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Kiasu expands successful PPM partnership with CRM Students

CRM & Kiasu celebrate successful PPM contract

Kiasu is proud to be a preferred maintenance and works partner of CRM Students. Continuing an already successful partnership, Kiasu is responsible for planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and emergency maintenance for five of CRM’s properties in Greater London.

Planned Preventative Maintenance

Kiasu’s duties will include fire, plumbing and electrical safety checks, utility installation, repair and replacement, building refurbishment, fixed wire testing, PAT testing, minor repairs and decorating projects. In addition, the company provides an emergency callout service. Accordingly, Kiasu is employed as a planned preventative maintenance provider with a reactive maintenance provision.

CRM Students

CRM Students offers high-quality student accommodation for all budgets, operating across the UK with locations in 31 different towns. CRM’s Kiasu-maintained London portfolio includes Fulham Palace Studios, Kingston Plaza, Felda House & Grand Felda House at Wembley and Hox Park in Egham.

Fulham Palace Studios
Fulham Palace Studios

Kingston Plaza
Kingston Plaza

Hox Park
Hox Park

Felda House
Felda House

Grand Felda House
Grand Felda House

CRM aims to provide a comfortable environment with a friendly community. suitable for all types of students to study and socialise. Properties are close to main transport lines. The company also works with Student Minds, a charity which provides critical mental health support for students. CRM conducts fundraising activities to help students help each other.

Kiasu Group

Kiasu has been around since 2009, and has grown to cover the whole of London and further afield. The Group provides an extensive range of property and maintenance services, as well as building projects and reactive maintenance. Kiasu also offers incident response training through its Crisis Management arm. Kiasu Workforce can assist with your maintenance needs. Give us a call on 02089881662 if you have an enquiry.

ppm-london

Ian Riches, Managing Director of Kiasu Group, commented; “We’re very glad to further strengthen our relationship with CRM. This opportunity reinforces our position as a service provider of choice within the student accommodation sector and vindicates the hard work our team do on a daily basis to grow our excellent client base. We look forward to working with our CRM colleagues through the duration of this contract and thereafter.”


Article by Barney Scott, Kiasu Group

© 2019 Barney Scott, Kiasu Group

What to do while you wait for an emergency plumber

Stay safe and avoid further damage whilst you wait for an emergency plumber to arrive

Dealing with a plumbing emergency

Ok, so you’ve made the phone call. The emergency plumber is on their way. You might have a dripping tap leading to a pool of standing water in your kitchen. Or your mains pipe might have burst, leaving you knee-deep in your own living room. Here are the critical steps to take right now.

Turn off the mains water supply

Emergency plumber - Valve - KiasuYou can control the water entering your property using the inside stop valve. This is usually located under the kitchen sink. If it’s not there, try your airing cupboards. It might be under the floorboards near the front door, so check to see if there is any visible access point. Turn the valve clockwise, and be gentle.

If you can’t find the inside stop valve, you will need to go to the outside stop valve and shut the water off there instead. This is usually on the boundary of your property, and might be in the same pit as your water meter. Some homes, particularly older properties, don’t have outside stop valves.

You may need to obtain a valve or universal stopcock key from a DIY chain or plumber’s merchants. Also, be aware that turning the valve off may affect the neighbours if your home is on a shared water supply.

Keep trying

If you don’t know where to find your valves, try calling someone who will such as your landlord. Someone who has lived in the property in the past may know where to find it. You could try getting in touch if you have their contact details. Failing that, a grovelling call to Mum or Dad will probably help you out.

Even after you’ve turned the supply off, the leak may continue. A storage tank in your home could mean that water will keep flowing until the tank is empty.

Don’t try to fix it yourself

Unless you are a plumber yourself, attempting to fix the problem could end in catastrophe. Don’t make things worse by disconnecting things like pipes or taps, or taking toilets and sinks apart. Don’t push anything down a drain to unblock it. If your efforts lead to more damage, your insurance company might refuse to pay out.


