April 2015 NEWSLETTER 20 Elliott Street Midvale WA 6056 Email: [email protected] Website: www.midlandmowers.com.au 1 Issue 536 INDEX Features Page Sponsor Spotlight 3 For Sale 4 Previous Month Minutes 5 Minutes continued 6 Treasurer’s Report 7 Articles 7 & 11 Lawn Care in April 12 Health & Lifestyle Article 13 & 14 Sick Work Assistance 15 For Sale 15 Committee Nominations 15 Committee Details 16 & 17 For Sale 17 Emergency Mower Hire 17 Meeting Dates 18 Shop Talk 18 For Sale 19 Residential Turf Management 21 & 22 Water Corp Information 23 Chemical Application Course 24 SICK WORK Fact Sheets 25 & 26 Starter Round for Sale 27 On behalf of the Association, we would like to thank Graham Knight and Arnold Mervis for attending our March meeting and for giving our members some very valuation information regarding insurance. We would also like to thank Graham for generously donating an Echo Blower, supplied at cost by Balcatta Mowers as a raffle prize. Well done Howard on winning this awesome prize! Guest Speaker Graham Gould from Lawncare 500 will be giving us a short talk on weed types and eradication. Graham’s talks are always very informative. Ken Griffiths will be putting on short videos of maintenance on equipment prior to the meeting, so get there at 7pm if you’re interested. You can also check the videos out on the LMCA website if you like. DISCLAIMER: The advice contained in this newsletter is given in good faith. It does not necessarily represent the opinion of the Lawn Mowing Contractors Association of WA Inc, neither Committee or Members. Unless otherwise stated, it is given from the point of view of experienced LAWN MOWING Contractors, but it is not intended to infer any specialised technical knowledge other than that of a contractor. If in doubt, readers should seek specialised technical advice. The Lawn Mowing Contractors Association of WA Inc. accepts no responsibility for the accuracy of claims made by advertisers in this newsletter. 2 APRIL Balcatta Mowers understand the importance of contractors machines which is why they prioritise these and get you back to work ASAP. They stock a full range of quality commercial machines, parts & accessories in store. Their friendly and knowledgeable staff will be there with advice and assistance any time you require repairs or replacement of machinery. This month, along with being the sponsor of the month, Balcatta Mowers is celebrating its 30th year and have some amazing birthday specials available in store only. 3 For Sale Greenfield ipd slasher 28” cut $2,600 Honda 35cc whipper snipper $300 Mow Master 28” cut cylinder mower with height adjuster $3,400 Please contact Graham Bruce 0407 995 305 For Sale 21 customers in the Balcatta/Stirling area with basic earnings of approx $10,500.00 plus fertilising and weedspraying More than 60% of the customers are long term over 5 years. Price $5,400.00 firm Call Tania on 0402 428 112 4 MINUTES OF THE LAWN MOWING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION GENERAL MEETING FOR THE MONTH OF MARCH 2015, HELD AT THE MORLEY NORANDA RECREATION CLUB ON MONDAY 16th MARCH 2015 ____________________________________________________ The President opened the meeting at 7:30pm. ATTENDANCE, VISITORS, SPONSORS AND ALLIED MEMBERS: As per attendance sheets. The President welcomed visitors and sponsors and invited them to have a complimentary drink. APOLOGIES: Graham Humble, Matthew Polkinghorne, Vince Butler, Rob Bennett, David Harbidge, Thomas Riedel. A Lawson advised members of the 2 raffles for the night, the usual monthly raffle and the Sponsor Raffle, being an Echo blower kindly donated by Graham Knight Insurance Brokers and supplied by Balcatta Mowers at cost. GUEST SPEAKER: The President suspended the meeting to introduce Graham Knight from Graham Knight Insurance Brokers to give a talk on insurance. The President also introduced Arnold Mervis who will be the broker from Knights who will attend meetings and be there to assist the members and be the point of contact for insurance enquiries. After Graham answered some queries from Members present, A Lawson thanked Graham for his very informative talk. NORTHSIDE MOWERS: A Lawson advised members that Northside Mowers is being sold and encouraged members to continue to support Terry whilst the business is being sold. Terry Willison has been a very valued sponsor for many years. FERTILISING: A Lawson advised members that now is the time to prep the lawns for winter and to be thorough with cleaning up after fertilising as it can stain paving and driveways. COMMITTEE NOMINATIONS: A Lawson advised that a couple of nominations have been received and encouraged members to think about being on committee. Aaron advised members that they are welcome to attend committee members if they are thinking of nominating. Nomination forms available at the March, April and May meetings. MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: Moved, Graham Bruce, seconded Sonia Allin that the Minutes as published in the newsletter were a true and accurate