Been asked by several firms on my local (large) industrial estate to change
fluorescent tubes & light bulbs. Easy work & good money - Wickes charge
£3:29 for a 36w x 4' tube - which I can buy for £1:20 from TLC, so a good
mark up on the bits as well..

Seems like two sets of regs are in place. Effin Safety "The Work at Height
Regulations 2005" seems to prevent them standing on a chair to change a
bulb, let alone a step ladder.

There also seems to be some regulation about office lighting, so if a bulb
fails, they can't change it - but it has to be replaced.

Anyone point me at the specific office lighting regs? I feel a mail shot
coming on.....


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

On 2007-10-24 00:57:48 +0100, "The Medway Handyman"
said:

Been asked by several firms on my local (large) industrial estate to change
fluorescent tubes & light bulbs. Easy work & good money - Wickes charge
£3:29 for a 36w x 4' tube - which I can buy for £1:20 from TLC, so a good
mark up on the bits as well..

Seems like two sets of regs are in place. Effin Safety "The Work at Height
Regulations 2005" seems to prevent them standing on a chair to change a
bulb, let alone a step ladder.

There also seems to be some regulation about office lighting, so if a bulb
fails, they can't change it - but it has to be replaced.

Anyone point me at the specific office lighting regs? I feel a mail shot
coming on.....

Plus a look on the HSE web site to see what other business
opportunities they have created for you

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
. uk...
Been asked by several firms on my local (large) industrial estate to
change fluorescent tubes & light bulbs. Easy work & good money - Wickes
charge £3:29 for a 36w x 4' tube - which I can buy for £1:20 from TLC, so
a good mark up on the bits as well..

Seems like two sets of regs are in place. Effin Safety "The Work at
Height Regulations 2005" seems to prevent them standing on a chair to
change a bulb, let alone a step ladder.

Common sense should stop anyone from standing on a chair to change a light
bulb. The Work at Height Regulations do not stop anyone from using a step
ladder. The requirement is that they carry out a risk assessment and only
use a ladder if there is no safer option available. The type of ladder is
also relevant. A H&SE inspector will be looking for one that is properly
rated for the job and stable at the height it is to be used at. I have a
Class 1 rated ladder with stabilising and levelling outriggers to keep them
happy. BTW you are covered by the regulations too, so you should have a
written risk assessment to cover any work you do at height.

There also seems to be some regulation about office lighting, so if a bulb
fails, they can't change it - but it has to be replaced.

I don't really understand what you are saying, but, if they think they can't
use a stepladder, they have probably misinterpreted the 2006 changes to the
Building Regulations. To reduce energy use in offices and to reduce computer
screen glare, they require a change from direct lighting controlled by banks
of switches near an entrance to indirect lighting controlled by ceiling
sensors or by local switching. However, that is a standard for new installs
and does not apply to existing installations.

Colin Bignell

The Medway Handyman wrote:
Been asked by several firms on my local (large) industrial estate to change
fluorescent tubes & light bulbs. Easy work & good money - Wickes charge
£3:29 for a 36w x 4' tube - which I can buy for £1:20 from TLC, so a good
mark up on the bits as well..

Seems like two sets of regs are in place. Effin Safety "The Work at Height
Regulations 2005" seems to prevent them standing on a chair to change a
bulb, let alone a step ladder.

There also seems to be some regulation about office lighting, so if a bulb
fails, they can't change it - but it has to be replaced.

Anyone point me at the specific office lighting regs? I feel a mail shot
coming on.....



Also, make sure you've got a written agreement with your customer about
responisibility for disposal of used fluorescent tubes. You're not
supposed to just skip them as they are hazardous waste. You need to
cover your ar*e to avoid future liability if the firm gets done by the
Environment Police.

For more info Google for: fluorescent tube disposal

Message-ID: from The
Medway Handyman contained the following:

Been asked by several firms on my local (large) industrial estate to change
fluorescent tubes & light bulbs. Easy work & good money - Wickes charge
£3:29 for a 36w x 4' tube - which I can buy for £1:20 from TLC, so a good
mark up on the bits as well..