Electricity - Fuse Box - Kiasu

Ensure electrical safety

Electricity and water do not mix well. Move any electrical items or wires out of the way of the water. Do this before the leak has a chance to spread.

Put items up high if possible, rather than moving them further away on the same level. Take care not to electrocute yourself during this procedure.

If necessary, turn the power off using the master switch in your fuse box.

If the water has already made contact with electrical items, this is probably the safest option. Just make sure it’s safe to do so first.


Contain what you can

If the leak is small, you can probably prevent most damage. Use a bucket to catch drips, or use towels to soak up the water. If it’s spraying out of a pipe, you might be able to position a towel to catch the spray and redirect it to a bucket.

For a larger leak, you need to make the area safe before you attempt anything. Turn off the power supply if need be.

Assess the water damage

Where is it going, how much is there and which items or parts of your home does it threaten to ruin? Work out what is most important to you and secure it. Decide how you are going to clean up and dispose of the water.

Move the furniture and any valuable items

Don’t let water seep into your prized Persian rugs, your sofas, cupboards, or even chair and table legs. Get anything valuable out of the way quickly.

If you have something suitable, use it to cut off the water’s path. Sandbags are the obvious choice. However blankets, towels or old clothes will do. Try to ensure the water won’t spread to somewhere equally damaging as a consequence of being diverted.

Clear up the water with a mop and bucket

It is essential that you clear any standing water as soon as possible. This way, your plumber will be able to gain access easily and safely. You’ll also prevent yourself slipping over. As well as being safer, clearing up quickly is the best way to avoid damage.

If there’s a lot, ask for help!

Get on the phone to a friend or family member. It may feel like a big favour to ask of somebody at the time. But getting your home dry quickly could be the difference between a repair charge and weeks of construction work. You can always take them out for lunch later on!


Think ahead

Take pictures or videos

Make sure you get some snaps of what’s happened. This will assist with any insurance claims, and could help your plumber when they arrive. Not to mention how much it will impress your friends when you show them afterwards.

Make a note of any past problems

Jot down any plumbing-related issues you’ve experienced in the past. This might be an issue you’ve had to fix before, or it might be that you’ve noticed low water pressure at a tap, for example. This will help your emergency plumber to diagnose the issue. It may also help with insurance matters.

Leave the emergency plumber to it

Your plumber needs nothing more than space, and the ability to concentrate. They’ll give you a shout if there’s anything you can do to help.

Emergency plumber - Wrenches - Kiasu

Conclusion

When an emergency occurs, it’s a case of taking the right steps, in the right order, without delay. Don’t panic, as you might make things worse in your haste. Do act decisively.

Shut off the supply, make things safe, contain what you can. Then think about the less urgent things like gathering evidence and making preparations.

Make sure you choose a safe, trusted emergency plumbing company. Your bill is likely to be the same as getting it done by your mate’s mate who you once met in the pub – until you find out the true cost of their shoddy work down the line.

Article by Barney Scott, Kiasu Group

© 2019 Barney Scott, Kiasu Group

Why you Need to Hire an M&E Contractor

If you have found yourself questioning whether you need an M&E contractor, you have come to the right place.

Here at Kiasu Workforce, we are London’s boutique property maintenance and commercial building projects company, and we offer expert mechanical and engineering services. But why should you care or want to hire us?

To help you with all the answers to your M&E contracting questions, we have put together an all-you-could-need guide to M&E contracting. From what it is to why you need it, we are sure we have all the tips and advice you need to make an informed decision.

What is M&E contracting?

To understand why you need an M&E contractor, it’s crucial to delve deeper into their role and how they help maintain your property.

If you own a building, you might have heard the term ‘M&E contractor’. A specialist contractor such as this will handle the mechanical and electrical systems within a building. Hence the name ‘M&E’.

Ultimately, they will ensure that critical areas of your business are working effectively. So, what types of systems can M&E contractors keep in check for you?

Well, they can be involved in everything from heating and ventilation systems to all elements related to health and safety within your property. M&E contractors are also often known as building service engineers.

