FEATURE
Dust devils The word around dust control is at last reaching smaller companies and individuals, so it was good to see that the dust agenda is still live with some new products. Dust Control displayed its new purpose-made dust removal cabinet. Aimed at hire companies that have to service and repair hired machines, the cabinet allows maintenance staff to remove dust safely before servicing. Dust Control was keen to stress that the cabinet is not a bodge using any old cabinet with a vacuum attached, but a genuinely safe solution for the hire industry.
Dust collection featured in several other power tools I found at the show. Makita has a new range of wall sanders that collect the majority of dust when connected to an M-Class dust extractor. Flex wall sanders have been setting the agenda for many years, and I would say is somewhat ahead of the competition in ease of use and dust collection. As a regular user of random orbit sanders, I was pleased to see that Flex is working on (launch due soon, I am
told) a new, quieter, more dust-efficient and vibration-free (nearly) 150mm random orbit sander. Brushless motors and efficient battery pack design have really helped to move the conversation on.
Milwaukee has been innovating furiously too. It wasn’t that long ago that the power demands of heavier tools like 25kg class demo hammers and 150mm diamond core drills were beyond mere battery power. But no more. These tools are on sale and available. Made possible by Milwaukee’s MXFUEL REDLITHIUM battery technology and a lot of R and D, the cord free building site is a reality now.
Green is good It was very clear to me after my visit to the EHS that we seem to be lucky that the general feeling in the hire industry is one of positivity and optimism. The willingness to confront difficulties and adopt innovation is clear. It also seems as though each company spurs others on to greater efforts to deliver safety, efficiency and sustainable energy gains to its end users.
In the same way that the industry has embraced working at height and dust legislation for the greater safety of its end users, the need for clean and renewable energy has been given very serious thought and action. This shows a remarkable ability to act responsibly towards its customers, but also a recognition that change (for the better, hopefully) is inevitable. I doubt that the final Brexit outcome will change that mood.
If there were any climate change deniers at the EHS this year, they would be in a minority. It is clear that the green agenda has taken hold and the hire industry in particular is very good at forward thinking and planning, as well as taking its collective responsibilities very seriously. There is clearly still a need for fossil fuelled machines because they are needed for heavier applications in particular. But my guess is that their phasing out will be quicker than we originally thought possible.
Roll on the future – with a lot more optimism on my part after my show visit.
Welfare units are a requirement now on anything but the smallest building sites and the greener and cheaper they are to run, the happier building contractors are."
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