2 October 2020 / Quality Alert

Working on ‘Main Roads’ in QLD

Working on Main Roads in QLD requires special approval from the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR).

Road access works approval

Under Section 33 of the Transport Infrastructure Act 1994, written approvals is required from the Department of Transport and Main Roads to carry out access works and road works on a state-controlled road. Please contact the Department of Transport and Main Roads to make an application for road works approval via email Metropolitan.IDAS@tmr.qld.gov.au. This approval must be obtained prior to commencing any works on the state-controlled road reserve. The approval process may require the approval of engineering designs of the proposed works, certified by a Registered Professional Engineer of Queensland (RPEQ).

The road access works approval process takes time – please contact Transport and Main Roads as soon as possible to ensure that gaining approval does not delay construction.

Main Roads are state-controlled roads, e.g. the M1 or Stafford Road.

It’s important you plan your project with this in mind as non-compliance may impact your project. Under no circumstances should any project progress works on these roads without TMR approval. This negatively affects Hutchies’ reputation which ultimately impacts on our TMR accreditations.

Matt Dawson, Hutchies Civil Team Leader, is more than happy to assist with guiding you through the approval process if required. His email is matthew.dawson@hutchies.com.au and mobile is 0439 716 846.

Please get in touch with Matt if your DA requires a Section 33 approval

Queensland State-Controlled Roads

NEED TO CONTACT TMR?

Email them at Metropolitan.IDAS@tmr.qld.gov.au

MORE INFORMATION

If you need additional support, please contact Hutchies’ Quality Team, or Matt Dawson (as above).

Phone 1300 HUTCHIES

Email QualityTeam@hutchies.com.au

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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 1July 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

10 October / Update

Installation Details for Elephant's Foot & Wastech Bin Chutes

Make sure bin chute systems are installed correctly, following the tested systems and the manufacturers’ instructions.

Check the detailed drawings from Elephant’s Foot and Wastech for different wall types (plasterboard, shaft-liner, speed panel, concrete, Hebel, and masonry).

Any changes to the tested systems must be approved by your project certifier, signed off by the fire engineer in the fire engineering report (FER), and accepted by the relevant state / territory fire service.