record of the February meeting. Carried. BUSINESS ARISING FROM PREVIOUS MINUTES: Nil TREASURER’S REPORT: Moved Colin Craig, seconded Graham Bruce that the Treasurer’s Report, as published in the newsletter be accepted and the accounts paid. CORRESPONDENCE IN: Nil CORRESPONDENCE OUT: Nil WATERWISE: A Lawson updated members with the outcome of the Water Corporation meetings and the ongoing problems for our Association with the Waterwise Programme. He advised the Water Corporation that we will stay associated with their programme, but at arm’s length and reported that the assistance from the Water Corporation has changed and the benefits to the Association have been greatly reduced but we will continue to assist with the endorsement of Waterwise contractors. DONATIONS: Request from P Watterston for the Association to consider donating to the Bindoon Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade to assist in helping them replace the defibrillator which was recently destroyed in a burnover. Members asked to vote with majority voting for the $1000 to be donated to Bindoon Volunteer Bush Fire Brigade. 5 SPONSOR RAFFLE: Echo Blower, donated by Graham Knight Insurance, supplied at cost by Balcatta Mowers won by Howard McIndoe. COMMITTEE REPORTS: M Watterston advised members of shop specials including fire extinguishers, newly in stock. C Steele-Butler encouraged members to complete LMCA questionnaires so that the results can be collated and feedback given. T Butler advised that there is a round for sale, City Beach/Scarborough suit starter round. S Polkinghorne advised that invoices are ready for membership fees for 2015/16. A Lawson advised that the fees have not gone up. GENERAL BUSINESS: T Butler advised members about the importance of having work cards up-to-date when sick work assistance is required. Terry advised members that an article will be in the April newsletter with a sample ‘work card’ and sample ‘sick work book sheet.’ Discussion took place regarding sick work assistance. A Lawson advised that the Keep it Easy computer programme is going to the ‘Cloud,’ with a free trial version available. B Bruce advised of cord and oils he has available. Paul St Jack advised members about the Residential Turf Management Course. K Griffiths reminded contractors about the importance of keeping clutches well-oiled and further advised that he was working with Balcatta Mowers to refurbish MEY clutches. S Williams reported that MowMaster had re-conditioned an MEY clutch which he says is working well. RAFFLE: Loose cylinder grind donated by Joondalup Mowers won by Steve Polkinghorne Loose bottom blade sharpen donated by Balcatta Mowers won by Ken Griffiths Edger blades donated by Blades Galore won by Jamie Everington Plastic fuel can donated by Blades Galore won by Jean-Claude Said Brush cutter cord donated by Blades Galore won by Liam Brady Bottle of wine donated by Rob Hooker won by Tony Parsonson Dan Murphy’s $30 gift card donated by LMCA won by Tony Humphreys Chase the Joker not won, will be $370 next month MEETING CLOSED: 8:45pm 6 March 2015 Payee Sensis Carol Steele Terry Butler Terry Butler Terry Butler Steve Polkinghorne Steve Polkinghorne Steve Polkinghorne Blades Galore Ken Griffiths Aaron Lawson Morley Noranda Rec Club Telstra Terry Butler Details Yellow Pages Honorarium Honorarium Shop Stock Raffle Prize Honorarium Postage Computer Stationery Shop Stock Honorarium Honorarium Supper meeting Office Phone Buddy system—Insurance claim Amount ($) 217.80 1208.33 750.00 198.00 350.00 750.00 39.00 21.60 167.35 750.00 750.00 95.30 117.94 70.00 Steve Polkinghorne WORK PRACTICES It is always good to have a look at how you are doing things, perhaps the ramp you are using is not locking onto your trailer or ute properly, maybe you are not putting cones or signs out when you pull your machinery out of your trailer with traffic behind you. If unloading a ute, have you got room behind you in case the mower takes off! Do you every put your hand anywhere near the cylinder if pushing grass up into the catcher? Do you ever pull your edger behind you or walk in front of it while it is still running? I have see accidents sometimes severe with all of these things coming into play and have escaped injury myself on several occasions when I have done something stupid to try and save time. Small things like wearing padded fingerless gloves can save a lot of ‘wear n tear’ and protect you from sharp objects and sharp plants. Wearing fluoro shirts gives that early morning motorist the chance to see you when the sum is full on in their windscreen. Good quality glasses are an essential, wrap-around wings on glasses are very important and will help to protect you from injury and cataracts. Just self-awareness as to how much you are drinking and eating on the hot days, if you had a few beers the night before it can cause dehydration the next day when the weather warms up. We are all at risk of injury and have to self-manage. NO union or safety rep to protect us. If you would like to talk about