STIHL enhances care and clean kit range

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STIHL enhances care and clean kit range: STIHL has extended its range of care and clean kits with the launch of the MS and MS PLUS, suitable for all petrol, cordless and electric STIHL chainsaws.

Both MS and MS PLUS care and clean kits feature the new VarioClean Eco, a universal cleaning agent made from natural raw materials, which are compatible with all chainsaw surfaces such as polymer, metal, rubber and aluminium.

STIHL enhances care and clean kit range

STIHL enhances care and clean kit range

The ECO-Cert certified cleaning agent is suitable for removing oil, resin, and grease from all parts of the chainsaw, including HD2 air filters. Users simply spray on VarioClean Eco to the relevant chainsaw area and leave for five minutes before wiping it down with a damp cloth or brush.

In addition, both kits also boast a wooden handled cleaning brush, which features plastic bristles and a metal blade. This ensures the brush is suitable for removing dirt from the guide bar groove, cleaning the oil bores, loosening stubborn dirt from the sprocket cover, as well as loosening dust build up on cylinder fins.

The MS Plus care and clean kit features a wash bag that can be used as a microfibre cloth or alternatively a cleaning glove, which offers more effective cleaning of HD2 filters. Once the HD2 filter has been sprayed with VarioClean Eco and left for five minutes, simply put the filter in the wash bag and wash at 600C as users would their PPE.

The launch of the MS and MS Plus care and clean kits follows STIHL’s recent launch of service kits for petrol handheld tools that enable professional and domestic owners to carry out simple routine engine maintenance themselves, increasing their tool’s reliability and longevity.

For more information on STIHL’s new MS and MS PLUS care and clean kits, please visit www.stihl.co.uk.

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Aspen fuels a cleaner way of working

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Aspen fuels a cleaner way of working: As one of the largest associations of its kind, Orwell Housing provides housing for more than 7,500 residents by managing over 4000 properties across East Anglia.

Powering the maintenance services, as well as helping to lower the associations carbon footprint, is 2 and 4-stroke petrol from Aspen Fuel – a switch made by Repairs and Estates Manager Simon Bennett three years ago, and one that’s delivering improvements on a daily basis to the workforce, the residents and the machinery alike.

Aspen fuels a cleaner way of working

Aspen fuels a cleaner way of working

Simon manages all elements of the direct labour operations (DLO) from co-ordinating the 75-strong workforce to sourcing and purchasing equipment across the repairs and estates division. “We renew our machinery every three years” explains Simon, who has been with Orwell Housing for ten years. “To help us with our objective or carbon neutrality, some of what we now invest in is battery powered but, with the diversity of items like mowers and woodchippers that we have on our fleet, for these we’re looking at better and cleaner ways of fuelling them and that’s where Aspen comes in.”

“I was familiar with Aspen Fuel but always just assumed it would be much more expensive for us than pump fuel. It wasn’t until I sat down and did a cost analysis, factoring in the downtime of the team going backwards and forwards to the forecourt, that I could demonstrate Aspen was a viable choice.” Being ethanol-free and virtually free from sulphur, benzene and other hazardous hydrocarbons, Aspen alkylate petrol burns cleaner than regular petrol making it safer and greener for operators, machinery and the environment.

“The operators like using it – they notice the reduction in noxious fumes and don’t go home smelling of petrol come the end of the day. This is also a major plus for those tasks where we’re in close proximity to the residents.” He continues, “Three years in, we’re also seeing a big reduction in the number of machinery breakdowns we’re experiencing with is a further cost saving.”

Overall, Simon feels the whole Aspen experience has been really positive for the group. “We order Aspen in bulk, with the cans being collected by the team as and when they need them. This way, we can easily monitor usage and, with the plastic containers being fully recyclable, we are also reducing our output to landfill. I’ve recently done another cost analysis, which has shown that purchasing Aspen has actually decreased our annual fuel bill by approximately 10-15%.”

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Agrovista Amenity becomes BIGGA patron

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Agrovista Amenity becomes BIGGA patron: Agrovista Amenity is pleased to announce that it has become a gold member of the BIGGA (British and International Golf Greenkeepers’ Association) Regional Patron Scheme for 2022/23.

As part of the scheme, Agrovista Amenity, a leading supplier of products and services to the UK amenity and landscape markets, will participate and support BIGGA in a series of events throughout the year including seminars, education workshops and golf days.

Agrovista Amenity becomes BIGGA patron

Agrovista Amenity becomes BIGGA patron

Commenting on the scheme, Head of Amenity John Marland said: “As a regional patron, Agrovista Amenity is proud to support BIGGA and help create outstanding learning and development opportunities for greenkeepers.”

Lauren Frazer, Head of Business Development at BIGGA, said: “Agrovista has been a highly valued supporter of BIGGA members for a number of years, helping provide development opportunities on a national scale, particularly through the popular Agrovista Amenity Academy. This online resource proved invaluable for many during the turmoil of the coronavirus pandemic, helping greenkeepers continue developing and improving their knowledge despite the difficulties we all faced.