They can handle everything from fire safety, the energy supply, the building control system and even ICT networks throughout the building. Drainage, plumbing and lighting issues can also be handled by an M&E contractor.

4 Reasons you need an M&E contractor

Now you know what the role of an M&E contractor is, it’s time to move on to why you need to hire one. We have put together the top four reasons you need an M&E contractor to help put the role into a little more perspective on how it will benefit you.

1. Keeping your building safe in the event of a fire

One of the most important aspects of fire safety is ensuring that occupants of the building are provided with the warnings that they need to get out of the building safely.

An M&E contractor can help here by ensuring that the right alarm systems are installed and working effectively.

As well as the initial alarm set up, the contractor can ensure that they will work efficiently in the event of a fire. An M&E contractor can also ensure that a full working ventilation system is operational in your building. This is another key aspect of safety and ensuring that the building is suitable for occupants.

2. Ensuring your business is up to code

It’s important to be aware that buildings must be set up to adhere to strict health and safety regulations, and an M&E contractor can help with this. When you undertake any building work or maintenance, an M&E contractor can ensure that your building is always up to code and help you avoid liability issues.

3. Preventing issues before they emerge

M&E contractors can also be responsible for making sure that issues never crop up on your property. For instance, they can conduct PAT testing, which ensures that portable electrical devices are safe and working correctly. If devices like this are not checked, they could actually be the cause of a fire. For this reason, it is no exaggeration to say that hiring an M&E contractor could prevent disaster.

4.Keeping your building secure

An M&E contractor can also guarantee that your building is set up to remain both safe and secure. Having a trusted contractor in the role can ensure that key security elements are in place throughout a building.

They will also guarantee that electrical locks throughout your business are fully functional and that there are no gaps in your security.

Hiring an M&E contractor

We hope that our guide has helped you to understand why an M&E contractor is such a vital hire for any building owner or business owner. Using their services will allow you to make sure that your business is both safe and secure. As well as this, systems will remain operational and any problems can be resolved quickly and without delay by a fully trained expert.

If you’re ready to hire an M&E contractor for your site or business, don’t hesitate to find out more about our expert M&E services available. Alternatively, browse more property maintenance services in London also on offer from Kiasu Workforce.

BS7671 18th Edition Requirements Ups For Surge Protection

3-phase SPDs by Hager for BS7671 compliance

The 18th Edition of the BS7671 IET Wiring Regulations became the latest standard in electrical installations at the beginning of the year. Important to note is that with the 18th Edition, several key amendments to the requirements for surge protection were introduced.

At Kiasu Workforce, we want to help you understand these changes and get to grips with them quickly. This is why we have pulled together the key information you need to know about these important updates, so you know all the facts.

BS7671

 

What is the BS7671?

Before we dive into what has changed with the BS7671, we need to understand exactly what it is in the first instance.

Published by the British Standards Institute and under the joint direction of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) and British Electrotechnical Committee (BEC), the BS7671 is a non-statutory document.

So, although it is not legally required to be followed, many of the legislations regarding Electricity, Safety, Quality and Continuity Regulations 2002 and Part P of the Building Regulations 2010 refer to the BS7671 as the standard to be achieved. However, exceeding these requirements is always best.

Regarded as an ‘all-encompassing’ standard for electrical safety, you must keep up to date with the latest changes and updates made to the BS7671 for this reason.

 

BS7671

Wiring Regulations Updates

In terms of wiring regulation updates to the 18th edition, there have been several revisions you should be aware of.

Chapter 53  of the BS7671, which covers Protection, Isolation, Switching, Control & Monitoring, has been completely revised.

Section 534 (Devices for Protection Against Overvoltage) focuses on the requirement for SPDs (surge protection devices) to protect against transient overvoltages. This section focuses mainly on the selection and erection requirements for SPDs protecting against transient overvoltages, as required by Section 443, the BS EN 62305 series, or as otherwise stated.