this at meetings for tips on how to do it properly, feel free to bring it up. Terry 7 Lawn Mower Equipment & Vehicle Finance No fuss finance – we come to you! Low doc options – no need for tax figures or financials. Finance available from $3,000 upwards We also arrange Home Loans and commercial property finance. Contact Stephen Heath Ph: 6142 6899 Mob: 044 88 99 707 Email: [email protected] 1 Alvan Street Subiaco WA 6008 Westminster National Pty Ltd ACN 102 212 671 ABN 66 102 212 671 Trading as Westminster National Australian Credit Licence 391520 8 9 10 TO ALL LAWNMOWING CONTRACTORS ASSOCIATION MEMBERS I read the Article in your last newsletter about servicing equipment and wanted to respond to the last paragraph: MowMaster Turf Equipment has always been dedicated to offering WA Lawnmowing Contractors the very best equipment money can buy! You have always had: The widest cut in the narrowest frame The heaviest duty in the lightest frame The longest lasting more durable cutting blades Easy Maintenance in a Commercial Product Product Back Up Expert Service and Industry Knowledge Choice Yes! We do continually change our products and add new ones, all to suit your unique industry. No one has done it better than MowMaster. That is now well and truly clear! Remember! This business was established in 1947. We have done nothing but purely specialise in Superior Turf Maintenance Equipment from Grandfather to Great Grandson, we possess more industry knowledge than any other person or company could ever dream of. You need it! We understand it! That’s why we are, where we are. Just to let you members know about where we stand on pricing. MowMaster has just increased pricing by an average 2%, some only by 0.9%. I think that’s way below the CPI? Our last price list had not changed since 01/05/13, that’s pretty close to 2 years. What’s changed in 2 years, The Dollar? The cost of living? Material Costs? Wages? Consumables? Which ones would you say would contribute to a manufacturers price increases, some or all? Or some might think it’s that we are the only manufacturer in the country that we choose to make these increases? No! We could have put our prices up by 100% including parts and services quite some time ago if we really wanted? We could have very easily but we did not! That’s who we are, that’s how we are, and that’s how we stay! Just an example—If you were able to purchase imported equipment equal to MowMaster’s quality, you would be paying “Double”. That is a fact! There is not another product built like it in Planet Earth. There are other Mowers but not to do the work you require from them? Thank you for your time to read this and please believe that MowMaster is dedicated to your industry and will remain so for the next 68 years. Cheers DAVE HARRISON DIRECTOR 13 April 2015 11 Lawn Care in April Weed control: Autumn rain will bring with it a huge surge in the weed population that we don’t see every year. They need controlling or they become established as regulars to invade each summer. Seed set of summer weeds can be prolific. Plants not controlled will provide a seed bank for many years. Mowing can help. Spraying weeds when they are young will give the best result. They need to be actively growing. Don’t spray lawns that have been recently mowed or show signs of stress. Spraying early in the morning after a dew can help the uptake of the herbicide. This also reduces the evaporation risk. Autumn is an excellent time to control broadleaf weeds in lawns. Why wait until spring when you can get a jump on them early. Advise your customers that mulching the garden beds can help reduce the weeds. Garden weeds tend to drift into the lawn and that is where all of our problems come from. If they are going to mulch the garden beds, make sure that they keep the mulch away from the edge of the lawn, otherwise when you use your edger, it will throw the mulch everywhere. Wintergrass is considered by some to be a serious weed of fine turf, to be eradicated at all costs. If you can knock wintergrass in autumn, you will have better turf grass growth. It will remain green for longer into late autumn and early winter, and should also start to green up earlier in late winter. Wintergrass is a small winter-growing annual grass forming a tussock up to 10cm tall. It first appears about May, with the onset of colder weather and fewer hours of sunlight, and continues to germinate throughout winter and early spring. Seed heads develop in mid-winter and continue into spring. Treatment requires chemical methods of control by a licenced spray contractor. The spray for wintergrass is generally applied as a pre-emergent which means it kills the seed before they germinate. It is really important that you don’t allow wintergrass to get into full growth as it is much harder to eradicate. We have found that when a lawn is sprayed regularly for around 3 years, you can eradicate it completely from a lawn that is contained, i.e. not a front verge or an open lawn. Ants occasionally cause problems where there is extensive mound building over lawns. Populations can occur throughout the year because the Queen lays eggs almost continually and all life history stages (eggs, larvae, pupae and adults) may occur at any one time in the colony. The tunnelling activities of ants create an artificial drought by removing soil from around the turf root zone. It is best management practice to attend to cultural aspects of turf and fertilise and irrigate to deter the ants. Chemical control may be applied by a licenced spray contractor. 