Month: October 2023

UMF certification is a highly sought after quality trademark for Manuka honey. It is a guarantee that your honey is genuine and has all the natural, special properties that make it so desirable worldwide.

All honey labelled with UMF must be produced, packed and labelled in New Zealand. It must also pass a series of tests to ensure it is true to its label claim.

Certification Process

The UMF grading and certification system is used to protect manuka honey producers from counterfeit products. It is a rigorous process that involves a series of tests to verify the authenticity of the honey. All UMF licensed honey must be produced, packaged and labelled in New Zealand. The UMF association also requires that all their members undergo audits and inspections.

As the UMF trademark is a well-known and trusted quality mark, other brands and rating types have begun to emerge. Some of these are attempting to compete with the official UMF Trademark. These other trademarks and ratings, however, are not approved by the UMF Association and they may not have an external quality control system in place. As such, they are not a reliable alternative to the official UMF rating.

MGO

MGO stands for Methylglyoxal, and is one of the natural markers found in New Zealand Manuka honey. Steens is proud to be part of the UMF association, a testing system that appraises multiple different markers for authenticity, including the Leptosperin marker which is unique to Manuka honey.

A Manuka honey with a higher MGO will be more effective in supporting your health. MGO is one of three signature Manuka markers tested for along with Leptosperin and DHA (which converts to Methylglyoxal). All of these natural markers are important in confirming that your New Zealand Manuka honey is authentic. This gives you confidence that the honey you are buying is genuine, pure and made in New Zealand. This means you can be sure that the UMF grading level stated on the packaging is accurate.

Leptosperin

The UMF certification process is a rigorous one that guarantees the quality of your Manuka honey. In addition to being produced, packed, and labeled in New Zealand, it must meet certain levels of four naturally occurring markers. These include Leptosperin, DHA, and Methylglyoxal (MGO).

MGO is a natural antibacterial compound that is found in the nectar of the Manuka plant. It can be compared to the omega-3 fatty acid DHA, which is present in the brain, cerebral cortex, skin, and retina of humans.

Unlike other grading systems, the UMF system appraises several different natural markers of Manuka honey to ensure its authenticity and purity. For example, it uses the Leptosperin marker, which is unique to the New Zealand Manuka genus. This is a stable, scientifically proven markr that elicits fluorescence at the MM1 wavelengths of Manuka honey.

DHA

The DHA license is available for physicians, dentists, midwives, nurses and other professionals from allied healthcare. The procedure to gratify the DHA medical licence is a voluble process that binds many steps. The first step includes heeding the self-assessment test. This is done by logging in to the Sheryan portal.

This will give you access to the assessment tests and information you need to get started. You’ll also need to complete the Primary Source Verification (PSV) process with DataFlow before you can take your DHA exam. This can take 15-24 working days to complete. In the meantime, you can start preparing for your exam. You may even want to consider enrolling in a DHA training course. This will help you pass the exam with confidence.

HMF

In contrast to other Manuka grading systems that focus solely on MGO levels, Steens UMF certification appraises a number of natural markers including Leptosperin and non-peroxide activity (NPA). These are the natural properties that make New Zealand Manuka honey so unique.

In addition, UMF certified Manuka must be made by a company that is licensed to use the quality trademark and adheres to strict guidelines from production to packaging. The company must also pass a rigorous testing process.

This includes the verification of the company’s workforce and an independent test on each batch of honey. This ensures that the honey meets all quality requirements and is true to label claims. Lastly, all UMF-labelled honey must be independently tested after packing. SummerGlow Apiaries Ltd is a UMF licensed honey producer – licence number 1001. The UMF trademark is an internationally recognized quality mark that’s backed by scientific research and standardised tests.

Underground service locators help ensure that construction projects are safe and efficient. These professionals use advanced technology and expertise to locate and mark buried pipes before construction begins.

Utility locating services are important for preventing accidental damage to underground pipes and cables. They can also save time and money by avoiding unnecessary construction delays.

Accurate Utility Mapping

The goal of utility mapping is to keep workers and civilians safe on construction sites. It’s a vital tool that can help prevent accidents and expensive work disruptions. It can also save time and money by preventing project delays. Here’s an example: Imagine your construction team starts digging and hits a buried gas line. This can cause serious damage and potentially harm people. This kind of accident can halt your project until it’s fixed and special contractors and equipment are arranged.