Given the small size of many of today’s sophisticated electronic components, protection from ever-smaller transient voltages is increasingly important. Transients usually originate from lightning strikes, transformer switching, lighting and motors. SPDs, therefore, prevent equipment downtime, network failures and reduced lifespans for components.

Guidance is provided to help engineers choose the appropriate level of voltage protection. Crucially, emphasis has shifted from assessing whether you might need SPDs to prove that you do.

 

Surge Protection Devices are now mandatory

To put it simply, now, any business that meets one of the following four criteria must no longer only carry out a risk assessment. It’s now mandatory to install the appropriate surge protection on new installations.

BS7671 Section 433.3 now states, “Protection against transient overvoltages shall be provided where the consequence caused by overvoltage affects results in:

  1. Serious injury to, or loss of, human life
  2. Interruption of public services and/or damage to cultural heritage
  3. Interruption of commercial or industrial activity
  4. It affects a large number of collocated individuals

In addition, any building fed via an overhead supply line will also require an SPD.

These criteria will apply across a vast spectrum of businesses. Any business where a transient overvoltage could interrupt commercial activity or public services must install surge protection.

 

Compliance and fixed wire inspections/testing

Finally, not all businesses will meet the above criteria. If not, a documented risk assessment is required as evidence if an SPD is not to be installed.

The latest regulations apply to all new installations. Regular and will be subject to and assessed for compliance with BS7671 IET 18th Edition.

 

Ensuring Expert Electrical Safety

If you’re concerned about your project or site meeting electrical safety standards, why not hand electrical responsibilities to us?

At Kiasu Workforce, we are proud to offer electrical works to various sectors and industries throughout the London area. Thanks to our expert and experienced electrical engineers, we can help you with all manners of electrical works, installations and repairs, and emergency electrician work.

All you have to do is get in touch today with our friendly team to find out how we can help you.

Contact our dedicated helpdesk on 0208 988 1662, or don’t hesitate to email us at enquiries@kiasugroup.co.uk.

Timber doors stand up to fire testing

In the wake of the tragic events at Grenfell Tower in June 2017, fire safety, fire testing and compliance have been topics of intense public scrutiny. The British Woodworking Federation has recently released test results confirming the longstanding fire protection afforded by simpler materials.

Timber’s exceptional levels of fire protection confirmed

The British Woodworking Federation (BWF) has reported that timber doors are delivering on promised performance. Timber has shown good results in the ongoing MHCLG fire door investigation. The BWF has called attention to the “exceptional” levels of protection afforded by many of its members’ products. This is a view supported by the findings of the investigation.

The Federation highlighted instances of reassurance, such as doors which were advertised with 30 minutes’ max exposure time lasting holding out for 54 minutes of fire testing.

Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) fire door investigation

The BWF said that this is “in direct contrast to the glass-reinforced, foam-filled fire doors recovered from Grenfell Tower that started the MHCLG investigation into the fire door sector”. The group stated that the only way to address neglect in the area is by “rigorous testing & third-party certification”. Since the investigation’s expansion to cover the wider market in October 2018, no timber doors have failed tests.

British Woodworking Federation (BWF) Fire Door Alliance

“Through the BWF’s Fire Door Alliance, we work to improve the quality, safety and traceability of fire doors,” the BWF stated. “We often see non-certified fire doors that are not fit for purpose, which is alarming and unacceptable as they simply won’t fulfil their essential role of preventing the spread of fire and smoke and keeping escape routes clear.”

The BWF also confirmed its support of the government’s Building a Safer Future plan. The plan introduces more effective regulations and greater accountability, supported by clear standards and guidance. Building a Safer Future aims to create a more responsible building sector.

Conclusion

To sum up, timber has withstood the test of time. Is it now the best material to ensure safety whilst remaining versatile, inexpensive and attractive? In contrast, could an over-reliance on artificial materials be putting building inhabitants at risk? We can certainly conclude that, if not already done, is a necessity, both for compliance and peace of mind.


Article by Barney Scott, Kiasu Group

© 2019 Barney Scott, Kiasu Group