12 Flu (influenza) - Vaccination Definition of flu: a common disease that is caused by a virus and that causes fever, weakness, body aches and breathing problems. How if flu spread? Through the air when someone coughs, sneezes or talks By touching something that has the virus on it and then touching your nose, eyes or mouth Symptoms: Symptoms of flu most commonly include a fever combined with a cough and/or sore throat. Other symptoms may include: Fatigue Headache Runny or congested nose Muscle or joint aches and pains Chills Nausea, vomiting and/or diarrhoea have also been reported, particularly in children. Several flu virus strains circulate every year in Australia. Flu usually causes mild illness in most people. However, some people are more likely to develop severe illness from flu. People who are at increased risk of severe illness from flu Some people are more likely to develop severe illness from seasonal flu and human swine flu. They include: Pregnant women Young children aged 6 months to under 5 years People aged 65 years of age and older Aboriginal Australians older than 15 years of age Very obese people People with underlying medical conditions including: Heart disease Chronic respiratory conditions Chronic diseases requiring medical follow-up or hospitalisation in the past year, including diabetes Chronic neurological conditions People with weakened immune systems, which may be caused by cancers, HIV/AIDS or certain Medications If you are in one of the groups above, you: Are strongly encouraged to get vaccinated against flu Should seek medical attention if you develop flu symptoms Protecting yourself from flu Vaccination is voluntary, but everyone is encouraged to get a yearly vaccine. Good personal hygiene will also help prevent the spread of flu. If you are travelling If you are travelling overseas, you should check smartraveller.gov.au for updates and travel advisories. Travellers should consider getting vaccinated against flu before going to countries where the flu virus is active. Always wash your hands thoroughly after coming into contact with people who have flu-like symptoms, after coughing, sneezing, going to the toilet, and before eating. 13 Vaccination: The seasonal flu vaccine is available on prescription or via GP, immunisation clinics and many chemists, and is provided free for the following groups: Pregnant women People aged 65 years of age and older Aboriginal Australians aged 15 years and older Individuals aged 6 months and older with medical conditions that put them at risk of severe influenza, including: Heat disease Chronic respiratory conditions Chronic diseases requiring medical follow-up or hospitalisation in the past year. Chronic neurological conditions People with weakened immune systems Children aged six months to 10 years receiving long term aspirin therapy Children aged from 6 months to under 5 years of age are eligible for a free vaccine in WA If you are unsure if you are in a high category for complications from influenza, or if you require medical advice, speak with your GP or immunisation provider, or ring healthdirect Australia on 1800 022 222 Note: Some immunisation providers may charge a consultation fee for administering vaccines. It is recommended that you check if the vaccine is available and what the costs will be when making an appointment with your immunisation provider. Vaccination Safety: All vaccines used in Australia have been extensively tested for safety. Common side effects and what to do: Like any other medication, vaccines can have side effects. Side effects after vaccination are usually mild and short-lasting and do not need special treatment. Pain: An injection can cause soreness, redness, itching, swelling or burning at the injection site for 1-2 days. Give paracetamol (not aspirin) if needed Soreness at the injection site can be eased by placing a wet cloth over the site A small hard lump may appear where the injection was given and can persist for some weeks or months. No special treatment is needed. Fainting: This is mainly seen in adolescents and adults. Anyone who feels giddy or light-headed before or after vaccination should lie down until free of symptoms. Vomiting and diarrhoea: See your doctor if severe or persistent. Irritability, decreased appetite, sleepiness: These are common reactions and do not require treatment. Children may need comforting after vaccination. These symptoms usually disappear after 24 to 48 hours—if they don’t, see your doctor. Fever: (temperature above 38.5°) A