Professional services that offer underground service locating use a variety of methods to locate and map buried utilities. This includes contacting utility owners and reviewing available records, plans and maps to identify all the buried utilities in a construction area. Then, they can use non-destructive testing techniques such as ground-penetrating radar and electromagnetic location equipment to determine the exact locations and depths of these utilities. This information is then compiled into a comprehensive site survey and utility map.

Time and Cost Savings

Using service locators can prevent damage to underground infrastructure during construction or excavation. This helps to save time, money and avoids costly repairs. It also mitigates the risk of accidents, which can be dangerous and cause significant disruption to business operations.

This process is known as utility locating and involves detecting the presence of buried utilities, such as pipes, wires and cables. Using a range of methods, including passive locating and active locating, service locators can trace and identify the location of each utility line.

Passive locating uses electromagnetic (EM) signals that occur naturally on some types of utility lines, such as electric power lines that generate 50/60-hertz electricity. However, these passive signals can also be generated by other types of lines and aren’t always accurate in identifying the type of line. Moreover, some buried services are bonded together, which makes it difficult for locators to isolate a specific line. This can lead to incorrect identification of the target utility and disrupt other services nearby.

Compliance with Regulations

A utility locator is an essential piece of equipment for assessing and marking underground services before commencing excavations. Brownfield sites have a wide variety of utilities and pipelines installed, and it is vital for health and safety reasons that these are located prior to starting any work on site.

The majority of buried line locators use transmitters to energize the metallic lines and create an electromagnetic (EM) signal that is detected by receivers or other components in the locator. This EM signal is then used to identify and trace the path of the pipe or cable using visual indicators.

This allows excavators to work safely and without the risk of damaging a buried electrical cable, mains pipe or other important line. This ultimately reduces the risk to personal safety and the financial costs of any potential damage to a business. It also helps to ensure compliance with national and state regulations regarding damage prevention. This includes national one-call systems, which require all people considering digging or drilling on a site to contact the local utility company before proceeding.

Safety

Buried pipes and cables are a major construction site hazard, as they can be cut or crushed by tools or heavy machinery. A locating device can help prevent these accidents by ensuring that all services are marked before excavation work begins.

A standard buried utility locator uses transmitters that send an EM signal into the ground and detects its return. It can trace metal utilities and identify their type. It can also detect non-metallic utilities such as plastic and terra cotta, but these are not as easy to identify because they do not reflect the same EM signal.

Before beginning a dig, the operator should call 811. The national one-call center will flag the approximate location of public utilities, such as electricity, gas, oil, water and telephone. It is important to remember that private facilities are not included in the public flagging process and need to be located by a private contractor such as Blood Hound.

Bike lights are a crucial safety addition for summer rides that can stretch into twilight hours. Most bike lights have multiple power settings and promise a long battery life.

Some riders want a steady light for visibility while others prefer a flashing option to attract attention, especially for those with photosensitive epilepsy or who are sensitive to blinking lights.

Brightness

The brightness of your bike light can make a huge difference to the safety of you and other riders as well as motorists and pedestrians. For example, a rear light that’s too bright can easily blind other road users, so it should have an adjustable brightness setting to avoid this issue.

A rear light’s brightness is typically measured in lumens. A brighter light will illuminate a larger area to help you spot potential hazards. It will also have a power-saving mode to keep the light on longer so you can ride safer at night.

The brightness of a headlight will depend on the conditions you will be riding in. For example, if you are in areas with plenty of street lighting, then a lower brightness is likely sufficient. On the other hand, if you are heading out on dark back roads and trails, a brighter light will be required. Most lights have multiple settings, with the most common being a steady brightness and a flashing option.

Light Pattern

The beam pattern of a bike light can greatly affect its effectiveness. For instance, you may need a narrower spot light to illuminate your path on city streets with lots of streetlights or a brighter, wider headlight for off-road riding.

Some lights, such as a flashing rear blinker, are designed to make you stand out to drivers by drawing attention with an erratic pattern. Those types of lights are often USB-chargeable and mount to handlebars with a simple rubber band or Velcro system.

Other lights, such as a front fog light, offer a wide distribution of light with little backlight to increase visibility in foggy or dusty conditions. The KC Fog Beam is great to pair with your high-beam headlights.

Battery Life

Modern rechargeable batteries in bike lights can be recharged hundreds of times before they run out of power. However, it’s important to keep them charged and in a good condition.

Compared to older halogen and metal-halide bulbs, LEDs produce much more light per watt. This has helped to make lights lighter and with longer run times.

