Welcome to our 50th issue

As Under Construction hits 50, I’m proud that PlaceMakers builders continue to find the publication both valuable from a skills maintenance point of view and informative in terms of regulatory news and business tips.

The four years in which Under Construction has been in print have seen considerable change within our industry, and the changes keep on coming. Rest assured that we will continue reporting on the key developments to keep you informed.

In this issue, we cover the new regulations for handling asbestos, which come into effect on 4 April. From that date, anyone carrying out work requiring asbestos removal may need a licence to do so. Read more HERE.

While increasing regulation can seem a hassle at times, it’s worth keeping in mind that the goal of health and safety laws is to ensure that Kiwis around the country return home safe from work every day.

Over the past 20 years, around three quarters of all asbestos-related harm was to people working in the construction industry. That has to change.

In other news, legal firm Harkness Henry provides an explanation of longstop provisions in the Building Act, and the Successful Builder looks at the various places you could turn to for professional business advice. We also look at housing affordability in New Zealand and what the new director duties in the Health and Safety at Work Act mean for you.

If you have any questions about the content in Under Construction, feel free to email us or comment online. Stories are uploaded regularly on our website. This month’s skills maintenance topic, which features examples of on-the-job learning, was requested by our readers online.

We hope you continue to gain value by reading Under Construction and look forward to providing you with another 50 issues (and skills maintenance points)!

All the best,

Gary Woodhouse

General Manager Operations & Marketing