fever can occur after receiving any vaccine. Please see your doctor if a persistent high temperature is present. Have extra fluids and reduce clothing. Paracetamol may be taken if there is fever and pain after vaccination. Seizure: (convulsions, fits) Usually lasts 20 seconds, rarely more than 2 minutes. Call an ambulance immediately or present to hospital. As with any medication, very rarely a person may experience severe allergic reation such as anaphylaxis. Your immunisation provider is trained to recognise and manage any immediate, severe reactions. A severe, anaphylatic reaction will generally occur within the first 15 minutes after receiving a vaccine. For more detailed information go to www.health.wa.gov.au 14 INELIGIBLE FOR SICK WORK ASSISTANCE The members listed below are ineligible for Sick Work Assistance as per the Constitution. In order to be eligible for Sick Work Assistance, a member must regularly attend meetings and provide proof that he/she currently holds Public Liability Insurance cover. The relevant sections of the Constitution are detailed below: Eligibility for Assistance Rule 20 (a) - A Member must attend at least one general meeting in every three to be eligible for Sick Work Assistance. A Member who fails to do so is ineligible for Sick Work Assistance. Public Liability Cover to be maintained Rule 20 (b) - A Member must maintain a Public Liability Insurance Policy with a minimum cover of five million dollars ($5,000,000) and is required to supply the Administrator or Vice President with a Certificate of Currency for their Public Liability insurance within 28 days of the renewal date of this policy, stating the renewal date and the amount insured. A Member who does not comply with this rule, will be unable to perform Sick Work and will be ineligible for Sick work Assistance. The form can also be emailed to the office direct from your brokers at your request Brendan Adams Kim Milne Bradley Dale Wayne Thompson Wayne Hill Chris Watson Ba Long Simon Williams Please remember that if you now miss 3 or more meetings in a row, you are required to attend 2 consecutive meetings to become eligible for Sick Work Assistance. You will, however, still be required to do Sick Work for other Members. KEV’S TIPS If you have engine starter cords older than one year, change them now! The rain will cause them to swell and break which will ruin your day. Always carry spares. Carry spare spark plugs and the correct plug spanners. You need a particularly long one for your mower. If your mower ever stops suddenly, it will be either the plug or the fuel! NOMINATIONS WELCOME FOR COMMITTEE POSITIONS 2015/16 All positions on committee are for a one year period and become vacant at the June meeting which is our Annual General Meeting. Any financial member wishing to nominate for a position must lodge his/her application with the Vice President before the commencement of the May committee meeting. Forms will be available at the next 3 general meetings. The duties are flexible so give it a try and learn more about your industry. If you would like to have a talk about what the duties involve, please phone Terry 9207 3656 Please phone Terry on 9207 3656 Thank You 15 2014/15 LMCA Committee Structure & Job Descriptions 16 2014/15 LMCA General Committee LMCA Emergency Mowers for Hire The LMCA own 2 x 28” lawnmowers which can be hired for $35.00 per day plus a refundable deposit. The mowers are currently held at the following locations: SOUTH: Contact Kevin Shynn 0408 804 277 or 9398 7558 NORTH: Contact Terry Willison at Northside Mowers, Balcatta Tel: 9240 2411 Both Mowers are in perfect condition and ready to go! For Sale Lawn Mowing Trailer 8ft x 4.5ft fully enclosed and lockable Single axle Holden hubs Racks inside. Full rear ramp White sides, newly painted and ready for sign writing Immaculate condition Reduced to bargain price $2000 Contact Steve Lindsay 0418 912 257 17 General Meeting Dates (7:30pm) Committee Meeting Dates (7:00pm) Monday 20th April Tuesday 28th April (TBC) Monday 18th May Monday 25th May The General Meetings are held at the Morley Noranda Recreation Club Shop Talk! Fire extinguishers now in stock $45 each (including vehicle bracket) Get all your stationery needs from the shop including job cards and quote books. See Matt at the April meeting! Reminders from the Office ALL MEMBERS: Don’t forget to sign the attendance register as it helps keep your Sick work eligibility up-to-date. Please note the LMCA no longer has a fax machine. If you have changed any contact details: phone numbers, addresses and email addresses, please advise Carol in the office on 9440 1559 / 0400 340 449 (call or SMS) / email: [email protected] Looking for work? Are you registered on the LMCA website? If not, please register at www.lawnmow.com.au and existing members will be sent logon information. Don’t forget to update your profile at least every 2 months, set a date in your diary! Your work areas will automatically be removed from the website after a period of 3 months has elapsed. If this has happened to you, please contact Carol. Any logon problems, please phone Carol for assistance. 