Voice of the


MI Supplies Emphasises The Importance Of Quality Equipment For Self-Employed Tradespeople


Alex Ingham, managing director of MI Supplies, on how investing in adequate work wear and equipment can reduce the risk of injuries and prevent costly sick leave. According to data from HSE, http://www.hse.gov.uk/statistics/causinj/ the


number of reported non-fatal injuries occurring at workplaces has been declining since the early 2000s. This suggests that employers are becoming more aware of the ways that staff members can be injured over the course of an average day. Furthermore, it demonstrates that they are also beginning to take action to reduce those hazards by investing in vital tools, products and equipment. It is not only important to employees that a company does this; it is in the interest of the business too. Failure to address hazards can leave a company in breach of the law and have a significant financial impact in terms of providing staff sick leave. However, while work-related injuries are becoming less common among


businesses, this is not necessarily the case with self-employed tradespeople working in trades such as carpentry, plumbing, repairs and electricians. They are not on the payroll of a company who can invest in the work wear or protective gear. Rather, this responsibility is left to individual self-employed tradespeople, who may not have the resources available to invest in quality equipment that will help keep them safe on the job. As a result, it is estimated that an average of ten tradespeople are injured every single day with around 3650 injuries occurring every year. 62% of tradespeople said they had experienced a preventable minor injury in their line of work in a survey by Simply Business. http://www.simplybusiness.co.uk/knowledge/articles/2017/03/90-per-cent-of- construction-workers-have-worked-while-injured-or-ill/ A minor injury resulting from a lack of hand protection, improper headwear or


missing personal protective equipment, for instance, might not sound particularly debilitating. However, for someone who is self-employed, a minor injury that leaves him or her out of work for a few days can significantly impact their income. Self-employed people are not entitled to receive Statutory Sick Pay. This forces many tradespeople to do their labour whilst suffering from sicknesses and injuries


Health & Safety


‘I feel Wiha’ – the Wiha health offensive 2017 promises information, explanation and surprises Take health into your own hands – hand tool manufacturer Wiha to focus on health and ergonomic design in 2017. Safety, ergonomic design and health protection are not words which normally spring to mind when we think of hand


tools. This is something which Wiha wants to change. The hand tool manufacturer is announcing a ‘health offensive’ under the slogan ‘I feel Wiha’ for 2017. The marketing campaign is set to reach users and specialist trade via all media and information channels. Wiha is the only manufacturer in its sector to actively tackle health and ergonomic design for the first time. Sharing information and knowledge, capturing attention and offering advice are just some of the measures announced, as part of the campaign planned some time ago, which Wiha will implement over the coming year. You can instantly explore the Wiha health world by browsing the marketing campaign on the www.i-feel-wiha.com


website, launched in February. A red cross in the campaign logo guides the way and signals what the initiative is about: health and ergonomic design. The world’s first “German Association for Healthier Backs” award given to a hand tool manufacturer is not the only reason why the manufacturer has decided to focus on the topic more closely. Wiha’s many years of experience in developing hand tools whilst researching and taking into account ergonomic aspects also serve as a driving force behind this initiative. The successful outcome from close collaboration with institutions and professionals in the medical science sector also plays a role. It’s time for Wiha to take one step further and share its expertise. “We want to give users and specialist trade a greater understanding of the benefits of hand tools. We wish to seize their growing interest and actively engage and help


them with the little-explored topic of protecting their health. Thanks to our close communication with users, we know that we are following an unstoppable trend and it’s the right moment to engage with this topic,” explains Mario Sommer, Head of Marketing at Wiha. Bringing together a broad range of measures and promotions to achieve this goal will create the “Wiha health offensive 2017”. “ Capturing attention. Conveying information attractively and with emotional impact. Providing communication continuously and in a way which is geared towards the recipient as well as explaining competently and providing training focussed on benefits. These are the basic foundations for creating awareness and a basic understanding which open up a great opportunity for all those involved and anyone interested in the topic,” continues Sommer. Tailor-made initiatives and coherent concepts should make a big impact and meet the needs of users, specialist trade and, ultimately, the whole tool market. Wiha promises a marketing campaign which is designed to be informative, full of humour, and easy to understand with colourful motifs such as “Your friendly, neighbourhood doctor” to ensure direct communication with users. I feel Wiha – is only just beginning.


14 ToolBUSINESS+HIRE www.toolbusiness.co.uk


that would normally keep most employees off work. This can easily happen when equipment is out-dated, inadequate or not being used. The aforementioned Simply Business survey also revealed that 90% of tradespeople have gone to work when they were injured because of fears about losing pay. Time is money for self-employed tradespeople. Even the most minor injury


can, therefore, leave a worker out of action for long enough to harm their income. In our experience, it is actually much more cost-effective for tradespeople to equip themselves with durable and superior equipment. The price involved in investing in good equipment is far smaller than that of being left unable to work – especially at peak times for your industry. This is, of course, without mention of long-term injuries that might leave you off work for extended periods. Protective equipment is a long-term investment that ensures your ability to work successfully now and in the future.


Industry


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32