A bit of googling shows the recycling charges can be in the order of 2
quid a tube.

What about all these energy saving bulbs? Presumably they can't be just
chucked in the bin either? Though who would know?
--
Geoff Berrow (put thecat out to email)
It's only Usenet, no one dies.
My opinions, not the committee's, mine.
Simple RFDs http://www.ckdog.co.uk/rfdmaker/

Rumble wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Been asked by several firms on my local (large) industrial estate to
change fluorescent tubes & light bulbs. Easy work & good money -
Wickes charge £3:29 for a 36w x 4' tube - which I can buy for £1:20
from TLC, so a good mark up on the bits as well..

Seems like two sets of regs are in place. Effin Safety "The Work at
Height Regulations 2005" seems to prevent them standing on a chair
to change a bulb, let alone a step ladder.

There also seems to be some regulation about office lighting, so if
a bulb fails, they can't change it - but it has to be replaced.

Anyone point me at the specific office lighting regs? I feel a mail
shot coming on.....



Also, make sure you've got a written agreement with your customer
about responisibility for disposal of used fluorescent tubes. You're
not supposed to just skip them as they are hazardous waste. You need
to cover your ar*e to avoid future liability if the firm gets done by
the Environment Police.

For more info Google for: fluorescent tube disposal

Just simply and "accidently" drop them (outside of course) and that resolves
the disposal problem - unless somebody knows different :-)

Brian G

wrote in message ...
On 24 Oct,
"nightjar" cpb@insert my surname here.me.uk wrote:

BTW you are covered by the regulations too, so you should have a
written risk assessment to cover any work you do at height.

My understanding is that as a self employed one man band, the risk
assessment
need not be in writing, but on the other hand, it would be as well to do
so,
in order to cover oneself.

While it is true that anyone with fewer than five employees does not have to
put the risk assessment in writing, in practice, he may find that places
that need to have a written risk assessment will not allow him in to work
there unless he can produce one they can put on file.

Colin Bignell

"Owain" wrote in message
...
Rumble wrote:
Also, make sure you've got a written agreement with your customer about
responisibility for disposal of used fluorescent tubes.

Wouldn't that involve registering as a waste contractor, and designating
the HandyVan as a Waste Transfer Station?

It should be sufficient to register his premises as a producer of hazardous
waste, which costs £18 per annum.

Colin Bignell

Rumble wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Been asked by several firms on my local (large) industrial estate to
change fluorescent tubes & light bulbs. Easy work & good money -
Wickes charge £3:29 for a 36w x 4' tube - which I can buy for £1:20
from TLC, so a good mark up on the bits as well..

Seems like two sets of regs are in place. Effin Safety "The Work at
Height Regulations 2005" seems to prevent them standing on a chair
to change a bulb, let alone a step ladder.

There also seems to be some regulation about office lighting, so if
a bulb fails, they can't change it - but it has to be replaced.

Anyone point me at the specific office lighting regs? I feel a mail
shot coming on.....



Also, make sure you've got a written agreement with your customer
about responisibility for disposal of used fluorescent tubes. You're
not supposed to just skip them as they are hazardous waste. You need
to cover your ar*e to avoid future liability if the firm gets done by
the Environment Police.

Interesting that, last job I did I had 15 x 4' duff tubes to get rid of so I
eang my local TLC branch. They said they were unaware of any regs & they
just threw them in the skip!

For more info Google for: fluorescent tube disposal

I'll do that - thanks.


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

Rumble wrote:
SNIP
Also, make sure you've got a written agreement with your customer
about responisibility for disposal of used fluorescent tubes. You're
not supposed to just skip them as they are hazardous waste. You need
to cover your ar*e to avoid future liability if the firm gets done by
the Environment Police.