18 For Sale Blundstone Boots Size 8 Non steel toe caps New $30 Contact Kevin Shynn: 0408 804 277 For Sale 24” MEY Mower with Catcher Excellent condition $1950 Contact Kevin Shynn Mob: 0408 804 277 19 Do you have any work for sale? Condensing your round? Equipment for sale? If so, please contact Terry Butler : 0431 804 121 We can also advertise your work or equipment for sale on the LMCA website Just send the details to Terry or Carol Free listing for members 20 Residential Turf Management Course This course covers a wide range of topics, all relevant to the domestic and small commercial mowing contractor. Topics include OHS, fertilisers and pricing, soils and soil preparation, turf recognition, plant structure and function, mowing techniques, turf renovation, irrigation, weeds, pests and diseases, sales and marketing, planning, debtor control and summer and winter survival. If you are not sure whether you need to enrol in this course, test yourself on the following questions—all the answers will be provided during the course. 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. 16. 17. 18. 19. 20. What is the maximum towing capacity of your vehicle for a trailer with brakes, or a trailer without brakes? What are the minimum required safety items you must carry in your vehicle to comply with Worksafe regulations? Nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium are all essential macro elements. What effect do they each have on turf grass? Which are the trace elements that are typically deficient in Perth soils? How do wetting agents work and when should they be applied? How do you calibrate your fertiliser spreader to deliver an application rate of 25 grams per square meter of turf? How do you calculate the amount you should charge clients for fertilising their lawns? Describe the correct process for preparing for and installing roll on turf How do you mow fine lawns without leaving lines and gouge marks? What is the best technique for mowing slopes? What is vertimowing and how do you do it? When is the best time to verimow and why? What is the difference between gear drive sprinklers and popups and how long should they each be left on to deliver 15mm of water? If you break a PVC pipe underground, how do you fix it without digging up a lot of lawn, and how do you ensure it won’t break again if run over? What is an articulated riser and how do you install one? Can you identify weed and pest problems in a client’s lawn? Do you know the life cycle of weeds sufficiently to be able to advise a client when they should be sprayed? Do you know which weeds can be sprayed selectively in a lawn? What strategy do you have in place to market your business to clients? What strategy do you have in place to manage your debtors? For details on enrolment to the Residential Turf Management Course, please see page 22. 21 Please note that the price has been revised down to $481.27 22 Perth Watering Days The 2 day per week sprinkler roster now applies to all scheme water users in Perth Sprinklers can only be used either before 9am or after 6pm, on designated watering days (2 days per week) based on the last digit of street numbers. Garden bore users in Perth can continue to use their garden bore either before 9am or after 6pm, on designated watering days (3 days per week). Last Digit of Street or lot number Scheme Users 2 day roster Bore owners Additional day 1 Wednesday & Saturday Monday 2 Sunday & Thursday Tuesday 3 Monday & Friday Wednesday 4 Tuesday & Saturday Thursday 5 Sunday & Wednesday Friday 6 Monday & Thursday Saturday 7 Tuesday & Friday Sunday 8 Wednesday & Saturday Monday 9 Thursday & Sunday Tuesday 0 Friday & Monday Wednesday It is important that your customer’s irrigation controllers are programmed correctly to their current rostered watering days. Advise your customers that they can save litres of water and avoid fines for breaching watering restrictions with the proper setting of their irrigation controllers. It’s important to advise your customers to regularly check their irrigation system’s controller units—and advise them to turn them off when it rains! Some handy Dos and Don’ts for sprinkler & outdoor use Specific to your customers: You can: Water lawns and gardens with a hand held hose or watering can Top up a pond, fountain or swimming pool A person, during the course of their employment in the turf, garden or landscaping industries can operate an irrigation system to the minimum extent necessary while the system is being installed, maintained, tested or repaired. An ‘Authorised sprinkler testing in progress’ sign must be clearly displayed on the site for the duration of the testing. A person, during the course of their employment in the turf, garden or landscaping industries, can apply 10mm of water immediately after the application of fertilisers, wetting agents or vertimowing. You can wash your car with a hose Water lawns and gardens using irrigation