ToughButterCup

I get round that one by saying that hard, non fluffy towels are excellent because they have become exfoliating towels, and they are very expensive to buy. That lie works for about 3 seconds.

Hmmm. You don't have to have a fully up to date file on site.... and since I know that by definition you have access to the Internet you could simply maintain it in the same way I do. PM me and I'll give you access to my H+S folder on Box for a short while so you can have a look around if you like.... Ian

Yep, One of these. Tops! Yer thumb fits in the wonky bit at the bottom.

Hi, I maintain an, as yet, incomplete file. It's a work in progress. It isn't perfect and probably won't be. My status as Admin on this site should not be confused with expertise. I am not an H+S expert. First, the file doesn't have to be printed. I maintain a Box account (others providers are just as good) because I expect the vast majority of people with whom I work to and who need documentation to be connected - through our WiFi if needed . It works across the whole site, and as luck would have it 4G is occasionally available in line of site. (Why occasionally only?). Putting it all online saves my sanity. And where we need to print, we do. This answer is not definitive: please treat it with 'respectful disbelief' and cross-check my answer with others and refer to other H+S guidance available online. The most useful direct answer to your question is to reproduce the Index to the file I maintain. INDEX Sections 1 to 6 - General & Hazard Information Section 7 - Fire & Emergency Information & Records Section 8 - Operating & Maintenance Information (Electrical) Section 9 - Operating & Maintenance Information (Mechanical) Section 10 - Operating & Maintenance Information (Heating, H & C Services, Ventilation, & Air Conditioning) Section 11 - As Built/As Found Drawings 1 General Information 1.1 Site Location 1.2 Summary of Works carried out 1.3 Description of intended use of the facility 1.4 Existing H&S Files / Building information for structures, services, etc which tie into or affect this building 2 Hazard & Risk Information 2.1 Emergency Shut Down & Isolation Procedures 2.2 Residual design risks & controls 2.3 Safety data sheets 2.4 Building hazards & surveys 2.5 Permit to Work Requirements 2.6 Critical Structural Information affecting future works or demolition 3 Key Personnel 3.1 Building and Maintenance Managers 3.2 Design Team 3.3 Contractors & Principal Suppliers 4 Commissioning, Test & Inspection Certificates 4.1 Project Completion & Handover Certificate 4.2 Building Commissioning Certificate 4.3 Electrical Services 4.4 Gas Services 4.5 Water Services 4.6 Fire 4.7 Mechanical 4.8 Building Control & Planning Permission 5 Services & Utilities 5.1 Electric 5.2 Gas 5.3 Water 5.4 Waste 5.5 Communications & I.T 6 Construction Information 6.1 Design Criteria 6.2 Construction Methods 6.3 Schedules 7 Fire & Emergency Information & Records 7.1 Emergency shut-down procedures 7.2 Emergency call Systems 7.3 Register of fire/emergency plant & equipment 7.4 Operating & maintenance manuals & instructions (Fire/Emergency) 7.5 Maintenance schedules (Fire/Emergency) 7.6 Equipment Warranty Contact Details 7.7 Test Certificates (Fire/Emergency) 7.8 As Fitted Drawings (Fire/Emergency) 8 Operating & Maintenance Information - Electrical 8.1 Safety Provisions 8.2 Emergency procedures & isolation procedures 8.3 Register of electrical plant & equipment 8.4 Operating & maintenance manuals & instructions (Electrical) 8.5 Maintenance schedules (Electrical) 8.6 Equipment Warranty Contact Details 8.7 Test Certificates (Electrical) 8.8 As Fitted Drawings (Electrical) Where the content refers to large documents, I merely hyperlink to it, or where that isn't possible I create a subfolder with the same number - for example 2.6 above. A good deal of work and money has gone into reducing the build risk by doing a Topographical Survey, a Soil Investigation and Structural Calculations. Copies of those documents are just 'dumped' into 2.6. Where I can easily add information to the main file, I do so. Hope this helps, Ian

Pub tonight then?

Candle, Mount Everest, top of......

Got one. And it's OK (ish) But soooooooo expensive. I have built myself an outside hard standing / work area. And I'd like to light it well. Looks to me like I'll have to use an off-road /SUV fog-light bar

Oh no they don't...... Die dumme arsche.... (not too hard to guess the English)

Yep, I know, another set of chargers will be needed. How many have I got so far? (I got bored counting the chargers I already have) Ideas anyone?

