make sure you have safety log books and follow the appropriate systems. By the way, don’t assume if you use subcontractors you are exempt from safety issues. Hire an expert.

Make annual retirement contributions: Contribute to some type of IRA and start early. Countless contractors I encounter think one day that they will sell their business and use the proceeds for retirement. Contracting businesses are hard to sell. Putting all your money into trucks, buildings and other business assets may not be the best long term strategy. Try to balance your wealth. If 5k a year was put in an IRA at age 19 and the return was 5%, you would have over 1.3m at 72. Compounding returns on investments is a wonderful thing but you have to start early and look to the long haul.

Review your insurance: Have a business professional review your insurance. Remember that the purpose of insurance is for disasters

not fender benders. Yes, it is expensive but the lowest price may not be the wisest choice. Good business insurance agents are detailed folks who look closely to make sure all the loop holds are covered. Are you insured if an employee has an accident in their vehicle on company time? What about theft and embezzlement? Are you insured if you have a spill into a waterway and have to pay for clean up? What is your liability cap? Working on a 5m house is not uncommon and having an accident that burns it down is easier than you might think.

Electronic bank theft protection: Were you aware that many of the consumer laws that apply to personal banking may not apply to your business account. Have your banker put in writing that if someone hacks into your account, they will cover it. You may be surprised at the response.

I am not trying to be a worry wart but you must be a realist. A little bit of protection can go a long way to protect your loved ones and all those things you have worked to build up.

________________________

Monroe Porter

PROOF Management Consultants

is president of

monroe@proofman.com

www.proofman.com 2016 July Issue | 41

FOR THE LOVE OF A RUG One of the most challenging issues I have when staging and styling my client’s homes, is choosing furniture and accessories that work well with the pieces that I have available in my inventory at the time and also pieces that my sellers leave in their property during the sale.

It is no secret that I LOVE this rug!

It pops up everywhere!

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Anne-Maree Russell

is the Principal/Owner of Cape Cod Residential - a bespoke approach to presentation & marketing of premium properties throughout Brisbane, as well as author of popular home design blog.

www.thehousethatambuilt.com 2016 July Issue | 43

The Industry

Idiots

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Important Contacts Aussie Painters Network www.aussiepaintersnetwork.com.au

Ph. 0430 399 800

National Institute for Painting and Decorating www.painters.edu.au

Ph. 1300 319 790

Australian Tax Office www.ato.gov.au

Ph. 13 72 26 / Ph. 13 28 65

Award Rates www.fairwork.gov.au

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 Comcare WorkSafe ACT Workplace Health and Safety QLD Victorian WorkCover Authority WorkCover NSW SafeWork SA WorkSafe WA NT WorkSafe WorkSafe Tasmania

www.comcare.gov.au www.worksafe.act.gov.au www.worksafe.qld.gov.au www.vwa.vic.gov.au www.workcover.nsw.gov.au www.safework.sa.gov.au www.commerce.wa.gov.au/WorkSafe/ www.worksafe.nt.gov.au www.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

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

Cancer Council Australia ACT NSW NT QLD SA VIC WA

2016 July Issue | 45