systems with sprinklers or drippers on your watering days, EITHER once in the morning before 9am or once in the evening after 6pm. Households and businesses can apply for a watering exemption if establishing a new lawn or garden. You can’t: Water gardens and lawns using irrigation systems in BOTH the morning and evening of your allocated watering days unless an exemption has been applied for. Water lawns and gardens using irrigation systems between the hours of 9am and 6pm. Clean driveways, walls or windows of buildings with a hose. Run your irrigation outside your allowed watering days or times to see if the system is operating OR adjust sprays on sprinklers. (the above information has been obtained from the Water Corporation website) Waterwise helpline 24 hours 13 13 85 23 24 SICK WORK Our sick work cover is the only one of it’s type in any self-employed industry that we know of. You cannot protect your livelihood in any other way, having wage protection is excellent, but if you have nobody to do the physical work on your behalf while you are ill, then the round will fall apart within 6 weeks. THE FACTS RE: ELIGIBILITY AND PROVIDING SICK WORK ASSISTANCE To be eligible for Sick work, you need to qualify under the following points:Are you financial? i.e. fees paid to date Are you a sick work member? Have you attended the correct number of meetings? Are you on the ineligible list? To apply for Sick work, you need to be incapacitated for more than 5 working days You will require a sick note from your Doctor stating that you are off work for more than 5 working days Is your Public Liability Insurance Certificate recorded in the LMCA office? Has your sick work been approved by the Committee? If any of the above points are not covered, you will be Ineligible for Sick Work Assistance When you contact our office for Sick Work assistance, you will be supplied a Sick Work Book and a list of Contractors to attend to your work while you are incapacitated. Unless agreed with the Contractor, we will require at least 3 working days’ notice before your work begins. Your work will be added to the existing rounds of our Contractors so that work might be attended slightly before or after its due date. If you require grass to be removed from your clients’ properties, you will need to advise your customers that this might not be possible. Most of our Contractors have no provision for removing clippings. If necessary, you will need to supply them with full-sized bin liners that can be left on the properties to be collected by you when you are recovered. All relevant notes about your clients’ needs should be given to the Member doing the Sick Work, as in keys, codes, dogs on properties etc. You are responsible for all monies owing. If cash is left out for you on your properties, you need to inform the Member doing the work. Payment should be made via direct bank deposit as the work is completed by your sick work contractor. Make sure you have the funds in place to pay 50% owing to the Member doing the work. (Continued on Page 26) 25 Stay in touch with both the office and the Members doing the sick work for the duration of the illness. If you are involved in an accident, can your partner/friend/family member pass on your work roster to the LMCA? Are you on a computer program that we can access? If your injury is short-term, you might be able to find a work mate who can give you assistance without going to Sick work. Immediately you receive your sick work lists from the office, contact the Members by phone or email and get your written work lists out as soon as possible. Work lists need to be between $250 and $300. Although the contractors will do the best they possibly can, jobs that are not accessible due to locked gates, carports etc. will not be attended to. If you have advised the contractor to go and do the work, you cannot expect them to return to site at a later date for any reason. Sick work is a privilege, not a right, you need to fulfill all the criteria to be eligible. If you are given sick work to do, it means that our office is sure that the sick work member is legitimately ill. You do not need to phone the office to confirm this. Work the list into your round and advise the sick member as soon as the work is completed so that he might invoice his customers. If you are going on holiday during the period of sick work, you are still responsible for that work. Get someone else to do it for you or try and work something out with the contractor who is sick. Going on holiday does not excuse you from sick work, otherwise during the winter, we would have no members available for sick work. You are obliged with your membership to cover legitimate sick work. Family problems, being behind with your work, inclement weather, none of these are legitimate reasons for non-compliance. The Association is built on mate ship, come to regular meetings, have a beer with the guys, introduce yourself around and hope that YOU never fall sick. 26 27
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