For more info Google for: fluorescent tube disposal

I just did that & found the following;

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
In July 2005, the Government introduced important changes to its Hazardous
Waste Regulations. These changes upgraded spent fluorescent tubes, sodium
lamps, PC screens and TV's to the category of hazardous waste.

If your business uses fluorescent or sodium lighting, runs computer or TV
equipment, it is now considered a producer of hazardous waste.

Under the new regulations, producers of hazardous waste can no longer
dispose of these items along with general waste. To do so is illegal, and
renders the organisation liable to court proceedings with fines of up to
£5,000.

In addition, hazardous waste such as lamps, computer and TV equipment can
only be stored on unlicensed premises for a maximum period of twelve months.
Storing the waste beyond this time is a further offense.

All producers must register annually with the Environment Agency (EA) before
they can dispose of hazardous waste. You must also be able to demonstrate
that you have transferred all hazardous waste to an authorised third-party
or risk prosecution by the EA.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Unbelievable - you can be fined £5K for chuck away a tube.

Cheapest solution I've found is;

BLACK CORRUGATED PIPES
4ft, 6ft or 8ft length's available with 300mm diameter
Stores between 100 and 400 tubes dependent on tube size
Ideal for smaller buildings or low users

A snip at only £130! That does include taking it away & recycling the
contents. You of course need to buy one every year.

Just e-mailed the local council to see if they can help!


--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
01634 717930
07850 597257

The Medway Handyman wrote:

Unbelievable - you can be fined £5K for chuck away a tube.
Cheapest solution I've found is;
BLACK CORRUGATED PIPES
4ft, 6ft or 8ft length's available with 300mm diameter
Stores between 100 and 400 tubes dependent on tube size
Ideal for smaller buildings or low users
A snip at only £130! That does include taking it away & recycling the
contents. You of course need to buy one every year.
Just e-mailed the local council to see if they can help!

You can also have your van confiscated if you are carrying ANY trade
waste, not just 'hazardhous waste'.

I tried to register with the local council, so I can drop off trade
waste at their site.(mainly garden cuttings/tree stumps etc)
Firstly £61/tonne to dump there.There is a long list of what cannot be
dumped.
2nd, you need a Council Permit to use the site. Small admin fee (£5
iirc).
3rd, you need to show your Waste Transfer Licence each time you arrive
at the tip. £140 for 3 years.

At this point I gave up, and vowed to either hire a skip in, or leave
the waste for the customer to deal with.
If you are stopped, and found to be carrying trade waste (even a few old
bricks I was told), then you will be fined, with the ultimate deterrent
being they can impound your vehicle. Whether they do this in real life
is doubtful, but I have read in the local paper of a number of people
being fined for unlawful waste disposal, and carrying of waste, also, a
few people who had 'hired' these fly tippers were fined, for not asking
to see the waste transfer licence.
Alan.


--
To reply by e-mail, change the ' + ' to 'plus'.

In article ,
"The Medway Handyman" writes:
Unbelievable - you can be fined £5K for chuck away a tube.

Cheapest solution I've found is;

BLACK CORRUGATED PIPES
4ft, 6ft or 8ft length's available with 300mm diameter
Stores between 100 and 400 tubes dependent on tube size
Ideal for smaller buildings or low users

A snip at only £130! That does include taking it away & recycling the
contents. You of course need to buy one every year.

Maybe a service you can offer to a number of small local
firms who would find the cost individually excessive?

--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]

On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 18:21:41 GMT, "The Medway Handyman"
wrote:


Unbelievable - you can be fined £5K for chuck away a tube.

I wonder if that includes a CFL 'tube' which the HMG seems to be
insisting we start to use.

--
Frank Erskine

A.Lee wrote:

If you are stopped, and found to be carrying trade waste (even a few old
bricks I was told), then you will be fined, with the ultimate deterrent
being they can impound your vehicle. Whether they do this in real life
is doubtful, but I have read in the local paper of a number of people
being fined for unlawful waste disposal, and carrying of waste, also, a


So how do they tell the difference between 'waste' bricks and valuable
'reclaimed' bricks.