Most bike lights have multiple power settings, and most have flash modes to signal your presence to other road users. Some have an accelerometer that senses your slowing or stopping, and switches to a brighter mode to alert drivers of your actions.

Complaints of blinding glare from other riders’ lights have led to the development of new low-cost bike lights with horizontal beam cutoffs. The Cateye Volt 700 and Cygolite Expilion are two examples.

Safety

Lights serve two purposes, one to make cyclists visible to others and the other to illuminate the road and surroundings. For the former, a bright light with an attention-grabbing flash pattern is needed. For the latter, more akin to a headlight on a car, the aim is to see where you’re going, ideally at a comfortable speed.

Lighting laws in many places require riders to use a front and rear light, especially for road cycling at night and in areas with limited or no street lights. These lights are a critical component of cyclist safety and a key reason why many people choose to ride at night.

Over the past decade big improvements have been made to light output and weight thanks to efficient LED lamps that put out more light per watt and lithium batteries that pack more power into smaller packages. Look for durable, no-slip attachments; a quick-release for easy removal of the battery pack for charging and theft prevention; and a battery indicator that signals when it’s time to recharge.

The Carpentries community is growing in New Zealand as more institutions host Software and Data Carpentry workshops. These workshops are free, but participants must abide by the Carpentries Code of Conduct.

Steven is a UCOL teacher at Palmerston North and relocates to Turangi each week to teach the full-time pre-trades carpentry course. He hopes the 26 students will finish ready to take up apprenticeships.

Qualifications

Qualified carpenters build and repair structures like buildings, bridges and houses. They use a variety of materials including timber, concrete and steel to lay foundations, erect framing and apply cladding. They also fit out interiors and complete renovations. They can work on any kind of building, from residential homes and theatres to historic buildings and hospitals. Other responsibilities include assessing risks and liaising with other tradespeople.

The New Zealand Certificate in Carpentry Level 4 is a practical and project-based qualification for people starting out in their construction careers. It is delivered through an apprenticeship and includes theory and practical NZQA unit standards.

Applicants must be employed in the construction industry and be supervised by a licensed builder who is prepared to support their training. Applicants who are international learners whose first language is not English must have an IELTS Academic score of at least 5.5 and provide TOEFL scores if necessary. This course is based at Unitec, Te Pukenga and is full-time with Student Allowances and zero fees for eligible learners*.

Work environment

Migrant carpenters face a number of challenges in their work environment. Often, they must adapt to new practices and languages in order to succeed at their jobs. It’s important that they keep a close network of contacts in the industry to help them build their careers and achieve their goals. These relationships can help them reduce risk and build their reputations.

It’s also vital that the work environment is safe and healthy for workers. This includes adequate lighting and ventilation, as well as a place to rest if necessary. The right work environment can improve employee morale and boost productivity.

Whether you’re working on a large housing project or a small family-run furniture business, the right work environment will allow you to develop your skills and grow your career. The more you specialise in a certain field, the higher your salary will be. For example, if you specialise in woodworking, you can earn a higher salary than someone who only does construction work.

Skills required

During your time as a carpenter you will need to develop strong problem-solving skills. This could include identifying and addressing issues with structures, fittings, or frameworks. You will also need to interpret blueprints and make adjustments accordingly. Your attention to detail is crucial, especially when completing finishing tasks.

The role of a carpenter is to construct, install, and repair frames for houses, walls, roofs, windows, and doors. They may also be responsible for assessing and repairing existing wooden structures. They must be able to interpret blueprints and ensure all work meets safety requirements.

If you want to learn the trade of carpentry Auckland, it is a good idea to find a training provider. A registered training organisation (RTO) will help you develop your skills and gain qualifications that will enable you to start working in the industry. They offer full-time study programmes and apprenticeships. You can also attend free workshops and training courses to boost your skills.

Training options

If you’re interested in a career as a carpenter, there are a number of training options available. Some courses combine classroom learning with practical work at your workplace. Others offer the chance to take part in community-building projects, like building a house on campus. In addition, you can participate in Software Carpentry workshops, often run at University of Auckland by volunteers and instructors. These workshops are free and based on the open source teaching materials of the Carpentries. However, workshop participants are required to abide by the Carpentries Code of Conduct.

This level 3 qualification is ideal for people new to the industry, or those wanting a head start on their apprenticeship. It covers health and safety, basic construction skills, trade mathematics, hand tools, and project work related to different aspects of the construction industry. You’ll also gain experience working as an entry-level construction site worker or in pre-cut factory roles, which can assist with gaining an apprenticeship.