“We are incredibly proud, therefore, to welcome Agrovista on board as one of our first Regional Patrons, which will enable the team to support BIGGA members on a local level and contribute to the hosting of the network of regional learning opportunities that we know many members find crucial for their professional development.”

For more information about Agrovista UK, visit www.agrovista.co.uk/amenity

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Etesia launches new Hydro 100 Ride-on Model

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Etesia launches new Hydro 100 Ride-on Model: Etesia UK has announced the launch of the new Hydro 100 MK124 ride-on mower.

The new Etesia Hydro 124 boasts all the features of the popular Hydro 100 but has a larger 124cm cutting deck.

PERFORMANCE

The new Hydro 124 boasts a modern hydrostatic drive transmission with differential lock for better driveability and greater safety. Its 18 HP twin-cylinder Kawasaki engine and its larger 16-litre tank give it more power and range. The cutting deck with rear central ejection combined with two counter-rotating blades, the high clearance bridge and the large box make it an undisputed standard-setter for mowing and collection in all weathers.

Etesia launches new Hydro 100 Ride-on Model

Etesia launches new Hydro 100 Ride-on Model

Furthermore, it has a large 500-litre grassbox that can be emptied in seconds thanks to its hydraulic pump.

COMFORT

Its ergonomic design, low noise emission and supple new drive give the user the best working conditions for professional applications. All the controls are accessible without leaving the driving seat.

The hydrostatic drive makes gradual movement extremely smooth, and the absence of a turbine considerably reduces the noise emission, for greater user comfort. Also, it is designed to offer maximum safety.

ROBUSTNESS

The 18 HP Kawasaki engine offers unparalleled power and optimum work efficiency. The chassis is fully treated for corrosion protection and can withstand the effects of the weather in harsh working conditions. The cutting deck is cast in a single piece of one-centimeter-thick aluminium, for extreme strength.

VERSATILITY

The Hydro 124 has a wide range of accessories for winter work and for cutting long grass.

All Etesia machines come with a 2-year professional warranty as standard.

For further information, please contact Etesia UK on 01295 680120 or visit www.etesia.co.uk.

For more news, reviews and insightful views, you can follow Etesia UK on Twitter @EtesiaUK and like the company’s Facebook page – www.facebook.com/EtesiaUK You can also view the latest Etesia videos by visiting www.youtube.com/EtesiaUK

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HSE records growth in HAVS cases

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HSE records growth in HAVS cases: The company behind HAVSPRO, the solution for the accurate, real-time measurement and monitoring of workplace vibration, is highlighting the latest Health & Safety Executive (HSE) figures, released in November 2022, which show a 375 percent rise in new Hand Arm Vibration.

Over 300 new cases of HAVS were reported in 2021, in addition to 165 new cases of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome (up 412 percent) and 255 new instances of Depuytren’s Contracture (a rise of 392 percent). HAVSPRO points out that these conditions are all easily preventable with appropriate measures in places to protect the workforce.

However, in addition to this disturbingly high rise in cases, the HSE report also shines a light on the extensive array of industries (some previously unconsidered) in which workers are exposed to such debilitating conditions.

Whilst the HSE statistics show the construction and mining industries have long been seen as key contributors to risk in this area, a number of new sectors are revealed as being areas of concern, including ‘service’ industries. The reported data sets include repair of motor vehicles, accommodation and food service activities, and transport and storage as part of the Service sectors that are reporting over 50 percent of new cases in 2021.

More than two million people are at risk from developing HAVS and approximately 300,000 people suffer from HAVS in the UK alone, with companies already feeling the impact of successful worker litigation to the tune of £2.5m in fines alone in the last 7 years – and almost £1.4m of these fines have been since 2018.

Russ Langthorne, Managing Director of SIXIS Technology, the company behind HAVSPRO, and a personal HAVS sufferer himself, is concerned at these significant increases; “These statistics are particularly concerning because the number of new cases is at a five-year high, and not just skewed as a result of the recent pandemic. It is clear that companies need to be taking this growing risk factor more seriously, given the significant impact it can have on both their workforce and their bottom line. Action must be taken now.”

HSE regulations stipulate that “An employer who carries out work which is liable to expose any of their employees to risk from vibration shall make a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risk created by that work to the health and safety of those employees, and the risk assessment shall identify the measures that need to be taken to meet the requirements of these Regulations”.

However, the regulations further state that “There is no legal requirement for continual monitoring and recording of vibration exposure and that to do so would probably not be a good use of your or your employees’ time, unless there are very specific circumstances.”

Russ adds: “Clearly, this huge rise in new cases in a number of related HAVS conditions and across a host of industries, indicates that there is now a very real requirement for businesses to prioritise vibration exposure measuring and monitoring, both to protect their workers and to avoid costly litigation and fines.

“The game changing and simple to adopt HAVSPRO system provides continuous measuring and monitoring of vibration exposure, allowing for a proactive, ALARP-focused approach to vibration risk management. There is no longer any excuse for companies not to engage in doing everything possible to manage the risk from vibration exposure, to as low as reasonably practicable, and to #MakeHAVSHistory.”

For more information, visit the HAVSPRO website.

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