24 March 2020 / COVID-19

National Cabinet Meeting - New Restrictions

The Prime Minister just made the following announcements after tonight’s national cabinet meeting:

  • States and Territories are keen to be as consistent as possible and will be trying to be uniform in their approach nationally to avoid confusion
  • From midnight tomorrow night these activities will no longer stay open / take place (these are in addition to the activities announced on Sunday) – all retail premises must display how many people can be insider under 4sqm rule:
    • Food courts (takeaway only)
    • Auction houses, open house inspections
    • Outdoor and indoor markets (unless considered an essential food supply – states / territories will define shortly)
    • Large gatherings brought together for particular organised events – states / territories again will specify local effects
    • Personal services (beauty, therapy, waxing, tanning, nail salons, tattoo parlours) - excl physio and allied health, hair dressers and barbers with strict social distancing measures)
    • Amusement parks and arcades
    • Play centres indoor and outdoor
    • Community and recreation centres, yoga, health centres
    • Bootcamps and personal training limited to maximum 10 people with strict social distancing
    • Social based sporting activities (large groups ie team sports)
    • Swimming pools
    • Galleries, museums, libraries, historic centres
    • Community facilities, clubs etc
    • Places of worship now extends to weddings (no more than 5 people) and funerals (no more than 10 people)
  • Further rules we must follow as part of social distancing measures (states and territories will police):
    • Stay at home unless it’s absolutely necessary to go out
    • Going out for the basics and exercise in a small group in your house is ok
    • Providing care or support for others is ok
    • Going to work is ok – where you cannot work from home (strongly encouraged to do this though)
    • Visits of others to our houses should be kept to a minimum and with a very small number of guests (use common sense)
    • No more family gatherings or house parties
    • Do not go outdoors and gather in groups
  • School advice has not changed – it is still safe to send kids to school
  • Will meet with relevant teacher bodies tomorrow to work through issues
  • Schools will open after the term break
  • All jobs are essential – hence schools must stay open for kids to go to school to help job stability for parents
  • Ban on international travel (previously was a ‘Do Not Travel’) – comes into effect
  • New penalties for profiteering of large quantities of things being sold / taken overseas
  • Next National Cabinet Meeting tomorrow night to discuss other measures (including leases). Will provide another update then.

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18 December / General
2024 COTY & Service Awards

Congratulations all of our Hutchies' veterans and to the winner of Constructor of the Year 2024.

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30 October / Quality Alert
Prohibition on the Use of Engineered Stone

Engineered stone ban effective 1 July 2024

ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage will be banned

Alternative products must be considered and implemented on all projects.

The industry is shifting away from engineered stone due to the risks of respirable crystalline silica, which can cause silicosis and other silica-related diseases. Although the consultations are under way and there has been no official announcement by Federal or State Governments on the issue, the health and safety risks along with the uncertainty around this issue warrants a decision to ban all engineered products entering job sites nationally. The ban will take effect on 1 July 2024 and will extend to ALL engineered stone regardless of the silica content percentage. 

An update to this alert will be provided before the end of the year when the Federal and State Governments are expected to issue a formal decision on the ban. In the meantime, to mitigate the impact of potential delays and variations, the best approach is to inform the clients of the pending ban and to propose and seek approval for an alternative product. Similarly, ensure all future estimates have the stone specification qualified and priced accordingly.

Product alternatives going forward include:

Compact Laminates

  • Under 1% silica content
  • Extremely competitive pricing
  • Only comes in 12mm thickness
  • Heat resistance is an issue
  • Product not suitable for high end applications

Porcelain Surfaces

  • Under 10% silica content
  • Price dependant of product and supplier
  • Large variety of colours and thicknesses (4, 8, 12, 20 and 30mm)
  • Great resistance to staining, scratches, UV and heat
  • Good warranty terms

Acrylic Solid Surfaces

  • 0% silica content
  • More expensive alternative
  • Limited thickness availability
  • UV stable and heat resistant but direct heat exposure not advised
  • Minimising wastage through flexibility in sheet sizing
  • Seamless joints

Natural Stone*

  • Various silica content percentages
  • Variety of products at different price points available
  • Ongoing maintenance may be an issue
  • Unlikely to satisfy specific warranty requirements

*Although this alert does not directly impact natural stone, some types have high silica content so risk of using these on projects should be considered carefully.

For an up-to-date list of available products and their usability, click here.

More information

If you need additional support, please contact the Quality Team:

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES
Email QualityTeam@hutchinsonbuilders.com.au

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