--
djc

Common sense should stop anyone from standing on a chair to change a light
bulb.

OK not an office wheely chair, but an ordinary kitchen one?

"The Medway Handyman" wrote in message
.uk...
Rumble wrote:
The Medway Handyman wrote:
Been asked by several firms on my local (large) industrial estate to
change fluorescent tubes & light bulbs. Easy work & good money -
Wickes charge £3:29 for a 36w x 4' tube - which I can buy for £1:20
from TLC, so a good mark up on the bits as well..

Seems like two sets of regs are in place. Effin Safety "The Work at
Height Regulations 2005" seems to prevent them standing on a chair
to change a bulb, let alone a step ladder.

There also seems to be some regulation about office lighting, so if
a bulb fails, they can't change it - but it has to be replaced.

Anyone point me at the specific office lighting regs? I feel a mail
shot coming on.....



Also, make sure you've got a written agreement with your customer
about responisibility for disposal of used fluorescent tubes. You're
not supposed to just skip them as they are hazardous waste. You need
to cover your ar*e to avoid future liability if the firm gets done by
the Environment Police.

Interesting that, last job I did I had 15 x 4' duff tubes to get rid of so
I eang my local TLC branch. They said they were unaware of any regs &
they just threw them in the skip!

For more info Google for: fluorescent tube disposal

I'll do that - thanks.

Seems to be money in changing bulbs ;-)

http://tinyurl.com/lkqs7

Don.

On Wed, 24 Oct 2007 23:20:09 +0100, "newshound"
wrote:

Common sense should stop anyone from standing on a chair to change a light
bulb.

OK not an office wheely chair, but an ordinary kitchen one?

Nothing wrong with an office wheely chair - you can get a colleague to
push you about so that you can change a few bulbs/tubes without having
to dismount.

Better still, you can push a colleague about so that he/she can change
the bulbs.

--
Frank Erskine

"newshound" wrote in message
...
Common sense should stop anyone from standing on a chair to change a
light bulb.

OK not an office wheely chair, but an ordinary kitchen one?

It is generally unsafe to make such a high step as is needed to get on and
off and, depending on the material, the seat might collapse. Bums produce a
much more widely spread load than feet.

Colin Bignell

"nightjar .me.uk" cpb@insert my surname here wrote in message
...

"newshound" wrote in message
...
Common sense should stop anyone from standing on a chair to change a
light bulb.

OK not an office wheely chair, but an ordinary kitchen one?

It is generally unsafe to make such a high step as is needed to get on and
off and, depending on the material, the seat might collapse. Bums produce
a much more widely spread load than feet.

boggle Ordinary kitchen chair, right? Unsafe to step onto it because the
step is too high? Oops, better stop doing any hillwalking, scrambling,
climbing, caving then - they're clearly too dangerous. And don't let anybody
see I rarely take staircases one step at a time.

re the material - I'd suggest that one should be obvious - eg I probably
wouldn't stand on the rather tired one with the frame coming apart which
sits in the shed as an occasional doorstop, but I'm entirely happy about
standing on the chairs in my kitchen a.t.m. (solid seat with cushion - take
cushion off before standing on it).

And yes, I could write a formal risk assesment for those decisions in a
working environment as well as home.

cheers,
clive

djc wrote:

A.Lee wrote:

If you are stopped, and found to be carrying trade waste (even a few old
bricks I was told), then you will be fined, with the ultimate deterrent
being they can impound your vehicle. Whether they do this in real life
is doubtful, but I have read in the local paper of a number of people
being fined for unlawful waste disposal, and carrying of waste, also, a


So how do they tell the difference between 'waste' bricks and valuable
'reclaimed' bricks.

That's my line. I'm always bringing home 'valuable' items that other
people think are junk - and it has worked over the last few weeks - I'm
beginning to be able to walk round my garden again now some of the junk
has been shifted - I got rid of my last 2 3'x2' slabs on Saturday, I
thought they'd be there until I died.
Alan.
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