Just this minute come back from having done exactly that to our dog's favourite ball. I never knew that collies could give dirty looks.

But folks; is the CIL the issue? And not the contamination? If the contaminated land is the issue, can I suggest it's the study's findings that are important. I expect I'm missing something here. My LPA doesn't know what CIL is (yet )

@nod, your post refers to contamination doesn't it; the CIL isn't the issue - as I see it. We had a Contamination Study done because we are on 'made ground'. ('Made Ground' is code for the spoil from an old quarry which supplied clay for the local canal). A tiny amount of Lead (Pb) was found. An old bloke used to wash his paint brushes out in a shed on the ground on which we are building. A contamination plan was submitted, and accepted. What did your survey find? If it found nothing, I'd be tempted to suggest (not advise) 'get-on-with-it'

Did the mum do an hour or two on the Naughty Step then? Or maybe the daughter did?

Ah stop being so damn reasonable man!

Mmmm. In the long and winding road that lead (to my door?) to discovering the proper authority for our package digester discharge, we found that the EA isn't. That's because we will be discharging to a small stream. And the EA have transferred responsibility for small waterways to the LPA. We already have one land drain which simply discharges to the neighbour's field as surface water: the pipe invert is above the level of the neighbours field. @PeterW can you point me to the relevant bits of paper, please?

The end in mind : connect the surface drainage to the discharge side of our package treatment plant. Is that allowed? Our foul drainage goes into a digester. That discharges via a 100 meter pipe to a stream I'm about to sort out our land drainage. I want to have a simple French drain - or two. Can I connect up the surface water discharge to the pipe on the discharge side of the package treatment plant? I've looked at H3 Section 3 and the relevant paragraphs of H1 and find nothing to prohibit it. But then I may have missed something. Advice please! Ian

It's a context thing. We bought ours at least in part because I want to enjoy my retirement. And my time is mostly priced at zero. But if speed and accuracy is what you need, then don't get one. The key thing for me is that now I factor the digger in to my thinking; before I had one I'd never have given it a thought. Need to move that hibernacular (newt refuge) ? - Digger, 10 minutes. Need to move those slabs from a to b? Digger 5 minutes. Need to change the wheels on my Land Rover? Digger 15 minutes. (Strops under the bumper lift and chock) But as @Declan52 and @Construction Channel will confirm, you can do soooo much damage in a few seconds. On the other hand @MrsRA is really good at it - and far more careful than me.

Completely reasonable. Use the same model as that employed for the Party Wall Act

Mmmmmmm, @PeterStarck, I got the feeling from smooching about online that your experience is not uncommon.

Anyone got any recommendations of which to avoid, please? My reading suggests cheaper ones, like this The 'sensible' ones are about £100. The way I'm going at the minute I'm going to open a tool hire shop.....

Thanks............... ah damn.... I'd forgotten that.... ah damn forgot that.... (sorry darling ) Ok.... so how about well-ventilated, but dry storage? I'm wondering if out-in-the-open, but shielded from direct rain with lots of circulation will be OK. I'll price some large tarpaulins up.... Ditto. I've tricked myself into trying to enjoy that time as 'my time' -no phone calls no emails, no interruptions. And it works ---- occasionally. Ian

Great Crested Newts. Bless them, and bless the planners one and all. Here we all are a year -closer to two- years later than planned and winter's on its way. The question is simple: buy the expensive stuff now and store, or wait until Spring? Key things to source: Durisol building blocks (a form of ICF) Windows German (yeah, yeah, right) plumbing bits and bobs Here's the RICS on the subject for September Storage is a bit of an issue, and with windows it is an issue - maybe I'll be able to buy now for delivery next year..... I feel an OUCH! coming on. I'm really scratching my head over this one. I'd appreciate a non-political focus on this one please.

Exactly. That's the route we intend to take. I am going to be on site all day: and, as @ProDave says probably drink tea with them. I am hoping that the presence of the paymaster will influence work rates. Context is important.

An accountant friend of mine pushed that thought more firmly into my head when he suggested I work out how long I have to work to cover the tax I paid each month and how long do I have to work to pay my NHI contribution Made me gulp a bit when I worked it out.

No, I don't think so. But, it would be useful to start one. How about it @swisscheese ? If you do, you won't be on your own. I'm sure members will muck in with you. I will too. Then we can pin it. YooChube has a good range of how-to videos, and they are often a good starting point.